With that important DNC fashion news, this blog is closing. You can read our full story on Biden’s speech at the link below:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a prominent female politician in possession of a wardrobe will have her outfits divined for clues about who she is and what she thinks. Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, is no exception.
But the dissection of Harris’s choice of outfit took on a different tone after her surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention in Monday evening, with some asking simply: is she trolling us?
Harris wore a suit that could be described as tan: a colour that Barack Obama famously favoured during his two terms in office. It was an outfit choice that drove Republicans and right-wing pundits mad. Most famously when Fox News host Lou Dobbs declared that it was “shocking to a lot of people” that Obama wore a tan suit in 2014 to discuss escalating the US response to Islamic State in Syria.
The Harris-Walz ticket is not immune to poking fun at their Republican rivals. Their debut collection of merchandise included an accessory to rival the Maga hat: a Harris Walz hunting cap that raised a million dollars for the campaign within hours of its release.
And Harris has form when it comes to including references in her clothing and image: for her cover of Vogue, she appeared in front of colours that represent her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and wearing their signature string of pearls. She was also once known for wearing Converse All Stars.
Though the Republicans had, hours after Harris’s appearance, resisted taking the alleged tan suit bait, they have not been above sartorial slights. At the RNC, Republican party co-chair Lara Trump compared Harris to an $1,800 faux trash bag sold by Balenciaga.
Updated
Here is our full story on Biden’s speech, from Joan E Greve:
Key takeaways: Kamala Harris gave surprise remarks
Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at the convention on Monday night to thank Joe Biden for his service: “Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do, we are forever grateful to you. Thank you, Joe!”
Harris, who is due to give her formal speech at the end of the week, electrified the crowd when she entered the stage, with Beyoncé’s Freedom playing in the background. “Looking out at everyone tonight, I see the beauty of our great nation. People from every corner of our country and every walk of life are here united by our shared vision for the future of our country,” the vice-president said.
Key takeaways: Thousands protested outside the DNC
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Democratic National Convention, calling for a ceasefire and arms embargo on Israel. Dozens of protesters appeared to break through one security fence near the convention site and several demonstrators were handcuffed and detained. During Biden’s speech, demonstrators unfurled a “Stop Arming Israel” banner, but the speech continued uninterrupted. There was limited talk of Gaza on the convention floor, though Biden reiterated his efforts to secure a ceasefire and said, “Those protesters out in the street, they have a point – a lot of innocent people are being killed, on both sides.”
The Democratic party’s official platform released before the convention did not include an arms embargo, a key demand by uncommitted delegates.
Biden took questions when he arrived at O’Hare. From the pool report (and for those following, on him and Pelosi):
Ask if he’s mad at Pelosi or at spoken to her: ‘I haven’t spoken to Nancy. No one made the decision but me.’
Asked about tearing up: ‘The reception was pretty overwhelming.’
Ask about his comment earlier questioning Trump’s stability: ‘I think he has a problem.’
On the cease-fire: ‘It’s still in play.’
The highlight of the night: ‘My daughter’s introduction.’
Key takeaways: Democrats rallied around abortion rights and stopping Project 2025
Speakers from red states gave personal accounts of the impacts of abortion bans. Hadley Duvall, from Kentucky, described how she was raped by her stepfather and became pregnant at age 12: “I can’t imagine not having a choice. But today, that’s the reality for many women and girls across the country because of Donald Trump’s abortion bans.” She noted Trump’s previous remarks calling abortion bans a “beautiful thing”: “What is so beautiful about a child having to carry her parent’s child?”
Speakers also repeatedly tied the Trump and the Republican agenda to Project 2025, the roadmap for a second Trump administration crafted by former Trump officials. Mallory McMorrow, a state senator from Michigan, held a copy of the Project 2025 document and assailed the plan to “turn Donald Trump into a dictator”. Congressman Jim Clyburn called Project 2025 “Jim Crow 2.0”. Biden noted that the project calls for the dismantling of the US department of education.
Key takeaways: Hillary Clinton said Kamala Harris will break the ‘glass ceiling’
Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and 2016 presidential candidate, also gave an impassioned speech, outlining the historic nature of Harris’s nomination: “I see the freedom to look our children in the eye and say, ‘In America, you can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you,’ and mean it. And you know what? On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris, raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th president … Because when a barrier falls for one of us, it falls and clears the way for all of us.”
Clinton drew a sharp contrast between Harris, a former prosecutor, and Trump who “fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history … the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions”. The remark sparked “lock him up” chants, a throwback to the “lock her up” chants Clinton faced in 2016 at Trump rallies.
Key takeaways: AOC praised Harris’s ceasefire efforts
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave one of the most energetic speeches of the night, talking about her roots as a bartender and saying: “America has before us a rare and precious opportunity in Kamala Harris. We have a chance to elect a president who is for the middle class, because she is from the middle class. She understands the urgency of rent checks and groceries and prescriptions. She is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to taking on corporate greed.”
The progressive congresswoman and “Squad” member also earned loud applause for saying that Harris was “working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bringing hostages home”.
Key takeaways: Joe Biden passed the torch
As the president took the stage at around 10:30pm CT, the crowd broke out into enthusiastic “Thank you, Joe” and “We love Joe” chants, with drawn-out cheers that repeatedly prevented him from continuing his remarks. Biden revisited some of the darkest chapters of the Trump administration, including the January 6 insurrection, and attacked Trump’s vision of America, saying, “He says we’re losing. He’s the loser.” He earned loud applause for his praise of Kamala Harris, saying selecting her as vice-president was the “best decision I made my whole career”, and, “Crime will keep coming down when we put a prosecutor in the office instead of a convicted felon.”
Speakers throughout the night heaped praise on Biden. Dr Jill Biden, the first lady, praised her husband for withdrawing from the race, saying she watched him “dig deep into his soul” as he weighed the decision. The president said of his decision: “I love the job, but I love my country more.” Toward the end of his speech, he said, “America, I gave my best to you.”
Updated
Pelosi has just tweeted a picture of herself holding a We heart Joe sign. As I pointed out a short while ago, Pelosi has given some harsh criticism of Biden’s skills as a politician recently, but also said she hoped that their friendship could survive the role she played in ending his presidency.
