There likely was no busier man at last week’s Democratic National Convention than transplanted Michigander Pete Buttigieg.

The U.S. transportation secretary stresses he’s using his personal time to campaign for the Harris-Walz ticket — and he seemed to be the go-to spokesperson for the media.

Buttigieg, who was on the list of potential Harris running mates, is viewed by some pundits as a possible gubernatorial candidate when Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited out after 2026.

But Buttigieg says he’s focusing now on helping Democrats maintain the enthusiasm shown at the convention all the way through to Election Day.

Listen: Buttigieg says Dems will ‘bottle’ energy from DNC to propel presidential ticket

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Pete Buttigieg: We’ve got many, long weeks ahead. But what we’re going to do is we’re going to take the joy and the positive energy [from the convention], we’re going to bottle it up and we’re going to use it to propel us through the weeks ahead. Of course, on every campaign there are curveballs, there are setbacks. Although I do think it is notable that in the many weeks since Kamala Harris became our candidate, she hasn’t put a foot wrong. People kept saying, “Is this the honeymoon? You know, this is a few days, then it gets real.” The energy has been sustained. The momentum has been sustained. But as she keeps reminding us, we still need to remember that this is an underdog effort.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: Any concerns about the protests regarding Israel and Gaza at the convention and whether or not that could actually have a significant impact on the campaign going forward?

PB: That’s one more point of difference between us and the Trump-Vance ticket. Not just the approach she has, to bringing peace to the Middle East, but also the approach she’s bringing to engaging protesters and demonstrators. She’s reaching out to those parts of our party that are so concerned. Versus this idea you hear from Trump about basically turning the military on protesters. We understand the legitimate concerns of those who have spoken out and will continue to engage.

QK: When you talk to voters about what their number one issue is, there still seems to be a lot of worries about the economy. You obviously have a big background in the Midwest, as well as with issues like infrastructure and so on. What do you see that a Harris administration could do that a Trump administration would not, in terms of trying to help lower prices, etc?

PB: The biggest concern in the economy is around prices. And economists who have analyzed the Trump plan believe it will add $3,900 a year to a family’s expenses, because he wants to add all these additional charges (tariffs) on imported goods. You contrast that with the Harris plan that’s very focused on lowering costs. Also, if we want to talk about economic performance, let’s talk about jobs. There was a manufacturing recession under Trump, and that’s even before COVID. Right now, there’s a manufacturing boom the likes of which we haven’t seen in decades. A construction boom as well, because the infrastructure policies that Trump failed to deliver, this administration has. These are the kinds of things that are explaining why you’ve had in these last few years the most job creation in any presidency in history. Now we’ve got to pair that with continued work to drive prices and inflation back to baseline. And that’s exactly what you’re seeing right now.

QK: How do you make voters feel that? I hear people recite the data and then people say, “Well, I’m not really feeling that in my own house.”

PB: We got to meet folks where they are. This is a real concern, you can’t wave it away. That’s exactly why Harris is being criticized now for being too aggressive in trying to bring prices down. But I think that’s the right kind of focus that demonstrates concern for what voters are feeling. We also, though, need to make sure that there’s no attempt to rewrite history and have people forget about the manufacturing recession and other problems that happened during the Trump years.

QK: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer campaigned on “fixing the damn roads.” You’ve been a Michigan resident for a while now. She is term limited out after 2026. Would you think about running for governor yourself?

PB: I sincerely am not sure what the future holds for me. I’ve got the best job right now and, of course, I’m not speaking in that capacity. But I also am having the best time when I’m not at my day job, campaigning for a ticket and a party that I really believe in. Between the two, those things are taking about 120% of my capacity.

QK: Are you really having the best time? It’s so politically divided now it seems like it would just be hell at times to deal with from the inside.

PB: Well, look, it’s hard work, but it’s hard work that’s worth doing. I believe in politics as a force that, if you understand it in the right way, can make our lives better. As I shared with the convention audience, I recognize the fact that the simple existence of my family — just what goes on at our dinner table — is only possible because of political involvement, political courage and political action that brought about things like marriage equality. Whatever the biggest issue is that’s affecting somebody’s life, chances are it either gets better or worse depending on the political choices we make. Of course it’s hard. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a death match. And part of why I think Americans are ready to change the channel away from the Trump show, part of why folks are just more and more tired of that, is that most Americans don’t view the political process as something that has to be all about negativity and grievance and revenge. It can be a process of engaging our neighbors, and of course it’ll be tough sometimes, but it can also be really uplifting.

It’s really great speaking to the Michigan audience, in particular, because that’s where the infrastructure and the manufacturing results of the Biden-Harris vision are not just playing out, but very much at stake. The job creation and the clean energy economy that’s bringing back so many blue collar jobs in the industrial Midwest, that will either be developed or it will be destroyed, depending on who the next administration is led by. I want to make sure it’s developed so we create even more jobs.

Use the media player above to listen to the interview with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin was among those who spoke on the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago — using her convention speech to bring light to what a second Trump presidency would mean for America on the global stage.

“Trump wants to take us backward,” she said in her DNC address on Thursday. “He admires dictators … a lot. He treats our friends as adversaries and our adversaries as friends.”

Slotkin, a prolific fundraiser who is running to fill Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat left open by longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s retirement, will face off against former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers in November.

In an interview with WDET at the DNC ahead of her convention speech on Thursday, Slotkin spoke of her affection for Stabenow, as well as her U.S. Senate bid and what sets her apart from her opponent.

Listen: Slotkin in DNC speech says Trump will take the US ‘backward’

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Russ McNamara: Throughout the events leading up to this, and winning the primary on primary election night, you kind of showed your close ties to outgoing Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Can you just talk about your relationship? There seems to be real affection there.

Elissa Slotkin: There is real affection. First of all, any woman in Michigan who’s elected to office has Debbie Stabenow in some form or fashion to thank for it. She was the first woman elected at the federal level statewide to represent this place, before Jennifer Granholm, before Gretchen Whitmer, Debbie Stabenow was really kind of wading through the muck to be one of the first women representing the state of Michigan. But then she also used to be representative of my district, right? So I am her Congresswoman — she lives in the Lansing area — and there’s no one who’s been a better mentor to me in these many, many years; and then, of course, over the last 18 months of running for Senate. So I do have real affection for her, and in many ways, were very different, right? I’m a national security person. She has more of that agriculture background, the elected background, but I am keenly aware of just how much I have to learn from someone who’s navigated all these years as one of the first women; the special difficulties of sometimes being a woman in office, and I just think she’s like Miss Michigan. She’s a fantastic lady.

RM: Your opponent in the race for Senate has a national security law enforcement background, but it seems like that’s maybe where the similarities stop. What sets you directly apart from Mike Rogers?

ES: We do have national security backgrounds. I’ve been really saddened — you know, he’s a former FBI officer, and used to be very proud of that, and now he slams the FBI every time he can. And for me, gosh, the number of times I’ve called our local FBI in Detroit, our office in Detroit after mass shootings when we’ve had hate crimes, I mean, they’re critical. So I’m proud of my national security background, I don’t bash it — I think that’s No. 1.

