In one sense, viewers of next week’s Democratic National Convention know exactly what to expect. Modern-day nominating conventions are essentially long television commercials. They aren’t meant to make you think hard — did anybody catch Hulk Hogan’s shirt-ripping routine at the Republican National Convention last month? They are meant to project unity and enthusiasm for the candidate while casting the widest possible net for electoral gain.  

There will be standing ovations and sloganeering; there will be balloons.  

 But in another sense, the upcoming convention in Chicago is a bit of a mystery. The truncated race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, for which there is scant historical precedent, has increased the number of unknowns about next week’s proceedings, as well as the rest of the race.   

For one, it is unclear where Harris stands on several major issues. As of this writing — 28 days into her campaign — Harris has yet to sit for an interview or hold a press conference. Media coverage of her campaign has largely centered around atmosphere and aesthetics.  

We have heard plenty about the energy she has brought to her party, especially the “joy,” but little about her platform. There have been indications she has moderated on various policy positions, including Medicare-for-all, fracking, and border policy. But without media scrutiny, it is impossible to say for sure how she intends to govern.  

It also remains unclear which issues Harris will choose to emphasize at the convention and throughout the remainder of the campaign. There has been an emphasis on the concept of “freedom” on the trail — Harris uses the song Freedom by Beyoncé as an entrance theme at rallies and “reproductive freedom” has been a key theme of hers on the national stage. Beyond that, it’s difficult to say with certainty which issues she’ll showcase in Chicago.  

There’s also the mystery of how these ingredients mix in the end. Will her platform be framed as a move to the middle or as an appeal to the progressive base? The convention will go a long way toward shaping this perception.  

Here are a few key items I’ll be looking for at the United Center next week: 

 

1. Will Harris Embrace the Biden Economy?  

For the past three-and-a-half years, Harris has been one of the fiercest defenders of the economy under the stewardship of President Joe Biden. In fact, it was reported this week that the White House credits Harris with coining the term “Bidenomics.” According to Axios, Harris now plans to distance herself from her boss on the economy, which a vast majority view as the most important issue in the upcoming election.  

At a campaign stop Friday in North Carolina, Harris proposed a federal ban on price gouging in the food industry and a plan to lower the cost of housing by offering up to $25,000 in down-payment assistance for first time home buyers. These plans, particularly the price gouging ban, suggests that Harris will blame corporate greed for the increases in cost-of-living in recent years, not the Biden administration’s policies. 

 

2. Will Harris Talk Tough on the Border? 

The issue of immigration has dogged Harris more than any other since the beginning of her vice presidency. The Harris campaign has disputed that Biden ever appointed her “border czar” because of a perceived vulnerability on the issue. In recent weeks, Harris released ads emphasizing her “tough” stance on the border and her support for a bipartisan border bill that would raise the bar for asylum seekers and tighten border controls. The bill failed in the Senate in May due to criticism from Trump, as well as the progressive Left.
 

3. Will Anti-Israel Protests Influence the Race? 

The campus protests that exploded in the spring over the war in Gaza set the Biden-Harris administration squarely in its sights. The issue bubbled up during Harris’ search for a running mate. Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, widely considered to be a leading contender, came under scrutiny among progressives for his previous statements of support for Israel. Harris’ eventual selection of Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota momentarily quelled concerns about protests.  

But just last week, the Biden administration approved a $20 billion arms sale to Israel, with Harris’ approval, which has reignited passions. Chants of “genocide Joe” have been replaced with “holocaust Harris” at recent protests. Leaders within the pro-Palestine movement say they are expecting upwards of 100,000 protestors in Chicago next week.  

 

4. How Pro-Abortion Has the Democratic Party Become? 

Only 12 short years ago, the Obama campaign for president made waves when it expunged the phrase “safe, legal and rare” from the DNC platform on abortion out of concern of “stigmatizing” the idea that abortion is morally impermissible for any reason. Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016 resurrected the phrase but left off “rare.” Following her defeat to Trump, the #shoutyourabortion campaign swept through social media. Actress and Democratic activist Lena Dunham even went so far as to lament the fact that she’d never had an abortion. 

Harris, the first vice president in history to visit an abortion facility, has made abortion the centerpiece of her political identity. She became the Biden administration’s “voice” on the issue following the fall of Roe v. Wade, about which she made fiery speeches using the refrain, “How dare you?” In January 2023, Harris gave a speech in Florida in which she edited the Declaration of Independence to suit her position: “America is a promise,” she said. “It is a promise of freedom and liberty, not for some, but for all. A promise we made in the Declaration of Independence, that we are each endowed with the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (emphasis mine).” 

Abortion will be emphasized heavily during the convention. The language used by speakers to frame the issue will be revealing.  

 

5. What Role Will Religion Play? Will There Be Prayer? 

Nominating conventions often feature religious speakers who reflect on religious themes and lead the hall in prayer. But given the Democratic Party’s increasing secularization in recent years and eschewal of religious practices in public spaces, it is uncertain how prominently religion will be featured in Chicago. Harris comes from an interfaith home — her mother was Hindu and her father Christian — and her husband is Jewish. Harris is a Baptist, though she rarely mentions her faith. 

Many who attended the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee noted how much prayer there was each evening. The stark contrast between the conventions has the potential to be striking.