#ThankYouJoe pic.twitter.com/Rclo6KeuDX
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) August 20, 2024
Pelosi recently said she had “never been that impressed” with Joe Biden’s “political operation” discussing a judgment that helped her conclude the president could not beat Donald Trump and should step aside.
Speaking to the New Yorker, she said she hoped her role in ending Biden’s presidency would not destroy her relationship with Biden.
“I hope so,” she said. “I pray so. I cry so.”
Barack Obama will be speaking tomorrow night at the DNC
Speaking in his political hometown of Chicago, the nation’s first Black president will honour President Joe Biden’s legacy and make the case for Harris. “It’s poised to be a significant moment as she takes on former President Donald Trump in a matchup that features the same cultural and ideological fissures Obama warned against two decades ago,” AP writes.
“President Obama is still a north star in the party,” Illinois lieutenant governor Juliana Stratton told AP. She credits Obama with helping her become her state’s first Black woman in the role.
Besides Harris on Thursday, Stratton said, no voice this week is more integral to stirring Democrats, reaching independents and cajoling moderate Republicans than Obama.
“He knows how to get across the finish line,” she said.
More now on Hilary Clinton’s speech: Clinton compared Trump’s record as a convicted felon with Harris’s as a former prosecutor. “As a prosecutor, Kamala locked up murders and drug traffickers. Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial.”
At that moment the thousands of Democratic delegates amassed on the DNC floor spontaneously burst into chants of “Lock him up! Lock him up!”. It was an ironic echo of the chant that was repeatedly directed against Clinton by Trump supporters, with his blessing, in 2016.
Clinton, with the diplomacy behoving a former secretary of state, made no comment. But the way she nodded her head in synch to the chants spoke volumes.
Clinton made little effort to hide that for her the hope of pushing Harris into the White House as the first female US president was profoundly personal. “We are so close to breaking through once and for all,” she said, conjuring up the image of Harris raising her hand “on the other side of that glass ceiling” to take the presidential oath of office.
“This is our time America. This is when we stand up, this is when we break through.”
The pool report note that speaker emeritus, Nancy Pelosi, “waved a ‘we heart Joe’ sign when Potus came out on stage”.
Pelosi recently said she had “never been that impressed” with Joe Biden’s “political operation” discussing a judgment that helped her conclude the president could not beat Donald Trump and should step aside.
Speaking to the New Yorker, she said she hoped her role in ending Biden’s presidency would not destroy her relationship with a man three years younger but elected as a senator in 1972, 14 years before Pelosi won her seat in the House.
“I hope so,” she said. “I pray so. I cry so.”
Here is some of the behind the scenes pool report of Biden’s speech:
Flotus watched Posus’ speech from the convention floor with the Biden grandchildren. The family moved backstage toward the end of his remarks.
She came out after his remarks to give him a kiss. Then Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff came out. Hugs were exchanged.
The Biden family was next: Hunter and Melissa led out Baby Beau, holding his hands. Finnegan, Maisy, Naomi and Peter, Natalie and Little Hunter, Ashley and Howard were all on stage.
Ashley danced around the stage. Harris bent down to talk to Baby Beau. Baby Beau gave lots of waves. Potus then took Baby Beau’s hand to walk with him off stage.
Poolers could see Hunter Biden backstage with Potus, standing near the stage door where Potus came out onto stage, while Potus was speaking.
Pro-Palestinian protesters were removed after unfurling a banner during Potus remarks. It appeared to read “Stop Arming Israel.” They appeared to be near Florida delegation.
Hillary Clinton gave one of the most powerful speeches of her career in politics on Monday as she implored American voters finally to crack the “highest, hardest glass ceiling” that had eluded her so bitterly eight years ago.
In a rousing 15-minute speech at the Democratic national convention in Chicago, Clinton returned to the theme that she intended to invoke in a victory speech on election night, 8 November 2016. That speech was never delivered, the glass ceiling standing firm in the wake of her shock defeat to Donald Trump.
But what she had failed to attain was within the grasp of Kamala Harris, only the second woman to be nominated at the top of a major party presidential ticket.
And the man who had derided and humiliated Clinton on the campaign trail back in 2016, mocking her as “Crooked” and “Lyin’ Hillary”, was now on the defensive. “We have him on the run now,” Clinton said.
Reveling in the chance to turn the tables on Trump, Clinton drew a parallel between the slights she endured at the hands of the Republican candidate in 2016 and the insults he continues to hurl at Harris in 2024. “It is no surprise that he is lying about Kamala’s record, he is mocking her name and her laugh. Sounds familiar?”
Biden’s speech was energetic, and welcomed by sustained applause. He was emotional, at one point wiping away tears, and it had the tone –as expected – of a farewell. It is likely to be one of a handful of major speeches Biden will make during the remainder of his presidency.
It is almost a month to the day that he dropped out of the race.
He made reference to the decision, and his age, which was a factor behind it, saying, “I’ve been too young to be in the Senate, because I wasn’t 30 yet, and too old to stay as president. But I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you. I can honestly say, and I mean this in the bottom, giving my word as a Biden, I can honestly say I’m more optimistic about the future than I was when I was elected as a 29-year-old United States senator.”
When Harris hugged Biden after that speech, she appears to have said “I love you”:
Kamala Harris and Joe Biden pic.twitter.com/Yae4JeQ0aZ
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 20, 2024
Vice President Harris embraces President Biden at the end of his speech.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 20, 2024
You can see her say to him, "I love you."
Updated
Hello, this is Helen Sullivan taking over our live US Politics coverage as the first night of the Democratic National Convention wraps up in Chicago.
Biden says 'I gave my all': Democratic national convention's first night recapped
Joe Biden passed the torch to Kamala Harris as the Democratic national convention ended the first of its four nights in Chicago.
Here’s a look back at what happened this evening:
Biden told the convention that “democracy has prevailed” and recounted his accomplishments, while also saying that Harris and Tim Walz would carry on his work.
As he closed his speech, Biden said he had dedicated himself to serving the US, and had never felt more optimistic about the country’s future. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you for 50 years. Like many of you, I gave my heart and soul to our nation.”
Harris briefly spoke from the convention stage, telling attendees it was “going to be a great week” and thanking Biden for his leadership.
Hillary Clinton gave Harris her endorsement, saying the vice-president “has the character, experience, and vision to lead us forward”.
Pro-Palestine demonstrations brought thousands to the streets outside the United Center, where the convention was being held. Part of the protest grew violent, with demonstrators breaking through the outer security fencing, but not getting near the convention, Chicago police said. At least two arrests were made.
Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor who is Harris’s running mate, appeared in the convention hall, but did not give a speech.
The president said pro-Palestinian protesters “had a point”, while reaffirming his support for a ceasefire in Gaza. Some demonstrators interrupted his speech, though it was not clear that he noticed.
Residents of red states told of the damage done by Republican-supported restrictions on abortion, which is a key campaign issue for Democrats.
Updated
Jill Biden came out onstage after Joe Biden ended his address.
She was followed by Kamala Harris, her husband Doug Emhoff and the Biden family, including the president’s daughter Ashley Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden.
The president and vice-president hugged and waved to the crowd, remaining for several minutes before leaving the stage.
Updated
Biden says he gave 'my heart and soul to our nation' as he passes torch to Harris
As he closed his speech, Joe Biden said he had dedicated himself to serving the United States, and had never felt more optimistic about the country’s future.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you for 50 years. Like many of you, I gave my heart and soul to our nation, and I’ve been blessed a million times in return in the support of the American people,” the president said.
He continued:
I’ve really been too young to be in the Senate, because I wasn’t 30 yet, and too old to stay as president. But I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you. I can honestly say, and I mean this in the bottom, giving my word as a Biden, I can honestly say I’m more optimistic about the future than I was when I was elected as a 29-year-old United States senator.
Biden calls picking Harris as his running mate the 'best decision' of his career
Joe Biden said making Kamala Harris his vice-presidential pick was the “best decision” of his five-decade-plus political career.
“Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made … when I became our nominee, and it was the best decision I made my whole career,” the president said.
Biden says 'Kamala and Tim' will protect abortion, voting rights
The passing of the torch continued, with Joe Biden telling Democrats that “Kamala and Tim” would continue his work on priorities such as protecting voting rights and abortion access, as well as taxing the megarich.
“Kamala and Tim are going to make them pay their fair share. They’ll protect Social Security, Medicare. Trump wants to cut Social Security, Medicare. Kamala and Tim will protect your freedom … your right to vote, protect your civil rights. And you know, Trump will do everything to ban abortion nationwide. Oh, he will. Kamala and Tim will do everything they possibly can. That’s why you have to elect a Senate and House to restore Roe v Wade,” Biden said.
Biden says Gaza war protesters 'have a point', reiterates support for ceasefire to 'end this war'
Joe Biden addressed the war in Gaza, which became one of the most divisive issues of his presidency after he supported Israel’s invasion of the enclave, while pushing for a ceasefire between the warring parties.
The president reiterated that he would continue working towards an elusive deal, and showed sympathy with the pro-Palestinian protesters who have accused him of abetting genocide by supplying Israel with military equipment.
“A few days ago, I put forward a proposal that brought us closer to [a ceasefire] than we’ve been since October 7,” Biden said. “We’re working around the clock, my secretary of state, [to] prevent a wider war, reunite hostages with their families and surge humanitarian, health and food assistance into Gaza now to end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally, finally, finally, deliver a ceasefire and,” as he pounded his fist on the podium, “end this war!”
He then addressed the protesters who have denounced him in demonstrations nationwide over the past 10 months, including right outside the convention in Chicago: “Those protesters out in the street, they have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides.”
Pro-Palestine protesters interrupt Biden speech
A few anti-war protesters unfurled a banner that said “Stop Arming Israel” when Joe Biden was speaking.
The move did not go over well with Democrats nearby, some of whom hit the demonstrators with their “We love Joe” signs and tried to rip the banner away from them, video of the incident posted by reporters showed:
Audience members at the DNC in Chicago unfurl banner that says “Stop arming Israel.”
— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) August 20, 2024
After audience sees the banner, they begin chanting “We love Joe.”
Man tries to rip banner away.
Stadium lights over this spot then dimmed and banner was ripped away. pic.twitter.com/3RfK1aUSV4
It wasn’t clear if the president noticed the disruption.
Biden once again deployed a line that both trumpeted his own achievements and subtly passed the torch to Kamala Harris.
The president was talking about how violent crime has been declining nationally, then segued into complimenting Harris and attacking Donald Trump’s recent criminal conviction.
“The murder rate is falling faster than at any time in history,” Biden said. “Violent crime has dropped to the lowest level of more than 50 years, and crime will keep coming down when we put a prosecutor in the Oval Office instead of a convicted felon.”
We can watch the teleprompter from our perch in the United Center, and can see Biden is going off script occasionally.
In one case, it was to make light of his age. “I know more foreign leaders by their first names and know them well than anybody alive, just because I’m so damn old,” the president said.
Biden again brands Trump a 'loser'
Joe Biden again attacked Donald Trump as a “loser” for characterizing the United States as a nation in decline.
“Donald Trump calls America a failing nation,” Biden said. “When he talks about America being a failing nation, he says, we’re losing. He’s the loser. He’s dead wrong.”
Updated
Biden appears emotional after daughter Ashley introduces him
Here’s an image of the emotional moment when Joe Biden took to the stage at the convention after his daughter, Ashley, introduced him:
The president gave heartfelt remarks about his children and his wife, Jill Biden, to kick off his speech. He also appeared to get emotional as the crowd repeatedly interrupted his remarks with lengthy “we love Joe” and “thank you, Joe” chants.
Updated
This is a historic speech for Biden, but he’s not necessarily debuting new lines.
Rather, he’s using oldies-but-goodies, such as: “Wall Street didn’t build America, the middle class built America, and unions, unions built the middle class.”
'We finally beat Big Pharma': Biden recounts achievements
Biden is both recounting the accomplishments of his administration, and noting Kamala Harris’s role.
“We’ve had one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever, period,” Biden said. “Just think about it. Covid no longer controls our lives. We’ve gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the entire world … record 16m new jobs, record small business growth, record high stock market … wages up, inflation down, way down, and continuing to go down.”
He then remarked on his efforts to lower prescription drug prices, saying: “We finally beat Big Pharma.”