No. 2, I just think we take very opposite views of the world. I think for me, my sun and my moon is that Michigan has to be a place where anyone from anywhere can get into the middle class. That is the most important thing. You got to be able to have a good life and work one job, have good benefits, and that’s it. So that, to me, I focus on policies that are about pro good jobs and then lowering the cost of things like prescription drugs, health care, you know, post secondary education, child care. You know, you’re talking about someone who takes the opposite approach. He calls himself the biggest champion of the pharmaceutical industry. He’s proud of how he represents the pharmaceutical industry when he’s in elected office. He’s voted so many times to cut or privatize Medicare and Social Security. So the things that I think of of cornerstones of a middle class life, he has no problem going after those things. So it’s a pretty fundamental difference on seeing the world. And then, you know, he’s worked very hard to seek the favor of President Trump, and I think that’s a choice. That’s a choice, and maybe not a choice that everyone would have made, but he made it, and has defended those policies on culture war issues, but also on like democracy and whether to respect the results of an election. So it’s a pretty stark choice.

RM: Do you share his concerns over Chinese industrial influence here in the United States, he just had a rally up near Big Rapids because of the Goshen plant. Are those concerns that you share?

ES: Well, not only do I share them, I’ve legislated on them. I mean, the bill in Congress — a bipartisan bill to ban China from buying our farmland — is my bill. The bill in Congress that allows us to ban Chinese companies and also other companies of countries of concern from buying our manufacturing sites — that’s my bill. I am a CIA officer and Pentagon official by training. To me, China is a significant risk factor for our national security, and we don’t want them encroaching and using those facilities our farmland, or — for instance — their electric vehicles in the United States, to me, they pose national security risks, and we need to be really clear about that. So more than a rally, I’ve actually legislated for years and years on this topic.

RM: Did you personally give $1 billion to incarcerated people following the COVID-19 pandemic?

ES: No, you’re referring to an ad on television, so let me just say very, very clearly: No, I did not personally give a billion dollars to incarcerated people. And I think it’s been very, very clear that whatever checks went out — you know, when we were doing the big COVID checks that so many Americans got, they were clawed back and never received by people like Larry Nassar. Larry Nassar is the serial pedophile and sexual assault coach who is affiliated with Michigan State University. I am the representative of Michigan State University. We have been working for all these years to try to make the climate better so that could never happen again. So besides just being a ridiculous false attack, kind of political attack, it’s just insulting as a woman and as the representative of the the area that was most impacted by Larry Nassar,

RM: One of the underlying threads of the Democratic National Convention so far are the pro-Palestinian protests trying to get the United States to stop military aid to Israel. The Uncommitted National Movement has deep ties with Michigan. Abbas Alawieh is outside the United Center in a sit-in right now. They want a Palestinian American to speak during the last night of the convention. Do you support that notion?

ES: Yeah, I actually don’t have a problem with that at all. I think the most important thing that I’ve taken away from this convention is the Democratic Party is a big tent. We got a lot of different people in our camp, and that’s a good thing. Diversity is our strength, and that means diversity of people and background, but also of approach. And instead of focusing on attacking each other, I’d like to keep my eyes on the prize here, which is making sure that Donald Trump is not our president again come November. I have no problem with there being many voices, including people who are really hurting based on what’s going on abroad in Gaza and in Israel.

Use the media player above to hear the full interview with U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more:

• Haley Stevens on political sugar high at the DNC, top priorities for the state
• ‘Uncommitted’ delegates hold DNC sit-in after refusal to allow Palestinian speaker at convention
• Whitmer shares goals for Democratic Party, Michigan ahead of DNC address

Michigan is a battleground state in the upcoming presidential election.

And the state’s Democratic members of Congress say they also feel good about their party’s chances to take back the U.S. House by riding the wave of enthusiasm currently surrounding the Harris-Walz ticket.

That includes Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who represents much of Oakland County in the state’s 11th Congressional District

I spoke with Stevens at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday about the political momentum within the Democratic Party and whether they’ll be able to sustain it going into the general election in November.

Listen: Haley Stevens on political sugar high at the DNC, top priorities for the state

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Haley Stevens: It was certainly so exciting for Democrats all over this country to be in the room with the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, and of course, our former First Lady Michelle Obama. The wisdom, the power of their coupledom, the message that they delivered — which was grounding — and it reminded us that we really have work to do, and we can’t take things for granted. We got to go with the good vibes. We know what’s at stake. And as Michelle Obama said, “we have to do something.”

Quinn Klinefelter: Some of the pundits and so on have said, “can you keep this kind of political sugar high going all the way to the election day?”

HS: Well, we know the seasons are going to change. We’re still in summer. The election’s not until to the fall. Moods change with seasons absolutely. We also know that gravity is real, and it feels as though we’re flying very high. One of the elements of the Harris-Walz ticket that I find very optimistic and important for Democrats, as we’re heading into November though, is the more you get to know the two of them and their vision for our country, the more you like them, the more you like what you’re hearing. It’s practical, it’s real, it’s relatable. Kamala Harris — having worked her way through college, worked in McDonald’s — Tim Walz sleeves rolled up, governor of Minnesota, someone who coached high school sports as well as served in the United States military… I think that that really speaks to people. Whereas JD Vance, President Trump’s runningmate, he’s a wardrobe in search of a bedroom. He doesn’t know who he is. He’s saying one thing one week and another thing the other. And I don’t understand why he’s taking shots at women, and I hear that from voters. I think that’s very real.

When we know that the economy is going to be the most important issue, we should just be focusing on the economy. Kamala Harris is rolling out an economic agenda. She’s not afraid to say the words middle class. I can’t remember the last time I heard Donald Trump say that.

QK: The economy does seem to be the overriding issue for a lot of voters. You talk to some of the people in the metro region, they’ll say, “things were so great when Trump was president, the prices were lower, things were happening.” What would you say to those people?

HS: Look, we’ve got to make sure that people feel a certain way about the Harris-Walz ticket, carrying forward from the administration of President Biden, we see that we have the highest levels of employment in Detroit in over 50 years. We have record new factory growth. We, frankly, as the United States of America are buoying the world’s economy, we also though have to understand it’s very real what people are experiencing at the grocery stores. And so Kamala Harris has put forward a plan to tackle costs, to tackle shrinkflation. And what is the first thing that the Trump-Vance ticket says in response to that? “That’s communism.” Give me a break.

QK: There’s been questions about how either side, if they get in, would be able to pay for these kind of things. I mean, you’re on the front lines in Congress. Where do they get the money from? If there’s tax cuts, if there’s other programs that are going to be going forward, where can the money come to try to pay for some of these things?

HS: Well, it’s certainly very concerning to me that if you look at the previous term, Trump’s approach to global competition was largely to tariff goods. Then the pandemic hit, and as a result, those two events very much increased the cost of goods across the board. So our sugar farmers, their equipment is twice as much as it used to be. Sugar is in how much of our food? — as much as we like it or not — and that’s contributing to rising costs. We do need to be responsible about the pay-fors.

We in the Democratic caucus put forward a rules package when we were in the majority, making sure that we were paying as we go for things, offsetting costs, without slashing programs in the government that are working for people, and also making sure that we weren’t increasing our debt as a result. We have a tax bill that we’re going to be reauthorizing. I want to do that under Kamala Harris, because more tax cuts for large corporations and nothing for middle class workers is not going to work. It’s going to fail people, and people need to know that.

QK: Apart from the economy, what other issues do you see that you think are going to be prime importance in Michigan and Oakland County?

HS: Well, certainly when we talk about the economy, we’re also talking about transportation and housing. Those two issues are inextricable, and they’re deeply important in Oakland County. I also think there’s an undergird certainly around national security and foreign policy and some of the toughness — particularly from independent voters — that they want to see from their next commander in chief on the world stage.

