To be sure, 2020 has been an unusual year to say the least: a year that saw a particularly contentious election for a sitting president, the COVID-19 pandemic upending American life, and the killing of George Floyd sparking mass protests across the United States.
Perhaps as a result of all these factors and then some, the Democratic Party took on a special shape, its message solemnly serious and with little room for a moment to forget the party’s official line: that President Donald Trump’s reelection was an existential threat, that the only way to reject hundreds of years of racism was to get him out of office, and that when it came to COVID-19, it was literally a matter of life and death.
This time, the change in mood was clear and on full display at the Democratic National Convention.
Although there were images from January 6, 2021, and speakers, including Vice President Harris, who delivered the keynote address, expressed concern for protecting democracy, the mood was far less gloomy than it had been four years ago.
Take the current favorite criticism of President Trump and his allies: that they are simply “weird” and “despicable.” This is a far cry from the moral indignation of 2020 or President Joe Biden’s message for 2024.
Convention speakers were ecstatic, a word they used to describe the kind of president Harris would be.
The 2020 Democratic National Convention was virtual, but its tone was noticeably different: then-candidate Joe Biden’s speech was described by NPR as “calm and urgent” and a “confrontation of light and dark.”
The party that elected Biden four years ago at least appeared to be catering to the most progressive and left-leaning voices, if only in messaging and pretense.
In 2020, the Democratic National Committee’s focus on tackling racism was a “shocking” shift for the Democratic Party, according to a former Democratic staffer. The paper said the party has “loudly acknowledged” systemic racism and its impact on society.
In 2024, progressives such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren spoke, as well as racial justice advocates like the acquitted “Central Park Five.”
At the same time, pro-Palestinian activists protested all week outside the Democratic National Convention, which refused to allow Palestinian speakers to attend the convention out of concern it would show internal unity, but it was also another sign that the party is not as committed to embracing liberal activists as it was in 2020.
The convention often focused on reaching out to people with different views (something former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton did) and appealing to moderates, independents and Republicans. Many Republican speakers, from former public officials to those who served in the Trump administration, gave speeches that aimed directly at appealing to Republicans and independents.
This year’s speakers focused more on issues likely to appeal to moderates, such as immigration (including Sheriff Javier Salazar of Bexar County, Texas) and the economy. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a moderate Democrat, specifically called for investing in “police and communities.”
In 2020, The New York Times reported that Democrats were divided on how important bipartisanship is, but Democrats in 2024 seem much more convinced that it matters. The party appeared intent on maintaining the coalition that helped elect Biden in 2020, but Democrats could struggle to reach out to this coalition again if Biden becomes the nominee in 2024.
There’s one key way Democrats can replicate the 2020 or even 2018 midterm elections: Election Day turnout, as speakers reminded DNC attendees. Whatever the mood of the 2024 convention, Harris and Democrats have 74 days left to lay out a comprehensive policy and motivate voters before the votes are counted on Nov. 5.
