The Obamas put their rhetorical skills to work on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention August 20, as the presidential nominee's native Bay Area punches above its weight in shaping the week's proceedings.
Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney, state attorney general, and California's junior U.S. senator, will formally accept the party's presidential nomination Thursday. Her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, will speak Wednesday night.
Former President Barack Obama evoked themes of unity across partisan divides late Tuesday in a nod to his 2004 convention speech that put him on the national political scene.
"When we uphold our values, the world's a little brighter; when we don't, the world's a little dimmer, and dictators and autocrats feel emboldened, and over time we become less safe," the former president said. "America can be, and must be, a force for good — discouraging conflict, fighting disease, promoting human rights, protecting the planet from climate change, defending freedom, promoting peace. That's what Kamala Harris believes — and so do most Americans."
Former first lady Michelle Obama, on the other hand, evoked her husband's 2008 election win and themes of hope and change.
"America, hope is making a comeback," she said, referring to the vibe shift since Harris' ascension to the top of the Democratic ticket. Then, she took the fight to Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, accusing him — in either of the Obamas' most direct language yet — of racism.
"His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black," the former first lady said of Trump. Then, referencing Trump's previous remark about immigrants taking "Black jobs," she added, "Who's going to tell him that the job he's currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?" to the roar of the delegates.
The former president also ribbed Trump's "weird obsession with crowd sizes" while making a hand gesture about size.
Sal Rosselli, a gay San Francisco delegate, told the Bay Area Reporter that the Obamas "knifed it out of the park."
"So inspiring, lending all Americans to do their part to elect Kamala and Tim [Walz]," Rosselli added.
SF, California take center stage
Forged in the fire of San Francisco politics together, it was former mayor and current California Governor Gavin Newsom who delivered the Golden State's delegates to Harris during a ceremonial roll call at the convention Tuesday.
"We believe the future happens in California first," Newsom intoned from the convention floor. "And, Democrats, I've had a privilege for over 20 years to see that future taking shape with a star in [an] Alameda courtroom by the name of Kamala Harris. I saw that star, I saw that star fighting for criminal justice, racial justice, economic justice, social justice. I saw that star shine even brighter as attorney general of California, as a United States senator, and as vice president of the United States of America. Kamala Harris has always done the right thing — a champion for voting rights, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, the rights for women and girls."
Bay Area LGBTQ delegates and conventiongoers have been using the opportunity they have to network with Democrats nationwide this week in Chicago to workshop exporting that California future elsewhere. The B.A.R. has been keeping in touch with them through their convention journeys.
"It's been great getting to meet Democrats from all over the country, especially those from red states," Honey Mahogany, a Black queer, trans delegate who until earlier this year was chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, stated to the B.A.R. August 20.
"They are doing the Lord's work fighting for democracy, human rights, and policy changes in places where it isn't easy, and I find that really inspiring," added Mahogany, who is now the executive director of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives. "We know that many people vote with their heart and that messaging is also incredibly important in an election, but it's been great to hear about the actual policies that Democrats are fighting for that will make a huge, positive difference in people's everyday lives."
Emanuel "Manny" Yekutiel, a gay man who owns the eponymous cafe and event space in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood, told the B.A.R. he is at the convention as part of his capacity as a fundraiser for the Harris Victory Fund after he'd hosted Harris and first lady Jill Biden.
Yekutiel said that rather than asking San Franciscans if they're OK, Harris' nomination has led Democratic regulars to be more kindly disposed to the city after years of national coverage of "doom loop" fears.
"San Francisco is being celebrated, which is kind of nice," Yekutiel said in an August 20 phone interview. "Yesterday, they had a video about Kamala Harris' upbringing and Oakland, San Francisco, featured prominently. It was cool and almost kind of — exciting is an understatement — humbling, maybe, to see our city and our area put up there on the big screen for the entire world to see, and the pride and love with which she was speaking about it. It felt kind of uncommon given the last few years and how people talk about the Bay Area."
Luis Zamora, a gay San Francisco delegate who is running for a seat on the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees in November, told the B.A.R. something similar in an August 20 phone interview.
"On Sunday night, as part of the welcome delegation, Chicago's elected LGBTQ leaders, and leaders throughout the state of Illinois, gathered at Sidetrax, an LGBTQ bar, and it was so welcoming, it was packed, and they asked this packed room if there was anyone visiting Chicago for the first time," Zamora said. "I was the sole voice that said [he was from] California, and they all clapped. It was really welcoming and inclusive and it was great to see the progress they're making in their state and city as well."
Zamora said that he's among the delegates availing themselves of their time in America's third-largest city, itself a tapestry of the nation's diversity.
"The first thing I did when I got here is I went to try Lou Malnati's Pizza and it was amazing," Zamora said. When asked if he preferred Chicago's deep dish to New York style, he replied deep dish.
On the convention's opening night August 19, the Bay Area was represented by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr — fresh off his Olympic gold medal win as coach of Team USA in Paris. The convention has made patriotism a major theme, with "USA" chants and signs prominent.
Kerr said he won't just "shut up and whistle."
"The joy, the passion, the commitment to our country that we saw at the Olympics, that is what Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have," Kerr said. "After the results are tallied that night, we can, in the words of the great Steph Curry, we can tell Donald Trump, 'Night, night!'"
