As the first night of the Democratic National Convention wrapped up in Chicago, one thing was abundantly clear: The Democrats have a deep bench, and the women on that bench are its key players. The diversity and youth of the party’s future leaders was on display during the prime time speeches, with U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jasmine Crockett making some of the biggest splashes.
While Ocasio-Cortez is acquainted with the national stage (her stirring performance is now drawing comparisons to the 2004 DNC speech made by Barack Obama) this was a breakout performance for the freshman Crockett. Her slot on the agenda was signal enough of her high regard in the party: She spoke in prime time, following AOC and Hillary Clinton and ahead of various state governors and President Joe Biden.
Crockett, who represents Dallas in Congress, used her 10 minutes on stage to emphasize the importance of November’s election while teetering between her signature sass and raw reflection.
“On November 5, our nation will hire a President,” Crockett said at the opening of her speech. “So let’s compare the resumes, shall we?”
She drew comparisons between presidential nominees Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, reiterating the prosecutor versus felon narrative the party has touted since Harris took the ticket’s helm last month. Crockett also emphasized the threat that “Project 2025” poses to the Constitution, and Harris’ successes in advocating for women’s reproductive rights and in assisting with last month’s prisoner swap with Russia that brought four Americans home.
ok @JasmineForUS just killed it. no one’s made texas looked this good at the DNC since ann richards in ’88
— Beth Shook (@bethshook) August 20, 2024
When Crockett referenced the strict abortion bans in place in Texas, she pointed and waved to the state’s delegation, which could be heard loudly cheering for the congresswoman.
“Texas was all on their feet [for Jasmine],” Dallas City Council member Paula Blackmon, who is serving as a first-time delegate at the convention, told the Observer. “The women were on fire last night.”
Then, Crockett got personal.
She endorsed Harris’ character through a story about the doubt Crockett felt when entering congress in 2023. While telling the story, which she described as difficult to talk about, she became visibly emotional, eliciting cheers and applause from the audience.
“The chaos caucus couldn’t elect the speaker, and the Oversight Committee was unhinged,” Crockett said. “As I approached Vice President Harris for our official photo, she turned to me and asked, ‘What’s wrong?’ … I immediately began crying. And the most powerful woman in the world wiped my tears and listened.”
Jasmine Crockett’s story about Harris comforting her through a hard time was a rare genuine moment at a heavily scripted event. One of the strongest moments of the night IMO.
— Nathaniel Rakich (@baseballot) August 20, 2024
Blackmon felt the “touching” story was a chance for Crockett to humanize Harris and remind voters that both of the women are regular people.
“People forget that we're people too, in elected positions. And it showed that [Harris] still takes time, no matter where she is in her day, to make sure that everybody around her is doing fine,” Blackmon said. “I think to hear a woman conveying that to another woman who had just been elected and was still in this limbo space, it was very endearing.”
After the emotional moment, Crockett commented about the viral moments that have given her “her legislative legs.” Earlier this year, Crockett exploded on social media for calling out the far-right U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, stating the woman had a “bleach-blonde, bad-built, butch body.”
That alliteration was back in style for the closing of Crockett’s speech, where she asked if the country is willing to allow a “vindictive, vile villain violate voters’ vision for a better America?” The line was met with raucous applause and a sly smile from Crockett.
“When [Harris] is our president, together we will shine as that beacon of hope and freedom around the world once more,” Crockett ended with. “God bless, y’all.”
In the late hours of last night and reflection of this morning, social media seems to agree that Crockett's performance was a successful step into national prominence. There is a growing buzz that if Texas turns purple anytime soon, the fashionable congresswoman will be part of the reason why.Rep. Jasmine Crockett at the DNC: The question before is: will a vindictive, vile villain violate voters' vision for a better America or not? pic.twitter.com/QrsfGHxBYG
— MoveOn (@MoveOn) August 20, 2024
Three Other Highlights of Night One
Texas couple Josh and Amanda Zurawski spoke immediately following Crockett in a segment highlighting the effects of the repeal of Roe v. Wade. The Zurawskis were featured in a video about their experience with miscarrying a child and not receiving care until Amanda’s life was in immediate danger that inspired a 20-woman lawsuit against Texas that was rejected by the state Supreme Court earlier this year. The video included clips of Trump discussing abortion bans and the repeal of Roe.
“This isn’t just a woman’s fight,” Josh said on stage after the video. “We need to vote as if lives are depending on it because they are.”
Blackmon said she teared up while listening to the couple’s stirring story.
Former Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton gave a poignant speech placing Harris’ bid for the White House in the context of all in which she’s lived and what came before her. Calling back to the glass ceiling metaphor that was a staple of Clinton’s 2016 campaign, she described her generation of women creating cracks so that Harris is able to “break through” in November.
Just eight years after taking the stage as the Democratic nominee, Clinton received an emotional reception from the party. She smirked but did not directly acknowledge as the crowd erupted into chants of “Lock him up,” after she addressed Trump’s felonies.
Hillary Clinton’s smile when the crowd goes off on a “Lock him up” chant pic.twitter.com/dZ3aUIzGLB
— Sarah Burris 🌻 (@SarahBurris) August 20, 2024
“The look on Hillary's face … You could just feel it, and she just let it percolate,” Blackmon said. “It was really nice to see her last night. I mean, it wasn't like revenge to her at all. It was just a matter of fact.”
And Harris herself made a surprise appearance on stage at the start of the night, walking out to the tune of Beyonce’s "Freedom" and clad in a tan suit. If you know you know.
Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz were shown to be visibly surprised and elated to see Harris take the stage, where she paid her respects to President Joe Biden. As the crowd held up red and blue USA signs, Harris said the election will show that “we are moving forward.”
