Democrats Formally Nominate Biden. Now Trump Takes the Stage.

One political convention down, one more to go.

The Democratic National Convention wrapped up a week with the formal nomination of former Vice President Joe Biden Jr. The convention was a series of made-for-TV moments in lieu of a traditional in-person convention.

“The case for Joe Biden is that he is not Donald Trump.” — Adrian Hemond, Grassroots Midwest

Now it’s the Republican party’s turn, although the speakers list at this week’s convention — President Donald Trump will speak every night and it will feature a bevy of the president’s family — signals that it will strike a very different tone than last week’s event.

Listen: Politicos unpack last week’s DNC and forecast this week’s RNC. 

Guests

John Sellek, President and CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs says that contemporary conventions are more about establishing party unity and introducing the candidate to the electorate than anything else. “From that basic viewpoint their convention was a success,” says Sellek on the DNC’s ability to unify the party.

He says this year’s televised and highly controlled convention may be a new way forward. “Conventions may be changed forever, and maybe not in a good way,” says Sellek.

Adrian Hemond, partner and CEO at Grassroots Midwest, says that the Democratic National Convention was successful in staying on message, introducing Biden to the electorate and making the case for negative partisanship.

“The case for Joe Biden is that he is not Donald Trump,” says Hemond on Biden’s ability to draw contrast with the President. He says more than policy or Biden himself, the election hinges on how people feel about Trump. “Voters are not tuned into this election because they’re wanting to air debates about public policy, they’re tuning in based on how they feel about the president, positive or negative,” says Hemond.