CHICAGO (AP) — The Democratic Party Convention began Wednesday with an appearance by former President Bill Clinton and the woman who may be most responsible for the party’s new presidential nomination – former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

The last speaker was Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was set to introduce himself as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. Given the tight field in the presidential race, the convention is an important opportunity for voters to get to know Harris and Walz better.

Here are some takeaways from the third night of the DNC.

“Bring them home”

In a deeply polarized country, there was one group that was greeted with loud applause at both the Republican and Democratic conventions: the parents of young men taken hostage after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.

Last month in Milwaukee, Ronen and Orna Neutra told the assembled crowd about the kidnapping of their adult son, Omer, and had the crowd chant “Bring her home!” On Wednesday, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose 23-year-old son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was kidnapped on Oct. 7, took the stage and chanted the same slogans.

“This is a political meeting,” said Jon Polin. “But the need to bring our only son and all our beloved hostages home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue.”

At the RNC, several speakers – although not the Neutras – criticized Biden and Harris for failing to stop Hamas from attacking. and for the neglect of the hostagesPolin and Goldberg, for their part, said they had spoken repeatedly with the president and vice president and praised their efforts.

While the Republican convention portrayed Hamas as a threat to the United States, the Democratic convention remained comparatively quiet on the war, although pro-Palestinian protests took place outside the hall demanding that the government end its support for Israel.

Democrats define freedom comprehensively

The theme of Wednesday night’s convention was “freedom.” Accompanied by Beyoncé’s song of the same name, which the musician has given the Harris campaign permission to use, the word flashed on the video screen and in speech after speech at the United Center.

The Democrats closely linked this development to the fight for reproductive rights, which was in full swing after the failure of the Roe v. Wade ruling.

“Donald Trump wants to make women less free and pregnancy more dangerous,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, told delegates.

But Democrats also used the freedom argument to attack Republicans on other social issues, from gay rights to the increasing banning of books in schools.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a gay man who is raising two children with his husband, linked the agenda to the conservative Project 2025. The agenda was developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation and is seen as a possible blueprint for a second Trump term, although Trump says it has no connection to his campaign.

“Project 2025 would turn the entire federal government into a giant machine and use it as a weapon to control our reproductive choices,” Polis said.

Democrats, long associated with Hollywood, are turning to online influencers

The Democratic Party has a large number of celebrity supporters who have consistently lent the party their glamour and opened their wallets, and now they are allying themselves with those who have achieved fame in a way that is distinctly 21st century: online.

More than 200 content creators and influencers were given access to the DNC’s backstage events this week. And because they have tens of millions of followers, their coverage of the events can spread politicians’ messages better than traditional media and celebrities.

On TikTok, influencers like Deja Foxx post “OOTD” (outfit of the day) videos on the DNC blue carpet. Her outfit for Wednesday included: a matching khaki set, a pair of Nike Air Force Ones and an oversized Prada jacket with huge pockets for all her gear, “because she’s awesome,” she tells her 141,000 followers.

The author has previously interviewed Harris on her social media pages and spoken on behalf of the Arizona delegation at the DNC.

Carlos Eduardo Espina, a Spanish-speaking influencer with 10.2 million followers on TikTok, delivered a speech at the convention on Wednesday night, appealing to young Latino voters who are crucial to Harris’ election.

Espina joined the ranks of a senator, a border congresswoman and a Texas sheriff who defended Biden and Harris’ stance on immigration. “Being pro-immigrant is being pro-America,” he said.

The playlists of the Democrats and Republicans appeal to their base

The playlist at the Republican convention in Milwaukee last month was dominated by classic rock. Now, at the Democratic convention in Chicago, the musical offering is far more diverse.

The Dueling soundtracks are a reflection the two parties’ dramatically different voting bases. The Republican convention relied heavily on the radio rock that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s, when much of their older, whiter electorate was young. The Democrats’ musical offerings, meanwhile, include rap, R&B, indie rock, country, Americana – and, yes, some classic rock – in keeping with the party’s multi-racial coalition.

The first two nights of the DNC featured performances by Atlanta rapper Lil Jon and American singer-songwriter Jason Isbell. Wednesday’s performances included R&B stars Stevie Wonder and John Legend, with the latter covering songs by Minnesota icon Prince. Pop star Pink is scheduled to perform on the final night.

At the Republican convention, a house band played covers of Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The house band also backed country singer Lee Greenwood, who sang “God Bless the USA.” Rap-rocker Kid Rock, an avowed conservative, also performed.

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Riccardi reported from Denver. AP writer Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.