Democrats give Andrew Yang time to speak during it's convention

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Andrew Yang has been added as a speaker at the Democratic National Convention.

After former presidential candidate Andrew Yang tweeted Tuesday that he was disappointed that he wasn't given a speaking slot during the Democrats' virtual convention, he confirmed Thursday that he has been added to the list of speakers.

When the lineup of speakers for the Democratic National Convention was released Tuesday, Yang's name was not on it.

"I've got to be honest I kind of expected to speak," Yang, who has 1.6 million Twitter followers, tweeted. In a follow-up tweet, he joked, "maybe I endorsed against one too many incumbents." 

Yang, an entrepreneur who had never run for office before, surprised everyone with his unusual campaign which outlasted the campaigns of more seasoned and better known politicians.

What got him the most attention was his plan for a Universal Basic Income of $2000 a month for every adult in the U.S. He said the money would be spent and recirculated, spurring the economy. Evidently, people like the idea.

The New York-born Yang also spoke about the future workforce and manufacturing environment, two topics not on any other candidates' talking points until Yang's message began bringing in dollars and volunteers to his campaign. He connected with a younger, college-educated audience who dubbed themselves the Yang Gang.

When his name was not among the scheduled speakers, the Yang Gang sprang into action flooding the DNC with #LetYangSpeakDNC messages.

He also got support from some Democratic politicians.

"Asian Americans are the fastest increasing group in America, including in multiple swing states," Rep. Ted Lieu of California tweeted on Tuesday. "The gross underrepresentation of Asian American speakers in the four days of the DNC Convention is tone deaf and a slap in the face."

What stung the most was Yang was omitted even though several other former 2020 presidential candidates were scheduled to speak including Sens. Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

Illinois Senators Tammy Duckworth and Kamala Harris were the only AAPI politicians scheduled to speak. With Yang's addition, there will only be three AAPI speakers over the eight hours spread over four nights.

In 2016, in a more traditional convention format, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus was presented on stage, the first time the DNC noted that many AAPI politicians at one time.

After Harris was named as Joe Biden's pick for Vice President, Harris was given the slot reserved for -- at the time, unnamed -- vice president, leaving an opening for an additional speaker. 

Harris will now deliver her speech as the presumptive Vice President on Wednesday night. Biden will be the keynote speaker Thursday night. Both will speak from the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, rather than travel to Milwaukee, where the convention was originally scheduled to be held.

The DNC has had to alter its speakers' list to jam in as many people into the two-hours over four nights, (Aug. 17-20) during the TV networks' primetime. Besides Yang, the DNC said it is adding Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, billionaire philanthropist and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, and historian Jon Meachem.

The virtual setup for the unconventional convention was made necessary because of the coronavirus pandemic limiting social contact for health reasons.

Nevertheless, considering what's at stake in this year's presidential elections, you would think the networks would add at least another hour to it's coverage of what could be the most important U.S. election in decades.