Walz's big night, influencers flexing clout, defining freedom. Takeaways from Day 3 of the DNC

CHICAGO — The Democratic National Convention barreled into its third day Wednesday with a lineup headlined by former President Bill Clinton and the woman who may be most responsible for the party's new presidential ticket — former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The final speaker was to be Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, introducing himself as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate. Given the truncated nature of the scrambled presidential race, the convention is a key opportunity for voters to get to know Harris and Walz better.

Here are some takeaways from the third night of the DNC.

‘Bring them home’

In a deeply polarized country, there was one group that was welcomed with loud applause at both the Republican and Democratic conventions — the parents of young men taken hostage after Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Last month in Milwaukee, Ronen and Orna Neutra, told the gathering about the kidnapping of their adult son Omer and led the crowd in a chant of “bring them home!” On Wednesday, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose 23-year-old son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was kidnapped on Oct. 7, walked on stage to the same chant.

“This is a political convention,” Jon Polin said. “But needing our only son and all of the cherished hostages home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue.”

At the RNC, several speakers — though not the Neutras — slammed Biden and Harris for not deterring Hamas from its attack and for neglecting the hostages. Polin and Goldberg, for their part, said they’ve spoken repeatedly with the president and vice president and praised their efforts.

While the Republican convention framed Hamas as a threat to the United States, the Democratic convention has been comparably quiet about the war, even as pro-Palestinian protests demonstrate outside the hall demanding the administration stop supporting Israel.

Dems give freedom an expansive definition

Wednesday night’s convention theme was “Freedom.” Backed by Beyoncé’s song of the same name, which the musician has authorized the Harris campaign to use, the word flashed on the video screen and in speech after speech at the United Center.

Democrats firmly tied it to the fight over reproductive rights that went into overdrive after the fall of Roe v. Wade.

“Donald Trump wants women to be less free and pregnancy to be more dangerous,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, told the delegates.

But Democrats also used the freedom argument to slam Republicans on other social issues, from gay rights to the spread of book bans in schools.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a gay man raising two children with his husband, tied it to the conservative Project 2025. The agenda was developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation and is seen as a potential blueprint for a second Trump term, although Trump says it is not related to his campaign.

“Project 2025 would turn the entire federal government into a massive machine, it would weaponize it to control our reproductive choices,” Polis said.

Democrats, long associated with Hollywood, look to online influencers

The Democratic Party boasts a cache of celebrity supporters who have repeatedly lent their glamor and opened their wallets to the party. Now they're teaming up with those who have attained renown in a decidedly 21st-century way: online.

More than 200 content creators and influencers have been granted access to the DNC’s backstage events this week. And with tens of millions of followers, their coverage of the events can do more to get politicians’ messages out than traditional media and celebrity endorsements.

On TikTok, influencers like Deja Foxx post “OOTD,” or outfit of the day, videos on the DNC’s blue carpet. Her Wednesday fit included: a matching khaki set, a pair of Nike Air Force Ones, and an oversized Prada jacket with giant pockets to hold all of her equipment, “because slay,” she tells her 141K followers.

The creator has already interviewed Harris on her social media pages and spoke on behalf of Arizona’s delegation at the DNC.

Carlos Eduardo Espina, a Spanish-speaking influencer with 10.2 million followers on TikTok, addressed the convention Wednesday night, part of an appeal to young Latino voters who are crucial to getting Harris elected.

Espina seamlessly joined a senator, a border congresswoman and a Texas sheriff as defenders of the Biden-Harris stance on immigration. “To be pro-immigrant is to be pro- America,” he said.

The Democratic and Republican playlists play to their bases

The playlist at the Republican convention in Milwaukee last month was dominated by classic rock. Now, as the Democrats gather in Chicago, the musical offerings have been far more diverse.

The dueling soundtracks are a reflection of the two parties’ dramatically different voting bases. The GOP convention leaned heavily on the radio rock that was popular when much of their older, whiter base was young in the 1960s and 1970s. The Democrats’ musical offerings, meanwhile, include rap, R&B, indie rock, country, Americana — and, yes, some classic rock — in keeping with the party’s multi-racial coalition.

Across the first two nights at the DNC, there were appearances by Atlanta rapper Lil Jon and Americana singer-songwriter Jason Isbell. The Wednesday lineup included R&B stars Stevie Wonder and John Legend, the latter covering the songs of Minnesota icon Prince. Pop star Pink is slated to perform on the final night.

The GOP convention featured a house band that belted out covers of Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and Lynyrd Skynyrd tunes. The house band also backed up country singer Lee Greenwood, who performed “God Bless the USA.” Rap-rocker Kid Rock, an avowed conservative, also performed.