Democratic Party Convention Held Amid Fears of Divisions Over Gaza | Politics

WashingtonToday, Monday, the Democratic Party Conference will begin in the city of Chicago, Illinois, and will extend until the end of next Thursday, where its sessions will conclude with a speech by US Vice President Kamala Harris, announcing her acceptance of the party’s nomination for the 2024 elections.

The party's general convention is a fundamental tradition in the American electoral process, and thousands of Democratic delegates from all states will gather to declare their support for Kamala Harris' candidacy.

Meanwhile, many party leaders fear the consequences of the expected massive demonstrations, especially since the conference is being held in Chicago, which has the largest number of Palestinian-Americans of any American city.

In a question and answer, Al Jazeera Net addresses everything related to the conference, as follows:

• What is the value and importance of the conference?

The Democratic and Republican conventions are a last chance to show what each party stands for and unite them in the presidential election scheduled for November 5.

There is no constitutional or legal requirement for the party to hold a general convention, but the phenomenon has been a political norm since the first general party convention held by the Democrats in 1832 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The general conference aims to officially select Harris as the party's presidential candidate, and Tim Walz as the vice presidential candidate, and the conference represents an opportunity to present the Democratic Party's platform on domestic and foreign issues.

• Why is the conference held in Chicago, Illinois?

The conference contributes to the recovery of the host city, and the process of choosing the conference venue is complex. Some observers believe that it should be a city in a crucial swing state that increases the chances of winning the next election, such as the case of the Republican Party with the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Others prefer, as in the case of the Democrats, to choose a city and state that is Democratic in its leanings, close to the party and its orientations, such as the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois.

Illinois is one of the most important states that have become Democratic in the last four decades, and no Republican candidate has been able to win it since President Ronald Reagan won it in 1984.

• What are the most important tasks of the conference?

Thousands of Democrats will focus on crafting the 2024 electoral agenda at the Democratic National Convention.

The Democratic Party's electoral ticket (presidential candidate and vice president) has already been determined, and now the party is expected to present a clearer political program, in the context of a positive and energetic presentation that is suitable for television broadcasting, with an emphasis on unity and harmony within the party.

In recent decades, the two parties' general conferences have become something like sporting events or fun and entertaining Oscars, watched by tens of thousands in the hall and millions on television or mobile phones.

Despite the festive and showy atmosphere, no party conference is complete until a number of tasks are accomplished, the most important of which are:

• Official selection of party candidates for the positions of President and Vice President.
• Help build enthusiasm for the party's electoral ticket.
• Approval of a programme defining the party's positions on domestic and foreign issues.
• Providing an opportunity for promising figures among the party cadres to appear at the national level.

• What are the most important messages of the conference?

After President Joe Biden withdrew from the race despite winning the majority of delegates during the primary elections, his vice president Kamala Harris did not face any serious challenge within the Democratic Party. It is worth noting that Biden had decided the race early, and did not face any significant competition during the primary elections.

Because of the party's unity, which was confirmed in the support of its various factions for Harris' candidacy, the Democratic convention will not witness any disagreements in the delegates' vote in favor of Harris, but the source of tension and anxiety for the Democratic Party leaders will be the massive demonstrations that will take place outside the doors of the convention in the streets of Chicago.

On the other hand, the Democratic Party's unity behind its candidate Kamala Harris, and the delegates' routine voting for the candidate and her vice president Walz, will push the party's focus during the days of the convention to shift to its other goals. Attacking the Republican candidate Donald Trump, highlighting the dangers of his re-election, and attacking his policies and the Republican Party's programs, are the top priorities of the convention.

Traditionally, party conferences have been an opportunity for party representatives from different states to meet, exchange experiences and expertise, and work to form party interest networks that transcend state borders.

• Who is attending the conference?

The Democratic National Convention brings together at least 50,000 people from across the country, including the 3,979 delegates to the presidential election. Also attending are former Democratic leaders, including presidents, vice presidents, and cabinet ministers, as well as current and former Democratic members of Congress, state legislators, thousands of lobbyists, and thousands of journalists and protesters.

President Joe Biden is expected to speak at the conference, as well as former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

• What are the most important points of the Democratic Party's program that will be addressed during the conference?

Traditionally, the party's general conference comes after the winning candidate has spent several months formulating his policy priorities.

But Vice President Harris only began her race on July 21, when President Biden stepped down. As the convention begins today, here are some of the Democratic platform points that Kamala Harris has expressed and promised to adopt if she wins:

Harris gave her first major policy speech on what she would do to address rising housing costs, food prices and health care costs, promising to work to lower the prices of these goods and services, and pledging not to raise taxes on people who earn less than $400,000 a year.

• The issue of abortion rights

After the Supreme Court struck down federal abortion rights in mid-2022, Harris became a leading voice for the Biden administration in its effort to restore abortion rights protections, urging Congress to pass legislation to legalize the right, which she said she would sign into law after becoming president.

Harris has backed the Biden administration’s efforts to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors in Medicare, said she would accelerate those talks with drug companies, and promised to work to increase health insurance coverage.

• The issue of irregular migration

Harris said she supports comprehensive immigration reform, including a “pathway that gives immigrants the means to obtain U.S. citizenship,” but did not elaborate.

Harris' campaign says it intends to hire thousands of Border Patrol officers, use the latest technology to bolster border security and increase funding to stop human trafficking.

• Foreign Policy

Harris has yet to offer a major foreign policy vision, and is widely expected to adopt Biden's positions on key foreign policy issues such as NATO and European security, the threat of China's rise, and confronting Russia's destabilizing behavior in Europe.

• How does the issue of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip reflect on the conference’s work?

Many Democratic officials are increasingly concerned about pro-Palestinian groups' pledge to hold mass demonstrations outside the conference's main venue, and many observers expect incitement, confrontation and perhaps violence that could overshadow the conference proceedings.

Everyone remembers the Democratic Party convention held in Chicago in August 1968, which had disastrous results for the party, as the Chicago police beat demonstrators and protesters against the Vietnam War in the streets, causing their presidential candidate at the time, Hubert Humphrey, to lose to Richard Nixon.

So far, the hopes of Kamala Harris' campaign advisers to reach a truce agreement that would stop Israel's war on Gaza, and the resulting calming of Hamas, the protest movement against Washington's policies and Joe Biden's administration's support for Israeli aggression, have not been translated, and some of its currents are demanding that Harris not be voted for because of her participation and role in making White House decisions that support Israel.

For her part, Harris made extensive statements after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, saying she “will not be silent” about the massive Palestinian casualties, while affirming her support for “Israel's right to defend itself.”