The second day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago was marked by a star-studded lineup, including former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. The evening’s events also featured a ceremonial roll call vote, complete with surprise celebrity appearances.
Behind the scenes, Democrats were taking steps to reduce their environmental footprint. Volunteers in gloves were stationed at waste baskets throughout the United Center, ensuring that recyclables were properly sorted and disposed of.
Gwen Walz, the wife of Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz, made a solo appearance at the Michigan delegation’s breakfast, where she posed for photos and addressed the crowd. She later appeared at the Democratic National Committee’s Rural Council meeting.
However, not all appearances were without incident. Tim Walz was confronted by pro-Gaza protesters during his appearance at the women’s caucus gathering at McCormick Place. One protester, Medea Benjamin, was escorted out of the room.
The evening’s events took a lively turn when Georgia rapper Lil Jon appeared during the state roll call, performing his hit song “Turn Down for What.” The crowd cheered along, and Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA) quipped, “The south got something to say.”
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) made a dramatic entrance, walking out on prosthetic legs to address the convention. She lost her legs in combat and usually uses a wheelchair. Her speech was a powerful rebuke of President Donald Trump, whom she accused of trying to take away her rights and freedoms.
The Wisconsin delegation was in high spirits, donning bright yellow cheese hats during their breakfast and later on the floor of the convention. The tradition is bipartisan, with Wisconsin Republicans also wearing cheese heads at the Milwaukee convention in 2020.
As part of its efforts to appeal to younger voters, the Democratic National Convention rolled out a “blue carpet” for social media influencers. Content creators rotated on the carpet, sharing updates with their followers and doing interviews with comedian Matt Friend, who served as a Blue Carpet Correspondent for Snapchat.
