Your Quick DNC Fix: Dr. Wilmer Leon’s Highlights!

Connecting the Dots with Dr Wilmer Leon (audio)

Join Dr. Wilmer Leon as he takes you inside the 2024 Democratic National Convention at Chicago's United Center. Get a first-hand look at the electric atmosphere, from behind-the-scenes preparations to exclusive interviews with political heavyweights like Bernie Sanders, Maxine Waters, and Terry McAuliffe. Discover the key issues driving the convention and why this election is critical for communities of color. Don't miss this dynamic, insider's perspective on the DNC as Dr. Leon connects the dots between politics, culture, and history!

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Announcer 1 (00:06):

Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge.

Announcer 2 (00:14):

It's the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Join the conversation with web channel politics and color powered by bit Central Globecast, Blake Hahn Media and AZA Group.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (00:34):

Wilmer Leon here at the Democratic National Convention 2024 coming to you from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, in the house that Mike built. And we thought we'd just go inside, go down to the floor of the arena as they're preparing for the event to kick off tomorrow, Monday with Joe Biden going to be the primary speaker at the event opening up the event. And let's get a little behind the scenes look, see how they're setting things up, listening to some of the music. The DJs are preparing for the introduction of the states and all kinds of different roll calls. Votes are going to take place, all kinds of things that they're doing here. Let's go inside and get a peek behind the scenes here on the floor at the 2024 convention and just wanted, again to give you a little insight, the behind the scenes as things are setting up, they're testing out the musicians, the temps are playing as we're here. And you can see you've got CNN, you've got the NBC news, Fox News, PBS, all of the channels and all of the networks that you're used to seeing from the other side of the camera. We can see as they've got the stage set up, it's a really, really beautiful backdrop that they've created here for the convention, the

Announcer 3 (01:46):

Democratic Party, the 47th President of the United States

Tiana Thomas - Volunteer (01:50):

I am here to be politically aware and to be civically engaged in what is going on with the Democratic Party and this nation's politics.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (01:57):

So as a volunteer, what are some of the things that they have you engaged in?

Tiana Thomas - Volunteer (02:01):

So I'm serving as a foreign press liaison, and so I'm working with the foreign press and making sure that they get to where they need to be and that they're educating Americans abroad about what's going on with the DNC.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (02:11):

Yes, we do have a special guest here. We have the former governor of Virginia, Terry McCullough. Thank you so much for joining us, governor. Well,

Terry McAuliffe - Fmr. Gov of MD (02:18):

It great to be with you, man. Excited.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (02:20):

Why are you excited?

Terry McAuliffe - Fmr. Gov of MD (02:22):

Well, let's see. This is my 13th convention. Okay. I've run a couple of these. I've chaired them, chaired the National Party. Usually when you have these events, it takes a day or two. The warring factions got to come together after the primaries. None of that. This time everybody's together. There's joy, there's happiness. Record amount of money's been raised, record amount of grassroots supporters have signed up to knock on doors. We've never experienced anything like this. It's extraordinary. So I'm pretty fired up. Got a long way to go, but I'd much rather be us than them.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (02:53):

My guest, rear Admiral retired Mike Smith. He is the president and founder of the National Security Leaders for America. Admiral Smith, thank you so much for joining us.

Ret. Admiral Mike Smith (03:03):

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (03:05):

Many would say we didn't expect that this would be the National Security Year, that it has become a lot of things going on out there. What do you see the immediate future looking like?

Ret. Admiral Mike Smith (03:18):

I think the immediate future, given how close the race is, is potentially frightening.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (03:27):

I'm joined by Ashanti Golar, president of Emerge. Yes. And you are building a woman led America, one woman at a time.

A' shante Gholar, President, Emerge (03:34):

Yes. We are so excited to be here talking to you today.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (03:38):

Thank you for joining us. So what type of training program do you provide?

A' shante Gholar, President, Emerge (03:42):

So what we do is break down and demystify what it takes to run for our elected office for women. We do this through our signature training programs, our bootcamps, our step forwards. But most importantly, we let women know that they already have what it takes. We just give them those tools, the skills, the resources, but most importantly, a network of support so they don't have to do it alone.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (04:08):

Politics and color was able to catch up with Senator Bernie Sanders as he was entering the floor of the Democratic National Convention here in Chicago, Illinois. And here's what he had to say.

Reporter (04:18):

Senator Sanders, how does it feel to be here at the Democratic National Convention?

Bernie Sanders, US Sen. Vermont (04:22):

Well, it feels great. Nice to see that Michael Jordan statue.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (04:25):

He was obviously happy to see the statue of Michael Jordan and was expressing the increase in energy that is being now demonstrated and felt throughout the entire party. Politics and color was also able to catch up with California Congresswoman the Maxine Waters here at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Rep. Maxine Waters CA (04:42):

Well, I want to tell you, I'm a friend of politics. I stuck with him until he made his decision. I think he said to some of us a long time ago, you have not back and I'll have, he's done everything that he says he would do. He's an honorable man and he did the most historic and fantastic things when he and endorse

Dr. Wilmer Leon (05:03):

Congresswoman Maxine Waters was expressing the appreciation that chief feels for the service provided by President Joe Biden. And that is felt throughout the entire Democratic party. Senator, I'm joined here by Malcolm Kenyata, Pennsylvania State representative. My first question, there's a lot of enthusiasm here that the gears have shifted dramatically over the last three weeks. What is in it for communities of color?

Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta - PA (05:28):

Everything. Everything. I will say it this way. America is great, but everybody hasn't benefited from its greatness. And a part of what we know is that there are far too many families who are experienced in life the way that I did. I grew up in a working poor family in North Philly. My dad was a social worker, my mom was a home health aide. I spent a lot of my life moving around five, six different places by the time I graduated high school, got my first job at 12 years old, washing dishes at a little restaurant. And a part of what I learned very early on is that for far too many families, it doesn't matter how hard you work, you get up every single day working your heart out, and yet you can't look your kid in the eye with a straight face and say it's going to be better for you than it is for us right now or than it was for me.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (06:24):

Congressman Glenn Ivy, fourth District of Maryland. Prince Georges County, prince

Glen F. Ivey - US Rep, MD (06:28):

Prince Georges County.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (06:29):

Thank you so much for joining me.

Glen F. Ivey - US Rep, MD (06:30):

Thanks for having me.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (06:32):

One of the questions that I've been asking most of my guests, why is this 2024 election so important to communities of color?

Glen F. Ivey - US Rep, MD (06:40):

Well, two sets of reasons. One is that there's a lot of positive things that are coming out of the Biden Harris era from the legislation they put in place trying to keep the cost down on prescription drugs. Insulin was the first one, but there are others coming now, trying to continue expanding internet access so everybody has the opportunity to use it because it's not optional anymore. You need it for homework, you need it for doctor's appointments, you need it for all kinds of things. So they're trying to build that out as well. And abortion rights and reproductive rights.

Dr. Wilmer Leon (07:10):

Why is that so hard to do? People would think in this country that internet access would be a given...!

(07:20):

Wilmer Leon live from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois at the United Center for Politics and color.com

Announcer 1 (07:26):

Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge.