RFK Jr. says he left dead bear in Central Park 10 years ago
(WASHINGTON) — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed in a conversation with Roseanne Barr posted on X Sunday that he placed a dead “young bear” in Central Park 10 years ago.
In the video, which the campaign said was posted to get ahead of a New Yorker article, the candidate said he was driving in upstate New York when a woman in a van in front of him hit and killed the bear, he told Barr.
Kennedy told Barr he pulled over and put the bear in the back of his vehicle, planning to skin it and put the meat in his refrigerator.
However, after a day spent “hawking,” followed by a dinner that ran long back in New York City, Kennedy told Barr that he did not have time to put the bear in his house before catching a flight out of New York. Kennedy said he chose — with encouragement from others — to place the dead bear in the New York City park next to a bicycle he happened to have in his car to make it appear as if a bicyclist struck the bear. Kennedy said bicycling accidents with pedestrians were big news at the time.
The dead bear made news when a woman discovered it the next day, though Kennedy was never tied to the incident.
Kennedy said at the end of the video that he told the story to get ahead of an upcoming New Yorker profile of him, which he believes will include details of the incident.
“Looking forward to seeing how you spin this one [New Yorker],” he wrote on X to accompany the video.
The Kennedy campaign is not worried about any legal ramifications stemming from Kennedy’s bear incident, a campaign official told.
The official said the video was shot as an outtake when Kennedy recorded a conversation with Barr. The campaign saw it as a funny story that they decided to post Sunday when they became aware the New Yorker was planning to include the incident in an upcoming article, the campaign official said.
(CHICAGO) — 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:
Biden touts accomplishments, paints them as Harris’ wins too
Biden took time to tout his administration’s work on COVID, the economy and health care.
“Because of you, we’ve had one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever, period. And when I say ‘we,’ I mean Kamala and me,” Biden said.
Biden pointed to the recent agreement reached by the government and Medicare to lower the prices of 10 commonly used prescription drugs — a result of the Inflation Reduction Act.
“And guess who cast the tie breaking vote? Vice President, soon to be President Kamala Harris,” Biden said.
‘We came together in 2020 to save democracy’: Biden
Biden reiterated his reasons for running for president in 2020 citing the Unite the Right rally in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, as a turning point in the country.
“I ran with a deep conviction,” he said.
“Because of all of you in this room and others, we came together in 2020 to save democracy,” Biden added. “As your president, I’ve been determined to keep America moving forward, not going back. To stand against hate and violence in all its forms, to be a nation where we not only live with, but thrive on diversity,” Biden added.
‘Stop arming Israel’ sign spotted in crowd before lights cut
A protest flag was spotted in the crowd during Biden’s remarks, reading, “Stop arming Israel.”
Delegates appeared to be trying to cover it up, but the sign was briefly visible in the back of the lower bowl before the lights were turned off in that section.
Biden: ‘Are you ready to vote for freedom?’
Biden kicked off his remarks after a long standing ovation from the crowd peppered with cheers of “We love Joe!” and “Thank you, Joe!”
He thanked his daughter for her introduction and gave shout-outs to his family, especially their “rock” first lady Jill Biden.
“My dad used to have an expression for real. He’d say, ‘Joey, family is the beginning, the middle and the end.’ And I love you all. And America, I love you,” he said to loud applause.
“Let me ask you, are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?” Biden continued.
Teary eyed Biden takes the stage
President Joe Biden wiped away tears as he approached the DNC stage to a standing ovation.
He embraced his daughter Ashley and thanked the crowd.
“I love you, thank you,” he said.
Ashley Biden calls president the ‘O.G. girl dad’
Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, called the president the “O.G. girl dad” in her remarks introducing him.
“He wasn’t just a girl dad. I could see that he valued and trusted women,” she said. “How he listened to his mother, how he believed in his sister, and most of all, how he respected my mother’s career.”
She continued, “Dad, 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.”
‘We will fight, and we will win together’: Jill Biden
First lady Jill Biden talked about her husband’s kindness and devotion to helping others during his years of service.
She noted that she she “saw him dig deep into his soul and decide to no longer seek reelection and endorse Kamala Harris.”
Jill Biden said that she and her family valued Harris for years, given the kinship the vice president had with Beau Biden.
“We have seen her courage, her determination and her leadership up close. Kamala and Tim, you will win, and you are inspiring a new generation,” she said.
“We will fight, and we will win together,” the first lady added.
Delaware Sen. Chris Coons leads crowd in ‘We love Joe!’ chant
Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a close Biden ally, spoke ahead of the president’s keynote speech.
He thanked Biden for his service, saying the president “passed and signed into law the most consequential legislation of any president in 60 years, helping our veterans, advancing gun safety, cutting prescription drug prices, fighting climate change, rebuilding bridges and broadband, bringing manufacturing back to America.”
He thanked Biden for “elevating a great leader in Kamala Harris” and led the crowd in a chant of “We love Joe!” at the end of his speech.
Sen. Warnock calls Trump a ‘plague on the American conscience’
Sen. Raphael Warnock, who made history as Georgia’s first Black senator, made clear the importance of his state in the 2020 election and what’s at stake this November.
“A vote is a kind of prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and our children, and our prayers are stronger when we pray together,” Warnock said. “So together we flipped the Senate, held the House and we sent Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House.”
The pastor went on to rail against former President Donald Trump, who he said is “a plague on the American conscience.”
Warnock said he saw photos of Trump holding up the Bible and said, “He should try reading it.”
“It says, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ It says, ‘In as much as you’ve done it unto the least of these, you have done it all. So on to me,'” Warnock said.
“So here we are, America. Are you ready?” Warnock added. “Are you ready to stand up in this moral moment? Stand up for the best in the American covenant. Elections are about the character of a country, and we must decide, again, we are the latest generation of Americans who get to decide what kind of country we want to be.”
Women share personal stories of struggle, pain after Roe revoked
The convention turned its focus on the state of reproductive rights in the country following the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overruled Roe v. Wade.
Following a video that featured clips of Trump touting his stance on removing Roe, three groups of people spoke about their personal stories dealing with the fallout from laws passed in states that banned abortions.
Josh and Amanda Zurawski of Texas talked about how she was forced to wait three days to get an abortion after she miscarried. Amanda was “shaking, disoriented and crashing,” before doctors were able to treat her, according to her husband.
“I was lucky. I lived. So, I’ll continue sharing our story, standing with women and families across the country,” she said.
Kaitlyn Joshua of Louisiana talked about how two emergency rooms turned her away after she miscarried because of the state’s abortion bans.
“I was in pain, bleeding so much my husband feared for my life. No woman should experience what I endured, but too many have,” she said. “Our daughters deserve better. America deserves better.”
Hadley Duvall discussed getting pregnant at 12 after being sexually abused by her stepfather.
Duvall, 22, said she was grateful she had options, but that is not a reality for many girls today “because of Trump’s abortion bans.”
“He calls it a beautiful thing. What is so beautiful about a child having to carry her parent’s child?” she said.
“There are other survivors out there who have no options. And I want you to know that we see you. We hear you,” she added.
Beshear: ‘Trump and Vance simply don’t believe in your freedom’
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a one-time potential running mate for Harris, largely focused on reproductive rights during his remarks.
He called on voters to elect Harris and Walz to “protect reproductive freedom” and said that “Trump and Vance simply don’t believe in your freedom.”
“Trump says people are absolutely thrilled that women had their basic rights eliminated. JD Vance says women should stay in violent marriages, and that pregnancies resulting from rape are simply inconvenient,” Beshear said. “Their policies give rapists more rights than their victims. That’s not inconvenient. It’s just plain wrong.”
He called on Americans to move beyond divisive politics “by remembering we are all Americans.”
“That’s how Joe Biden and Kamala Harris lead,” he said.
Walz’s kids give their dad bunny ears
It seems that even being Kamala Harris’ VP pick can’t spare you from your kids making fun of you.
During an interview on MSNBC, Walz’s daughter and son held up bunny ears behind their dad’s head.
The moment is getting a lot of attention on social media, including from Walz himself, who reposted the clip on X and wrote, “My kids keep me humble.”
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett tears up talking about Harris
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett teared up while recalling her first meeting with Harris after getting elected to Congress.
Crockett said she wasn’t sure she made the right decision running for office, referring to the “Chaos Caucus,” when she met Harris for an official photo.
“As I approached Vice President Harris for our official photo, she turned to me and asked, ‘What’s wrong?’ Mind you, we’d never met, but she saw right through me,” Crocket said. “She saw the distress. I immediately began crying.”
Crockett paused to wipe her tears, saying “It’s so hard for me to tell this story,” before continuing.
“She then said, among other things, ‘You are exactly where God wants you. Your district chose you because they believe in you. And so do I,'” Crockett said.
Crockett said that moment gave her her “legislative legs, and I’ve been running ever since.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin notes horrors of Jan. 6
Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House’s Jan. 6 committee, warned about the “banana Republicans who have converted Lincoln’s party into a dangerous cult of personality.”
Raskin recalled the violence and destruction caused that day by Trump’s supporters and the former president’s push of election falsehoods.
“All of this after Trump was defeated by more than 7 million votes by the great Joe Biden,” he said.
