This year, we are once again facing an election that will define the future of American democracy — one in which we must choose between unity and division, between hope and chaos. It’s a choice that we’ve faced once before, and it’s a choice that we cannot afford to get wrong.
Democrats have spoken, and this week, President Joe Biden clinched the 1,968 pledged delegates to become the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee for president of the United States. We’ve arrived at this moment because millions of Americans made their voices heard, putting their faith in Biden’s vision of freedom and progress.
As Democrats across the nation continue to show overwhelming support for the Biden-Harris ticket, our focus now shifts to the next stage of the democratic process: preparing for the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This August, delegates from every U.S. state and territory will convene to formally nominate Biden and Kamala Harris as Democratic nominees for president and vice president. As we come together as a party, we will also have an opportunity to tell our story to the American people. It’s a story of resilience, possibility and progress. Chicago is the perfect place to tell this story.
Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, I’ve seen what makes this city great. I spent my childhood in public schools and with my congregation at Third Baptist Church. Watching civil servants such as Mayor Harold Washington and working for trailblazers such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson instilled in me the values of hard work and service.
When I look around Chicago, I see the story of America, and when Democrats across the country gather here this summer, I know they’ll see it too. They’ll see the diversity that makes our party and our country great, they’ll walk the streets built by union labor and they’ll see Biden-Harris investments in action. As we build the convention stage, we’ll bring that same story to all of America.
The story of Biden and Harris’ record of accomplishments is nothing short of historic. Four years ago, the country was hit by the worst economic crisis in a century. Americans found themselves out of work, and families struggled to make ends meet. The Biden-Harris administration navigated us out of that uncertainty, leading us into an unprecedented comeback: 15 million jobs. Record low unemployment. A small business boom. A growing middle class.
The Biden-Harris administration has shown us that progress isn’t just possible, it’s necessary — and they’ve devoted their first term to delivering results for the American people. Since taking office, the president has signed more than 400 bipartisan bills, working to, among other things, curb gun violence, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and expand health care for veterans. Even on issues in which Republicans stood in the way, the president and congressional Democrats pressed forward, taking vital action to lower health care and prescription drug costs, tackle the climate crisis, forgive student debt and so much more. These are popular policies making a big difference in the lives of the American people. In August, we will put faces and names to people across America who have benefited from the Biden-Harris record and have a stake in this next election.
While Democrats are focused on delivering results for middle-class families, extreme MAGA Republicans have made it clear that if given the opportunity, they will undo the progress made under Biden’s leadership. They’ve threatened to roll back the clock on key issues such as health care, reproductive freedom and gun safety because they care more about scoring political points than addressing the issues affecting American families. As these Republicans continue to wage war on our freedoms, Democrats will use this year’s convention as an opportunity to underscore how the future of democracy at home and abroad is on the line. With the eyes of the American people turned to Chicago, the convention will offer a contrast between two competing visions for America: one guided by hope and progress and one motivated by a desire for political retribution.
Biden made this case this month in his State of the Union address. The convention will be another major opportunity for Biden to tell this story to the American people, reaching beyond the convention hall to bring our message to Americans across the country.
As we face yet another battle for the soul of our nation, the Democratic National Convention will show the world why it’s a mistake to bet against America and a mistake to bet against Biden. We will build the stage where Biden and Harris will accept the nomination, but we are setting the stage for something much bigger: electing Democrats up and down the ballot across the country so that we can build on our progress and finish the job.
Minyon Moore is the chair of the Democratic National Convention.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
