Director of Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 is stepping down
(WASHINGTON) — Paul Dans, the director of the Heritage Foundation’s controversial Project 2025, is stepping down amid intense scrutiny of the conservative blueprint.
Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, confirmed that Dans announced he is leaving his position.
“When we began Project 2025 in April 2022, we set a timeline for the project to conclude its policy drafting after the two party conventions this year, and we are sticking to that timeline,” Roberts posted on X.
“Paul, who built the project from scratch and bravely led this endeavor over the past two years, will be departing the team and moving up to the front where the fight remains,” he wrote.
However, it doesn’t look like Project 2025 is nearing its end as Roberts also claimed that they will “continue our efforts to build a personnel apparatus for policymakers of all levels.”
Project 2025, organized by the Heritage Foundation but backed by more than 100 groups and authored by several allies of Donald Trump, is a 922-page document outlining conservative policy priorities.
It includes expanding presidential power, eliminating the Department of Education, taking the abortion pill mifepristone off the market, cutting federal funding for clean energy research, restricting welfare programs and more.
The initiative has been a point of controversy in the 2024 campaign, as Democrats heavily campaign against what they’ve called its “dangerous” proposals.
Trump has sought to distance himself from Project 2025, saying he knew “nothing” about it and “no idea” who was behind it. But several of the former president’s current and former advisers and appointees have authored or supported the project, including Christopher Miller and Ben Carson.
The Trump campaign celebrated the news of Dans’ departure from the presidential transition initiative.
“Reports of Project 2025’s demise would be greatly welcomed and should serve as notice to anyone or any group trying to misrepresent their influence with President Trump and his campaign — it will not end well for you,” campaign officials Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita wrote in a statement.
The Harris campaign on Tuesday quickly tried to pour cold water on the idea there’s daylight between potential second term Trump policies and Project 2025’s platform, highlighting the close ties he has to members affiliated with the group.
“Project 2025 is on the ballot because Donald Trump is on the ballot. This is his agenda, written by his allies, for Donald Trump to inflict on our country,” Harris for President campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement.
(WASHINGTON) — Coming off of a brief respite from the campaign trail after a star-studded week in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz are heading to Georgia for a two-day bus tour that ends in a solo rally with the vice president in Savannah.
The tour will mark the first time the two campaigns will be in the crucial swing state together, with a planned stop for their first sit down interview since Harris ascended to the top of the ticket with CNN’s chief political correspondent and anchor Dana Bash on Thursday.
Although there is no notable post-convention polling that has been released to date, the campaign saw a bump in donations of $82 million during the week of the DNC, bringing the total haul since launching her candidacy last month to $540 million, her campaign said.
Hoping to ride on that momentum, Harris and Walz are scheduled to travel through Georgia’s southeast where they will be meeting with supporters, small business owners and Georgia voters, according to the campaign. It will be their second venture on a tour with wheels following their Pennsylvania stops prior to the DNC.
President Joe Biden only narrowly won the state by some nearly 12,000 votes in 2020 that former President Donald Trump continues to heavily contest. Currently, she is neck-and-neck with Trump at the polls in the state, according to 538’s average.
“Campaigning in southern Georgia is critical as it represents a diverse coalition of voters, including rural, suburban, and urban Georgians – with a large proportion of Black voters and working class families,” said Harris-Walz Georgia state director Porsha White in a memo.
This is all in addition to their 35,000 new volunteers, as well as more than 190 Democratic campaign staff in 24 coordinated offices across the state, officials said.
Through extensive “Get Out the Vote” organizing efforts, Black voters were a huge contributing factor to Biden’s win in a state that former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had all but skipped during their presidential runs.
Harris’ tour is a testament that the campaign still feels like the Peach State’s 16 electoral votes are in play.
“We turned Georgia blue for the first time in three decades in 2020, and we’re seizing on the energy and putting in the work to win again in 2024,” White said in the memo.
Following CNN’s interview, Walz will head to Massachusetts for a solo rally on Thursday. Voters will see Harris, Walz and their spouses — second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, respectively — on the trail again for a Labor Day blitz across several battleground states prior to ABC News’ debate on Sept. 10.
In a presidential campaign like no other — and just four weeks after President Joe Biden bowed out of the race — Democrats are gathering in Chicago this week to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as their candidate to take on former President Donald Trump.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Clyburn calls Project 2025 ‘Jim Crow 2.0’
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn called Project 2025 “Jim Crow 2.0” during his remarks while drawing a comparison between Trump and Harris.
“While Trump falsely pleads ignorance of Project 2025, which in my opinion is Jim Crow 2.0, Kamala has been offering the American people enlightened proposals and visionary leadership,” he said.
The DNC earlier took aim at the conservative policy blueprint, which has become a flashpoint in the 2024 election, in a video that aired earlier in the night and remarks by Mallory McMorrow, a Michigan state senator.
Hillary Clinton gets standing ovation as she fires up crowd
The crowd at the United Center got on their feet when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took the stage where she supported Harris and applauded Biden.
“There is a lot of energy in this room — just like there is a lot of energy in this country,” she said.
