Republicans and Democrats alike tuned into the Democratic National Convention to see what it was all about – and there were a bunch of memorable moments to talk about. Whether you were captivated by Barack Obama's speech or amazed by the stories of young activists, there was much to see and hear during those four nights last week. Here are some of the most memorable moments.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Nominates Bernie Sanders
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, better known as AOC, is a young, progressive politician in the U.S House of Representatives, representing District 14 in New York. Rising to prominence as one of the youngest members of the House, she has championed progressive ideals alongside former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
During the DNC, she revealed her nomination for Bernie Sanders, which threw people into confusion. Why wasn't she nominating Joe Biden, who ended up being the nominee? As she clarified in a tweet, "convention rules require roll call & nominations for every candidate that passes the delegate threshold. I was asked to 2nd the nom for Sen. Sanders for roll call."
AOC followed that statement with support for Joe Biden and the hope that he won the presidency.
Obama’s Remark About Trump
Jaws dropped when Obama spoke these two lines: "Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he can't. And the consequences of that failure are severe." He followed with statistics that showed how 170,000 Americans have died at the hands of COVID-19 and millions of jobs were gone.
Obama also made a remark toward Donald Trump's handling of the presidency: "[the presidency is] one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves." This referenced Trump's background in reality TV and alluded to the fact that the presidency was Trump's first time in a political position.
March For Our Lives Airs a New Video
Young activists spoke about the issues close to their hearts, ranging from climate change to immigration reform. On the third night of the DNC, however, Emma Gonzalez of March For Our Lives presented a new video holding politicians accountable for preventing gun violence.
The video showed clips of empty classrooms and cities brought by the pandemic, as well as parts of her original speech at the Fort Lauderdale Courthouse back in 2018. Calls for reform – and the dispelling of common myths related to gun violence – were evident in her speech.
Overall, the Democratic National Convention came with memorable moments aimed to unite the country around a candidate who has America's best interests at heart, as well as showing concrete steps to make America work for all people. Come November, these calls for unity will be more important than ever.