We all have to remember that Donald Trump shoots from the hip. He’s tweeting at world leaders in the middle of the night. He’s very unpredictable. It felt like he was going to lead us into war many times. I see in Kamala Harris, someone who’s going to be tough on national security and is going to take her next chapter of her campaign to communicating how she plans to lead on the world stage.

QK: There has been protests here, obviously, regarding the situation in Gaza, how do you see that playing out, and how do you see that impacting the election as you head in November?

HS: Well, we’re a big tent party, and certainly when people disagree with each other, they’re not chased out. And I think it’s actually a productive and good thing that we have people who are not necessarily on the same page with one another, but are engaging with one another respectfully. What we don’t want to see is see protests taking down the event at hand, which is obviously our Democratic National Convention, leading to hate, leading to violence. None of that’s happening here. The city of Chicago is shining. Michigan is shining here. And as a lawmaker who represents a very diverse population and has had to take tough votes and take tough positions, I’m not here trying to thread a needle in the middle to pretend like I’m going to make everyone happy. Votes are binary. Leadership is oftentimes binary in terms of executive decisions, and that’s what Kamala Harris is showing she’s extended some olive branches, but her positions in the Middle East are clear. 

Use the media player above to listen to the interview with Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens.

Read more:

• Will Democrats’ enthusiasm prove contagious for independent voters?
• Whitmer shares goals for Democratic Party, Michigan ahead of DNC address
• Mike Duggan talks public transit, city’s new solar program at DNC

CHICAGO (AP) — Kamala Harris summoned Americans on Thursday to reject political division and instead chart what she called a “new way forward,” as she accepted her party’s nomination while blending biography with warnings about electing Donald Trump again to the White House.

Taking the stage to a thunderous standing ovation as she closed out the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the vice president argued that her personal story and background as a prosecutor made her uniquely qualified to protect Americans’ interests against a former president she cast as only having his own interests in mind.

“Our nation with this election has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past,” Harris said. “A chance to chart a new way forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”

The daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, Harris became the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to accept a major party’s presidential nomination and she would become the first female president if elected. Harris did not explicitly reference the historic firsts she would set in her 40-minute speech, and she only mentioned the words “Democrat” or “Republican” in the context of discussing a bipartisan border bill that Trump helped scuttle earlier this year, which she promised to sign into law if elected.

Her address — and the Democratic convention at large — was intended to appeal to a broad swath of Americans, not just partisans already energized by Harris’ ascension after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid. She made several implicit appeals to the large swath of voters who just weeks ago were disaffected with both of their options for the White House, particularly those disaffected with Trump, underscored by the appearances of several people who have broken with the 45th president, while embracing the policies and approach of Biden, the 46th.

She was joined for the traditional balloon drop by a large blended and mixed-race family. Earlier, two of her grandnieces had led the packed United Center in teaching people how to pronounce her name, which means lotus in Sanskrit.

“America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected,” Harris said. “But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys.”

Harris reintroduces herself

Raised primarily by her mother in a small apartment in San Francisco’s East Bay after her parents’ divorce, Harris described being reared as well by friends and caregivers who were “family by love.” She also detailed a key part of her political origin story, when Wanda, her best friend from high school, confided in her that she was being abused by her stepfather and came to live with Harris’ family.

“That is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor. To protect people like Wanda,” Harris said.

Outlining her work as a prosecutor, state attorney general, senator and now vice president, Harris declared, “My entire career I’ve only had one client: the people.” Meanwhile, she said Trump has only ever acted in the interests of “the only client he has ever had: himself.”

As she took the stage, she saw a sea of female delegates and Democratic supporters wearing white — the color of women’s suffrage, the movement that culminated with American women securing the right to vote in 1920.

Harris’ address came on her 10th wedding anniversary to her husband, Doug Emhoff, whom she called “Dougie” on stage and who blew her a kiss from the stands at the start of her remarks.

She and other speakers directly appealed to Republicans

Harris made a direct call to Republicans who don’t support Trump to put aside party labels and to support her over Trump, who denied his loss to Biden in the 2020 election, which inspired the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight, and I want you to know I promise to be a president for all Americans,” Harris said. “I promise to be a president for all Americans to hold sacred America’s constitutional principles, fundamental principles, from the rule of law and fair elections to the peaceful transfer of power.”

The convention granted a prime speaking slot to former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a Republican critic of Trump’s who said: “Whatever policies we disagree on pale in comparison with those fundamental matters of principle. Of decency. Of fidelity to this nation. To my fellow Republicans: If you still pledge allegiance to those principles, I suspect you belong here, too.”

Harris invoked her prosecutor’s background when she referred several times to Trump’s “explicit intent” to free those who assaulted law enforcement officers at the Capitol, jail political opponents and use the military against American citizens.

“Consider what he intends to do if we give him power again,” she added.

Trump, calling into Fox News after Harris’ speech, responded to the speech by asking, “Why didn’t she do the things that she’s complaining about?”

“It was a lot of complaining. She didn’t talk about China. She didn’t talk about fracking. She didn’t talk about crime,” Trump went on, adding, “Other than that it was a nice-looking room.”

Harris promises to defend alliances, abortion access

Delivering her most in-depth remarks on national security since becoming a presidential candidate, Harris promised to strengthen U.S. relationships with NATO allies and said the country must continue to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. Trump and running mate JD Vance have repeatedly questioned U.S. backing for Ukraine.

“I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs,” she said.

The vice president also vowed to work toward an end to Israel’s war against Hamas that can stabilize the rest of the region, while not hesitating to protect U.S. forces from aggression by Iran and other adversaries.

While she pledged to “always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself” after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and pushed for the release of the hostages and the implementation of a cease-fire deal, she highlighted the plight of Palestinian civilians as well. Pro-Palestinian protesters and members of the “uncommitted” movement in the arena sharply criticized convention organizers for not inviting a Palestinian American onstage.

“What has happened in Gaza in the last 10 months is devastating, so many innocent lives lost,” Harris said. “Desperate, hungry people fleeing to safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.”

Pledging to restore nationwide access to abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Harris lambasted Trump and Republicans who have enabled abortion bans across two dozen states and have sought to move further.

“They are out of their minds,” Harris proclaimed.

Harris has faced scrutiny in the month since she replaced Biden atop the Democratic ticket for avoiding policy specifics. She offered broad promises in a string of key policy areas, from expanding voting rights to lowering housing costs, passing middle-class tax cuts and bolstering border security.

Harris also emphasized her law enforcement background, including her time as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general. She was later elected to the U.S. Senate and sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

Her campaign imploded that year before a single primary vote was cast, but Biden chose her as his running mate, catapulting her to the national stage.

Although Harris initially struggled to find her footing as vice president, her reputation grew when she became the administration’s leading advocate for abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Democrats harnessed anger over the decision to stem their losses in the last midterm elections.

When Biden stumbled in his debate with Trump in June, Harris defended him until he decided to drop out of the race. With the help of his endorsement, she swiftly unified the Democratic Party behind her candidacy, resetting a presidential race that Trump had appeared on track to win.

Speaking to supporters after her remarks, Harris struck a confident note, but encouraged them to keep campaigning like they were behind.

“Tonight get your party on, for the next 75 days we have a lot of work to do,” she said. “We’re going to win this.”

Story by Zeke Miller, Will Weissert and Darlene Superville, Associated Press. Associated Press writers Chris Megerian and Jonathan J. Cooper contributed.

Following speeches from high-profile Democrats — including Barack and Michelle Obama and Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz — enthusiasm for the Harris campaign has reached a fever pitch at the Democratic National Convention.

Still, the question remains whether that enthusiasm will lead undecided voters to choose Kamala Harris in November.

