The Kamala Harris sugar high is far from over: Our reporters’ DNC takeaways

We had a lot of questions going into the convention this week.

Like, how much of Democrats’ four-day party would feature Joe Biden, and would it be awkward? And how would Kamala Harris handle the hand-off? Would protests disrupt the celebration? What would the mood be like? At such a carefully planned event, would there be any surprises?

We asked our reporters on the ground to tell us what they learned this week in Chicago — and whether any of it will carry through to November. Here’s what they said.

What, if anything, surprised you at this convention?

The energy. I remember how high-energy the 2016 convention in Philadelphia was when Democrats nominated Hillary Clinton for president — and this exceeded that by leaps and bounds. There’s been a lot of talk about when the shoe is going to drop for Harris, but the convention showed that the Democratic sugar high over her candidacy truly has far from worn off. — Megan Messerly, Harris campaign reporter

The energy was palpable, but the emotion on display was also striking , but maybe not surprising for a party that has been through such a wrenching summer. Biden was wiping away tears after the four-minute ovation on Monday, as were some delegates leaving the floor after he left the stage. The emotion of Gus Walz at seeing his dad on stage got the whole country choked up. Even Sen. Elizabeth Warren got emotional after a prolonged ovation when she took the stage on Thursday. — Eli Stokols, White House reporter and co-author of West Wing Playbook

Organizers really leaned on social media influencers at this convention to amp up their online outreach and connect with young voters. As Harris spoke Thursday night, traditional journalists were chronicling the moment alongside creators — some of whom may actually reach larger audiences. The impact in terms of voter turnout remains to be seen, but we may have witnessed a new media model for campaigns going forward. — Steven Overly, host, POLITICO Tech podcast

It wasn’t 1968 redux! It was only a few months ago that Republicans were confidently predicting that the convention would devolve into violent chaos on the streets of Chicago. Of course, there were daily protests about the war in Gaza and drama over the DNC not designating a speaking slot for a Palestinian American . But there was not nearly the kind of rancor and division inside the convention hall that Democrats were worried about. — Melanie Mason, senior political writer, POLITICO California

The vibes! The vibes! The vibes! Days before the Democrats kicked off their convention, Harris laid out her economic policy that was chock-full of bullet points, but short on specifics. It didn’t matter all that much because we knew she had the biggest speech of her life in just a few days, which of course would be a natural place to introduce herself but also give nitty-gritty details on how she would implement that plan or any other one. But we got a lot of biography… and a lot of Trump shade . — Brakkton Booker, correspondent, author of The Recast

Dems really leaned into patriotism this week — the crowd erupted into “USA” chants frequently, and speaker after speaker laid out what it means to love one’s country, in an effort to draw a stark contrast with the GOP ticket. It’s fitting with Harris’ focus on “freedom,” but it’s been fascinating watching Dems try to reclaim — and in some ways, redefine — what it means to be patriotic after almost a decade of Trump having such a stronghold on this message. — Myah Ward, Harris campaign reporter

There were A LOT of celebrity appearances , between the musicians, actors and athletes throwing in for Harris. I guess Democrats are the party of Lil Jon . And I mean, they got Oprah to speak . Republicans chide Democrats for being the party of Hollywood, but it’s not untrue. — Emily Ngo, co-author of New York Playbook

Did any speaker stand out? Who will you remember and why?

Adam Kinzinger ’s speech stood out . The attacks on Donald Trump were more pointed than anything the Democrats had thrown his way. And you couldn’t help but wonder what some Democrats were thinking, watching this Republican who could have future ambitions in their districts. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lips were pursed as Kinzinger spoke. — Shia Kapos, Illinois Playbook author

Man, let me tell you, America got to see Hakeem Sekou Jeffries at his finest. The House Minority Leader who could very well become the first Black speaker if Democrats take control of the House in the next Congress. He treated the nation to his effortless flows and masterful delivery. When he gets rolling, Jeffries, a stan of the Notorious B.I.G., can deliver both a biting line with humor and an alliterative flow that can make it hard to not take notice — even if you don’t agree with what he’s spitting. — Brakkton Booker, correspondent, author of The Recast

Beyond the headliners, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore gave a classic wrap-yourself-in-the-flag speech, with a modern twist. He contextualized his time in the military and told a pumped up audience that “loving your country does not mean lying about its history.” In a convention in which claiming that American patriotism is a Democratic value was clearly a priority, Moore stood out for how effectively he communicated that message. — Calder McHugh, Nightly editor

I’ll remember standing by the Illinois delegation when Oprah Winfrey surprised everyone by walking out on stage. Oprah lives in California now, but she did her show for years from Chicago and folks here consider her one of their own. So the excitement was palpable. — Shia Kapos, Illinois Playbook author

Is it a cliché to say Michelle Obama ? We all know that she is a phenomenal speaker (arguably better than her husband) but the atmosphere in the arena when she spoke was entirely unlike even a barnburner political speech. The crowd stood practically the entire time ; the convention staff, who had aggressively been trying to keep the aisles clear, gave up to let people soak in the moment. The one word I’d use to describe the crowd was “reverent” — definitely not the typical vibe. — Melanie Mason, senior political writer, POLITICO California