California U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler, a lesbian appointed by Newsom to fill the seat of the late senator and San Francisco mayor Dianne Feinstein, also spoke August 19. Both Butler and Harris have served, in their own times, as the only Black women in the Senate.
"Harris has always understood the assignment," Butler said, using one of the memeable lines that lit up social media after Harris replaced Biden as their party's nominee. "As a prosecutor, together with law enforcement, she prioritized holding criminals accountable and protecting public safety. As state attorney general, together with students, she put a scam college out of business. After the mortgage crisis, together with families who lost their homes, she took on the biggest banks in the world and won a settlement five times what was initially offered."
'Electrifying' atmosphere
Asked about the atmosphere inside the convention hall, Yekutiel told the B.A.R. "it was electrifying."
"It was madness inside — just thousands and thousands of people from all over the country in all sorts of clothes, shades of blue. On the way out, I met a man in an all-royal-blue-felt suit. It was an amazing night. I was on Hillary Clinton's campaign and hearing her speak was beautiful and intense and took me back to the last convention I was at, when she was the nominee. ... Hearing Joe Biden speak also felt historic."
Lesbian Carolyn Wysinger, an El Cerrito city councilmember and convention delegate, stated in an email to the B.A.R. that she didn't "come in with huge expectations."
"But the vibe in that arena WAS electric," she stated August 20. "I am writing this email right after the states completed the roll call and it was the most phenomenal, energetic, magnetic political thing I have ever witnessed!!! I [was] shocked by how many celebrities showed up to rep their states. Also, Lil Jon clearly pays attention to Instagram because he came out and helped Georgia deliver their votes by performing and YES he changed his lyrics to 'From the windows to the WALZ!!'"
The ceremonial roll call featured a DJ who played music of note to each state, resulting in a party atmosphere.
Nancy Tung, current chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, told the B.A.R. that it was Harris who brought her into the San Francisco District Attorney's office years ago. Tung also described the convention's environment as "electric."
"We were treated to a cameo from Vice President Harris and heard President Biden tout the significant accomplishments of his administration," Tung stated August 20. "We saw a touching passing of the proverbial torch. I'm eager to see what's coming for the next three days and how the excitement grows until Thursday night."
President to U.S.: 'I gave my best to you'
This was supposed to be Biden's convention until he decided to withdraw from the race a month ago. Biden, who won the Democratic primaries earlier this year, only stayed for his swan song the first night, when he was greeted with a four-minute standing ovation and chants of "Thank you, Joe" to a president who was not only legislatively consequential, but who also ultimately stepped aside from the race due to pressure about lagging poll numbers amid concerns about his age, health and stamina.
"I gave my best to you," the 81-year-old president said, quoting the song "American Anthem." "I've either been ... too young to be in the Senate because I wasn't 30 yet, and too old to stay as president. But I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you. I can honestly say — and I mean this from the bottom — give you my word as a Biden — I can honestly say I'm more optimistic about the future than I was when I was elected as a 29-year-old United States senator. I mean it."
And it was San Francisco's own congressmember Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, who has seemingly taken credit for applying pressure to Biden in television interviews, telling CNN that "I did what I had to do."
Asked by reporters at O'Hare airport if he's angry with his longtime ally Pelosi, or is planning on speaking with her, Biden said, "I haven't spoken to Nancy. No one made the decision but me."
During his remarks, Obama paid tribute to the president, whom he'd selected as his running mate 16 years ago.
"I can say without question that my first big decision as your nominee turned out to be one of my best — and that was asking Joe Biden to serve by my side as vice president," Obama said. "History will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger. I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend."
Biden's speech was interrupted by a protest of his administration's support of Israel. There were also protests outside the hall, though not in the numbers originally anticipated. Biden, who is trying to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, said that "those protesters out in the street, they have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides."
Despite the talk about the war in Gaza, the Democratic Party's platform — which supports Biden's policies and expressed an "ironclad" commitment to Israel — was passed by the delegates with no "no" votes heard when the issue came up for voice vote August 19.
Delegates uncommitted to Harris did hold the party's first-ever panel on Palestinian rights the same day.
The Democrats have faced criticism — both from Republicans and internally — due to antisemitic tropes visible in some of the protests against Israel, the world's only Jewish state. Harris' husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, said in his remarks to the convention August 20 that his wife "has fought against antisemitism and all forms of hate her whole career. She is the one who encouraged me as second gentleman to take up that fight, which is so personal to me."
Tyler "Tye" Gregory, a gay man who is executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area, is attending the convention as well, and said he was wearing a yellow ribbon to show solidarity with the Israelis and others being held hostage in Gaza since the October 7 attack on Israel.
Asked about the antisemitism allegations, Gregory told the B.A.R. that "there are many delegates here with the yellow ribbon pin for the hostages taken by Hamas."
"Obviously the protests are concerning, but I think overall the sentiment of delegates and participants is that they are obstructing the chances of Kamala Harris, and that Donald Trump will do no favors for Muslim or Jewish Americans to combat hate," he continued. "Our organization took the vice president to Israel 20 years ago. Not everyone in our community will see eye [to-eye] with her policies on Israel, some to the right and others to the left of her, but the idea that she does not support the Jewish community is unfounded."
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