From behind the scenes to the floor of Chicago’s United Center, volunteers, delegates and elected officials representing Naperville and DuPage County made the rounds on the first day of the Democratic National Convention.
They basked in the fervor, helped the hubbub run and exuded local pride.
Oh, and there was some wonder, too. At the experience itself and the company they found themselves in.
Mark Rice
The chance to be part of history is what had longtime Naperville resident Mark Rice signing up to volunteer in every way possible at this week’s convention, Chicago’s first in 28 years.
“With it being in Chicago, and knowing it probably won’t be again for a long time, I just wanted to be a part of it,” said Rice, speaking between two volunteer shifts. “A part of history.”
Rice, 73, spent most of Monday working as an access control volunteer, checking credentials at entrance doors to the United Center to make sure those flocking to the arena for the convention’s inaugural night of programming were in the right place. In all, there are thousands of DNC volunteers helping the event run smoothly through Thursday.
For his first shift, which began and finished before the evening’s slate of speakers and performers commenced in primetime, Rice primarily checked media credentials for stations such as CNN and MSNBC as sound checks and preparations for the night ahead got underway.
Rice said that through the walls of the entrance he was manning, he could hear musician James Taylor practicing, “You’ve Got a Friend,” the song he planned to perform later in the evening before it was canceled as night one programming lagged more than an hour behind schedule. Rice was present for that too, returning to the center for a second evening access control shift.
Friday and Sunday, Rice was stationed at Midway Airport, where he welcomed delegates off the plane to Chicago. Looking ahead to the rest of the four-day convention, Rice says he may try to pick up a shift or two more if he can.
“I know that the volunteer jobs, for the most part, aren’t the most glamorous in the world. You’re helping people get on and off the train. You’re making sure they know how to get to their hotel. … But there are thousands of people doing those non-glamorous jobs and loving every minute of it.”
Especially coming in as a volunteer from Naperville, Rice said there’s “a real sense of pride” in seeing the Chicago area be placed on a national stage.
“It’s historic is what it is,” he said. “So you know, just to be the guy that’s standing at the door … is very fulfilling.”
Deb Conroy
Even after just a few minutes sitting as an Illinois delegate, DuPage County Board Chair Deb could feel the energy out on the floor.
“I mean, you really feel it everywhere,” she said, speaking just as the second hour of Monday’s program was getting started, which included remarks from United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a brief surprise appearance from Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and a farewell address from President Joe Biden. “The emotion is palpable. It’s very, very cool.”
The feeling goes beyond the floor or even the United Center, Conroy said, adding, “It’s really like the whole city shut down.” Ahead of the evening fanfare, Conroy spent most of the day circulating different convention events around Chicago, which included delegation breakfasts at various hotels and caucus meetings at McCormick Place Convention Center.
Conroy, a state representative for 10 years and the first woman to chair the DuPage County Board, said being able to see Biden pass the torch to Harris is the “ultimate thing” for her this week. The change at the top of the Democratic ticket and the prospect of Harris becoming America’s first female president is a shift that resonates with Conroy.
“For me, as the first female chair, I feel like we’ve seen the glass shatter all over Illinois. And this, to me, is the ultimate (glass ceiling),” she said. “I keep telling people you better wear shoes on the floor because there’s going to be glass everywhere.”
Stephen Maynard Caliendo
Stephen Maynard Caliendo, a dean and political science professor at Naperville’s North Central College, got to the United Center at 4 a.m. Monday, unsure of how difficult it’d be to get past security restricting access to the convention space. It turned out to be a breeze at that time of day, giving him ample time before going on air with CBS 2 Chicago at 5 a.m.
Every day of the convention this week, Caliendo is providing political analysis for CBS and other television stations in Chicago “to bring a political science perspective to what’s happening as things unfold,” he said Monday, just coming off of a live interview with Fox 32.
This kind of work is par for the course for the North Central professor, noting that he’s been doing media analysis for the past 20 years. He’s attended his fair share of political conventions, he said.
What he tries to do, as a political analyst, is to bring in his research experience “to bear on whatever questions (reporters) are bringing forward.” In turn, Caliendo takes the convention experience back to the classroom.
“It’s a great learning opportunity,” he said.
It’s fun too. As Caliendo wove through attendees walking around the United Center Monday, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and former Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams passed by briefly.
“I’m sorry, I’m kind of fanboying at all these people,” Caliendo laughed, pausing when Abrams flit past.
Though he considers himself a regular at conventions now, running into prominent political figures still gives him “a little jump start,” he said.
“I mean, you go there and you see people that you’ve been watching on television, studying in my case for years and years, and then there they are in the flesh.”
Ian Holzhauer
Naperville City Councilman Ian Holzhauer has watched every national convention since he was little. On Monday, he found himself in the thick of the event he’s revered for so long.
Holzhauer stood on the second level of the United Center Monday night for an evening shift as an access control volunteer. Being on the inside was better than he could have imagined.
“Just getting to hear the sounds of the speakers, getting to see the VIPs that come by, and just seeing so many old friends, it’s really the experience of a lifetime,” he said.
Speaking to the mood, Holzhauer said, “There’s just so much energy and discussion. There’s a lot of pride. I think there’s a recognition that there’s a new generation of leadership in the party, and that’s something people have been craving.”
Holzhauer is planning to volunteer for the rest of the convention, with a small break in between shifts Tuesday for the Naperville City Council meeting. Even before Monday drew to a close, Holzhauer said he was excited to be back Tuesday. And the next day. And the next.
Bill Foster
The 2024 DNC really started Sunday night for U.S. Rep Bill Foster, of Naperville, when he and members of the Illinois Democratic delegation welcomed Harris to Chicago after she and her husband landed at O’Hare International Airport on Air Force Two.
“Watching her in her sneakers, bounding down the stairs, hugging everyone. Just the amount of energy that she represents and has transferred to the entire convention … it’s fun to be a part of it,” Foster said, speaking by the phone Tuesday.
The congressman is splitting his time between a score of different events this week, but for him, the big focus is sitting with the Illinois delegation.
Foster listed highlights from his first night on the floor: seeing U.S. Rep. Laura Underwood, of Naperville, speak; former Chicago Bulls star Steve Kerr’s return to the United Center; and Biden’s keynote speech.
“It seemed that everything that happened just made you smile and proud to be a Democrat,” he said.
