3 Takeaways from the DNC

1. A virtual convention is possible, maybe preferable

The Democrats pulled off an unprecedented virtual convention – and the consensus is that it was virtually flawless.  While there were some awkward moments and a vaguely telethon vibe, the show came off mostly as earnest.  The unexpected highlight was the virtual nominating roll call which took viewers to each state across the country and showcased the nation’s diversity – in landscape and people.  Additionally, without the crowd shots, many of the speeches had an unusual feeling of intimacy, which played into the convention’s narrative about Biden as national caregiver. Overall, the speeches were brief - the virtual (and pre-recorded) format allowed organizers to enforce time limits and sidestep droning like Bill Clinton’s 48-minuter at the 1988 DNC Convention.  And, the virtual format allowed for a sharper focus on the testimonials of “regular” people who delivered some of the most powerful moments over the four-night event - Kristin Urquiza who lost her father to coronavirus; Jacquelyn Brittany, a New York Times building security guard who delivered the formal nomination of Biden for president and reflected on her brief but meaningful encounter with him; and Brayden Harrington who received tips for overcoming his stutter from Biden who battles the same speech impediment.  Packaged for the virtual setting, those videos now have staying power as viral social media moments.

Television ratings were down compared to 2016, a troubling sign for reaching a broad swath of regular turnout voters.  At the same time, those numbers don’t account for online viewership, a format that has grown in recent years as broadcast viewership has fallen.  The Democrats claim that they designed the convention for online viewing - in whole or in parts.

2.  A projected image of party unity is solidified through speeches and social media 

The Democrats took pains to demonstrate cohesion behind Biden, particularly among his former rivals for the job.  Here again, the virtual format allowed for message discipline, with no shots of Biden opponents on the floor (a la Susan Sarandon in 2016) or interviews with Bernie delegates.  A panel (Zoom call style) of 2020 Democratic primary candidates shared touching personal stories about Biden and many also got solo slots to reiterate their endorsements.  AOC, a powerful voice of the Democratic left-wing, made a procedural appearance as the second for the Bernie nomination.  She used her 60-second speech to call for broad systemic change and quickly took to social media to offer full-throated support for Biden.  It appeared that Democrats learned a valuable lesson from 2016 and are working to seal up cracks in the party, depending on faction heads to harness vote power.

3. An almost BINGO on energy and environment issues

While a convention is always more about pomp than policy, there were a number of hot button issues addressed during the event.  PRG Pulse readers know that we are closely watching energy and environment issues - see our pre-convention what-to-watch BINGO card on e/e issues for the left-wing of the Democratic base.  We predicted that environmental advocates would be looking for prime-time placement for climate change.  And, last night, climate change had its most prominent billing ever, featured in Biden’s acceptance speech as one of four existential crises facing our nation.  Additionally, as suggested in our BINGO blog post, addressing climate change was depicted by Biden as not just a challenge, but an opportunity to invest and “Build Back Better.”  Advocates might have been disappointed by the lack of detail presented, as we noted that they would be watching for concrete proposals, compliance dates, and enforcement, and by the news which simultaneously broke that the DNC platform language opposing fossil fuels was removed.

Republican Convention Next Week

Looking forward to next week’s Republican National Convention, we’ll have our eyes on the dual venues of Charlotte, NC (Day 1 – Monday, August 24) and Washington, DC (Days 2-4 - Tuesday, August 25 through Thursday, August 27 ).  President Trump knows good television and digital content and he and his team will no doubt take cues from the successes and struggles of the DNC’s pioneering effort into virtual conventions.  One thing we won’t see is a reprise of the ‘round-the-country roll call as the Republicans will conduct their formal nomination process in a small in-person event in Charlotte.

Major themes are expected to be: law and order, with particular emphasis to supporting police and opposing urban civil unrest; economic recovery and threats to job creation; and  the intention to frame the Biden/Harris candidacy as a “Trojan horse” for progressive elements of the Democratic base. And, like the DNC, the RNC hopes to strike a resonant chord by featuring the stories of real, everyday Americans.

In contrast to the unity being pushed by the Democratic camp, more discord is set to be on display next week.  Back in May, Republicans opposed to Trump's presidency announced their intent to host a competing Convention at the same time as the RNC.

For more on what to expect at the RNC, read our full watcher's guide. We’ll be back with a post-RNC analysis at the event of next week.