By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) held nothing back in his remarks to members of the South Carolina Democratic Party (SCDP) as the featured speaker during the group’s annual Blue Palmetto Dinner on May 30.
The event, held at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, served as the beginning of the SCDP’s 2025 Dem Weekend and ended on May 31, with the state convention.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) served as the keynote speaker on May 31.
The weekend’s events, according to party officials, marks efforts to generate momentum as the 2026 election cycle approaches and possibly, the presidential race in 2028.
Both governors were on hand to enjoy South Carolina’s leading Black statesman Rep. Jim Clyburn’s highly touted breaded fish. But besides “firing up” fish, their goal was to fire up their fellow Democrats.
Prior to Moore taking the podium, the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Bishop, pastor of Grace Christian Church (Columbia) gave the invocation with words that foreshadowed Moore’s reflections on the urgency of the day.
“We are here to stir up the sleeping giant of democracy in a moment of destiny,” Bishop said. “We are the answered prayers of our ancestors. We follow the strategy of Harriet Tubman, the echo of John Lewis, the boldness of Fannie Lou Hamer and the footprint of Jim Clyburn.”
Moore delivered a message that inspired the audience and ignited his fellow Democrats who hope to secure victory up and down the ballot in 2026.
“Tonight is more like a homecoming because my grandfather, who was driven by impatience, was born in Charleston,” Moore said. “And I believe that in this moment, at this perilous time we’re in, with so much at stake for all those who care about the direction of our country, we must act with the fierce urgency of now that Dr. King preached and that my grandfather fought for until the day he died.
“This is a moment for us to say together, in one voice: Gone are the days when Democrats are the party of ‘no’ and ‘slow.’ We must be the party of ‘yes’ and ‘now.’ Gone are the days when we are the party of bureaucracy, multi-year studies, panels, and college debate club rules. We must be the party of action. Because right now, the people of this country are calling on us to act.”
Moore continued saying, “the baton is in our hands.”
“We are not going to drop it. We are going to run through the tape, and we are going to win because we understand what’s at stake,” he said. “Send a message the entire country is going to hear. This is our time. This is our moment. We will not shirk, we will not flinch, we will not blink. We will win, just as those who came before us did.”
As the first African American elected governor in Maryland, Moore has earned a reputation as one who demonstrates bold, compassionate and progressive leadership. Widespread speculation among Democrats suggests that he would be a formidable candidate for president in 2028. However, he continues to maintain that he has no plans to run for president or to be considered as a contender for the office of vice president.
Former vice presidential candidate Gov. Walz shared brief comments to the several hundred Democrats that echoed Moore’s.
“We can save ourselves. We can get out there. We can make a difference,” Walz said. “We need to change the attitude, compete in every district, compete for every school board seat, and come out to this damn fish fry with the attitude: ‘we’re going to fill up on some fish, and then we are going to beat the hell out of these dictators.’”
In his references to the current president, Moore made sure his message was clear.
“I want to be clear: We can – and we must – condemn Donald Trump’s reckless actions,” he said. “But we would also be foolish not to learn from his impatience. Now is the time for us to be impatient too. Let’s not just talk about an alternative. Let’s not just study an alternative. Let’s deliver an alternative.”
