Rep. Meng’s speech on first day of DNC postponed at last minute – QNS
Congresswoman Grace Meng of Queens was one of New York’s elected officials scheduled to open the convention on Monday.
Photo via @Grace4NY
On the crucial first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Congresswoman Grace Meng of Queens was on the program between Governor Kathy Hochul and President Joe Biden.
Hours before her prime-time appearance, she announced that she would be backstage and take the stage at 9:57 a.m. ET to deliver a three-minute speech about freedom in reproductive health care.
She had previously said in a statement that she felt honored to be elected spokesperson of the DNC: “especially on such a crucial issue affecting our nation.”
But at the last minute, Rep. Meng and two other scheduled speakers were pulled from the program. The confusion was blamed on the program being delayed and on organizers not wanting to push the evening’s final speaker, President Joe Biden, too far out of prime time.
President Biden delivered his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago at 10:30 p.m. local time, which is 11:30 p.m. in New York.
In a statement to Politico, convention organizers blamed “thunderous applause for interrupting one speaker after another” and causing the event to be delayed.
Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former chair of the DNC, and musician James Taylor also did not take the stage.
Because Meng was the only Asian American on the official program, some took the editing of Meng’s speech personally, pointing out that her voice was especially important because Vice President Kamala Harris could become the first Asian American president.
Senator John Liu of Eastern Queens, currently a delegate to the DNC, expressed outrage that her primetime spot was cut. Like many others, he was thrilled that Meng, who has championed Asian voters in Queens, opened the convention and threw her support behind Harris.
“I and countless others were looking forward to @RepGraceMeng last night in @DNCthe only Asian American on the published schedule. And I and countless others are outraged that the DNC canceled her at the last minute,” Senator Liu wrote on X. “The DNC better put Grace back on prime time!”
Several hours after Meng’s originally scheduled speech, she posted a statement on X about the postponement of her speech.
“As we saw tonight, Democrats are fired up to elect Kamala Harris as our next president,” Rep. Meng said on X. “My speech has been rescheduled for another night this week, and I look forward to representing our Vice President on the convention stage. Thank you for all the well wishes.”
Neither Meng’s office nor the DNC have announced when the new date for her speech will be set.
