CHICAGO — Democrats are working to energize a key demographic at their national convention : the women Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) mocked as "childless cat ladies" before becoming former President Donald Trump's running mate.
The Democratic National Convention has elevated female leaders of the party, from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to former first lady Michelle Obama, in each night of programming, all while nodding to the historic significance of nominating Vice President Kamala Harris , the first black woman to lead a major party ticket.
But Democrats have also continued to latch on to the controversial remarks of Vance, in which he disparaged the party as being run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies.”
The label has been celebrated throughout the four days of festivities, with delegates proudly wearing pins and hats with the phrase emblazoned on it and cheering as speakers including legendary talk show host Oprah Winfrey mentioned it in their convention addresses.
"When a house is on fire, we don't ask about the homeowner's race or religion," Winfrey said on the third night. "We don't wonder who their partner is or how they voted, no. We just try to do the best we can to save them. And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out too."
Vance has said his remarks were taken out of context, specifically that he was not mocking those women who are unable to conceive. But in the lead-up to the convention, social media content creators spun Vance’s comments into memes, while the Trump campaign endured a dayslong news cycle focused on the remark.
“The cat ladies of America are united, OK? This went right back in their face,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) said while speaking to the New York delegation on Monday.
Many delegates were delighted to revel in the mockery, part of the political honeymoon the party has enjoyed since President Joe Biden agreed to drop out of the 2024 race.
“It’s so fun to watch as they make these ridiculous comments and Democrats come back with empowering videos on social media — I love seeing all the swag of cats on a blue wave,” said Kelly Green, a delegate from Philadelphia.
As Democrats prepare to wrap up the week in Chicago, the themes they’ve embraced during their gathering stand in stark contrast to the largely masculine programming from Republicans during their convention in Milwaukee last month.
At that confab, Trump drew headlines for entering to a rendition of the song “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” while the event also included hypermasculine theatrics from wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who ripped off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance logo.
“I was not involved in the programming decisions, but I think what we are showing is that our speakers really represent America, they represent the Democratic Party,” said Jason Rae, secretary of the Democratic National Committee, speaking with the Washington Examiner. “We are really trying to showcase some great talent.”
On Thursday night, when Harris accepts the nomination and addresses the convention, many female delegates and elected officials on the floor will be clad in white, a nod to the women’s suffrage movement.
“White is a symbol of solidarity — women showing not just our strength but our strength and our unity. Being of one accord when it comes to fighting for the rights of women — equal rights for women in every arena,” said Lottie Shackelford, chairwoman of the women’s caucus at the DNC. “To see that sea of white, it lets you know the importance of the moment, we are on the verge of making history.”
Democratic women in Congress have often used their clothing to send a message. This past year, they wore white pantsuits, turtlenecks, and scarves in a sea of dark suits at the State of the Union address to draw attention to abortion access and reproductive care. They have also worn white as a form of solidarity and protest against Trump in the past.
“Many of us want to let Kamala know that we’re there for her and we always remember that we are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), who is in her 15th term in Congress. “This isn’t about us; it’s about the people who came before us, and hopefully we will be putting some things in place so that our daughters and granddaughters have a better chance than we had.”
Over the last few election cycles, single women have demonstrated that they are the backbone of the Democratic Party. In CNN exit polls from the most recent midterm elections, single women supported the Democratic Party, 68% to 31% for Republicans.
Never-married voters of both genders turn out at lower rates than their married or divorced counterparts, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
Nevertheless, women are credited with propelling a wave of Democratic wins during the midterm elections in 2018. The group of voters was once again galvanized after the high court struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022.
This election will be the first presidential cycle since the Supreme Court overturned the ruling, and the week has been dominated by a focus on it, from morning delegate meetings to party panels in which women have shared their stories. In a post-Roe landscape, Democrats are counting on it to be a mobilizing factor that gets voters to the polls.
“Women have become empowered as a result of the MAGA extremist movement and Trump’s nomination of three justices for the United States Supreme Court, who were confirmed, who then overturned Roe v. Wade,” said Gloria Allred, a renowned California-based attorney, speaking to the Washington Examiner.
“Women, women of color, and young women, they are mad as hell, and they are not going to take it anymore, and a lot of men also, they care about their wives,” she said.
Trump has attempted to attract female voters, too, as he runs for a second term in the White House. He is rejecting a national ban on abortion, in part, because it has jeopardized Republicans’ electoral prospects with suburban women.
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But Democratic leaders have attempted to frame the conversation over abortion into one about the Democrats being on the side of "freedom," a frequent theme of Harris’s campaign.
“When women are free to make their own decisions about their lives and to follow our dreams, we are unstoppable,” said Cecile Richards, a former Planned Parenthood leader, speaking to the convention on Wednesday.
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