Subscribe to Created Equal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shikha Dalmia from the Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism says the Democrats have taken the ideas of patriotism and freedom from Republicans.

“They’ve stolen the message of patriotism from Republicans,” said Dalmia. “But they’ve also stolen the message of freedom from Republicans, and giving a meaning to freedom that is inclusive in modern in a way that Republican conception of freedom doesn’t strike people us such.”

Not only have Democrats put patriotism back in their messaging, they’re also demonstrating something that Andrea Bitely, a political communications strategist, says the Democrats represent something that independent voters want: normalcy. 

“I think they’re making a case that they are the rational, normal party,” she said.

While normalcy and common sense have emerged as strengths of the Harris-Walz ticket, there is still a glaring gap in support from anti-war protestors from the progressive wing of the party represented by “uncommitted” delegates at the convention. 

James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, co-chaired a forum at the DNC on Palestinian rights on Monday, but says the DNC is taking an unnecessary risk not allowing a Palestinian representative to speak.  

“It wouldn’t have hurt at all to invite a Palestinian American,” said Zogby. “Especially some of those who are very close to the Vice President, who she knows and respects, who she knows from when she was Attorney General. I never understand when campaigns make unforced errors and simply can’t recognize it.”

Now that the Democratic Party’s surrogates have given their endorsements rallying the base, all eyes are on Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech to close out the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.

Guests

• James Zogby is the president and co-founder of the Arab American Institute. He currently serves as chair of the DNC Ethnic Council and was appointed to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom by President Obama, serving from 2013-2017. 
• Shikha Dalmia is the president of the Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism. She is also the editor-in-chief of the free Substack publication, “The UnPopulist.”  
• Andrea Bitely is the former spokesperson for former Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and is currently the political and communications strategist at Bitely Communications.  

Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.

Pro-Palestinian “uncommitted” delegates held a sit-in at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday, after party leadership refused their request to allow a Palestinian American speak.

Abbas Alawieh, a delegate from Michigan and co-founder of the Uncommitted National Movement, called the decision “shameful.”

“I’m deeply offended that this level of suppression would happen in today’s Democratic Party,” said Alawieh, who told WDET he participated in the sit-in protest all night.

Alawieh says a majority of Democrats want the U.S. to stop providing military aid to Israel, and that ignoring the plight of Palestinians will not stop protesters.

“We’re not going anywhere before November,” he said. “We’re people who mobilize people. We’re movement people. We’re not going anywhere in four years. We’re not going anywhere in eight years.”

“Today I watched my party say our tent can fit anti-choice Republicans, but it can’t fit an elected official like me.”

-Palestinian American Georgia state Rep. Ruwa Romman

Palestinian American and Georgia state Rep. Ruwa Romman said during the sit-in on Wednesday that the protest was not just about her being denied a chance to speak.

“It’s about the fact that today I watched my party say our tent can fit anti-choice Republicans, but it can’t fit an elected official like me,” Romman said. “I do not understand.”

The latest polling from Gallup says just 23% of Democrats approve of Israel’s military action in Gaza. The poll, conducted on June 3, 2023, showed 76% of Republicans and 34% of independents approve of the military action Israel has taken in Gaza. Americans’ public backing of Israel has increased slightly since Gallup’s prior reading in March. 

Party officials allowed the parents of a 23-year-old American taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack in Israel to speak at the convention on Wednesday, calling for a ceasefire and for the release of all hostages that remain captive.

“This is a political convention. But needing our only son — and all of the cherished hostages — home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said Jon Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin lost part of his left arm and was kidnapped while attending the Supernova music festival in Israel.

Polin and his wife, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, were greeted with chants from the crowd to “bring him home.”

“Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive,” Rachel Polin-Goldberg said.

She and her husband wore stickers with the number 320, drawing attention to the number of days their son has been held.

The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has leveled much of the Gaza Strip and killed tens of thousands of people, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish in its death count between militants and civilians.

While leaders of the uncommitted movement were granted a panel discussion on Palestinian human rights at the convention on Monday, the decision to exclude Romman from the convention stage was a “crushing” blow to the 36 uncommitted delegates representing the movement — as well as the thousands of pro-Palestinian and anti-war protesters in Chicago this week.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among those who called on convention organizers to make space for a Palestinian speaker.

“Just as we must honor the humanity of hostages, so too must we center the humanity of the 40,000 Palestinians killed under Israeli bombardment,” the New York lawmaker wrote on the X platform. “To deny that story is to participate in the dehumanization of Palestinians.”

Multiple pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested on Tuesday after clashing with police during a protest that began outside the Israeli consulate and spilled out onto the surrounding streets.

Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday as the United States presses Israel and Hamas to agree to a “bridging proposal” that could lead to a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.

Associated Press writer Jonathan J. Cooper contributed to this report.

Read more:

• DNC hosts first ever panel on Palestinian human rights
• ‘Uncommitted’ delegates at DNC aim to put pressure on Harris’ Gaza policy
• Assessing the impact of the ‘uncommitted’ vote in Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is set to give a speech in primetime Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The governor said she plans to lay out the case for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris from the perspective of a swing-state governor — focusing her attention on independents and Republicans who are disenchanted with the direction of the GOP.

Whitmer’s national profile has been rising within the Democratic Party since 2020, and she’s been greeted warmly — often loudly — by crowds at events across Chicago this week.

Many other Michiganders have taken the convention stage earlier in the week, including U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain. U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee who will face Republican candidate Mike Rogers in November, will also be addressing the convention on Thursday.

I spoke with Gov. Whitmer ahead of her upcoming DNC speech on Thursday evening about the changes happening in the Democratic Party and what she plans to do when her term ends in two years.

Listen: Whitmer shares goals for Democratic Party, Michigan ahead of DNC address 

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Russ McNamara: Mallory McMorrow, Dana Nessel, Elissa Slotkin, yourself all speaking at the DNC — it seems like “those women from Michigan” are well represented at the DNC.

Gretchen Whitmer: I think so. You know, I think this is an exciting time, and we’re so fortunate to have so many prominent leaders that have got an opportunity to talk about our Michigan story. It’s exciting.

RM: How does that all tie in with Vice President Kamala Harris now being at the top of the ticket?

GW: Well, you know what? We are embarking on potentially a big new chapter in this country where women have the opportunity to lead. We’ve seen what can happen when women lead in Michigan — we work together, we solve problems, we work with low ego and just try to get things done. I’m proud to be here with my daughter so that they can see the diversity, the inclusion, the strength and the vision that this leadership is bringing to the country.

RM: How do you reach out to the mythical independent voter, or the people who are on the center right, trying to bring them into the fold — people who are maybe not necessarily happy with Donald Trump, but have voted for him possibly twice at this point?

GW: I think we stay focused on the fundamentals. That’s what unites us. That’s what we’ve done in Michigan. You don’t win an election by almost 11 points without a lot of people crossing over. And I think in large part, it’s because we listen to voters. We ask them, “What do you need?” When people say, “the roads,” we don’t ask are you a Republican or a Democrat? We just know that that’s a Michigan need, and that’s what we focus on. And so we find common ground by focusing on these fundamentals. When Vice President Harris talks about the opportunity economy, she’s not talking about opportunity for some. She’s talking about creating paths to prosperity for all, and that should be something that unites us.

RM: Will we have a united legislature by the time January rolls around? You like your sports analogies…how has it been playing with the lead and having a Democratic-controlled legislature the past two years, and how might that change if Republicans get control of the House?

