The choice of actress Eva Longoria as emcee for day one of the National Democratic Convention that kicked off on Monday evening, and slated to formally nominate former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris, has ruffled more than a few feathers on social media.
The gathering has been forced to adopt a novel, predominantly online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Longoria one of four celebrity emcees guiding the viewers from segment to segment and speaker to speaker on each of the four nights.
"We have to think about more than one party – we have to think about the very core of our democracy". – @EvaLongoria#DemConvention pic.twitter.com/uJdFu79WKj
— 2020 #DemConvention 🇺🇸 (@DemConvention) August 18, 2020
The other three moderators are Kerry Washington, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss.
After addressing viewers watching the event from their homes, Longoria went on to conduct remote interviews with Americans. However, the "Desperate Housewives" star was slammed as hardly being the right choice for host.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Flor., tweeted his sarcasm over a celebrity actress having been picked to discuss "challenges & obstacles faced by everyday Americans".
Brilliant move! No one is more in touch with the challenges & obstacles faced by everyday Americans than actors & celebrities. https://t.co/nzHOniMHPN
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 18, 2020
Podcast host Katie Halper similarly slammed the "formula" of speaking with representatives of a "pandered group".
Eva Longoria's formula is very good: introduce representative of a pandered group; ask them how they are; after they respond, say "i'm sure other [members of pandered group] feel the same." Keep going until it's over.
— Katie Halper (@kthalps) August 18, 2020
Journalist Michael Tracey wondered how Longoria was deemed "best positioned" to moderate the convention event.
When I think of who in the United States is best positioned to present a major party's nominating convention, the first person that comes to mind is definitely Eva Longoria
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) August 18, 2020
Writer Matt Taibbi also questioned the choice of emcee.
Am I supposed to know why Eva Longoria is moderating?
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) August 18, 2020
Commentator Nomiki Konst tweeted to wonder what one might expect at the 2024 Convention.
But seriously, at this rate, Will Scott Baio be headlining the 2024 Democratic Convention?
— Nomiki Konst (@NomikiKonst) August 18, 2020
The Trump campaign and its supporters have levelled scathing criticism at the first night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, deriding it as a "Hollywood-produced infomercial".
With the event bolstered by a celebrity lineup featuring Eva Longoria, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the musical squad had stars that included Billie Eilish, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, and, Billy Porter.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany accused the convention speakers of stopping short of addressing any of Joe Biden's policies.
During this underwhelming DNC, there’s been a whole lot of singing but ZERO explaining of how Joe will...
— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) August 18, 2020
Create jobs ❓
End riots ❓
Stop innocent loss of life in our streets ❓
Joe will DESTROY our economy, DEFUND our police, SURRENDER our communities to the anarchists!
Donald Trump's campaign warned that the "radical socialist leftist takeover of Joe Biden is complete".
"Perhaps it was just an oversight, but the first night of the Democrat convention left out the fact that Joe Biden would raise taxes on more than 80 percent of Americans by at least $4 trillion", Trump campaign national press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement Monday night.
