Hello, Cheeseheads
A Wisconsin Delegation in Chicago
First, I saw the cheeseheads. Yes, the entire Wisconsin delegation is wearing foam rubber wedges of cheddar on their heads. Never mind that they’re in Chicago. Never mind that it’s the emblem of Green Bay Packer fans. They’re really, really proud to be from Wisconsin, and they want all the other delegations to know it.
State Pride on Display
The cheeseheads weren’t the only state-related headgear I saw at the convention. There was a young man walking through the halls wearing an ear of corn.
Iowa, right? I asked.
You bet.
And there was the gentleman wearing what I at first thought was a crab.
Are you from Maryland? I asked.
Maine! he said, pointing at his head. It’s a lobstah!
A Celebration of Diversity
It’s hard for locals to understand, but there are people who come from places other than Chicago, and are really, really proud of it. The Nebraska delegation wore t-shirts with illustrations of Malcolm X, Standing Bear, and Willa Cather — all born in the Cornhusker state. Kansas wore Kansas City Chiefs jerseys. A Puerto Rican delegate in a This Boricua Para Kamala Harris shirt. I even saw t-shirts for Democrats Abroad, a delegation of expatriates.
Kamala Harris Swag
And, of course, everyone wore a piece of Kamala Harris swag: a hat, a button, a shirt. Joe Biden dropped out of the race exactly one month ago, but the party’s iconography has completely changed in that time. At the DemPalooza flea market in McCormick Place, it was hard to find anything with Biden’s name or face on it. The best-selling shirt was labeled Madam President with Harris’s face on it. (A lot of Democrats have been waiting a long time to say those words. The New York Times designed a Madam President front page on Election Night 2016, but had to tear it up.) There were socks with the name Kamala. A Coconut Tree Farmers for Harris button. (Harris’s mother used to tell her, I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?) And a ,la button that offered a lesson in pronouncing the candidate’s name.
The Big Speeches
The big speeches took place in the United Center. It was a big night for Illinois, with Senator Tammy Duckworth, Governor J.B. Pritzker, Michelle Obama, and Barack Obama all taking the podium. Common helped introduce the proceedings with a rap written for the occasion. (The feeling is free/ Chitown and the DNC.) But the best place to get close to big political names was at the caucus meetings inside McCormick Place. At the Military and Veterans Caucus, the first man to speak was Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, the former naval aviator and astronaut who was once a favorite to be named Harris’s running mate. Kelly walked out in his Navy jacket and a Navy cap and ripped into Donald Trump.
Conclusion
As the convention came to a close, it was clear that the Democratic Party is all about celebrating diversity and state pride. From the cheeseheads to the coconut tree farmers, every delegation had its own unique flair. And at the heart of it all was Kamala Harris, the candidate who embodies the party’s values of inclusivity and progress.
FAQs
Q: What was the most surprising thing you saw at the convention?
A: The Wisconsin delegation wearing cheesehead hats, of course!
Q: What was the most popular Kamala Harris swag item?
A: The Madam President shirt with Harris’s face on it.
Q: Who gave the most rousing speech at the convention?
A: Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, who ripped into Donald Trump at the Military and Veterans Caucus.
Q: What was the most unique state-related headgear you saw?
A: The ear of corn worn by an Iowa delegate!
