Welcome to a special edition of From the Politics Desk, bringing you highlights from Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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The Obamas Bring a Dose of Nostalgia and Energy to Chicago
By Natasha Korecki
CHICAGO — Although he once built his political career here, former President Barack Obama returned to his hometown on Tuesday to play the role of elder statesman.
“It’s good to be home!” Obama opened his remarks to a roaring reception at the United Center. “I don’t know about you, but I’m excited!”
That nostalgic reference to Obama's famous “Ready to Go” slogan has caused another stir.
As the second night of the Democratic National Convention approached, Obama wove together the party’s core principles along with what he saw as a roadmap for the future. He praised Joe Biden, his former vice president — one of the few speakers to do so Tuesday night — and said choosing him for the job was one of the best decisions he’s ever made.
Obama called on Americans to reject division that turns into blind hatred for each other. Obama defended Kamala Harris, reviewing her achievements as California attorney general and then vice president, saying that she helped confront drug companies and high insulin prices and helped lower health care costs.
Meanwhile, Obama took aim at former President Donald Trump, including scolding the Republican candidate for having a “weird obsession with crowd size,” as he put it, gesturing with his hands in a way that suggested something small. It was one of the biggest laugh lines he said that night.
“We don't need four more years of bluster and chaos,” Obama said to cheers from the crowd. “We've seen this movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse.”
Read more from Natasha →
Shift in focus: Former first lady Michelle Obama served as an introduction to her husband. While she is known for saying, “When they go down, we go up,” Jonathan Allen notes that tonight she shifted to a more direct confrontation with Trump that better aligns with Harris’s motto: “When we fight, we win.”
“His narrow, narrow worldview made him feel threatened by the presence of two successful, hard-working, highly educated people who were black,” Obama said of Trump's treatment of her and her husband.
Referring to her hope for a Harris victory — and Trump's frequent use of the term “black jobs” — she chided him, saying, “Who's going to tell him that the job he's looking for right now might just be one of those black jobs?”
Personal touch: Meanwhile, Doug Emhoff sought to introduce the country to “Momala” at a time when many Americans are still getting to know the new Democratic presidential candidate.
Alex Seitz-Wald writes that the country's number two man has easily derided his wife as a “happy warrior” and a loving mother to his children, and every year on their wedding anniversary she makes him listen to an “embarrassing” voicemail he left her asking her out on their first date.
“My mom is the only one who thinks Kamala is lucky to have married me,” he said with a laugh.
More coverage of the second night of the Democratic Convention.
The Democratic Party flexes its institutional strength.
By Chuck Todd
CHICAGO – Among the lies being spread on social media by many Democratic activists is the “Democrats are in disarray” meme mocking the media.
This trend dates back to an earlier generation of Democrats who regularly used the media to debate the right direction for their party, both politically and on the campaign trail, while Republicans kept their internal disputes more private.
But since the beginning of the Trump era, the Republican Party has been in a state of constant disarray. This makes sense, given that Trump has been trying to remake the Republican Party in his own image, and that this image stands in stark contrast to the belief system of the traditional GOP brand names of the past 30 years—think Bush, Romney, Cheney, Ryan, or McConnell. Aside from defeating Democrats on Election Day and cutting taxes, there’s not much Republicans agree on these days. There are huge divisions over trade and economic policy, and more fundamental disagreements over the role America should play in global security. On character, the rule of law, and more, the party’s divisions are there for the world to see.
By contrast, the Trump era has made Democrats more cohesive, and therefore more pragmatic and publicly unified. The only thing that unites the party more than anything else is defeating Trump, and that can create clarity of purpose. When Sen. Joe Manchin and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez can endorse Harris in the same news cycle, you know you have a Democratic Party that is healthy as an institution… at least for now.
This conference is a display of that institutional power and discipline. Every living president speaks or represents (Jimmy Carter’s grandson spoke in place of his ailing grandfather). Indeed, each night features a different president: Joe Biden on Monday, Obama on Tuesday, Bill Clinton on Wednesday—and perhaps a future president on Thursday, with Harris.
Compare that to Republicans. A Bush has not spoken at a Republican convention since 2012. Before that, a Bush had spoken at every Republican convention except one since 1956.
Read more from Chuck →
🗞️ Other important stories for this evening
👀 Vision 2025: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would consider making changes to the 60-vote filibuster rule to pass a pair of major bills that would expand voting rights nationwide if Harris is elected and Democrats retain control of the Senate. Read more → 🤝 Here’s why: Trump told CNN he would be open to giving Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a role in his administration if the independent candidate dropped out of the race. Read more → 💰 Follow the money: Billionaire businessman Timothy Mellon and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote eight-figure checks in July to support major Republican and Democratic super PACs, respectively. Read more → 🗳️ Election night: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz won the Republican primary, defeating a challenger backed by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Read more → ✅ On the ballot: An initiative proposing to enshrine abortion access in Montana’s constitution is set to appear on the state’s ballot in November. Read more → 🐄 ON THE GROUND: NBC News' Shaquille Brewster and Kaylani Koenig report from Madison, Wisconsin, on how young voters feel about the Democratic presidential ticket now that Harris has replaced Biden. Read more →
That's all we have from the Politics section for now. If you have any comments – likes or dislikes – email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com
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