Clinton saluted Biden, calling him “democracy’s champion,” and praising his years of service.
“He brought dignity, decency and competence back to the White House,” she said.
Clinton talked about the long history of bringing women’s voices heard and the number of glass ceilings that were broken, including her 2016 presidential nomination.
“I wish my mother and Kamala’s mother could see us. They would say, ‘Keep going,'” she said.
The crowd chanted “Keep going,” in response.
She also took a jab a Trump, joking that he fell asleep during his own trial. The crowd shouted “lock him up,” turning the tables on the chant used at Trump rallies against Clinton.
Clinton smiled as the crowd chanted.
Clinton said that as president, Harris would be a fighter for all Americans, and cares about America.
“I know what it takes, and I can tell you, as commander in chief, Kamala won’t disrespect our military and our veterans,” she said.
Clinton told the crowd that they are still needed to fight for every vote and not just depend on the poll numbers.
“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 have,” she said.
Crowd chants ‘lock him up’ during Hillary Clinton speech
The crowd erupted in chants of “lock him up” during Hillary Clinton’s speech after she highlighted the history that was made with his 34 felony convictions in New York.
After trying to continue her speech at the start of the chants, Clinton smiled and nodded before carrying on with her remarks.
Trump famously encouraged “lock her up” chants during his 2016 run against Clinton, accusing her of criminal wrongdoing though she never faced a single charge.
Harris family members, friends appear in video to discuss her background
Actor Tony Goldwyn kickstarted a segment about Harris’ story, which he said began in a middle-class, tight-knit neighborhood in the East Bay of California.
“These are the experiences that made her the leader she is today,” Goldwyn said.
A video then aired featuring testimonials of a young Harris from her sister Maya Harris, her friend Stacey Johnson-Batiste and her mother’s friend Lenore Pomerance.
Johnson-Batiste recalled a young Kamala Harris defending her on the playground.
“This one particular day, we had made some clay art and this one boy in our class had taken mine for whatever reason and threw it on the ground and it shattered. So Kamala, being very protective, just jumped in front of me and stood up to him. To me, that shows the kind of person that she has always been, to stand up to the bully and to stand up for the underdog and to stand up for what is right,” Johnson-Batiste said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez riles up crowd while going after Trump
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez riled up the crowd when she went after Trump while urging voters to make history in electing Harris as president.
“Chicago, we have to help her win, because we know that Donald Trump would sell this country for a dollar if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing the palms of his Wall Street friends,” she said.
“And I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life,” she said to rapturous applause.
“The truth is, Don, you cannot love this country if you only fight for the wealthy and big business. To love this country is to fight for its people,” she continued.
Ocasio-Cortez briefly mentioned the Israel-Hamas war, saying Harris is “working tirelessly” to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and bring hostages home.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez riles up crowd while going after Trump
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez riled up the crowd when she went after Trump while urging voters to make history in electing Harris as president.
“Chicago, we have to help her win, because we know that Donald Trump would sell this country for a dollar if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing the palms of his Wall Street friends,” she said.
“And I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life,” she said to rapturous applause.
“The truth is, Don, you cannot love this country if you only fight for the wealthy and big business. To love this country is to fight for its people,” she continued.
‘Trump’s a scab’: UAW president
United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain took the stage and began by thanking President Joe Biden for joining the picket lines during their strikes against the major auto companies last year.
Fain praised Vice President Kamala Harris for her years of supporting the UAW and for fighting for workers’ rights.
“It’s real simple. Kamala Harris is one of us. She’s a fighter for the working class. And Donald Trump is a scab,” Fain said to the crowd who chanted “Trump is a scab.”
Fain revealed a shirt with that statement along with “Vote Harris” midway through his speech citing Nelly’s 2002 song “Hot in Here.”
“It’s hot in here because you’re fired up and you’re fed up and the American working class is fired up and fed up,” he said.
Fain also called out Trump’s rhetoric blaming economic problems on several groups including immigrants and LGTBQ groups.
“Trump is pushing divide and conquer tactics of the rich. It’s the oldest trick in the book,” he said.
“They do that because they want working-class people to be divided into focus and keep the focus off the one true enemy: corporate greed. The rich think we’re stupid, but working class Americans see this for what it is,” Fain added.
NBA coach Steve Kerr greeted with applause
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr got a standing ovation when he walked on stage, just over a week after he coached the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team won gold.
Chants of “USA” stretched across the convention floor as he started speaking.
“It was the proudest moment of my life,” he said, recounting the team’s victory in Paris earlier this month.
Protests expected inside convention hall during Biden’s remarks
Convention staff is preparing for possible disruptions over Gaza during President Joe Biden’s keynote speech.
ABC News has heard from staff and activists that they likely won’t come from uncommitted delegates on the convention floor, but are expected to come from activists who have passes into the arena who are in sections higher up.
-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks and Isabella Murray
Actor Tony Goldwyn, tonight’s host, appears
Actor Tony Goldwyn, who famously played a president on TV in ABC’s “Scandal,” has arrived for the primetime hour of the DNC’s first night.
Goldwyn said the choice between Harris and Trump is between “two very different futures” for our middle class, reproductive rights, climate, security, schools and “the future of our very democracy.”
He said Harris has a message for America.
“It is a message that’s joyful, not mean-spirited, a message of public service, not self-service, a message of optimism and opportunity, not chaos and division. A message that has woken us up to who we are, to who we’ve always,” he said.
Harris gets raucous ovation in brief appearance
Harris sent the crowd into a frenzy when she walked onto the stage at the United Center, with attendees jumping to their feet in surprise.
“It is so good to be with everyone this evening in this hall and everyone at home. This is going to be a great week,” she said to more applause.
Harris also gave Biden his flowers, sparking chants of “USA!”
“And I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden, who will be speaking later tonight,” she said. “We are forever grateful to you.”
Harris walked off to her campaign anthem, Beyonce’s hit song “Freedom.”
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul slams Trump
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul made several jabs at former President Donald Trump during her speech at the convention.
Hochul cited Trump’s history of stiffing workers, sexually harassing women and his recent conviction in a Manhattan court.
“Donald Trump was born a New Yorker, but ended up a fraud, a philanderer and a felon,” she said.
“New Yorkers are sick of it. It’s no wonder he had to flee to Mar-A-Lago. Sorry about that, Florida,” Hochul added.
The governor touted Harris’ work in bringing new jobs to New York state and stressed Americans must vote to protect the middle class and abortion rights.
Jason Isbell 2nd performer of the night
Grammy-winning Americana singer-songwriter Jason Isbell performed his song “Something More Than Free,” about the struggle of blue-collar life, for the evening’s second performance.
DNC takes aim at Project 2025
A video just aired at the convention criticizing Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint that has become a flashpoint in the 2024 election.
Mallory McMorrow, a Michigan state senator, then walked on stage and slammed a giant book on the podium.
“You are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900-page document,” McMorrow said of Project 2025. “Why? Because this is the Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.”
It includes expanding presidential power and eliminating the Department of Education and other federal agencies, McMorrow noted. She said that’s how it works in “dictatorships” and that Democrats believe in the separation of powers and the rule of law.
Read more about Project 2025 here. Trump has tried to distance himself from the blueprint, even though several of the former president’s current and former advisers and appointees have authored or supported it.
Mickey Guyton is first entertainer of the night
Mickey Guyton, a Black country music artist, is the first entertainer of the night.
Guyton is performing her song “All American” on stage.
Other performers to come this convention include Jason Isbell and James Taylor.
‘Union yes!’ chant breaks out
A chant of “Union yes!” broke out as AFSCME President Lee Saunders took to the podium while joined by other union leaders on the stage.
Sen. Dick Durbin lauds Democrats’ policies to help working class Americans Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin chastised former President Donald Trump’s economic policies citing what he said were the millions of jobs lost during his term.
Durbin touted the Biden-Harris administration’s work to bring back more manufacturing jobs to several parts of the country.
“These investments mean a strong economy, growing public schools and well-funded well-staffed first responders,” he said. “These investments mean hope. That’s what Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are fighting for.”
Durbin talked about his parents and how they were helped by a union.
“We worked not just to get by, but to get ahead,” he said.
COVID-19 response continues to be talking point
Trump’s COVID-19 response continues to be a talking point throughout the night.
California Rep. Robert Garcia recounted how, as mayor of Long Beach at the start of the pandemic, he fought for more tests and to make masks more accessible.
“What we needed at that moment was national leadership. But instead, we got Donald Trump,” Garcia said. “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.”
Among those lost were Garcia’s mother and stepfather, who both died from COVID-19 in the summer of 2020, he said.
“I miss them every single day,” Garcia said, adding that when Trump and his MAGA extremists “downplayed the horror of the pandemic, it should make us all furious.”
In her remarks, Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood said Trump “took the COVID crisis and turned it into a catastrophe.”
“We can never let him be our president again,” she said.
By contrast, Underwood said Harris and Biden worked to make health care more affordable and that Harris “championed” the so-called Momnibus Act, which Underwood introduced to address maternal mortality disparities in the U.S.
“Because she protects the people who are most vulnerable,” Underwood said.
Former Trump supporter Rich Logis says he’s ‘all in’ for Harris
In a video message, former Trump supporter Rich Logis of Florida urged Republicans and Independents against voting for the former president.
“So this is my message to all the Republicans and Independents who are watching — people like me who voted for and believed in Trump: I made a brave mistake, but it’s never too late to change your mind. You don’t need to agree with everything you hear tonight to do what is right. We need to be able to trust our leaders. That’s why I’m all in for Kamala Harris.”
‘We’re not going back’ chants erupt at DNC
Rep. Lauren Underwood wrapped up her remarks about COVID and health care by praising the work of the Biden-Harris administration.
“Four years ago, it was not safe to hold a convention like this. But tonight, thousands have gathered in this arena in my home state of Illinois to make sure Kamala Harris is the next president of the United States,” Underwood said. “We have come so far these past four years and we’re not going back.”
The crowd immediately erupted in cheers of, “We’re not going back!”
The phrase has been a hallmark of Harris’ campaign so far, often arising when she is criticizing aspects of Trump’s record.