Raskin also took note that the rioters chanted to hang former Vice President Mike Pence, who he noted is not supporting Trump this election.
“By the way, JD Vance, do you understand why there was a sudden job opening for running mate on the GOP ticket?” he said. “They tried to kill him because he would not follow Trump’s plan to destroy and nullify the votes of millions of Americans.”
Raskin also pointed out Trump’s comments about possibly pardoning the insurrectionists and pushed Americans to support Harris.
“Let’s make it a landslide so big that Donald Trump and his kangaroo court, Supreme Court justices, cannot even try to steal it,” he said.
‘Law and Order’ spoof video on Trump draws laughs
Attendees burst into laughter as the DNC started playing a video spooking the hit show “Law and Order,” starting with the familiar narration, “in the criminal justice system,” before delving into details of Trump’s 34 felony convictions.
The video was largely comedic — but also signaled an eagerness by Democrats to go on offense.
“I’m just glad we’re fighting back. I’m so tired of taking the high road,” one attendee said as the video played.
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
(CHICAGO) — Glenn Charles Jr. grew up on Chicago’s South Side. This week, his business is the first Black-owned company to be contracted for Exposition Services at the Democratic National Convention.
Speaking to ABC News outside the United Center, Charles reflected on the journey to get here and what it means for him and his team — which doubled in size in preparation for the convention.
“Our name is on most of the signage around the property, right?” he asked. “So just walking in the building and seeing the Show Strategies brand next to a DNC sign, that for me is kind of a moment.”
The four-day convention is bringing thousands of visitors to the city, and officials expect it to have a $150 to $200 million impact on the local economy.
Christy George, the executive director of the DNC’s Chicago 2024 Host Committee, called it “an incredible opportunity to showcase what Chicago is made of.”
“And the heart of Chicago is our people and all of our small businesses,” she said.
The committee sought to include as many local vendors as possible, she said, holding outreach summits across the city and working hand in hand with businesses through the application process.
“On the worker front, it’s in the hundreds. On the vendor front, it’s in the tens,” she said.
Eight of the 17 major contracts were given to minority and women-owned businesses, the committee announced previously.
“What we resulted with was a really diverse set of vendors for a number of our prime contracts,” she told ABC News. “It really, truly is going to be the most inclusive convention in history.”
Brook Jay, the CEO of All Terrain Collective, said being selected by the DNC was a boon to her business.
“I think having the DNC on our resume can do nothing but good things for this company,” she said. “We’ve been around since 1998 and we’ve done some of the most incredible projects you can imagine. But this definitely has been a highlight, and I think it really has piqued our interest about doing more things in politics.”
Jay said her company, which does experiential marketing, partnered with another woman-owned business and a Latino-owned business.
“We are really a true representation of what the Chicago landscape looks like,” she said.
Both Jay and Charles said putting together an event as large in scale as the DNC was a challenge, but that it was also an opportunity for their businesses to learn and grow.
“This industry is underrepresented from people that look like me, and also people from the South and West sides of Chicago who may not know that the hospitality and convention industry is a thriving industry that you can make a really good living off of,” Charles said. “So I wanted to be the representative for those individuals and give them direct insights to something that they probably have never witnessed before.”
(CHICAGO) — The final day of the Democratic National Convention wraps up with Kamala Harris’ big moment: her acceptance speech in which she gets to tell her story to the millions of Americans watching.
Her campaign says, in addition to describing her middle-class upbringing, she will continue to stress optimism and patriotism — the “politics of joy” — the overall themes we’ve heard throughout the gathering.
Here’s how the news is developing:
‘Democracy knows no party’: Kinzinger
Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger said he never thought he’d be at the DNC — but the Republican went on to explain what drew him to support Harris.
“Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party,” he said. “His fundamental weakness has coursed through my party like an illness. Sapping our strength. Softening our spine. Whipping us into a fever that has untethered us from our values.”
He said the Democrats are “as patriotic as” Republicans, continuing a theme of the night, as the crowd chanted “U.S.A.!”
After recounting the “profound sorrow” of Jan. 6, he said he suspected other conservatives would belong at the DNC as well.
“Democracy knows no party. It is a living, breathing ideal that defines us as a nation. It is the bedrock that separates us from tyranny — and when that foundation is fractured, we must stand united to strengthen it,” he said, while urging people to “vote for our bedrock values” by voting for Harris.
Eva Longoria leads crowd in ‘She se puede’
Actress Eva Longoria hyped up the crowd by taking the Latino motto “Si, se puede,” “Yes, we can,” which was used throughout Barack Obama’s campaign, and adding a twist.