GW: On my first term, I worked with all Republicans in the legislature leadership, and you know, I am grateful that I’ve got so many great partners in the legislature now we’ve been able to deliver on some really important things — whether it’s free breakfast and lunch for all 1.4 million Michigan kids, or common sense gun safety measures, or simply our climate agenda, or making sure that LGBTQ has full civil rights. This is, I think, a moment where we could see a swing, or maybe not, I’m not sure, but my oath is to the people of Michigan, my oath is to get my job done, and I’m always going to work with whomever is there.

RM: What are the plans for the legislature and your priorities heading into the fall?

GW: Well, you know, obviously a lot of them are going to be on the campaign trail quite a bit, but I want to continue the work that we’ve started with regard to economic development. We are seeing such tremendous growth in bringing supply chains home and advanced manufacturing, but there’s more work we need to do to make sure Michigan remains competitive, and that is at the top of my list.

RM: The SOAR fund — talking about diverting some of that towards public transit — do you see that as a positive, a step in the right direction? Or do you want to continue with the business incentives?

GW: I think it’s important. We’re working with the business community and labor organizations. It’s important that we’re building an economy that will grow — that makes us competitive — and that is about good paying jobs. And so the SOAR fund has been a tool, and R&D tax credit, we know that there are additional investments that we could make if we had some of the sharp skills and tools that other states bring to the table, and that’s why we want to keep honing what tools we have.

RM: You are getting a prominent speaking spot Thursday in front of the convention. You’ve been on a consistent rise over the past four years, ever since the COVID lockdown. You drew the attention of former President Trump. There’s been some sparring through the media, back and forth. Where do you go for here? I know you have two years left in your term…but where is the next step for you? What do you want?

GW: What I want is leaders who get things done, and don’t have a high ego and don’t feed into the divisive politics that I think are really corrosive in American politics today. I want to do this job for the next two years, and I don’t know what happens next, but I am grateful to be the governor of Michigan. I’m proud of the state of Michigan. I love our state and the people who call it home, and that will remain my focus for the next two years, and then maybe I’ll take a breather for a bit.

RM: Do you really want a breather? I know it’s been an intense eight years at that point, and you’ve had to endure more than many governors have. But is now the time to seize some momentum? Or are you just going to need like a gap year?

GW: I don’t know. We’ll see what happens. You know I’ve got three generations of my family in the state of Michigan. I never planned to leave. What public service or what service looks like in the future I cannot conceive of at the moment, but I do think it would be good to take a little bit of time. I’ve always wanted to go out west and see the national parks, just on a trip — not moving — but that’s something that is on my list of things to do in 2027.

RM: You’re a popular person around here at the DNC…do you have that opportunity to go out and be a normal person occasionally? How many concerts have you missed over the last six years because you really couldn’t?

GW: You know what I would love to return to normal life and enjoy my family…but I am grateful. I’m never going to complain about the hardships that come with this job or the opportunities that come with it. This is what I signed up for, even if it’s been a little more than any of us could have conceived six years ago. But I really feel very fortunate to be the governor of Michigan. I’m proud and grateful.

RM: I don’t like gotcha questions, but do you have a lion’s final record prediction?

GW: We’re going to win the Super Bowl. Boom.

Listen to Detroit Public Radio tonight at 9 p.m. for continuing coverage of the DNC.

Rick Pluta from the Michigan Public Radio Network contributed to this report. Use the media player above to listen to the interview with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. 

At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is taking the opportunity to talk up the city’s plan to use previously blighted spaces as solar farms.

The city of Detroit’s climate strategy calls for a transition to clean renewable energy by 2034. City officials say the Solar Neighborhoods initiative is the first step toward achieving that goal.

The program aims to create 200 acres of solar arrays to generate enough clean energy to power all 127 of the city’s municipal buildings. While the project will not directly affect residents electric bills, Duggan says, the solar farms could potentially cut the city’s power bill by more than 50%.

Three solar farms are expected to be online in the city within the next year.

I was able to speak with Duggan at the convention about the city’s solar project, as well as the future of transit in Michigan and the growing excitement around the new Democratic presidential ticket.

Listen: Duggan talks public transit, city’s solar program at DNC

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Mike Duggan: The U.S. Conference of Mayors has asked me to speak at a number of events for other mayors that relate to climate change, and I think the reason is that the eyes of the country are now on Detroit, with the adoption last month of City Council, the plan to take 200 blighted acres of the city and turn them into solar fields to power all city-owned buildings.

Russ McNamara: Has there been some pushback from residents who would rather have more houses near them than solar fields?

MD: No, the residents were overwhelmingly supportive. That’s how we got this passed. So we allowed the residents of the community to pick the areas they wanted in their areas, basically they have maybe one occupied block per house that weren’t going to be coming back for decades; and the adjoining homeowners who stayed are getting $15,000 a house for energy efficiency upgrades for their houses — new furnaces, new hot water heaters, new windows. And so the community, neighbors came out overwhelmingly for this, and now we’re moving forward.

RM: Has this works in other cities, or is Detroit on the cutting edge?

MD: You’ve had two or three cities that have built solar fields out in farmland, 30-40 [miles] — in Chicago’s case, 200 miles outside of city, which is a step in the right direction. We’re the first city to step up and say, “We don’t need to go build in a farmland in somebody else’s community. Let’s take responsibility for moving off fossil fuels to renewables for city buildings right within our own city. And the people of Detroit have embraced that.

RM: You’ve mentioned the environmentally friendly upgrades. What are the benefits when it comes to the electrical bill of a Detroit resident?

MD: It won’t have a long-term effect on the electric bill. So all that’s going to happen is right now, the city is spending something like eight or $9 million a year to our energy provider to provide the energy. Instead, those costs will be offset somewhat by the renewable energy that we produce, so it will probably come out about the same. This is not necessarily to reduce the energy bill, but this is to have Detroit show that we don’t just have to talk about goals in 2035 or 2050, we’re a city that’s actually taking action on climate change,

RM: Is the city going to be in charge of maintenance?

MD: So we have two providers — one is our local energy provider, DTE, and the second is a Boston-based solar panel company called Lightstar. So each of them will be building about 100 acres of solar fields. They’ll have long-term leases for us, and we will then purchase that energy from them.

RM: What else can the city do to reduce the environmental impact? Because you know, cities — especially one as old as Detroit — are not necessarily built for changing green technology.

MD: No and so we have already converted all of our municipal parking fleet — the people who write your parking tickets — have all been converted over to electric vehicles. Our buses are now being converted to both electric and hydrogen. And the thing that I’m most focused on at the moment is building up a vehicle charging grid, because now we have General Motors with several thousand workers building the electric vehicles at Factory ZERO in Detroit, and they’re saying to me, “we want to make sure that people who buy the new electric vehicles aren’t anxious about whether they’ll be able to charge them.” And so over the next year or so, you’re going to see the city of Detroit build out a network on our main streets of chargers.

RM: I just got done talking with state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. She talked about one of the legislative priorities being changes to the SOAR fund, putting more money towards public transit. Do you see the city of Detroit like being flexible with that and wanting to work with the state to build out new public transit? We’re in Chicago right now where, and all I’ve done is ride the L this week.

MD: Yeah, we are completely supportive of the proposal. I hope they can get it through the legislature. So it’s been frustrating that our legislators haven’t been able to get it passed, but we support it 100%.

RM: Any changes to Detroit public transit?