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan touts Democrats’ fight against COVID
Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, returned to the stage to tout Gov. Tim Walz after he was confirmed as the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
Flanagan, who would become the first Indigenous governor if Harris wins the election, talked about her upbringing as a citizen of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, and how it shaped her values.
“The role of our clan is to ensure that we never leave anyone behind. That’s why I am supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to be the next president and vice president of the United States,” she said.
Flanagan got emotional when she talked about her late brother, who was one of the first Minnesota residents to die from COVID-19 in 2020.
She said former President Donald Trump “was playing games” during his COVID-19 response.
“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.
Walz confirmed as Democratic vice presidential nominee
Gov. Tim Walz was ceremonially confirmed as the Democratic vice presidential nominee during a voice vote.
“USA” chants broke out again in the stadium after the vote.
Walz will deliver his acceptance speech on Wednesday at the DNC.
Delegates adopt party platform, ‘USA’ chants break out
Democratic National Committee delegates passed the party’s 2024 platform in a voice vote.
A full, 92-page draft platform was unveiled by the party late on Sunday night. The document, which was written before President Joe Biden left the 2024 race, was voted upon by the DNC’s Rules Committee in July. It was not updated significantly since Harris replaced him at the top of the ticket.
“USA” chants broke out in the stadium after the platform was adopted.
Rep. Maxine Waters remembers Fannie Lou Hamer
During her remarks, California Rep. Maxine Waters reflected on a Democratic National Convention she attended when she was 22, when civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer “made her presence known” as vice-chair of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.
“It was in 1964, in Atlantic City, and she arrived with a group of Black delegates from Mississippi,” Waters said of Hamer. “She simply asked that her delegates be seated in place of the state’s all-white delegation.”
Waters said that Hamer, after talking about the “violence she suffered at the hands of white police because she, a Black woman, had demanded her right to vote,” then asked the country a “simple but profound question: Is this America”
Decades later, with Harris as the party’s nominee, Waters said she will be thinking about Hamer in November after Americans elect Harris as their president.
“We can ask ourselves, ‘Is this America’ And we will be able to say loudly and proudly, ‘You’re damn right it is!'” Waters said.
NAACP president: ‘I’m here to do my Black job’
Before paying tribute to Black political trailblazers, NAACP President Derrick Johnson took an apparent jab at former President Donald Trump.
Johnson introduced himself saying, “Good evening, I’m Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, and I’m here to do my Black job.”
“We must all understand Black history is American history, and in this historic moment, we will write the next chapter together,” he said.
(Trump, while speaking at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in July, again tried to claim that migrants are taking “Black jobs” — comments he has faced backlash over.)
The Rev. Jesse Jackson gets a standing ovation
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader and 1988 Democratic presidential candidate, received a standing ovation when he was wheeled on stage, right after a video on the civil rights movement ended.
Jackson was joined by other civil rights icons, including the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader and 1988 Democratic presidential candidate, received a standing ovation when he was wheeled on stage.
Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan, Walz’s possible successor, introduces Maxine Waters
Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, introduced Rep. Maxine Waters to speak at the DNC. Waters received a standing ovation before speaking.
Flanagan is poised to serve as Minnesota’s next governor if Gov. Tim Walz steps down to serve as vice president.
As a citizen of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Flanagan would be the first Native American female governor.
‘The fight continues, and there is still more work to do’: DNC chair
DNC Chair Jamie Harrison took the stage to tout the Democrats’ work over the last four years and the goals of a Harris-Walz administration.
“The fight continues, and there is still more work to do,” he said.
“I know that when we elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, they will build on our accomplishments and they will create a country that works for every American,” he added.
Harrison encouraged voters to be active in the coming weeks for all races down the ticket.
“In my beloved home state of South Carolina, our motto is, ‘While I breathe, I hope.’ Folks, I believe in the power of hope, but it’s going to take more than hope to win this election,” he said.
Crowd is amped up as convention kicks off
Delegates and other attendees here in the United Center are amped up — and have been paying attention.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson got a rousing applause when he said his daughter will be able to see herself in Harris. And when Democratic National Committee Chair Jamie Harrison started off with one of Harris’ marquee remarks, the crowd quickly finished it with him.
“When we fight…” Harrison said.
“We win!” the crowd erupted.
-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod
3 vulnerable Senate Democrats won’t be at the DNC this week
Three vulnerable Senate Democrats will sit out the DNC this week: Sens. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.
A spokesperson from Rosen’s campaign said she’s choosing to focus on her own reelection this week and will meet with Nevada voters instead. She did, however, join Harris and Walz at a campaign event in Las Vegas earlier this month.
“Senator Rosen supports the Harris-Walz ticket and was glad to join them on the campaign trail in Las Vegas this past weekend,” a spokesperson for her campaign said.
A spokesperson for the Tester campaign similarly confirmed he won’t be in attendance this week.
Notably, he’ll be attending a Pearl Jam concert in Montana this week, with an associated fundraiser for his campaign with the band’s bassist the day before. He’ll spend the rest of his August farming and meeting with voters face to face, per his campaign.
