By JAMES MATHESON and TAYLOR NICHOLS
CHICAGO – In an impassioned speech to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday evening, Maryland Governor Wes Moore called the rapid recovery from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March an example of the American spirit.
“Many said it might take 11 months to reopen the Port of Baltimore, but we did it in 11 weeks. Because that’s the story of America,” Moore told the delegates and the nation. “We are a nation of patriots who serve when the mission is difficult and who serve when the destination is uncertain.”
In 2022, Moore became the first black governor elected in Maryland and the third in United States history. Moore, a rising star in the Democratic Party, gained national attention for his handling of the bridge collapse and its aftermath.
Moore was cheered by Maryland delegates, who wore T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Maryland Tough, Baltimore Strong” (a slogan the governor coined after the bridge collapse) and held signs reading “Leave No One Behind,” his campaign slogan.
From the row of seats to the left of the convention stage, the Maryland delegation chanted “Wes, Wes, Wes” at key moments in his speech. One of the delegates, whose eyes were fixed on Moore and whose neck was craned toward the stage, was Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
“The governor did a phenomenal job, as always, reminding people what true leadership is, what true service to your country is,” Scott told CNS after the speech. “You see what someone is made of when tragedy happens. I know that story very well myself, having called the governor about the bridge and having gotten those calls from the president and vice president and (Transportation) Secretary (Pete) Buttigieg. It shows that true leadership shows up when you’re faced with tragedy, a situation that nobody knows or has never been in before.”
On March 26, the Key Bridge was struck by a cargo ship, which then plunged into the Patapsco River and blocked the Port of Baltimore, the ninth-busiest port in the United States for foreign cargo. The global shipping industry, cruise ships, and 15,300 Marylanders directly employed at the port were affected by the disaster.
Within 78 days, the Unified Command removed over 50,000 tons of debris from the river, fully restored the shipping channel and reopened the port.
“To make America great is to say that the ambitions of this country would be incomplete without your help,” the governor said. “It is the legacy of those six workers who fixed potholes on a bridge while we slept, who were born in another country but knew that America was big enough for them, too.”
Moore was an ardent supporter of former President Joe Biden until he ended his re-election campaign. Since then, the 45-year-old governor has turned his attention to electing the first black president, Kamala Harris.
During his speech, Moore spoke about his and Harris’ shared history, as both are children of immigrant parents.
“It’s the journey of a man raised by a remarkable single immigrant mother, a man who felt handcuffs on his wrists at age 11, who now stands before you as the 63rd governor of Maryland and the first Black governor in our state’s history,” Moore said. “It’s the story of a prosecutor who defended our freedoms and had Maryland’s back when we needed it most, and now, MVP, we’ve got your back too, right?”
Maryland’s delegates chanted “MVP,” meaning “Madame Vice President.”
Delegates and politicians from Maryland are enjoying the spotlight Moore has put on them. No matter where they go, they say, when people learn they are from Maryland, the first thing they want to talk about is Moore, a possible future presidential candidate.
“The man is just full of exuberance. When he walks into the room, everything is on fire. He has the it factor,” said Leathia West, Maryland’s state director for Biden and a delegate from the 4th Congressional District. “I haven’t seen this kind of enthusiasm since Barack Obama.”
This was undoubtedly evident in his recorded appearance on “The Daily Show,” which aired on Comedy Central shortly after his speech.
“I don’t even have to say who he is. They just already know,” said Tia Hopkins, Baltimore City Delegate. “It’s like he’s already nationally known and people already recognize this greatness in him.”
Moore made the rounds at the DNC, speaking at the Georgia and Wisconsin delegation breakfasts, announcing the Maryland delegation’s vote during the state roll call on Tuesday night and earning a seat at the veterans’ convention on Thursday.
“I think Wes Moore is a representative of this country, right?” said Tiffany Carlock, a delegate from Maryland’s 5th Congressional District. “He’s the first black governor of the state of Maryland… so he knows how to make history.”