“Guess who cast the tie-breaking vote? Vice-president, soon-to-be-president, Kamala Harris,” Biden said.
At one point, the crowd again began chanting “thank you Joe!” “Thank you Kamala,” the president replied.
Updated
'Democracy has prevailed', Biden tells convention
Joe Biden then reminded the Democrats of all that has passed in the three-and-a-half years since he took office in the wake of the January 6 attack.
“It was, I told you then, a winter of peril and possibility … we were in the grip of a once-in-a-century pandemic, historic joblessness, a call for racial justice, long overdue, clear and present threats to our very democracy,” Biden said. “Yet, I believe then and I believe now, that progress was and is possible. Justice is achievable, and our best days are not behind us. They’re before us.”
He continues with the metaphor:
Now, it’s summer. The winter has passed. With a grateful heart, I stand before you now on this August night to report that democracy has prevailed. Democracy has delivered, and now democracy must be preserved.
The president then turned to more somber matters, describing how he was inaugurated just a few weeks after the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
“Nearly four years ago, in winter, on the steps of the Capitol on a cold January day, I raised my right hand and I swore an oath to you and to God to preserve, protect and defend the constitution and to faithfully execute the office of the president United States,” Biden said.
“In front of me was the city, surrounded by the national guard. Behind me a Capitol, just two weeks before, overrun by a violent mob. But I knew then, from the bottom of my heart, that I knew now there is no place in America for political violence, none.”
Reprising a line he’s used before, which is of course a reference to Donald Trump, the president said: “You cannot say you love your country only when you win.”
As begins his remarks, it’s clear that Joe Biden has this crowd wrapped around his finger.
“Folks, let me ask you: are you ready to vote for freedom?” he asked. The response from the crowd was a big “yes!”
“Are ready to vote for democracy and for America?” The answer was “yes!” again.
“Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?” This time, the “yes!” was even louder.
Lots of people have received warm welcomes at this convention, but none quite like Joe Biden.
He hasn’t yet been able to say anything because of all the cheering.
The Democrats are very excited to see Joe Biden.
They’re holding up signs that read “We ♥ Joe”, and just cheering and cheering. The president is saying “thank you, thank you, thank you,” and just said, “I love you!”
This is likely to be one of the last major speeches Biden makes in his political career.
Joe Biden addresses Democratic national convention
Joe Biden has come onstage at the Democratic national convention.
The president jogged out, and is hugging and exchanging words with his daughter, Ashley, who introduced him.
At one point, he took out a handkerchief and dabbed his eye.
Joe Biden expected to speak at Democratic convention, as daughter gives introduction
Joe Biden is set to, in a few minutes, take the stage at the Democratic national convention, where he will reaffirm his endorsement of Kamala Harris as his successor.
His daughter, Ashley Biden, is introducing the president.
“You always tell us, but we don’t tell you enough, that you are the love of our lives and the life of our love,” the first daughter said.
Jill Biden says president dug 'deep into his soul' in deciding to end re-election bid
Joe Biden’s decision not to seek a second term as president was perhaps the biggest decision of his political career, and one that came only after some serious soul searching, Jill Biden said.
There are moments when I fall in love with him all over again,” the first lady said. Among them:
Weeks ago, when I saw him dig deep into his soul and decide to no longer seek re-election and endorse Kamala Harris. With faith and conviction, Joe knows that our nation’s strength doesn’t come from intimidation or cruelty, it comes from the small acts of kindness that heal deep wounds, from service to the communities that make us who we are, from love of a country that shines with promise and renewal. Kamala Harris knows that too.
Jill Biden addresses Democratic convention
First lady Jill Biden has walked onstage.
She is wearing a sparkly blue dress. The crowd greeted her with green signs that read “JILL”.
This post has been corrected to read that the dress is blue, not gray.
Updated
We are almost on to the Bidens.
Chris Coons, the senator from their home state Delaware, is now onstage. We expect Jill Biden to speak next and then the president, who will be introduced by his daughter, Ashley Biden.
George senator Warnock calls Trump 'a plague on the American conscience'
In one of the more somber attacks made on Donald Trump so far tonight, Georgia senator Raphael Warnock called the former president “a plague on the American conscience”.
“He is a clear and present threat to the precious covenant we share with one another,” he continued.
Warnock is also a pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, and deployed that oratory skill in denouncing Trump’s recent endorsement of the Bible.
“Yes, I saw him. I saw him holding the Bible, and endorsing a Bible, as if it needed his endorsement. He should try reading it,” Warnock said. “It says, do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God. He should try reading it. It says, love your neighbor as yourself. It says, inasmuch as you’ve done it unto the least of these, you have done it also unto me.”
Andy Beshear: 'Extremism is being soundly rejected'
Andy Beshear, Kentucky’s governor, emphasized abortion rights, women’s rights and reproductive justice in his speech, one of the final remarks before Joe Biden takes the stage.
He said:
Trump says people are absolutely thrilled that women have their basic rights eliminated. JD Vance says women should stay in violent marriages and that pregnancies resulting from rape are simply inconvenient. Their policies give rapists more rights than their victims. That’s not inconvenient. It’s just plain wrong …
Thankfully, this extremism is being soundly rejected all over our country.
Updated
Speakers from red states tell of impacts of GOP's abortion bans
A married couple and two women from red states just appeared onstage to attack Republicans over their support for laws that restrict abortion access.
“Two years ago, my husband and I were expecting our second child. Our daughter, Lauren, couldn’t wait to be a big sister. I was getting ready for her fourth birthday party when something didn’t feel right. Two emergency rooms sent me away because of Louisiana’s abortion ban. No one would confirm that I was miscarrying. I was in pain, bleeding so much my husband feared for my life. No woman should experience what I endured,” said Louisiana resident Kaitlyn Joshua.
Kentucky’s Hadley Duvall described how growing up, she “was an all-American Girl. Varsity soccer captain, cheerleading captain, homecoming queen and survivor”, who was sexually abused and then raped by her stepfather.
“At age 12, I took my first pregnancy test, and it was positive. That was the first time I was ever told you have options. I can’t imagine not having a choice. But today, that’s the reality for many women and girls across the country because of Donald Trump’s abortion bans.”