A spokesperson for Brown also confirmed he won’t be in attendance at the convention. A campaign spokesperson did not respond to multiple emails asking for further information about where the senator will be this week.
-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson welcomes crowd
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson helped kick off the first night of the DNC, welcoming the delegates to the city.
He told the crowd that Chicago is where former President Barack Obama “rose to the White House, reminding us that, yes, we can.”
“This city of hard work and caring people is where Democrats will celebrate President Joe Biden and nominate Kamala Harris for president of the United States of America,” he said.
Johnson spoke about what a Harris presidency would mean for his family.
“As a Black man raising a little Black girl on the West Side of Chicago, I know that my daughter, Braedyn, will see not only a reflection of herself in the White House, but she will experience the deepest part of American values,” he said to applause.
Some ‘uncommitted’ delegates say they have ‘hope’ with Harris as nominee Several “uncommitted” delegates say they are not planning to disrupt the speeches tonight at the DNC.
Violet Olds from Kentucky and Mohamad Khatib from Florida say they want Harris to win, but their goal is to send her a strong message.
“I’m sure we’re all going to fall in line when it comes to November, but as for now, we are here to speak as Americans, supporting our Palestinian American brothers and sisters to send a message,” Olds said.
Khatib said Harris is a welcome change to the top of the ticket.
“When Harris came in and became the designated nominee, she made statements that are showing her understanding and appreciation of the suffering of the Palestinian people. She made the point that she’s not going to stay silent.”
But Khatib said words aren’t enough: “What our communities are saying is that we want Kamala Harris to take actions to support these statements that she started making.”
Olds said that now, under Harris, she feels “hopeful” about the future.
“That’s one of the messages that the whole of the DNC is trying to conjure: hope, joy, and that we want those abroad to have that same hope and joy that we have,” Olds said.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang, Tia Humphries and Mitchell Alva
1st night of the DNC kicks off
The first night of the DNC is underway in Chicago, with the convention officially called to order.
Tonight’s theme is “For the people” and the evening is being hosted by actor Tony Goldwyn — who famously played a president on TV in the ABC series “Scandal.”
4 arrested after some protesters breach security fence: Police
Four people were arrested after several protesters broke through an outer security fence outside the United Center during the pro-Palestinian rally “March on the DNC,” police said.
There is a heavy police presence outside the venue, where the DNC will soon kick off.
The inner perimeter fence was not breached, police said.
Biden touts accomplishments in video prominently featuring Harris ahead of DNC speech President Joe Biden posted a video on social media touting his accomplishments and prominently features Vice President Kamala Harris just ahead of his speech at the DNC on Monday evening.
“Thank you, America, for keeping the faith,” Biden wrote in a post on X.
Throughout the video, images of Harris flash on the screen, including of her meeting with Parkland shooting victims’ parents, meeting with world leaders and sharing a moment with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie
The history of political conventions in Chicago
Greetings from the Windy City — or, as Chicago should be called, the City of Conventions. Chicago has hosted more political conventions than any other city in America. Before the 26th major-party political convention in Chicago history kicks off, watch this video my colleagues and I made this morning to familiarize yourself with the history of the other 25.
-538’s Nathaniel Rakich
Rep. Suozzi says he’s happy with how Harris has handled immigration
Rep. Tom Suozzi, a moderate Democrat who flipped a New York district held by ousted Rep. George Santos, campaigned heavily on immigration and messaging that the Democrats should be tougher on the issue.
But Suozzi told ABC News on Monday he’s happy with how Vice President Kamala Harris has handled the key 2024 issue so far.
“She came out early in this campaign and continues to talk about how she would have supported the bipartisan Senate deal to secure the border. Now, I think we’re going to hear more and more details about securing the border, fixing the asylum system and helping those people that have been here for decades, that have played by the rules to try and lift them up,” Suozzi said.
When asked if he’s spoken with Harris since she began her presidential bid, Suozzi said he has not but has spoken with her team. Suozzi is also set to speak at the convention this week.
On the ticket as a whole, Suozzi told ABC News: “I feel great. I’m so excited about this ticket. I’m excited by the enthusiasm I see from the voters, not only in my district, but throughout the country.”
-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim
Biden says he’s ready to pass the torch during DNC walk-through
During a walk-through at the United Center ahead of his speech tonight, President Joe Biden said he was ready to pass the torch.
“Are you ready to pass the torch, sir?” a reporter asked from the floor while Biden did his stage check.
“I am,” Biden answered from the podium, where he’ll speak later tonight.
In response to questions about his message, he said: “You’ll hear it tonight.”
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett
Rep. Phillips reflects on his early call for Biden to exit 2024 race
Rep. Dean Phillips, a former 2024 Democratic presidential candidate who was the first congressional Democrat to question Biden’s candidacy, appeared on ABC News Live to discuss the state of the election since Biden dropped out of the race.
ABC News’ Kyra Phillips asked the Minnesota congressman if he felt like he deserved an apology for being the first to say Biden should leave this race.
“Just walking into this room today … that’s the only apology I needed,” he replied, adding: “It’s the energy, the excitement. I was just begging for a party to listen. … I don’t need an apology. What I need is for us to win, and it feels pretty darn good here today.”
