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The DNC has shown that Democrats really want to win over Republican and independent voters.
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Several Republicans spoke at the convention, including former Trump White House officials.
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The speeches by Bill Clinton and Oprah on the third evening also seemed aimed at appealing to a broad audience.
This is something you normally don’t expect: party members speaking at the congress of the opposing party.
But that’s exactly what happened this week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
It’s just one indication of what Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democrats really want in the run-up to Election Day: the votes of both independents and disillusioned Republicans.
Even before Harris was the party’s nominee, the Biden-Harris campaign was making moves to win over Republicans. In early June, the campaign hired Austin Weatherford, previously chief of staff to former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger, to help it do so.
The massive increase in momentum Harris has gained since becoming the nominee — both in the polls and in donations — has energized the Democratic base and opened the door to focus even more on courting Republicans and independents.
Those efforts are clearly visible at the DNC.
Republicans at the DNC say voting for Harris is about democracy
Several Republicans, from former elected officials to former Trump White House aides, have spoken or are scheduled to speak. And these aren’t former Republicans — some even chose to mention their Republican status during their DNC speeches — but most have already said they’re voting for Harris.
The list of Republican speakers includes Stephanie Grishamformer adviser to President Donald Trump and Melania Trump; Kinzinger, former Illinois Rep. (speaking Thursday); Olivia Troye, former adviser to Vice President Mike Pence; and Geoff Duncan, former lieutenant governor of Georgia.
Troye and Duncan, speaking at the third meeting Wednesday night, stressed that their vote for Harris was not based on party affiliation or agreement with her policies, but on defending democracy.
Bill Clinton directly called out Republicans and bragged about the economy
When former President Bill Clinton spoke on Wednesday, one of the first things he said was that he was grateful to the Republicans and independents who appeared on stage before him that night.
He also bragged about the economy, an issue Republican voters tend to feel strongly about but is often seen as a Democratic weakness. Clinton said the U.S. had created 51 million jobs since the end of the Cold War, nearly all of which he said were created by Democrats.
“I swear I checked this three times. What’s the score? Democrats 50, Republicans one,” Clinton said.
USA Today fact-checked Clinton’s claim and said the numbers were accurate. The outlet noted that economists say a variety of factors influence employment numbers, not just the president, and that Presidents George W. Bush and Trump’s employment numbers were influenced by the onset of the recession in 2007 and the pandemic in 2020, respectively.
Several times in his speech, he also mentioned protecting the rights of every American, “regardless of how they vote.” At one point, he also said that he had spoken to many people in rural America and that it was important for Americans to get to know their neighbors and talk to them, even if they disagree. This was another clear attempt to bridge the divide between the parties.
Even Oprah had a message
Oprah, speaking later Wednesday night, made a direct appeal to independents, noting that she counts herself among them.
“You know what? You look at a registered independent who is proud to vote over and over again because I’m an American, and that’s what Americans do,” she said.
“I call on all independents and all undecideds — you know this is true, you know I’m telling you the truth — that values and character are the most important thing,” she said, adding that “decency and respect are on the ballot.”
Only time will tell whether Democrats’ efforts to appeal to independents and Republicans will ultimately work and whether Harris will win the swing states she needs to defeat Trump.
But she’s already racking up some victories. Earlier this month, she released a list of dozens of Republicans who planned to vote for her.
Read the original article on Business Insider
