Every convention has its highlights and low points, and the hastily revised Democratic convention was no exception. More than 100 speakers took the stage at the United Center in Chicago over four nights, and their speaking abilities ranged from excellent to, well, kind of bumbling.
Here are some of the moments we will remember, and others we are hoping to forget.
Least relatable remark. Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois, heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, poking fun at Donald J. Trump’s business career: “Take it from an actual billionaire, Trump is rich in only one thing: stupidity.”
Toughest presidential talk. Vice President Kamala Harris, assuring that she’s no pushover: “As commander in chief, I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world.”
Least convincing denial. President Biden: “All this talk about how I am angry at the people who said I should step down, it is not true.”
Best keeping-it-real touchstone. Ms. Harris, relating how her mother told her to “never do anything half-assed — and that is a direct quote!”
Least effective use of Latin. Gov. Kathy Hochul invoking New York’s state motto, “Excelsior,” to crickets and some head scratches in the crowd.
Best spousal reaction. Gwen Walz, nodding fervently when former President Barack Obama said her husband’s flannel shirts have “been through some stuff.”
Geekiest acronym cheer. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, raising her arm and shouting “Go C.F.P.B.!” (That’s the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.)
Most awkward echo of a Trump rally. When Hillary Clinton spoke and the convention hall began chanting, “Lock him up! Lock him up!”
Best nod to geriatric vanity. Former President Bill Clinton telling everyone he had just turned 78 two days earlier but was “still younger than Donald Trump.”
Best homage to an iconic television moment. Oprah Winfrey, holding her arms aloft and belting out “Kamalaaaaaaaa,” echoing her unforgettable talk show shout: “You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!”
Most Corleone. TV cameras repeatedly featuring former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s conspicuous presence in the convention crowd, where some delegates were wearing “Godmother” lapel pins with a picture of her face imposed over Marlon Brando’s.
Best regional shout-out. Mindy Kaling, talking about Massachusetts: “Everyone is always hating on us, but they just don’t get it. Go Sox. Go Jayson Tatum. Ben Affleck, hang in there.”
Spiciest dictator diss. Ms. Harris, claiming that Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, and other tyrants “are rooting for Trump.”
Best feline line. Ms. Winfrey, scratching back at JD Vance’s lament that the country was being run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies”: “When a house is on fire, we do not ask about the homeowner’s race or religion. We do not wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No. We just try to do the best we can to save them. And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady — we try to get the cat out, too.”
Most overextended metaphor. Tim Walz’s football-speak: “We’re on offense and we’ve got the ball. We’re driving down the field. And boy, do we have the right team. … Our job, for everyone watching, is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling. … One yard at time. … We’re going to leave it on the field.”
Best zinger at the opponent. Michelle Obama, mocking Mr. Trump’s claim that immigrants are taking “Black jobs”: “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?”
Best rhapsodizing about an old restaurant job. A tie, between Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, talking about taking omelet orders as a waitress, and Doug Emhoff, husband of the vice president, reminiscing about the time he was employee of the month at McDonald’s. (Eva Longoria gets an honorable mention for talking about the time she worked at Wendy’s.)
Most overused prop. The oversize copy of Project 2025, the policy agenda crafted by conservative think tanks supportive of Mr. Trump, which everyone from Kenan Thompson of “Saturday Night Live” to Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado carted out onstage.