Rep. Phillips said this convention “is a passing of the torch to the new generation. I think people want to leave here feeling something.”
The Minnesota lawmaker didn’t receive much praise for calling on President Joe Biden to end his re-election campaign. He joins the show to discuss what’s occurred since Biden dropped out of the race.
-ABC News’ Isabella Meneses
Biden does stage check ahead of his keynote speech
President Joe Biden was seen doing a stage check Monday afternoon at the United Center in preparation for his opening night speech.
4:36 PM EDT March on the DNC starts
A march organized in support of Palestinians in Gaza during the DNC has started, hours before its first night of programming kicks off.
Organizers with the Coalition to March on the DNC, which represents more than 200 activist organizations, said about 15,000 people were present for a rally held in Union Park, near the convention site, ahead of the march.
4:29 PM EDT Biden continues to ‘fine tune’ speech and is in ‘great spirits’ on way to DNC
Biden continues to “fine tune” his speech after working on it over the weekend and is in “great spirits” as he heads to the convention, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One.
“Yeah, look, the president is certainly going to continue to fine tune the speech, if you will. He had an opportunity to work on it this past weekend with Mike Donilon and Vinay Reddy, and so he’s very much looking forward to this moment. As I just said, it is a fulfilling moment for him, and he’s excited. He’s excited,” Jean-Pierre said.
“It’s a big night. He’s looking forward to it. He’s looking forward to addressing the Democratic Party and and obviously the nation. It’s a big night,” she added
Jean-Pierre said Biden was in a good mood on the plane ride over.
“He’s in great spirits and I think what you’ll see is a president who has put his kind of his personal agenda aside and putting the country first, and that’s who he’s always been throughout his career, more than 50 years,” Jean-Pierre said.
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett
4:21 PM EDT Protesters speak out ahead of 1st mass rally during the DNC
The first mass rally during convention week in Chicago kicked off Monday afternoon in Union Park, located about four blocks east of the United Center, where the Democratic National Convention is being held.
Organizers with the Coalition to March on the DNC, which represents more than 200 activist organizations that gathered Monday in support of Palestinians in Gaza, said about 15,000 people were present.
ABC News spoke with several protesters ahead of the event. Many were native Chicagoans like Ken Justus, 68, who rode his bicycle, brandishing a “Swing Left” sign and sleigh bells. He said he still plans to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I want to make sure we still have a government,” he said. His motto: “Vote blue no matter who.”
Nearby, a coalition of nearly two dozen women from Indiana held banners to represent their organization, Jewish Voices for Peace. Their aim, said national board member Malkah Bird, 45, was to put pressure on the White House “no matter who is in office.”
“We want our money reinvested in the U.S. to help our communities and not used to bomb Palestinians,” Bird said.
One man, who asked ABC News not to use his name, said this was the first protest he had ever attended in his life. What motivated him, he said, was the “hypocrisy” of the administration’s support of Ukraine while sending arms to Israel.
“If we want to be the leader of the free world, we need to exercise the responsibility of being the leader of the free world,” he said.
Joshua Hansom, 52, traveled from Asheville, North Carolina, hoping to encourage people of all political stripes to come together through soccer. He passed cards to passersby encouraging them to join him to play soccer for two scheduled matches near Buckingham Fountain along the city’s lakefront.
What will come out of it?
“Hopefully some solutions,” he said. “At least some unity.”
-ABC News’ Mark Guarino
2:31 PM EDT Biden en route to Chicago
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden boarded Air Force One just after 2 p.m. ET to depart for Chicago.
They were followed by Peter Neal, the husband of Biden’s granddaughter Naomi Biden.
Traveling with the president are key members of his staff, including chief of staff Jeff Zients and senior advisers Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will gaggle with reporters during the flight.
2:02 PM EDT Ashley Biden to introduce her father at DNC tonight
Ashley Biden will introduce her father, President Joe Biden, tonight ahead of his remarks to the DNC, according to the schedule.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
1:07 PM EDT More Monday DNC convention speakers confirmed
United Auto Workers President Shawn Fein, Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas and everyday Americans — such as women who have been “subjected to cruel and dangerous abortion bans” — will speak at the DNC Monday night, said Harris Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks at the committee’s daily press briefing.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York also announced in a post on X that she will be speaking at 9 p.m. ET.
A full rundown of the Monday’s DNC convention speakers is still imminent, but several other names have been confirmed including President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
11:37 AM EDT 2024 Democratic platform to be voted on Monday at convention
Democratic National Committee delegates will vote on the party’s 2024 platform at its convention on Monday evening, according to officials.
A full, 92-page draft platform was unveiled by the party late on Sunday night. The document, which was written before President Joe Biden left the 2024 race, was voted upon by the DNC’s Rules Committee in July. It was not updated significantly since Harris replaced him at the top of the ticket.
Biden is mentioned 287 times in the platform, while Harris is mentioned 32 times.
“It makes a strong statement about the historic work that President Biden and Vice President Harris have accomplished hand-in-hand,” according to a release from the DNC, “and offers a vision for a progressive agenda that we can build on as a nation and as a Party as we head into the next four years.”
