Democrats approve DNC party platform that hasn’t been updated since Biden dropped out

CHICAGO — Delegates at the Democratic National Convention voted Monday to approve the 2024 party platform, coalescing around a vision for the next four years that had already been written before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.

The 92-page document, passed in a largely ceremonial voice vote, repeatedly highlights Biden’s positions and achievements, which may differ slightly from Harris’s. 

The document was approved by the platform committee on July 16, less than a week after Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris. The platform also mentions Biden’s “second term” 20 times, emphasizing the recency of the campaign shake-up.

“It makes a strong statement about the historic work that President Biden and Vice President Harris have accomplished hand-in-hand, and offers a vision for a progressive agenda that we can build on as a nation and as a Party as we head into the next four years,” the Democratic National Committee said in a press release.

The platform notably does not mention an arms embargo on Israel, a demand made by uncommitted delegates in addition to the thousands of protesters rallying outside the secure zone near the arena where delegates and officials are gathering.

The protests come against the backdrop of developments in negotiations for a ceasefire for the war in Gaza. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday Israel had accepted the United State’s ceasefire proposal. The next step is for Hamas to accept, with further negotiations expected to take place later in the week.

The document emphasizes a “strong, secure and democratic Israel is vital to the interests of the United States” while also committing to Israel’s security and right to defend itself. The platform also notes Biden’s support for a foreign aid package for Israel and Ukraine that was passed by Congress earlier this year, which included $17 billion in security aid for the Jewish state.  

It also discusses a two-state solution after Gaza is reconstructed “in a manner that does not allow Hamas to rearm.”

“It would create the conditions for a better future for the Palestinian people, one of self-determination, dignity, security, and freedom, and ultimately a state of their own — a contrast to [former president Donald] Trump, who refuses to endorse the political aspirations of the Palestinian people.” 

“There’s some language in the platform that we find helpful, some language that we don’t,” said Abbas Alawieh, a DNC uncommitted delegate from Michigan, mentioning efforts by progressive activists to add a clause to the party platform rejecting U.S. aid to Israel.  

“What is more important to us is what Vice President Harris leads us towards now that she is the candidate,” Alawieh said. “That platform had been worked on before the Vice President was the candidate. We need to hear from her how she plans to differentiate her policy from the disastrous policy of the last 10 months, and importantly, from … Trump’s very destructive plans.”

Harris has offered a more sympathetic tone, acknowledging the suffering of both the Israeli and Palestinian people during a solo meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, pledging not to “look away in the face of these tragedies.”

Even some delegates who are supporting the Harris-Walz ticket hoped there would be some changes to the platform now that Biden is no longer at the top of the ticket.

“I think it’s important to emphasize that what we are asking for is an arms embargo, and that is the best move for the Harris campaign politically,” said Liano Sharon, a Michigan delegate from Lansing.  “There’s tons of data that demonstrates that the people in the country want an arms embargo.”

This platform specifically mentions building on the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and Arab nations brokered by the Trump administration. The document now notes that Biden wants to build on it through a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. 

Many Democratic delegates are satisfied with the language even though Biden is no longer at the top of the ticket.

“Joe Biden has made it clear from day one, he’s not a Jew, but he is a Zionist,” said Daniel Hernandez, an Arizona delegate. “I think for us, we have seen unprecedented levels of support for the State of Israel and for their security.”

“I think that’s the takeaway message here, that the Democratic party and Joe Biden and the Biden Harris administration and now the Harris-Walz future administration hopefully will continue to be a strong partner with our one ally in the Middle East,” Hernandez said.

Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.