Ex-Obama Staffer Shares Advice for All Future DNC Speakers

Former spokesperson for President Barack Obama Tommy Vietor shared a piece of advice on social media for speakers at the Democratic National Convention this week, which Politico reports he is attending.

“Message to all future DNC speakers…this is not about you. It’s Kamala Harris’s convention. The goal is to deliver a message to help her win, not maximize your own time on stage or create a social media moment. Be team players!” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.

The commentator’s post received over 600,000 views and sparked a wave of reactions on X. Many defended past speakers with one saying: “A lot of them are running for important seats too. There’s plenty of time.”

Some users referenced Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s speech as an example of what Vietor was referring to.

Ocasio-Cortez praised Kamala Harris for her “tireless” work to secure a ceasefire deal between Gaza and Israel during her DNC speech on Monday. Meanwhile, thousands of pro-Palestine protestors gathered outside the DNC venue to demonstrate against President Biden’s support for Israel.

Other past speakers were also praised for their powerful speeches.

Fox News’s Bret Baier called Michelle Obama “terrific,” noting that she “perhaps overshadowed” her husband, Barack Obama. Another Fox News host, Harold Ford Jr., described her speech as “the pick of the night.”

Although Vietor didn’t mention anyone specifically, some X users speculated that he might have been referring to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, whose speech was criticized by some for being used as a personal campaign, although she did explicitly praise Harris’ record.

The New York Times suggested that her attempt to gain more national prominence was unlikely to be as successful as Governor Mario M. Cuomo’s in 1984 when his speech helped him become one of the most prominent members of the Democratic Party.

Vietor isn’t the only one urging unity within the Democratic Party. Many responding to his post pointed out that it will be challenging for speakers to focus on Harris when they don’t personally support her.

Calls for party unity are echoing from various quarters. The New York Times and others have noted that while the DNC aims to present a united front, the ongoing Gaza conflict is causing deep divisions.

The DNC is running through Thursday, August 22. Tim Walz was formally elected Harris’ running mate on Monday but is expected to deliver his acceptance speech today.

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