MD: Again, depends on what version of the bill passes, but in the city what would be very helpful is to add bus rapid transit to have routes with more frequent service with bumped out boarding sites that would go quickly; potentially passing lanes would get you around backups at red lights and the like. So we have a significant plan to expand it, but the legislature has been talking about funding transit for most of my lifetime, so it’d be good if they actually stopped talking about it and passed it.

RM: A Democrat is in control of Oakland County — long gone are the days of L Brooks Patterson. Is this a regional plan, or do you think Detroit might have to go on its own?

MD: Oh, no. Dave Coulter has been a terrific leader on transit. In fact, he and I and Warren Evans — county executive of Wayne County — have been on this plan for quite a while, so we would like nothing better than to see that happen.

RM: You’re a delegate for the Michigan Democratic Party. So are you even kind of getting a little bit of whiplash after everything that’s happened over the past two months?

MD: I think I would say there’s more enthusiasm than anything else. Joe Biden was great for the city of Detroit — I think he was great for the country. But when he made the decision that I think was right for him and right for the country to step aside, there is a different level of excitement and energy and all the stuff that you were hearing from Trump about how Joe Biden is too old, you know now Donald Trump’s the president who can’t hold a press conference without meandering from subject to subject and getting names wrong and facts wrong. So it’ll be a different kind of a campaign, and think we feel very good about Kamala Harris and a lot of Michigan folks feel very good about Tim Walz — somebody that many Midwesterners can identify with.

Use the media player above to listen to the interview with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

Read more:

• Fain at DNC warns of possible strike against Stellantis over delayed plant reopening
• Sen. Mallory McMorrow on her DNC speech, future priorities for the state
• Detroiter at DNC who attended more than a dozen conventions encourages younger generations to tune in

CHICAGO (AP) — Warning of a difficult fight ahead, former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama on Tuesday called on the nation to embrace Kamala Harris in urgent messages to the Democratic National Convention that were at times both hopeful and ominous.

“America, hope is making a comeback,” the former first lady declared. She then tore into Republican Donald Trump, a sharp shift from the 2016 convention speech in which she told her party, “When they go low, we go high.”

“His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black,” Michelle Obama said of Trump.

Barack Obama, the first Black president in U.S. history, insisted the nation is ready to elect Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian heritage and would be the nation’s first female president. He also called Trump “a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.”

“It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala,” he said.

The fiery messages from two of the Democratic Party’s biggest stars underscored the urgency of the moment as Harris works to stitch together a broad coalition in her bid to defeat Trump this fall. The vice president is drawing on stars like the Obamas and other celebrities, officials from the far left to the middle, and even some Republicans to boost her campaign.

And while the theme of the night was “a bold vision for America’s future,” the disparate factions of Harris’ evolving coalition demonstrated, above all, that they are connected by a deep desire to prevent a second Trump presidency.

In an appearance perhaps intended to needle Trump, his former press secretary Stephanie Grisham — now a harsh critic of her former boss — also took the convention stage.

Trump “has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” Grisham said. “I love my country more than my party. Kamala Harris tells the truth. She respects the American people. And she has my vote.”

Sens. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, and Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent beloved by progressives, both praised Harris.

Schumer called on voters to elect another Democratic majority to the U.S. Senate. “She can’t do it alone,” he said of a prospective President Harris.

Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, said he was eager to work with Harris in the White House as well. Their policy goals, he said, are “not a radical agenda.”

As Democrats addressed the nation from Chicago, Harris faced an estimated 15,000 people in battleground Wisconsin in the arena where Republicans held their convention last month. She said that she was running “a people-powered campaign.”

“Together we will chart a new way forward,” the vice president said in remarks that were partially broadcast to the DNC. “A future for freedom, opportunity, of optimism and faith.”

Still, it was not all serious on the second night of the four-day convention.

A symbolic roll call in which delegates from each state pledged their support for the Democratic nominee turned into a party atmosphere. A DJ played a mix of state-specific songs — and Atlanta native Lil Jon ran out during Georgia’s turn to his hit song with DJ Snake, “Turn Down for What,” to the delight of the thousands inside the cavernous United Center.

And various speakers offered personal stories about Harris, who has served as a California senator and vice president, but remains largely unknown among many voters.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who would become the nation’s first gentleman if his wife wins the presidency, shared details about his relationship with the vice president — their cooking habits, their first date and her laugh, which is often mocked by Republican critics.

“You know that laugh. I love that laugh!” Emhoff said as the crowd cheered. Later, he added, “Her empathy is her strength.”

Trump, meanwhile, was out on the campaign trail as part of his weeklong swing-state tour during the Democratic convention. He went to Howell, Michigan, on Tuesday and stood aside sheriff’s deputies as he labeled Harris the “ringleader” of a “Marxist attack on law enforcement” across the country.

“Kamala Harris will deliver crime, chaos, destruction and death,” Trump said in one of many generalizations about an America under Harris.

Throughout their convention, Democrats have sought to balance a message of unity with an embrace of diversity.

Barack Obama’s speech Tuesday night made perhaps the most forceful case for that model as a logical step forward for a bitterly divided nation. In contrast to the party’s rhetoric in the recent past around race, Obama framed the Democrats’ approach as “a new way forward” for a modern society in contrast to a “divisive,” “old” and “tired” strategy of vision offered by the party’s chief opponent, Trump.

Michelle Obama also addressed race directly as she jabbed Trump, referencing a comment he made in a June debate.

“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?” she said. ”It’s his same old con: doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better.”

Barack Obama returned to the convention stage 20 years after making his first appearance at a national convention, a 2004 appearance in Boston that propelled him into the national spotlight ahead of his successful presidential run. And he praised President Joe Biden, who ended his reelection bid last month and endorsed Harris.

“History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger,” Obama said Tuesday as the crowd chanted, “Thank you, Joe.” “I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend.”

Harris, meanwhile, cast the election in dire, almost existential terms. She implored Americans not to get complacent in light of the Supreme Court decision carving out broad presidential immunity, a power she said Trump would abuse.

She has also seized on Trump’s opposition to a nationally guaranteed right to abortion.

“They seemingly don’t trust women,” she said of Trump and his Republican allies. “Well, we trust women.”

The vice president’s speech in Milwaukee evoked some of the same themes that underlaid Biden’s case for reelection before he dropped out, casting Trump as a threat to democracy. Harris argued that Trump threatens the values and freedoms that Americans hold dear.

Trump said he would be a dictator only on his first day in office, a quip he later said was a joke, and has vowed as president to assert more control over federal prosecutions, an area of government that has traditionally been left to the Justice Department.

Someone with that record “should never again have the opportunity to stand behind the seal of the president of the United States,” Harris said. “Never again.”

By Steve Peoples, Jonathan J. Cooper and Zeke Miller, Associated Press. Associated Press writers Matt Brown, Farnoush Amiri and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

On this episode of the Detroit Evening Report, stories include this week’s excitement at the Democratic National Convention around the Harris-Walz presidential ticket; Michigan’s launch of a new statewide “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dems rally around Harris, Walz at DNC

The Harris-Walz ticket is creating a sheen of excitement at this week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. And some notable metro Detroiters are part of it.

That includes long-time Democratic activist Reverend Wendell Anthony. He says Harris’ status as the first women of color to head a major party presidential ticket is re-invigorating Democrat’s ability to get out the vote for the general election.

“This is Freedom Summer Two…that’s what I call it,” he said. “Freedom Summer One was 60 years ago. Black folk and white folk went south to Mississippi to help register people to vote, because they couldn’t vote. They went volunteering. Now people from all across the country are coming, volunteering, because they want to preserve freedom, democracy and the right to vote still.”

