DNC REPORT: S.C.’s Harrison kicks off first night of convention

Editor’s Note: Special correspondent Danielle Blyn is providing updated coverage throughout the week from the Democratic National Convention. Here’s what she’s seeing and hearing today.

CHICAGO, updated | DNC Chairman and Orangeburg native Jaime Harrison officially kicked off the first night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Monday to a rowdy and energetic crowd to mark the beginning of a night dedicated to hearing from speakers from the current president, Joe Biden, to a popular past one, Barack Obama.

But Harrison wasn’t alone. His sons, William and Charles, nine and five respectively, joined him onstage to lead delegates in the Pledge of Allegiance. The South Carolina delegation spoke along with the boys proudly, and loudly cheered as they finished.

It marked the beginning of a thrilling night for S.C. as its representatives got ready for a full night of performances, speeches and plenty of fun. U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn was set to speak between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

“We were first in the nation, so we’re going to be first tonight,” said Mayra Rivera, a delegate from Beaufort County, who graduated from Clyburn’s fellowship class. “[Clyburn’s] been an important person in the Democratic Party, not only for South Carolina, for as a national representative of who we are as a Democrat.”

The first night proved to be exciting with chants of “not going back” ringing throughout the venue in Chicago.

From hot sauce to hot language and more

S.C. Democratic Party delegation breakfast on Monday. Credit: Danielle Blyn

As South Carolina’s delegates, alternates, pages and family members at the Democratic National Convention chowed down on fruit, eggs and hot sauce (one on every table) , one of California’s most prominent congressmen stirred their spirits Monday morning.

“I believe deep down this is an America, as Frederick Douglass and [Abraham] Lincoln believed, that will be a composite nation, a nation that takes the best traditions of all parts of the world,” U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said at the delegation’s breakfast. “When we elect Kamala Harris as president of the United States, that will be the biggest vindication of Lincoln and Douglass’s vision. South Carolina, let’s go do this!”

In the lively ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, delegates talked and laughed, whether meeting for the first time or catching up. Some with families, others with friends, the delegation brewed with anticipation about caucuses and meetings that would take place in the coming hours.

“There are events happening, caucus events throughout the day, but then also different folks will be hosting luncheon, so there’s a young legislative one, there are ones hosted by governors,” said Brady Quirk-Garvan, who is attending his fourth convention as a delegate for the Charleston area

Khanna described Harris’s record and what she could do for the U.S. He was energized as he talked about the economy under President Joe Biden and Harris, focusing on plans that Democrats have for the next four years.

“Donald Trump tells us all this platinum plan, ‘I want to build wealth.’” Khanna said. “How, what is he going to do? That’s all you’ve got to ask Trump. How? What? We actually have actual plans to get people credentialed, to give them jobs, to give them venture capital, to give them opportunities for wealth generation.”

Later on the Day One, delegates will listen to a speech by Biden that’s being billed as an early farewell that touts his accomplishments.

“I want [Biden] to talk about what he’s done and the path that he’s put us on economically to really change the lives, not just of me, but for my daughter and for the next generation of what we can do economically in America,” Quirk-Garvan said. “I want to hear him talk about why he is so excited about Kamala Harris and why he wanted to pass that baton to her so that we can run through the finish line and beat Donald Trump.”

S.C.’s Harrison makes the rounds

Imagine a typically busy city: New York, Los Angeles, Boston. Now take that image and double it. That is the current feel of Chicago as the DNC was just three hours away from opening the doors to the United Center, the largest arena in the country.

Nearby, McCormick Place was bustling with caucus meetings, council meetings and DemPalooza, which includes documentary screenings, trainings and more.

“It’s amazing to think about the history we are in right now,” DNC Chair and South Carolinian Jaime Harrison said at the Asian American and Pacific Islanders caucus meeting today. “You all are history-makers. You have two African Americans on that stage gavelling in as we nominate our next president. We know this, this community will make a difference in Georgia, in Nevada… in all our battleground states. Thank you for standing in our corner, thank you for fighting for us.”

Delegates cheered and whooped for him showing his popularity across state lines. He also spoke briefly to the Hispanic Caucus highlighting the importance of diversity at this year’s convention.

“The first night of our convention is going to be a remarkable one,” Harrison said. “This week, in addition, we are going to be celebrating the team of hope and joy. I have not felt this type of energy in a very, very long time. [Republicans] are the party of fear, but we are the party of hope.”

There is more to come throughout the night, including a speech from South Carolina’s sole Democratic U.S. congressman, Jim Clyburn.

Earlier coverage

8/18: Excitement growing with S.C.’s DNC delegates

Blyn

Danielle Blyn, a junior political science and journalism student at Syracuse University, will be reporting from Chicago during the convention for the Charleston City Paper. She is covering the DNC as part of a program with Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Born and raised in southern California, she says she hopes to move to Washington, D.C., to pursue a career covering the White House.