DNC Releases Speakers' List, and the Hunt for Clues Begins

Susan Rice is absent, setting off some chatter
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 11, 2020 1:35 PM CDT
List of DNC Speakers Has People Hunting for Hints
A 2016 photo of Susan Rice. She is not on the list of convention speakers, and she's considered a top finalist for the VP pick.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

The list of speakers is out for next week's Democratic convention, and it's making news for who isn't on it as well as who is. Much of the buzz centers around Joe Biden's pending announcement of a running mate, with people looking for hints. Sen. Kamala Harris, for instance, is scheduled to speak Thursday, a day after the time slotted in for the VP pick, notes the New York Post. Meanwhile, another perceived frontrunner, Susan Rice, is nowhere to be found on the list of speakers. There's a lot of chatter about what that may or may not mean, per the Week, but a post at Axios suggests you shouldn't spend too much time worrying about it, because the schedule can certainly be tweaked.

Both Obamas will be speaking (the former first lady on Monday night and her husband on Wednesday night) as will both Clintons (with Hillary on Wednesday and her husband on Tuesday). Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is another notable entry, and she is also on the schedule for Tuesday. See the full list at NPR. One person clearly unhappy to be absent from it: former presidential candidate Andrew Yang. "I’ve got to be honest I kind of expected to speak," he wrote. The all-virtual convention begins Monday, and Biden himself will not be in attendance. He will deliver his acceptance speech Thursday from his home in Delaware. (President Trump criticized Biden's VP selection process.)

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