The Obamas brought the house down at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) yesterday, but the race to keep former President Donald Trump from his Oval Office comeback tour is still up in the air.

Quick refresher: US politics is like a never-ending sports match dominated by two teams. In the red corner, you have the Republican Party, currently led by Trump, who’s hoping to make America great again—again. In the blue corner, the Democrats are currently in power, with Joe Biden warming the presidential seat. But at 81 with declining health, Biden was finally persuaded to rather be a retiree than a rerun, so he’s passing the baton to Kamala Harris, his VP, to make history as the first female president (fingers crossed).

The DNC is where Harris will officially get the nod as the Democratic candidate. Think of it as the ANC or DA’s elective conference, but with more fireworks – both literal and metaphorical. This year’s shindig runs from Monday to Thursday in Chicago,  bringing together the Democratic faithful from all 50 states.

Obamas take the stage

Yesterday was day two, and the Obamas, America’s forever first couple, hit the stage. Barack and Michelle delivered back-to-back zingers aimed squarely at Trump. They brought the same energy that launched Barack to stardom back in ’08, with a spicy joke from the Chicago-native. 

Michelle particularly stole the show with her signature blend of warmth and urgency, and it was easy to see why she has to constantly deny pleas to run for president herself (she hates politics despite being so very good at it). 

She championed Harris, called out Trump for his habit of failing upwards, and took on one of the big issues at stake: reproductive rights. “Cutting our healthcare, taking away our freedom to control our bodies… is not going to improve the health outcomes of our wives, mothers, and daughters,” she said, while Harris has promised to sign a national law restoring abortion rights at a state level if she wins.

Lil Jon’s surprise cameo: Turn down for what?

The night even featured rapper Lil Jon, who got the crowd hyped with a few bars of his iconic song “Turn Down for What” on Tuesday night, along with “V.P. Harris … Governor Walz” to the tune of “To the window … to the wall!” from another hit, “Get Low”, a shout-out to Harris’s running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz. 

Walz has gone from a political unknown to a cuddly public figure—think a teddy bear in a suit.  A former high school teacher and football coach who also served in the military, his later political career saw him pushing for free access to sanitary products and school meals. 

Doug Emhoff: The First (Second) Gentleman

Thursday is when Kamala herself will take the stage, but yesterday, the spotlight was on her husband, Doug Emhoff, who has the unique title of “second gentleman” (soon to be upgraded to “first” if Kamala wins). Emhoff, who is Jewish, noted that while their blended family might not look like your typical First Family, they’re ready to represent all of America. 

If she wins, Harris will also represent many firsts, including the first woman. She is also black and Asian, the daughter of an Indian scientist and a Jamaican economics professor. 

Why it matters: America’s choice, the world’s Impact

Democratic supporters and Trump sceptics worldwide are buzzing after this show of force. While Harris has given the Democratic campaign a much-needed boost, it’s still a nail-biter. Harris taking over a faltering Biden gave the Democratic campaign a shot in the arm, and an average of polls by the New York Times this week saw her pulling slightly ahead of Trump, but it’s too close to call.   She’s pulling ahead of Trump in some polls, but it’s too close to call. Trump remains a formidable opponent despite his legal troubles.

If you’re wondering why this matters to us down south, remember: when America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold—and no one wants a Trump flu. As we’ve reported before, another Trump presidency would be bad for all of us. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this one.