The DNC awards: The best and worst from Chicago
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Scenes from the Illinois delegation on the United Center floor. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
Now that the Democratic National Convention has left Chicago and I've had time to catch up on sleep, here are my reflections and observations from a whirlwind of a week.
Best speech: Not counting prime time (Michelle Obama is a poet), Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs told the Illinois delegation a harrowing story about his family's journey through a troubled pregnancy and why the hospitals near his downstate home wouldn't treat them.
Worst speech: Any old white guy who tried to call and respond with the phrase "When we fight, we win."
Best use of a rap song: UAW's Shawn Fain quoted Nelly and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona did a Black Sheep call and response, but Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul got it right.
- When speaking to the Illinois delegation, he slyly used Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" to rally his fellow state Democrats. The song works as a Drake diss track and points out political divides.
Best use of profanity: It's the DNC, so you aren't going to hear many swear words. But at the other meetings around town, the filters were off.
- Labor activist Terry O'Sullivan whipped the state delegation into a frenzy with the line: "There are plenty of a**holes in this country that need a lobotomy, like Donald Trump."
Worst sound of the convention: The low-lying helicopter buzzing and the incessant "chirp chirp" from police squad cars made United Center conventioneers feel less like they were going to a rally but more like they were being evacuated because Godzilla was coming.
Worst traffic experience: For the most part, the streets downtown were clear and it was easy to get around the Loop.
- Yes, but: I got caught in several spontaneous street closures. Police were quick to pull squad cars or bike patrols in front of traffic without explanation, forcing cars to sit idle for minutes or bail on their preferred route.
Best Illinois celebrity sighting: Lisa Madigan.
Biggest no show: Rahm Emanuel. He may have been at the convention, but he kept a pretty low profile.
Biggest epiphany: I always knew politicians wanted to be stand-up comedians, but I didn't realize they worked like them. I saw several lawmakers use the same phrases and material at different events and meetings.
- They used morning meetings to workshop material for prime time speeches or appearances on talk shows.
Best dressed: Lori Lightfoot got clowned on social media for her suits when she was mayor, but she stepped out with a sharp look at the DNC.
Worst dressed: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, but that's because his full leg cast wouldn't fit under a suit.
Best experience: The Axios House Chicago party. Close to 600 people showed up for the free party. It was a microcosm of the DNC: Long lines, free food/drink, political celebrities and protesters.
Oddest moment: When protesters bum rushed the stage at our event, they had one small problem: Most people in the room were unfazed by the disruption. After all, this is Chicago. I mean, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn were in the crowd!
Worst experience: Awesome to be there, but the floor of the United Center was miserable. You couldn't walk five feet without being yelled at, jostled or worse, threatened by volunteers and security.
- It just wasn't a pleasant experience for the media, especially when the arena hit capacity.
The bottom line: Covering political conventions is grueling, but if you like a circus, it's a great place to buy some popcorn and watch the show.