‘There was no excitement. Now, there’s tons’: How Harris’ candidacy has energized plans for the DNC

In the moments after President Joe Biden pulled out of the 2024 race, a scramble unfolded as Democratic officials raced to reframe the Democratic National Convention around a new candidate: Vice President Kamala Harris.

In the moments after President Joe Biden pulled out of the 2024 race, a scramble unfolded as officials raced to reframe the Democratic National Convention around a new candidate: Vice President Kamala Harris. Officials quickly moved to tailor the Chicago convention to Harris with only four weeks, in part drawing from the 2008 convention when Barack Obama accepted the nomination given the historic candidacy of Harris herself. But the change — while abrupt — also presented an opportunity. Celebrities who had been uninterested in attending now showed renewed interest. Donors were energized. And a different tone for the convention began to take shape. “Before Biden decided not to run, it was going to be very anti-Trump, that was our best bet,” one source familiar with the planning told CNN. “Now, it’s going to be more positive and optimistic.” It’s a stark pivot from the state of play only a couple weeks ago, when celebrity endorsements and attendance were a tough sell. “There was no excitement. Now, there’s tons,” a Democratic strategist with deep Hollywood ties told CNN. “I’m getting hundreds of texts with people asking me to get them credentials.”