Anthony claims former President Donald Trump is laying the groundwork to challenge the election in states like Michigan if he is not declared the winner in November. 

Applications open for PitchMI

Applications are officially open for PitchMI, a statewide “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition created to help solve Michigan’s transportation troubles.

The state’s Growth Office will invest $100,000 in one innovative solution that transforms the way Michiganders get from point A to point B safely, affordably and efficiently. PitchMI is meant to spur entrepreneurial problem-solving, connect innovators with capital and create a ripple effect to accelerate more innovation, according to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The competition is scheduled to take place Thursday, Oct. 24, during the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification’s conference at Newlab in Detroit. Applicants for PitchMI must be available to participate in-person. Its open to start-up companies with 51% of their employees in the state of Michigan. Solutions should be demonstration-ready with working prototypes. 

For more information and to apply, visit growingmichigan.org/opportunities. The deadline to apply is Monday, Sept. 16. 

Detroit to unveil Joe Louis Neighborhood Stories

The city of Detroit will unveil its Joe Louis Greenway Neighborhood Stories signage project this week.

Ten signs will be placed along the Joe Louis Greenway telling the story of the Midwest-Tireman neighborhood. The city used residents as Story Gatherers to collect oral histories from long-time neighborhood residents. Those stories were turned into signs designed by the firm Good Done Daily.

A ribbon-cutting is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. Thursday at 8034 West Warren Ave., Detroit, with light refreshments on offer. Parking is available on McDonald Street. 

HBCU Student Invitational Film Competition and Festival

The HBCU Student Invitational Film Competition and Festival takes place at Michigan Central next week.

Black filmmakers attending HBCUs will screen their films from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m on Friday, Aug. 23, with contest winners announced on Saturday, Aug. 24. The grand prize is $10,000.

This is the first time the event will be in-person. Autumn Sun, the group organizing the festival, was founded by Detroit native Bruce Clifton. The film screenings and panel discussions are free, but the award ceremony and gala on the 24th require tickets. For more information, visit autumnsunfest.org. 

Annual ‘Fun in the Park’ event returns

Residents of Detroit’s District 7 are invited to Stein Park from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, for the second annual Fun in the Park event. The free, family-friendly event will feature food, games, music, activities for all ages and more. 

Stein Park is located at 18899 Chicago St., Detroit. The rain date for the event will be Saturday, Aug. 24.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) received some rare time on a national platform Monday night at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 

She talked about one aspect of the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” – the conservative group’s plan for restructuring the U.S. Government, should Donald Trump win another term. 

McMorrow warned that a Trump administration would replace civil servants across a wide swath of the federal government with people that would serve Trump’s interest and not the country’s. 

I caught up with McMorrow after her speech at the Democratic National Convention to talk about her message about Project 2025 and her future priorities for the state.

Listen: McMorrow on her DNC speech, future priorities for the state

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Russ McNamara: How did it come about that you were asked to speak at the Democratic National Convention?

Mallory McMorrow: It was wild. I got a phone call out of the blue a few weeks ago from Julie Rodriguez, the Harris campaign manager, who asked if I would be willing to speak at the convention. The answer was, of course, yes.

RM: The topic, Project 2025 — each night, someone’s going to be breaking down a different part of it. How much control did you have over the messaging? Because you took what could be a dry subject and put a little life into it.

MM: We did it could potentially be a really dry subject. So they pitched me on the topic, but I worked really closely with a speechwriter on how we were going to present it, because my whole thing is, we have to explain things to people in regular, common language, like you talk to your friend at a bar.

RM: You’ve had a couple of your floor speeches go viral. You’ve got over 250,000 Twitter (X) followers, it seems like, for the past, at least six weeks, the Democratic Party is really trying to reach out to younger voters. Do you see that the National Democratic Party is kind of realizing that you have a different touch, and can really bring in that demographic from early 20s to mid 30s.

MM: Absolutely, I think looking at the lineup that we saw on night one, you had everybody from Maxine Waters to the President of the United States to Kamala making a surprise appearance, to me, to AOC, who, a couple of years ago, you know, was an outsider and not considered the norm in the Democratic Party. And I think that they’ve done a really fantastic job of recognizing to be a big tent party you have to present your big tent. And I think that they did that last night, and it’s really cool to be a part of
it.

RM: What are your overall aspirations? I know it’s early, you still have one more Senate term to go, potentially barring reelection. But what do you want?

MM: I really love communication — shocker — and helping other people figure out how to do this work themselves. Something that I really, really enjoy is joining advocacy calls, running trainings, helping other people learn how to tell a story and advocate at school board meetings. So I don’t entirely know what that looks like, but I love this work, and I want to keep going as long as I can.

RM: Is that political office, or is this leadership of some sort within a Democratic Party or a nonprofit?

MM: I think there’s a lot of doors open. We’ll see what’s next.

RM: Nuts and Bolts question, what are the priorities for this fall?

MM: We’ve got a lot to do this fall. We’ve got potentially a school supplemental to get done. I know that working with a lot of our school groups on some of the funds that we had last year with the influx of COVID-19 dollars for things like school counselors and public safety are a key priority for us to try to get done. And then for me, the big thing is SOAR reform, we got really, really close before the budget on investing $200 million in transit annually, on housing, on downtown development. I think there’s a path, and I want to try to get it done this fall.

RM: Is it feasible and is there any room in the calendar for another look at car insurance?

MM: I think we have to, you know, the fact that we’ve now lost people from the no fault reform, who lost their care, who have since died. I mean, it’s just devastating to realize that this is fixable, and it just takes the political will to do it. So the fixed bills have been stalled out in the House. I know the House is going to be worried about this being an election year, but this is just common sense to get it done and to save people’s lives.

RM: How much does all of this get put on hold if there is a change in the House after the election?

MM: You know, something that’s been interesting about no fault reform is we have had bipartisan support. We had it last term. We’ve had it this term, I think, particularly in the metro Detroit area — inclusive of Macomb County, outer Oakland County — we have legislators who see their constituents directly impacted by this. So I think that regardless of what happens this fall, there’s going to be a path.

Use the media player above to listen to the full interview.

Organizers behind the national “uncommitted” movement are commending a decision to host an official panel discussion on Palestinian rights Monday at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The movement began as the “Listen to Michigan” campaign to get 10,000 uncommitted votes in the state’s Democratic presidential primary in February, in protest of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza that has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The uncommitted campaign wildly exceeded expectations in Michigan, picking up more than 13% of the votes in the Democratic race, or roughly 101,000 votes.

“The Muslim community, not just in Michigan, but in nearly every state, is more active, more involved than ever before,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellsion told WDET before participating in Monday’s panel discussion. “Not just as candidates, but as people who are doing fundraising; people who are doing communications; I mean, Bernie Sanders campaign manager was a Muslim, right? So the Muslim community has stronger political muscles than ever before, and is making itself heard.”

Others on the panel, like pediatric intensive care surgeon Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan — who recently returned from serving in Gaza — say the Harris-Walz ticket needs to hear the cries of the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

“We feel like the only way to protect and preserve human life is to put political pressure at this point.”

-Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, pediatric physician in Gaza and DNC panelist

“I was asked to be here to provide moral witness to the delegates of the Democratic National Convention, the civilian casualties that I myself witnessed while I was there, the entire families that were exterminated, health care workers, humanitarian workers, that have been killed in unprecedented numbers, child amputees, record numbers of child amputees, all the children who had survived and arrived injured at the hospital with no surviving family,” Haj-Hassan told WDET. “I myself treated several children who would fall into that category. And for these children, they would often die in our arms in the emergency department without any family around to comfort them, because their family were killed in the same attack, and without anybody to bury them once they were dead…it was honestly, completely, utterly devastating.

