CHICAGO — With 50,000 people roaming around the United Center for the Democratic National Convention, from mayors to senators to music legend and icon Patti LaBelle, it’s anyone’s guess which celebrity and politician attendees will encounter.
As such, WGN-TV interviewed a few bigwigs to get their take on several topics at this year’s DNC.
Among the high-profile names was Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who was Hillary Clinton’s running mate eight years ago.
“It brought back a lot of memories,” Kane said. “It’s really good to be here.”
Kaine spoke about the chemistry between Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
“It’s a very unusual job to be the vice president,” Kaine said. “You have to be the person who often is the last person in the room with the President before they make a decision and be willing to give the most candid advice, even in disagreement.”
Rev. Al Sharpton took the stage Monday night with his mentor and friend, Rev. Jesse Jackson, celebrated for his political work and dedication to racial equality.
“It was a moment that he deserved,” Sharpton said of Jackson’s standing ovation Monday night. “In many ways, he is as much the reason for laying the foundation for Kamala Harris as anybody.”
Political strategist Karen Finney has been attending national conventions since 1992. She said DNC 2024 in Chicago is the most diverse.
“We have a Black woman running this convention. We have Black women leading some of the most important committees in the convention. And we’re about to nominate the first Black woman, the first South Asian woman, but also at all levels,” Finney said.
Supporting the pink and green colors of VP Harris’s sorority, Alpa Kappa Alspha, Inc., Leah Daugherty, co-chair of the DNC Rules Committee, says the mood of this convention is electric.
“Can you feel it?” Daugherty asked. “Last night was electric … We’re just on fire as Democrats. Can’t wait.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s eldest son, Martin Luther King III, said the upcoming election could be the most historic in US history.
“I’m sure my mother and father are smiling down on this process,” he said. “But also reinforcing the fact that once she is elected, there is a lot of work that has to be done. First of all, there’s a lot of work to be done to get her elected. Then, the work really begins.”