A dutiful surrogate for the Democratic presidential ticket, Gov. Wes Moore told the American people why he believes Kamala Harris should be the next president of the United States and used her role in a fresh Maryland tragedy to explain why.

Moore’s key prime-time slot signals his renown and growing popularity within the party. The moment not only amplified his support of Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz but shined a national spotlight on him as a Democratic up-and-comer.

In his nearly eight minute spot Moore wrapped an earnest story about the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and some familiar — for Marylanders — arguments about service, patriotism and perseverance into his defense of a Harris-Walz administration. It was a standard performance for Moore tucked among memorable moments from other speakers.

Here are some highlights from Moore’s speech.

Key Bridge collapse

Moore opened his speech with a story about a phone call he got from Harris in the early morning hours after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River.

“She said, ‘I know you spoke to the President, and I want you to know we are here with you every step of the way,’” he recalled Harris saying.

Moore said his military training taught him that “You learn everything you need to know about somebody when times are hard.”

That phone call from Harris and her support during recovery efforts solidified for him that she was the right one to lead the country.

A call to serve

Moore said the story of opening the Port of Baltimore in 11 weeks after the disastrous collapse was “the story of America.”

“We are a nation of patriots who serve when the mission is hard, and who serve when the destination is uncertain,” he said, also acknowledging his military service.

He then turned to those Americans who have become skeptical about the American story, and asked them to “join us in the work.”

“I just want that skepticism to be your companion and not your captor,” he said.

Immigration

Moore took on issues perceived as weaknesses for his party, including immigration.

“Making America great means saying the ambitions of this country would be incomplete without your help,” Moore said.

Here, too, he pulled in a piece of Maryland’s bridge disaster, highlighting the deaths of the six construction workers who lost their lives in those early morning hours: Workers “who were born in a different country, but who knew that America was big enough for them, too,” he said.

He featured his own family’s immigration story as a story of personal success. Moore, the 63rd governor of Maryland and the state’s first Black governor, was raised by his mother, a Jamaican immigrant.

Upstaged by Oprah

The queen of daytime talk and media mogul Oprah Winfrey was a sort-of surprise speaker ahead of Moore. Winfrey is a personal friend of Moore and his wife Dawn Flythe Moore and spoke at the governor’s inauguration. Her fiery speech urged listeners to get out and “do something,” echoing former First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech from the previous night.

Winfrey didn’t introduce Moore, but landed these catchphrases during her time at the podium.

“Decency and respect are on the ballot in 2024,” she said. And “let us choose common sense over nonsense.”

Winfrey had the DNC crowd on their feet, one of the few people in politics that Moore has a difficult time following.

A swipe at Trump

Moore made a quick jab at GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s lack of military service. Trump evaded serving in the Vietnam War by telling military recruiters he had bone spurs.

“Now I joined the army when I was 17. In fact, I was too young to sign the paperwork,” he said. “I had to ask my mom to sign the paperwork for me, because I don’t have bone spurs.”

Moore’s dig was part of an underlying theme of the evening: Democrats presenting their own case for what manhood looks like in an effort to challenge Republican strength with male voters.

Moore’s busy week

Moore’s Wednesday morning schedule included stops at other states’ delegation meetings where he delivered remarks. Representatives of Georgia and South Carolina, two battleground states, hosted Moore at their breakfast meetings. He visited similar events with delegates from swing states Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin earlier in the week.

The governor also met with Gen Z voters, military veterans and sat on a panel for the Black Economic Alliance.

Sometime on Wednesday, Moore taped an interview for Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” with host Jordan Klepper and said he’s attempting to reach “the disaffected voter.”

Partnership

Ahead of the convention week, Moore told reporters the Harris-Walz campaign had asked surrogates like him to “continue telling the stories about how we’ve worked together already.”

The Moore-Miller administration needs federal partnerships to pull expected federal funding for a Key Bridge rebuild and other transportation projects.

Maryland’s unemployment is at 2.8%, people are going back to work and homicide rates have decreased, he said. “These things don’t happen by accident — they happen because of partnership.”

The governor landed in Chicago fresh from a Maryland Association of Counties annual conference in Ocean City, where in his closing speech he warned of tough budgetary decisions ahead. The state has known for some time of looming budget deficits and slowing economic growth.

Banner reporter Pamela Wood contributed to this article.