The draft platform emphasizes Biden’s support for brokering an “immediate and lasting ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas. The document also says that Biden has “made real progress on a way forward that will free the hostages” and “establish a durable ceasefire” as well as “meaningful progress and a political horizon for the Palestinian people.”
It does not, however, say that the party supports an arms embargo on Israel — something that progressives have been pushing for. It highlights Biden’s support for combating antisemitism.
Several delegates who have spoken with ABC News expect the draft to pass without significant objection.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
10:40 AM EDT Walz on Biden’s DNC speech: ‘We get an opportunity tonight to say a thank you’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made an unannounced appearance at Pennsylvania’s delegation breakfast in Chicago Monday morning and spoke glowingly about President Joe Biden ahead of the president’s DNC speech Monday night.
“We get an opportunity tonight to say a thank you to the best president of my lifetime that I’ve been able to witness, to someone who’s delivered time and time again, someone who made the selfless act of handing that torch to an incredible leader,” Walz said.
His speech was sandwiched between the state’s Gov. Josh Shapiro and other high profile governors: JB Pritzker of Illinois and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.
The Harris campaign said that Walz also made a surprise appearance at the Wisconsin delegate breakfast earlier on Monday, which featured Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie and Isabella Murray
10:34 AM EDT FLOTUS will focus on Biden’s strength, character and support for Harris in remarks: Source
First lady Jill Biden is expected to speak Monday night at the DNC and, according to a source familiar with her remarks, will focus on the president’s strength and character, as well as make clear her support for Vice President Kamala Harris.
The first lady will call on Americans to come together “with faith in each other, hope for a brighter future, and love for our country,” the source said.
She will be introduced by a video highlighting key moments from her time in this role, and the issues she has focused on in her public life, according to a source familiar. The video will include Vivian Wierwille from New Hampshire, who gave a memorable introduction of Dr. Biden in March 2021 at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School during the First Lady’s tour to highlight safely reopening schools after the pandemic.
While these remarks may be her last big address in her role as first lady, her office says she plant to continue to focus on her work in the next six months.
“Over the next six months, the First Lady will continue to champion the causes that have defined her public life: supporting military families, advocating for increased educational opportunities, working to end cancer as we know it, and advancing women’s health research,” Elizabeth Alexander, the First lady’s communications director said in a statement.
The source says that the first lady will “of course” be out on the trail for Harris this fall.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
10:15 AM EDT DNC kicks off with celebration of President Joe Biden’s legacy
The Democratic National Convention kicks off this morning in Chicago. According to party officials, 50,000 total visitors are expected throughout the week, including roughly 5,000 delegates and alternates and 15,000 members of the news media.
The DNC has not released a full rundown of the evening schedule but the marquee speech during convetnion programming (5:30 – 10:00 pm local time, 6:30-11:00 p.m. ET) is President Joe Biden. First lady Jill Biden and former Secretary of State – and 2016 candidate – Hillary Rodham Clinton are also set to speak tonight. Additional speakers will be announced today.
Monday’s theme is “For the People.” Officials say tonight’s programing will highlight “the accomplishments and results President Biden delivered for people” – “with [Harris] by his side.”
Delegates are also set to vote on the 2024 Democratic Party platform this evening.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray and Gabriella Abdul-Hakim
(WASHINGTON) — The special counsel’s new indictment charging former President Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election made changes large and small to accommodate the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on presidential immunity.
An indictment that once offered vivid details of Trump’s effort to enlist federal officials in his scheme to overturn the election removed any mention of the Department of Justice. Detailed accounts of how advisers corrected Trump about his claims of election fraud are gone along with Trump’s statements to his inner circle as rioters stormed the Capitol.
Prosecutors also made minor changes, such as describing Trump as “a candidate for President of the United States” rather than “the forty-fifth President of the United States” in the indictment’s opening lines. Trump’s official statements from within the White House were subtly removed, while other examples were framed as unofficial or “in his capacity as a candidate for office.”
“The Defendant had no official responsibilities related to the certification proceeding, but he did have a personal interest as a candidate in being named the winner of the election,” the new indictment said.
Special Counsel Jack Smith presented evidence to a new grand jury, which returned an indictment charging Trump with the same four criminal offenses he originally faced.
The indictment removes details about Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, including refusing to call off rioters.
The superseding indictment removes once-damning allegations about Trump’s refusal to act as rioters stormed the Capitol and his overall behavior as described by advisers.
According to the original indictment, Trump refused to approve a message directing rioters to leave the Capitol despite the urging of senior officials, including the White House counsel and his chief of staff.
Later that day, Trump allegedly resisted former House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s plea to call off rioters.
“The Defendant told the Minority Leader that the crowd at the Capitol was more upset about the election than the Minority Leader was,” the indictment said.
According to the original indictment, Trump also remarked to advisers in the Oval Office that “this is what happens when they try to steal an election. These people are angry. These people are really angry about it. This is what happens.”
On the evening of Jan. 6, Trump also rejected the request of his White House Counsel to withdraw any objections to the certification of the election, the indictment said.