Updated
Jamie Raskin attacks JD Vance as Trump's 'pet chameleon'
Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin spoke of the January 6 insurrection in his remarks and attacked Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance. He pointed out that Trump’s former vice-president, Mike Pence, has disavowed Trump due to January 6 and the threats to his life:
JD Vance, do you understand why there was a sudden job opening for running mate on the GOP ticket? They tried to kill your predecessor … They tried to kill him, because he would not follow Trump’s plan to destroy and nullify the votes of millions of Americans. Your votes, Pennsylvania. Your votes, Michigan, Nevada, Arizona … Are we going to go back to the days of election suppression and violent insurrection?”
Raskin continued: “We will defeat Donald Trump, the career criminal and incorrigible recidivist conman and his pet chameleon, JD Vance.”
Raskin: JD Vance, do you understand why there was a sudden job opening for running mate on the GOP ticket? They tried to kill your predecessor. pic.twitter.com/STrd0wmTea
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 20, 2024
Raskin also called Trump a “sore loser who does not know how to take no for an answer from American voters, American courts, or American women”.
Updated
Up now is progressive congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who seems to be responding to criticisms that dogged Kamala Harris’s 2020 presidential run of her record as a prosecutor.
The backlash from the left to her record on criminal justice played a role in her swift defeat in the Democratic primaries, which Joe Biden ultimately won. Democrats have been nervous that the same issues could crop up again this year, and Crockett is making a point to cast Harris in a compassionate light.
“She was the first attorney general in the nation to order that her officers wear body cams, and she started the Back on Track program to reduce recidivism,” Crockett said.
“She did all these things because she genuinely cares about people. She sees each person as just that, a person, not a statistic. She’s proven that since the first day she stepped into a courtroom and said what y’all already heard Hillary say.”
Updated
Steve Kerr and Tony Goldwyn make appearances
Actor Tony Goldwyn is now hosting the programming at the Democratic convention. Goldwyn is most known for his role playing the US president on Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal, opposite Kerry Washington. Washington is also due to make an appearance at the convention.
Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors and coach of the USA men’s basketball team, also earned rapturous applause as he took the stage. Kerr has repeatedly made headlines for speaking his mind on politics. He notably gave an impassioned speech calling for gun restrictions after the massacre in Uvalde claimed the lives of 19 children.
In his convention remarks, Kerr said: “I can see the ‘shut up and whistle’ tweets fired off as we speak. But I also knew as soon as I was asked that it was too important as an American citizen not to speak up in an election of his magnitude.”
Updated
'Lock him up' chants as Hillary Clinton attacks Trump's criminal record
Hillary Clinton drew a stark contrast between Trump and Harris, noting that Harris “locked up murderers and drug traffickers” while Trump “fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history … the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions”.
The remark prompted loud chants of “lock him up,” a throwback to the “lock her up” chants at Trump’s rallies when he ran against Clinton in 2016. Clinton initially tried to move on from the chants, but then seemed to smirk a bit as the crowd went wild and continued shouting “lock him up.”
DNC crowd chants "Lock Him Up" after Hillary Clinton mentions Donald Trump's 34 felony convictions pic.twitter.com/aSN4OFBNRr
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 20, 2024
Updated
Joe Biden has arrived at the United Center, although he’s not visible in the convention hall.
He’s scheduled to deliver the marquee speech of the evening.
Clinton kept on with the glass ceiling metaphor, saying: “When a barrier falls for one of us, it falls and clears the way for all of us.”
“So for the next 78 days, we need to work harder than we ever had,” she continued. “We need to beat back the dangers that Trump and his allies pose to the rule of law and our way of life. Don’t get distracted or complacent. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Volunteer, be proud champions for the truth and for the country that we all love.”
She left the stage not long after, to loud and long applause.
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You’ve heard of the glass ceiling – the metaphorical barrier that keeps women and minorities from advancing. Hillary Clinton has some thoughts about it.
“In America, you can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you and mean it. And you know what? On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris, raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th president of the United States,” Clinton said.
Clinton says Democrats have Trump 'on the run'
Hillary Clinton continued her dressing down of Donald Trump, accusing him of lowbrow attacks on Kamala Harris.
“On her first day in court, Kamala said five words that still guide her: Kamala Harris for the people. That is something that Donald Trump will never understand,” Clinton said.
“So, it is no surprise, is it, that he is lying about Kamala’s record. He’s mocking her name and her laugh.” The latter attack, she quipped, “sounds familiar”.
“But we have him on the run now,” Clinton said.
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We had not heard much from the Democrats so far about the fact that Donald Trump is a convicted felon – until Hillary Clinton took the stage.
“As a prosecutor, Kamala locked up murderers and drug traffickers. She will never rest in defense of our freedom and safety,” the former secretary of state said. “Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history, the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.”
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Clinton continued by recounting milestones by female politicians in the United States.
She talked about the ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote, then said: “Since that day, every generation has carried the torch forward. In 1972, a fearless Black congresswoman named Shirley Chisholm. She ran for president and her determination let me and millions of others dream bigger, not just because of who she was, but because of who she fought for, working parents, poor children, the last, the least and the lost.”
She then talked about Geraldine Ferraro, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in the 1984 election, before turning to herself.
“And then there was 2016, when it was the honor of my life to accept our party’s nomination for president and nearly 66 million Americans voted for a future where there are no ceilings on our dreams,” Clinton said. Referencing her loss to Donald Trump, she continued: “Afterwards, we refused to give up on America. Millions marched. Many ran for office. We kept our eyes on the future. Well, my friends, the future is here.”
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In a nod to Kamala Harris’s place as only the second woman ever nominated for president by a major party in the country’s 248-year history, Hillary Clinton said: “Something is happening in America. You can feel it.”
It was “something we’ve worked for and dreamed of for a long time”, Clinton said.
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Hillary Clinton takes the stage
Up next is Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state who was the first female presidential nominee of a major party, but lost in 2016 to Donald Trump.
She’s wearing a trademark pantsuit, in the color beige. The crowd is very happy that she’s here.
Republicans love to mock Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s past as a bartender and waitress, but the congresswoman told the convention that she wished her opponents better understood such work.
“To love this country is to fight for its people, all people, working people, everyday Americans, like bartenders and factory workers and fast food cashiers who punch a clock and are on their feet all day in some of the toughest jobs out there,” the congresswoman said.
