DNC Made ‘Ruthless’ Changes to Obama Night After Monday’s Delay: Axelrod

After the first night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) faced significant delays, pushing President Joe Biden’s speech into the midnight hour on the East Coast, adjustments were made to Tuesday’s schedule to ensure that former President Barack Obama’s speech stayed on track and in primetime, according to Democratic strategist David Axelrod.

Speaking on CNN prior to the event, Axelrod, a former top adviser to Obama, shared insights into the behind-the-scenes concerns that emerged after Monday’s late-running program.

“Everybody was concerned about the pace of last night, and I don’t think they wanted to leave the Obamas waiting there until 11:30 at night,” Axelrod said, noting that there were “a lot of behind-the-scenes concerns” about what happened on Monday.

“Adjustments were made,” he added.

The first night of the convention presented particular challenges as organizers worked to combine elements from both President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’s campaigns. Initially, Biden was scheduled to speak around 10:45 p.m. (ET), following a 10-minute tribute video highlighting his political career and a performance by James Taylor. However, the video never aired, and the musician didn’t perform.

The goal for Tuesday’s program, which is heavily focused on Harris, is to move things along more efficiently, Axelrod said. He explained that the delays prompted a day of adjustments to ensure that the schedule for the second night would run smoothly: “I think the folks on the teleprompters are going to be ruthless and move this thing along.”

Reflecting on the significance of the event, Axelrod drew parallels between the current political climate and the moments Obama faced during his own political campaigns.

“There was a hunger in this country for a better kind of politics, for turning the page, and for bringing people together around common concerns people were facing in their lives,” Axelrod said. “In many ways, I think the speech he’s going to make tonight reflects many of the same themes,” he added.

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