The superseding indictment appears to have streamlined its account of Trump’s behavior while omitting the statements once included in the original indictment.
“He spent much of the afternoon reviewing Twitter on his phone, while the television in the dining room showed live events at the Capitol,” the superseding indictment said.
The indictment removes allegations about Trump’s use of the Department of Justice.
Compared to the original indictment, Tuesday’s superseding indictment removed five pages of allegations detailing how Trump allegedly used the Department of Justice to further his claims of election fraud.
Prosecutors originally alleged that Trump attempted to use the Department of Justice to further false claims of election fraud in key states to give Trump’s “lies the backing of the federal government.”
When DOJ officials rebutted Trump’s claims that the Justice Department could alter the outcome of the election, Trump allegedly responded, “Just say that the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen,” the original indictment said.
The indictment originally detailed how Trump allegedly worked with co-conspirator four — identified by ABC News as former Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark — to have the Department of Justice send a letter to key states falsely claiming that the Justice Department “identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election.” Trump allegedly planned to make Clark his acting attorney general in the final days of his presidency but was stopped when warned that such a move would result in mass resignations.
Once a core pillar of the case against Trump, all mentions of the Justice Department have been removed from the new indictment.
The indictment attempts to salvage key evidence.
The new indictment appears to make minor changes to salvage key evidence, including Trump’s call to Georgia officials about finding votes and Vice President Mike Pence’s notes.
The new indictment still describes Trump’s Jan. 2, 2021, phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, where Trump said he wanted “to find 11,780 votes” but added context to Meadows’ role in the call.
“On January 2, four days before Congress’s certification proceeding, the Defendant, his Chief of Staff – who sometimes handled private and Campaign-related logistics for the Defendant – and private attorneys involved in the lawsuit against Georgia’s Secretary of State called the Secretary of State,” the superseding indictment said.
The indictment still mentions Vice President Pence’s contemporaneous notes of a key meeting with Trump about the proposed plan to reject legitimate electors on Jan. 6.
“Did you hear that? Even your own counsel is not saying I have that authority,” Pence told Trump.
The new indictment only makes slight changes to the section referencing the notes, cutting a line that the “White House Counsel previously had pushed back on the Defendant’s false claims of election fraud.”
The new indictment also removes mention of a Dec. 29 phone call between Pence and Trump — memorialized in Pence’s notes — when the former president claimed the “Justice Dept [was] finding major infractions.”
The indictment overtly frames some of Trump’s statements as unofficial.
Prosecutors appear to have added phrases throughout the indictment to frame Trump’s statements as unofficial ones made as a candidate for office rather than official statements as president.
The indictment notably describes Trump’s statements at the Ellipse rally on Jan. 6 as a “campaign speech.”
Old Indictment: On January 6, the Defendant publicly repeated the knowingly false claim that 36,000 non-citizens had voted in Arizona.
New Indictment: In his Campaign speech on January 6, the Defendant publicly repeated the knowingly false claim that 36,000 non-citizens had voted in Arizona.
In two instances in the new indictment, prosecutors framed Trump’s actions as conduct made “in his capacity as a candidate for office.”
The indictment offers fewer details about officials correcting Trump on claims of voter fraud.
The original indictment previously went to lengths to detail how Trump’s closest advisers — including the vice president, members of the Department of Justice, the director of National Intelligence, and several White House attorneys — directly told the then-president that his claims of voter fraud were false.
The superseding indictment removes mention of federal officials notifying Trump that his claims were false, briefly mentioning Vice President Pence as Trump’s “own running mate.”
“The Defendant was on notice that his claims were untrue,” the new indictment said. “He was told so by those most invested in his re-election, including his own running mate and his campaign staff.”
The indictment originally detailed three instances in December 2020 when officials, including the acting attorney general and chief of staff, told Trump that his claims of fraud in Georgia — including at the Cobb County Civic Center and State Farm Arena — were false. The new indictment omits those details.
The indictment omits some of Trump’s statements from behind White House podiums or referencing the White House.
The superseding indictment surgically removes statements Trump made from within the White House behind official podiums.
In two instances from within the White House, Trump made remarks falsely alleging voter fraud in Michigan.
“In Detroit, there were hours of unexplained delay in delivering many of the votes for counting. The final batch did not arrive until four in the morning and—even though the polls closed at eight o’clock,” Trump said in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on November 5, 2020.
Unlike other instances in the indictment in which prosecutors clarified were made in Trump’s capacity as a candidate for office, Trump’s remarks made within the White House were struck from the indictment.
The indictment also removed mention of a January 5, 2021, Tweet when Trump told supporters heading to Washington, “We hear you (and love you) from the Oval Office.”
Reacting to the indictment, Trump issued a statement saying, “Smith, has brought a ridiculous new Indictment against me, which has all the problems of the old Indictment, and should be dismissed IMMEDIATELY.”
He also called it “an attempt to INTERFERE WITH THE ELECTION.”
Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, shared Trump’s sentiment, telling ABC News, “It looks like Jack Smith doing more of what he does, which is filing these absurd lawsuits in an effort to influence the election.”