“Ever since I got elected, Republicans have attacked me by saying that I should go back to bartending. But let me tell you, I’m happy to any day of the week, because there is nothing wrong with working for a living. Imagine, imagine having leaders in the White House who understand that, leaders like Kamala and Tim.”
Before she left the stage, Ocasio-Cortez noted the importance of Democrats maintaining their majority in the Senate, and retaking control of the House:
We cannot send Kamala and Tim to the White House alone together. We must also elect strong democratic majorities in the House and in the Senate, so that we can deliver on an ambitious agenda for the people. Because if you are a working parent trying to afford rent and childcare, Kamala is for you. If you are a senior who had to go back to work because your retirement didn’t stretch far enough. Kamala is for you. If you’re an immigrant family just starting your American story, Kamala is for you.
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Convention cheers as Ocasio-Cortez notes Harris's commitment to Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages
Joe Biden’s support for Israel has been one of the most divisive issues Democrats have confronted over the past four years, sparking resignations from his administration, and protests outside the Democratic convention.
As she listed her reason for supporting Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez noted that the vice-president “is working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring the hostages home”.
The line generated cheers and applause in the convention hall.
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks to Democratic convention
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman and progressive celebrity, is speaking now.
The crowd began chanting “AOC! AOC!” when she came onstage.
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The biggest surprise of the night so far was Kamala Harris’s appearance on the convention stage.
The vice-president was expected to attend the convention, but not to speak until Thursday, and the crowd grew rapturous when she came on stage for brief remarks kicking off the four-day gathering of Democratic faithful. Here’s that moment:
Fain whips up Democrats by calling Trump a 'scab'
Shawn Fain proceeded to lay into Donald Trump, calling him “a scab” – which is someone who crosses a picket line and works during a strike.
“This election comes down to one question: which side are you on?” said Fain.
“On one side we have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the working class. On the other side, we have Trump and Vance, two lap dogs for the billionaire class who only serve themselves. So for us in the labor movement, it’s real simple. Kamala Harris is one of us. She’s a fighter for the working class, and Donald Trump is a scab.”
And at that, the crowd began chanting: “Trump’s a scab! Trump’s a scab!”
A little bit later, Fain said: “It’s getting hot in here”, and then took off his jacket to reveal a red T-shirt that read “Trump is a scab.”
Watch the moment here:
Shawn Fain at the DNC: In the words of the great American poet Nelly, "It's getting hot in here" pic.twitter.com/AKLXY9ZZFa
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 20, 2024
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United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain addresses Democrats
Now onstage is Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers.
Last summer, he led the union in its biggest strike in years, and got Joe Biden to join their picket line, something no president had done before.
Here’s more about the union boss whose been seen as a leader of organized labor’s future in the United States:
The musical guests of the Democratic convention
The Democratic national convention has featured two musical performances so far.
Mickey Guyton, a country singer, first took to the stage to sing her song, All American. Guyton was the Grammys’ first Black solo female country nominee in 2021.
Next up was Jason Isbell, another country singer, who is from Alabama. He sang his song, Something More Than Free. Isbell has become a vocal advocate for Democrats. Asked by the New York Times why many southern, white working class voters like him don’t support Kamala Harris and the Democratic party, he responded:
I think the goals and the intentions of the party were sort of obfuscated by the fact that there was this big PR campaign that sort of made religious morals tie in with a conservative political ideology. And I think that’s kind of where we went wrong, and where a lot of people in the South just started voting against their own interests. And a lot of people like me went along with what their family did, and what their churches did, and became the kind of people who would vote for conservatives no matter what.
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I was on the floor of the Democratic convention when, suddenly, Beyoncé’s Freedom started playing and Kamala Harris walked in.
Here’s the scene:
Just watched Kamala Harris make her first appearance on the DNC floor. pic.twitter.com/7NAOViEpaK
— Ankita Rao (@anrao) August 20, 2024
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Kamala Harris kept her remarks brief, departing the stage shortly after noting the diversity of the Democratic party faithful gathered in the room.
“Looking out at everyone tonight, I see the beauty of our great nation. People from every corner of our country and every walk of life are here united by our shared vision for the future of our country, and this November, we will come together and declare with one voice, as one people, we are moving forward,” the vice-president said.
“With optimism, hope and faith, so guided by our love of country, knowing we all have so much more in common than what separates us, let us fight for the ideals we hold dear, and let us always remember when we fight, we win.”
Harris tells convention: 'This is going to be a great week'
Kamala Harris is giving some introductory remarks to the crowded convention hall, telling them that tonight, they’ll pay tribute to departing president Joe Biden.
“This is going to be a great week, and I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible President Joe Biden, who will be speaking later tonight,” she said. “Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do, we are forever grateful to you. Thank you, Joe!”
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Harris arrives at Democratic convention
Kamala Harris has just stepped onstage at the Democratic national convention.
She’s wearing a light brown suit. The crowd is going wild.
Hillary Clinton to tell convention: 'Kamala has the character, experience, and vision to lead us forward'
Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and first female presidential nominee of a major party, will defend Kamala Harris’s character in her remarks to the Democratic convention tonight.
“Kamala has the character, experience, and vision to lead us forward,” Clinton will say, according to excerpts of her speech.
She will tell the convention about the background she shares with Harris as “young lawyers helping children who were abused or neglected. That kind of work changes you. Those kids stay with you. Kamala carries with her the hopes of every child she protected, every family she helped, every community she served.”
“So as president, she will always have our backs,” Clinton will say. “She will fight to lower costs for hard-working families. Open the doors wide for good paying jobs. And, yes, she will restore abortion rights nationwide.”
Clinton lost the 2016 election to Donald Trump, who she will reserve some choice words for:
Just look at the candidates. Kamala cares about kids, families, and America. Donald only cares about himself.
On her first day in court, Kamala said five words that guide her still: ‘Kamala Harris, for the people.’
That’s something Donald Trump will never understand.
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Tim Walz arrives at Democratic convention
Without much fanfare, Kamala Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, has arrived at the Democratic national convention:
The Minnesota governor is expected to speak on Wednesday evening.
