It could be easy to forget that Tuesday’s in-person roll call session at the Democratic National Convention was the first since 2016. This time four years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a virtual convention on Zoom calls.
Usually, these events are a formality, more for show than actually a show. But in bringing it back for 2024, the Democrats went for putting more “show” into the roll call.
With a DJ spinning tunes representative of their respective states (Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” for Indiana; Prince’s “Kiss” for Minnesota), each delegation had a minute or so to make a statement and cast their ballots for Harris.
After Georgia brought out Lil Jon (more on that in a moment), I was wondering if Tennessee would bring out some Al Kapone or something. How glorious would it be if a basketball arena in Chicago was chanting “Whoop That Trick!” like we used to in Memphis when the L. A. Clippers come to town?
Nope. Instead, it was Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” which you forget is pretty darn funky in its own right until those familiar low piano chords start bouncing.
And then it was showtime for the Memphis Tennessee Delegation. Easily visible behind State Party Chair Hendrell Remus and TN State Rep. Justin J. Pearson were familiar faces: US Congressman Steve Cohen; State Sen. Raumesh Akbari, State Sen. London Lamar; Memphis City Council Chair JB Smiley Jr. and Mayor Paul Young, among others.
“Mr. Secretary,” Remus started, “the Great State of Tennessee, birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll, hometown to the blues, home of seven HBCUs, and the state that gave women the right to vote…..”
And then Remus hand the mic off to Pearson, who seized the moment and started preaching, basically:
“From the bluffs of Memphis to the peaks of Mountain City, the movement for justice rooted in love in Tennessee is still strong! It is a movement where kids are free from gun violence, a movement where women have the right to choose, a movement where working people get access to economic opportunity, a movement where those who have been pushed to the periphery are brought to the center, a movement where those who have been pushed down are lifted up!
“It is alive in Tennessee because we believe that justice will roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream!” he said.”Which is why we are so proud to have been the first state in the union to have pledged all of our delegates to Kamala D. Harris!”
Hard not to be proud of the TN Delegation and the fun moment there. But if we’re handing out trophies, hands down it goes to Georgia. “Turn Down for What” becomes “Turn OUT for What!” and “To the windooow, to the Wawhl” become “VP Harris . . . Governor Walz!” It’s epic:
