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With the Democratic National Convention underway in Chicago, Donald Trump is reportedly fretting over whether Kamala Harris’s Thursday speech formally accepting the nomination will draw more viewers than his did.
Two sources close to the campaign told Rolling Stone the former president has brought up the topic multiple times, though he’s sure to mention the “tremendous” viewership of his own nomination speech, which attracted a peak of 28.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
In response to the report, the Trump campaign told the magazine, “Voters know Kamala is weak, failed, and dangerously liberal, and the Democrat ticket is the most radical in American history.”
Media observers say the 2024 race is likely to be one of the most dramatic in US history, especially when compared with the 2020 election, which was held under the shadow of the Covid pandemic. There’s already been a candidate swap and an assassination attempt, and we’re still months away from November.
"I look at these two campaigns right now as the fiercest competing political reality shows I’ve ever seen," Professor Frank Sesno, director of strategic initiatives at the GW School of Media and Public Affairs, toldUSA TODAY. "There’s so much drama on both sides, there’s so much tension between the two sides and there’s a huge suspense as to what’s going to happen."
Adding to the media interest are some novel changes to how the conventions are being covered.
The DNC has given special access to over 200 social media content creators to attend the convention at the United Center, a first for the party.
The ongoing Democratic convention, beyond just a coronation for the Harris campaign, is also doubling as a send-off for Joe Biden.
During his speech on Monday, the president touted his achievements on the economy and infrastructure, and told voters “democracy must be preserved.”
“Are you ready to vote for freedom?” Biden said. “Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America? Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?”
He also slammed Trump for continuing to lie about the 2020 election.
“You cannot say you love your country only when you win,” the president said.
Other speakers included United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, who had a Hulk Hogan moment and revealed a ‘Trump is a scab’ T-shirt, while Kamala Harris also made a surprise appearance to thank Biden.