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Pelosi asked about 'bad blood' with Biden
Nancy Pelosi, congresswoman and former House speaker, was asked on CNN about any “bad blood” or “resentment” remaining between her and Joe Biden, surrounding her efforts to get the president to withdraw his candidacy.
Earlier in the day, Anita Dunn, a former senior White House adviser for Biden, said: “Nobody wants to have a fight with Nancy Pelosi at this time.” When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Pelosi to respond to that remark, she said: “Sometimes you just have to take a punch for the children.”
Pelosi continued: “He made the decision for the country. My concern was not about the president, it was about his campaign. He has seen the exuberance, the excitement that has come forth in our country.”
After Jake Tapper asks about the "residual bad blood" between her and Team Biden, Nancy Pelosi says: "Sometimes you have to take a punch for the children."
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) August 20, 2024
She then wonders, "Why are we even talking about it?" prompting Tapper to joke that "they're holding my cat hostage." pic.twitter.com/VzxH1FuwCB
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Austin Davis, lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, celebrated the Biden-Harris administration’s achievements on infrastructure:
President Trump promised us ‘infrastructure week’ over and over again. He really didn’t care, though, and it never happened. But President Biden and Vice-President Harris are on our side. They brought together Democrats and Republicans to get it done. We got I-95 in Philly fixed in less than two weeks.
The lieutenant governors of Wisconsin and California, and the county judge of Harris county, Texas also just spoke, praising the Biden-Harris administration’s achievements and offering personal stories about Harris’s support for their efforts in their states.
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Bernie Sanders: 'Trump is the most dangerous candidate' in US history
Senator Bernie Sanders has offered his take on why the Democratic party rallied around Kamala Harris so quickly – and why he did not seek the presidential nomination himself.
“I think what most of us – and I think most of the American people I hope – believe is that it’s absolutely imperative that Donald Trump is defeated,” Sanders, 82, said at a CNN Politico Grill event in Chicago. “Trump is the most dangerous candidate, I think, in the history of this country. I think he lies all of the time in just absolutely preposterous ways so I think there is a consensus that he has to be beaten.”
Sanders, who ran for president in both 2016 and 2020, added: “I am happy right now to be a United States senator. I’m running for election to Vermont – that’s keeping me busy.
“But I think there was a general consensus that Kamala Harris has done a good job as vice-president, that she would be a strong candidate and the alternative is to open up some kind of wild debate which would fracture the party a little bit is probably not a good idea.”
He continued: “I think she’s a very strong candidate. We shouldn’t be overly confident but I think she is generating a lot of energy among young people. I think many of them would have voted for Biden but I think they’re more energetic about her candidacy and I look forward to her winning the election. I’m going to do everything I can to make that possible.”
Sanders lavished praise on Joe Biden’s legislative achievements but offered blunt criticism of the president’s unwavering support for Israel’s war in Gaza. “On domestic issues Biden has been the most progressive since FDR. I’ve worked with them in so many ways. On this issue he’s wrong.”
Asked if Biden and Harris have differences over Gaza, the senator answered: “My honest answer is I don’t know any more than I’ve read.”
What does he hope Biden will say on Monday night? “My one criticism of the Biden administration is I don’t think they have been as articulate as they should be about their accomplishments. They’ve done a lot more than the average American knows. Maybe he’ll review some of those major accomplishments.”
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Check out footage of a gospel choir’s rendition of the US national anthem, which received a standing ovation at the convention:
AFL-CIO leader says election a choice between 'two economic visions'
Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO trade union federation, said Americans would choose between “two economic visions” at the ballot box in November.
“This election is about two economic visions, one where families live paycheck to paycheck, where people have no right to join a union – a CEO’s dream, but a worker’s nightmare,” she said.
The other choice is “an opportunity economy where we lower the costs of groceries, prescriptions and housing; where we go after big pharma, corporate landlords and price gougers; where there’s no such thing as a man’s job or a woman’s job, or like Donald Trump would say, a Black job, just a good union job,” she said.
“That’s the future our president, Joe Biden, has fought for, and that’s the future Kamala Harris and Tim Walz will keep fighting for.”
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Here are some photos from inside the United Center in Chicago as the first night of the Democratic national convention got under way:
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The pool reporter traveling with Kamala Harris reports that she has arrived at the United Center.
We have not laid eyes on her yet, and she is not expected to speak tonight. We expect her to enter the convention hall at some point and watch the speakers.
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The convention just heard from Dick Durbin, Illinois’s long-serving Democratic senator.
“Donald Trump is like a bad boss,” Durbin said. Then he explained:
You want time off to take care of your sick parents? Ask Donald Trump – denied. In Donald Trump’s America, there is no paid family leave. Want to have a child, but need IVF, too bad, that’s shut down. You want a pay raise? Too bad, the boss just gave himself one so there’s nothing left for you. Donald Trump reminds us of a boss we all had, the guy who thinks he’s a very stable genius but is driving the company into the ground.
Now, get this. Donald Trump did make history. Let’s give him credit. He is one of only two presidents in the history of the United States to leave office with fewer Americans working than when he started. Now he wants a chance to make America unemployed again.
On stage now are Sandra Abrevaya and her husband, Brian Wallach, who suffers from ALS.
Wallach cannot speak, but Abrevaya is talking about the Biden administration’s efforts to help people suffering from the neurodegenerative disease.
“Brian and I are still driven by hope and by faith in what we can do collectively, and that includes the power of our vote. This November, we are voting for our future,” she said.
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At their convention last month, the GOP didn’t talk much about the Covid-19 pandemic.
But the Democrats clearly see political advantage in doing so, with California congressman Robert Garcia hitting out at Donald Trump for his handling of the virus, in a speech to the convention.
“Like many of you, I watched in terror and horror as the Covid pandemic consumed our lives. As mayor, I fought for more hospital beds, for more tests and to make masks more accessible. What we needed at that moment was national leadership, but instead, we got Donald Trump,” said Garcia, who was mayor of Long Beach, California, when the virus broke out.
Like Flanagan, he noted how the virus had affected his own family:
While schools closed and dead bodies filled morgues, Donald Trump downplayed the virus. He told us to inject bleach into our bodies. He peddled conspiracy theories across the country. We lost hundreds of thousands of Americans, and our economy collapsed.