It is not a cliche to say Michelle . Her speech was, of those I saw start to finish, the sharpest and most forceful drawing of not just the political contrast voters face but the moral contrast. That room was with her on every word. The other one who struck me was Doug Emhoff . It was fascinating to hear him talk so openly about his love story with Harris, centering his second marriage and blended family. Not sure I can recall a past convention speech like it. — Eli Stokols, White House reporter and co-author of West Wing Playbook

It has to be Michelle Obama , who had a well-written speech and landed every one of her lines with an impactful delivery. She had the entire convention center enraptured. — Emily Ngo, co-author of New York Playbook

I thought Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was one of the more interesting speeches of the week , especially how he drew on his experience as a high school football coach and the story he shared of his family’s struggle with infertility. It was a very different presentation of masculinity than what we saw a few weeks earlier at the Republican National Convention and I’m curious to see how Dems use him going forward, especially as they try to chip away at Donald Trump’s lead with male voters. — Lauren Egan, White house reporter and co-author of West Wing Playbook

The speech from Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz and the build up to it stands out. John Legend rocking out to Minnesota native Prince. Walz’s old football team taking the stage in red and white jerseys. His son, Gus, shedding tears of joy and pride. The Minnesota delegation waving around signs with his face. There was a sense of joy and relatability that most politicians strive for and few seem to really achieve. — Steven Overly, host, POLITICO Tech

The Obamas, no doubt, but to shake things up a bit, the incorporation of Americans sharing their stories about abortion, gun violence and other issues really captured the crowd this week. Dems were in tears as the women on stage shared their stories — from Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter, Lexi, was killed in the Uvalde school shooting, to Hadley Duvall, a Kentucky woman who was raped by her stepfather. — Myah Ward, Harris campaign reporter

Going to go back to my policy reporter roots here and getting very niche for a second — but Planned Parenthood’s Alexis McGill Johnson . She shared the story of a Georgia woman who was “pregnant and didn’t want to be,” the first time Democrats have at their convention highlighted a woman with an unwanted pregnancy. While Dems have really been leaning in on messaging around women with wanted pregnancies denied emergency abortions for health reasons under their state’s abortion bans, this was a significant departure and represents a sea change in how the party is thinking and talking about abortion in the post- Roe era. — Megan Messerly, Harris campaign reporter

Did the convention make a difference in the 2024 race?

No. These events really exist to get party loyalists hyped up. While millions of Americans will have tuned into Vice President Harris’ speech tonight and learned more about her, political science research suggests that modern conventions don’t do a ton to move the needle. Maybe if Beyoncé had actually showed up ? — Lauren Egan, White house reporter and co-author of West Wing Playbook

The impact of conventions is usually pretty fleeting. But what’s different here is that the nominee is only a month into her campaign and, for much of the country, almost a complete unknown. No one is expecting this to shift the race much. But to the extent that Harris and Democrats on stage were effective in introducing her to people outside the convention hall, it could have helped some voters determine whether they can see her as the next president. And that’s not nothing. — Eli Stokols, White House reporter and co-author of West Wing Playbook

Not really, but I do think they highlighted some stark thematic differences between the two candidates and the two parties. On one hand, you had in Milwaukee a crowd chanting “fight” and pumping their fists in the air as Kid Rock performed on stage against a backdrop of flames and a waving American flag. The vibe here was very different , focused on hope and, yes, “joy.” — Megan Messerly, Harris campaign reporter

Not really. But I do think that individual speeches and moments could be repackaged for staying power as ads/TikToks/etc. to assorted micro-targeted groups. Adam Kinzinger giving permission to Republicans to cross the aisle. D.L. Hughley giving his public apology that he misjudged Harris. And of course, clips of Gus Walz tearfully cheering on his dad to reinforce Democrats’ message that they are the party of families — particularly when certain conservative online influencers can’t stop themselves from stooping to insults . — Melanie Mason, senior political writer, POLITICO California

I don’t know if it did, actually. This convention as well as the one the Republicans held last month amount to infomercials for the party faithful and typically don’t have any sustainable momentum. Democrats, already in a jubilant mood, got to have the exuberant bash they never thought possible four weeks ago when President Biden was still in the race. For Democrats it provided a celebratory reset, but left it open to criticism from Republicans that it is a continuation of Biden’s policies, just with a far more dynamic messenger. — Brakkton Booker, correspondent, author of The Recast

It may in that delegates are leaving with plans and ambitions to get out the votes in their communities. Democrats who attended the convention are fired up and they’ve been swapping ideas with those they met in Chicago from around the country. And the sense that a victory is more in reach with Harris than Biden certainly will encourage politically active Democrats to travel to battlegrounds, donate more and otherwise go the extra mile. — Emily Ngo, co-author of New York Playbook

I want to say no, but this is no normal campaign . Harris has had a wild ride over the last month , and we’ll be watching to see what kind of post-convention bump she might get. A post-DNC rise in the polls — especially after she gobbled up Donald Trump’s post convention bounce last month — isn’t nothing. — Myah Ward, Harris campaign reporter