When Trump was just another millionaire and the Democrats did the ‘Macarena,’ confident of victory

At the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Vice President Kamala Harris will officially become the second woman in history to become the party’s presidential candidate. The DNC is taking place in Chicago, the same city where the Democrats have celebrated other historic events, such as the 1968 convention, which was marked by the anti-Vietnam War riots that led to the trial of the Chicago Seven (an episode made into a 2020 film by Aaron Sorkin); and the 1996 convention, when the party danced did the dance to Macarena, while dominating the country’s political map.

Twenty-eight years have passed since then, and the 1996 DNC remains one of the most iconic. It was the second time Bill Clinton had been officially named the party’s presidential nominee. At the time, he had a comfortable lead in the polls and was expected to win a crushing victory against his opponent, Republican Bob Dole. After the controversial years of Ronald Reagan and the end of the Cold War, the political pendulum had swung in favor of the Democrats.

One of the most memorable speeches from the 1996 DNC was made by actor Christopher Reeve, the famous star of Superman, who had been paralyzed after being thrown from a horse — an accident that turned him into a disability rights activist. But the standout moment was when all the delegates danced to the Macarena by the Spanish group Los del Río, while Hillary Clinton applauded non-stop from the stands.

The footage broadcast by C-SPAN cameras showed a room bursting with joy, with delegates waving, twirling and swaying to the song. It was a music video that showcased the party’s youthful vitality, its racial and sexual diversity (one man is seen wearing an LGBTQ+ flag), and the joy of people who consider themselves winners.

Republicans also danced to the Macarena in San Diego that year, but it made zero impact. The Democrats appropriated the song, and performing the dance came their nightly ritual at the convention. In one of his speeches, then-vice president Al Gore even jokingly “performed” his own version of the dance, which required no movement (a self-deprecating nod at his reputation for seriousness). It didn’t matter because he and Clinton set the pace for the nation.

The New York Times described the 1996 Democratic convention as a “variety show.” If the Republicans turned their convention into an infomercial, the Democrats opted for an Oprah Winfrey-style show. The cast of the Broadway musical Rent performed a song called Seasons of Love, about compassion for AIDS sufferers; Emmylou Harris sang Abraham, Martin and John, in honor of Lincoln, Luther King and Kennedy; and Aretha Franklin enraptured the audience with her rendition of the national anthem. The event was filled with gospel music (and evangelical sermons) to showcase the African-American community in the splendor of its family values and community enthusiasm.

President Clinton’s acceptance speech ended with a performance of the Chicago rock band’s song Beginnings, taken from their first album, Chicago Transit Authority. The song includes the chants made by protesters at the 1968 riots. It was a way of vindicating them. Nearly 30 years later, the Harris-Walz campaign is facing the pro-Palestine protests, and have the challenge of finding a song in which Americans can once again see themselves reflected.

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