Now, that summer of 2020 my mom and my stepfather both died of the Covid pandemic, and I miss them every single day. So when Donald Trump and his Maga extremists like Marjorie Taylor Greene downplay the horror of the pandemic, it should make us all furious.
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Peggy Flanagan, the lieutenant-governor of Minnesota who just spoke at the Democratic convention, is on track to make history if Kamala Harris wins.
Flanagan, who told the convention about being a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, will take over as governor of Minnesota, if Tim Walz, the current governor, steps down to serve as vice-president. That would make Flanagan the first Indigenous woman to serve as a US governor and also be the first female governor in the state’s history.
She is already the highest-ranking Indigenous woman in a state-level executive office. And, if Flanagan becomes governor, Minnesota’s senate president, Bobby Joe Champion, would become the state’s first Black lieutenant governor.
Democratic convention speakers have been emphasizing the importance of diversity in the party, a sharp contrast to the Republican convention. More on Flanagan here:
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Democrats aren’t shying away from discussing the Covid-19 pandemic, with Minnesota’s lieutenant governor Peggy Flanagan taking the stage to talk about the tragedy the virus brought upon her family, and how Donald Trump was to blame.
“My brother Ron was the second person to die of Covid in the state of Tennessee. We couldn’t see him. We couldn’t have a memorial. And millions of American families went through the same thing. Our communities were suffering, our economy was struggling, and Donald Trump was playing games. Our country was brought to the brink by his failure to respond, but the Biden-Harris administration stepped in with quick and decisive action,” Flanagan said.
Then a video played showing Trump’s statements about the coronavirus. The convention heard him say “we have it totally under control” and that it will go away when the weather gets warm. “The risk to the American people remains very low … this the same as the flu. It’s going to disappear one day,” the former president said in the video.
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This appears to be the outer perimeter that protesters knocked over earlier today:
As the Chicago police noted, they did not get through the inner perimeter around the United Center, where the convention is taking place.
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Chicago police say demonstrators breached one layer of convention security, but 'no threat' to attendees
Protesters outside the Democratic national convention breached the outer security perimeter, but made it no further, the Chicago police said, adding that there was “no threat” to those attending the gathering:
— Chicago Police Communications & News Affairs (@CPD_Media) August 19, 2024
Taking care of party business is one of the functions of conventions, and the Democrats are no exception.
We’re now hearing from Leah Daughtry, the co-chair of the convention’s rules committee, who is asking the convention to support a resolution regarding automatic delegates. The delegates loudly approved it, by a voice vote.
The other co-chair of the rules committee is Minnesota governor Tim Walz who is, as Daughtry put it, “a little occupied this evening”.
After a video that credited his 1984 presidential run with paving the way for Barack Obama to become the first Black president 24 years later, civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has come onstage.
He is in a wheelchair and waved at the crowd, without speaking. He is now being wheeled away by a group that includes Al Sharpton, again waving at the crowd as he goes.
Jackson in 2017 announced a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Ddisease, and last year retired as head of the Rainbow Push Coalition civil rights group, which is based in Chicago:
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Derrick Johnson, the leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) civil rights group, opened his remarks with a veiled swipe at Donald Trump.
“Good evening. I’m Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, and I’m here to do my Black job,” Johnson began to laughs.
What’s a “Black job”? The remark is one of several instances of Trump stepping in it in his attempts to win the support of African American voters.
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Jaime Harrison opens first night of Democratic convention
Democratic chair Jaime Harrison has officially kicked off the opening night of the party’s convention in Chicago.
“Hope and hard work can take you anywhere,” said Harrison. “That’s the America Democrats believe in, and that’s the America Democrats are fighting for.”
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At least two people arrested at protest against Israel-Gaza war
The Guardian’s George Chidi, who is reporting from Chicago, writes there was a standoff between demonstrators and the police:
At least two people have been arrested in a fenced area between a park and the United Center, as protesters began disabling fences in the narrow gap.
Riot police lined up and marched protesters together, driving them back through a gap created in the fence. As police repaired one hole in the fence, masked protesters unlatched holes in other parts.
The standoff diminished into a quiet vigil around 5.20 CT, with about 200 people on one side of the fence and equal numbers of cops on the other.
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Outside of the convention, thousands of protesters have been demonstrating against the US support for Israel amid the bombardment of Gaza.
Dozens of protesters had broken through a fence set up by police near the United Center, where the convention is being held, the Associated Press reported.
“We have to play our part in the belly of the beast to stop the genocide, to end US aid to Israel and stand with Palestine,” said Hatem Abudayyeh, a spokesperson for the Coalition to March on the DNC, told the AP.
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Joe and Jill Biden, Hillary Clinton to headline Democratic convention's opening night
Hello, US politics blog readers, and thanks for joining us as we cover the first night of the Democratic national convention in Chicago. Just a few weeks ago, we were expecting the four-day event to be all about Joe Biden and his campaign for a second term, but everything changed after the president bowed out of the race and allowed his vice-president, Kamala Harris, to take over as the party’s presidential nominee. Now in the final months of both his presidency and his more than 50-year career in politics, Biden remains an important figure among Democrats, and will give the keynote speech at the convention this evening.
Before Biden takes the stage (which we’re expecting at about 10pm CT), we’ll hear from first lady Jill Biden, and luminaries from across the party’s ideological spectrum, including Hillary Clinton, the party’s first female nominee for president, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman and progressive icon.
The convention kicked off at 5.15pm CT amid protests near the convention center against the war in Gaza.
Here’s what else we’ll be watching out for this evening:
Tonight’s theme is “For the People”, and is intended to showcase how Democrats are, well, “fighting for the American people”, according to the convention’s organizing committee.
The vice-president is expected to appear this evening, as is her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz. But do not expect either to speak – Harris will deliver the final address of the convention on Thursday, and Walz will speak to the crowd on Wednesday.
Harris and Walz have both already been formally nominated by the party, but the convention will nonetheless hold a ceremonial nomination of the Minnesota governor this evening.
Speakers this evening will run the gamut, from members of Congress to state leaders, including longtime South Carolina representative and Biden confidante James Clyburn, New York governor Kathy Hochul and progressive Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.
Organized labor will be well-represented this evening, with joint remarks from six labor groups scheduled, as well as an address from United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain.
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