“So we feel like the only way to protect and preserve human life is to put political pressure at this point. The unconditional ongoing funding of the U.S. for this military campaign, it starkly contrasts with the documented realities on the ground, with the findings by the International Court of Justice — a plausible genocide — and with universal global condemnation from every human rights and humanitarian organization, saying ‘This has to stop.'”

Haj-Hassan says everyone in her immediate family and friends circle are “very afraid of a Trump presidency,” however, she says, “we have red lines for what we will support in a party that we’re going to vote for, and genocide is one of those lines.”

“If the Harris-Walz platform wants to win, then they’re going to need to start listening to all of these voters, and I hope they also start listening to their conscience, because I don’t know how you’d sleep at night knowing that you’re funding this,” she said.

In a statement from uncommitted movement co-founders Layla Elabed and Abbas Alawieh, they called the panel “an important step toward recognizing the rightful place of human rights advocates for Palestinian rights within the Democratic Party.”

“Our focus remains on policy change,” the statement read. “Vice President Harris has an opportunity to unite the party against Trump this week by turning the page towards a human rights policy that saves lives and helps us re-engage key voters for whom Gaza is a top issue.”

Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators were gathered outside the DNC on Monday, with some breaking through a security fence near the convention site. However, the protests have been mostly peaceful.

Elabed and Alewieh say they have formally requested that Haj-Hassan and a Palestinian American be granted speaking time on the convention stage this week to share their plight.

The Uncommitted National Movement’s organizers are attending the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, hoping to change policy toward Israel during the ongoing war in Gaza.

Abbas Alawieh is one of the leaders of the uncommitted movement and one of two uncommitted delegates from Michigan attending the DNC.

“We have a mandate to represent the hundreds of 1,000s of uncommitted pro peace voters who showed up in the Democratic primary to ensure that Gaza is a part of the discussion,” he said.

The uncommitted campaign continues to put pressure on the Democratic Party to listen to the multi-ethnic, multi-faith, and anti-war movement to stop U.S. money from going to Israel in its conflict with Gaza.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in the past 10 months, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The war began after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas which killed 1,200 people.

The uncommitted campaign recently launched an effort aimed at getting Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris to commit to an arms embargo.

Listen: Uncommitted delegates at DNC to put pressure on Harris’ Gaza policy

Ronald Stockton, professor Emeritus of political science at the University of Michigan -Dearborn, says it’s unlikely that Harris will take a stronger stance.

“Harris is not going to come out and renounce Israel. She’s not going to call for an arms embargo,” he said. “That’s not realistic.”

Stockton says privately Harris’ national security advisor is saying more to support a permanent ceasefire in exchange for Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.

The Uncommitted National Movement began as the Listen to Michigan organization in February ahead of the primaries to get 10,000 uncommitted Democratic votes in protest of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

They garnered more than 100,000 uncommitted votes – birthing the Uncommitted National Movement across the U.S., with more than 700,000 uncommitted voters and now 30 uncommitted delegates.

Earlier this month hundreds of people gathered for a rally to support the Harris campaign at Detroit Metro Airport.

Just before the event, Alawieh and Uncommitted National Movement co-founder Layla Elabed asked Harris to set up a formal meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza. They say Harris seemed receptive to the idea, but a meeting has not yet been confirmed.

Alawieh says the uncommitted movement will endorse Harris if she chooses an arms embargo, one of the recent asks by the organization along with the “not another bomb” campaign to stop funding bombs in the conflict.

“We will drop everything we’re doing, endorse Vice President Harris and make sure that we proactively encourage the voters who have believed in this movement to vote for Vice President Harris,” he said.

Some uncommitted voters, like Saleema Nawab — who voted uncommitted in the February primary — say that’s not enough to get their vote, however.

Nawab says before the conflict in Gaza she wasn’t very involved in politics but typically voted Democratic. She hopes the Democratic Party realizes that voters should not be taken for granted and they will no longer vote “for the lesser of two evils.”

“I understand that the threat of Trump is going to have, you know, consequences for not only my community but other communities. But I think that this two-party system needs to be shaken up, and our voices — that are beyond the Muslim and Arab voice — need to be heard in a serious way,” she said.

Nawab is considering voting for a third-party candidate, Green Party’s Jill Stein.

Critics say that uncommitted voters will likely have to decide between the two-party system in the end.

Wayne State University Professor Saeed Khan says uncommitted voters are engaged.

“If they were not interested in considering the Democratic Party in November, then one could say that they would be completely disengaged and put all of their efforts into third party candidates or just simply staying home,” Khan said. “But the fact that we’re seeing this level of engagement and interaction then suggests that they are possibly moving toward making a decision of voting for what is now the Harris-Walz ticket.”

Like many voters, Janae Wilson of Detroit says she’s waiting to see if Harris makes any strides in Gaza policy.

“Putting pressure on Kamala is not equal to electing Trump, in my opinion,” she said.

She hopes Harris addresses the arms embargo and addresses the Islamophobia in the U.S.

Alawieh says the uncommitted movement isn’t going anywhere.

“I hope that the Democratic Party doesn’t inadvertently help Donald Trump by failing to unite the base of our party around a more humane approach to Gaza policy,” he said.

The Uncommitted National Movement is speaking at the DNC this week about Gaza while tens of thousands of Pro-Palestinian protestors are also protesting the DNC over the Biden administration’s funding of the war in Gaza.

The Democratic National Convention is in Chicago, Monday, Aug. 19, through Thursday, Aug. 22.

How to watch

NPR will have live video from the United Center each night of the convention starting at 9 p.m. ET.

On Wednesday and Thursday night, NPR will be hosting live coverage on video with reporters in Chicago and in Washington, D.C.

The history of the DNC in Chicago

Chicago has hosted a number of party conventions — most recently the DNC in 1996, and perhaps most notably the DNC in 1968.

As NPR senior editor and correspondent Ron Elving puts it, “Chicago ‘68 has been repeatedly conjured as the epitome of disaster like the sinking of the Titanic, or the stock market crash of ‘29.”

At the time, President Lyndon Johnson had announced he was not running for reelection, and Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Vice President Hubert Humphrey was then left to battle it out for the nomination with anti-war Sen. Eugene McCarthy.

Huge crowds of demonstrators came to Chicago in 1968 for the DNC, protesting U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, pushing for racial equality and an end to poverty.

Protesters and police ended up clashing, with violent images on TV for the nation to see.

But beyond the convention location, there have been a number of echoes of 1968 playing out in 2024. (And not just in the political world: Both years also saw new Planet of the Apes movies, Summer Olympics and U.S. moon missions, as NPR’s Rachel Treisman notes.)

In April, historian Keith Orejel summed it up in a post on X, formerly Twitter:

“I mean ok, Columbia has unrest and there’s widespread anti-war activism, that might be coincidence. But there is a guy named Robert Kennedy running for president and the [Democratic National Convention] is in Chicago. Like is this a bit?”

A few months later we had another 1968 parallel: President Biden announced he will not be seeking the nomination.

But while the shadow of 1968 looms over this week’s convention, especially as it relates to protesters and security, the convention itself is more of a formality than it was in 1968 — we know who is going to be the nominee.

Live updates from the convention

Starting Monday, follow NPR’s live blog for the latest updates, analysis, fact checking and color; listen to and watch NPR’s special coverage on many public radio stations.