The Democratic National Convention kicked off Monday night at Chicago’s United Center, but not without controversy. Empty seats appeared to dominate the arena, sparking a wave of criticism from conservatives on social media.
Photos of the half-empty venue – designed to hold 23,500 – quickly spread online. “Look at all the empty seats in the DNC. The Democratic Party is over! RIP,” a user typed X. Conservative YouTuber Blaire White claimed that there were “more people outside protesting the DNC than people inside,” adding, “This is not the turnout of a party that can win.”
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But what actually caused these empty spaces? The situation was more about logistics than lack of enthusiasm.
According to The Wall Street Journal, pro-Palestine protests near the convention site disrupted transportation, delaying buses carrying delegates. At least 20 buses were stuck half a mile from the United Center as protesters clashed with police, causing many attendees to arrive late.
The conventionscheduled to begin at 6:15 PM ET, was delayed over 20 minutes as organizers tried to get everyone inside. As the evening wore on, the arena filled with delegates eager to hear from the president Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Jeremy Yurow is a political reporter based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or at X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Empty seats at the DNC? Transport delays to blame