“Tonight, I’m here to tell you, yes, she can. So, we’re going to say, ‘she se puede,'” she said leading to a chant from the crowd.
Harris is working to rebuild the Biden coalition
Our colleague at 538, Mary Radcliffe, did a deep dive earlier this week into polling crosstabs to see how Harris is doing with the coalition of voters that successfully elected Biden in 2020. We’re hearing from Black, Latino and Midwest politicians and celebrities tonight because that’s part of who Harris has to get to the polls to recreate that winning formula this November. You can read more detail in our story.
— 538’s Monica Potts
Adam Kinzinger rounds out slate of GOP speakers
Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger is delivering a prime-time speech in support of Harris — rounding out a slate of Republicans who have spoken at the DNC this week, including former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Arizona, former Trump White House national security official Olivia Troye and former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
Kinzinger, who retired from the House in 2023, has been a vocal Trump critic over the years, and although he describes himself as a “proud conservative,” he endorsed then-candidate Joe Biden for reelection in June.
The former Illinois congressman sat on the House’s Jan. 6 select committee that investigated the attack. He was also one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump on a charge of inciting the Jan. 6 attack.
Since Harris replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee, Kinzinger has supported the vice president, saying she stands for democracy.
-ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley
Fact-checking Ruben Gallego’s claim about veteran unemployment
Arizona Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Ruben Gallego talked about veterans issues in his remarks, claiming “Kamala Harris has delivered more benefits to more veterans than ever before, and has achieved the lowest veterans unemployment rate in history.”
Leaving aside what Harris did specifically to lower unemployment for veterans, the numbers show that the unemployment rate for veterans in 2023 dropped to 3%, the lowest average the Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded since it began tracking the veterans data in 2000.
—PolitiFact’s Aaron Sharockman
‘Big Gretch’ Whitmer talks about how Harris will ‘G.S.D.’
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, or as she introduced herself “Big Gretch” got a huge ovation as she took the stage and immediately took a jab at Trump.
“Donald Trump called me ‘that woman from Michigan’ as an insult. But being a woman from Michigan is a badge of honor. Like women across America, we just G.S.D. — Get Stuff Done,” using the sanitized version of the slogan.
Whitmer talked about the struggles of raising her child and helping her elderly mother. The governor noted that Harris has lived a similar life, unlike Trump
“You think he understands that when your car breaks down you can’t get to work? No! His first word was probably ‘chauffeur,'” she said.
Whitmer acknowledged the last couple of years have been hard but in the end they need to make sure the commander in chief is ready for any crisis like Harris.
“Why wouldn’t we choose the leader who’s tough, tested and a total bada–?” she said to cheers.
‘Listen to President Reagan’: Leon Panetta
While making the case for Harris as commander-in-chief, Leon Panetta, the Secretary of Defense under former President Barack Obama, said Trump will “abandon our allies and isolate America.”
“Listen to President Reagan,” Panetta said. “Isolationism never was and never will be an acceptable response to tyrannical governments.”
In drawing a comparison between the two candidates, he said, “Trump tells tyrants like Putin they can do whatever the hell they want. Kamala Harris tells tyrants the hell you can. Not on my watch.”
He drew the largest applause when he said that the role of the U.S. military is to defend us from foreign enemies and “sure as hell isn’t to put immigrants in camps.”
Ruben Gallego brings out veterans, torches Trump
Rep. Ruben Gallego, an Iraq war veteran, brought on stage Democratic veterans serving their county and in elected offices at every level.
“These veterans represent the best of our country,” he said. “We stand united as veterans, Democrats and patriots to fight for everyone who serves.”
“But politicians like Donald Trump. They don’t stand with us,” he said. “They call patriots like Sen. McCain ‘losers.’ John McCain was an American hero. Show some respect.”
Gallego is running for Senate in Arizona against Trump-ally Kari Lake.
Harris’ motorcade arrives at United Canter
The vice president’s motorcade arrived at the United Center at 9:48 p.m. ET, according to the press pool.
Prime-time spot for Panetta
Another sign of how Democrats are trying to turn patriotism and national security arguments on their head, is the prime-time speaking spot for Leon Panetta — telling the story about giving the order that led to the death of Osama bin Laden.
-ABC News’ Rick Klein
Fact-checking Mark Kelly: ‘Trump skipped his intelligence briefings’
Trump was not known to look through the Presidential Daily Brief regularly or read it to completion. He relied instead on oral briefings that he received from intelligence officials every few days.
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton wrote in his memoir that “Trump generally had only two intelligence briefings per week, and in most of those, he spoke at greater length than the briefers, often on matters completely unrelated to the subjects at hand.”
—PolitiFact’s Aaron Sharockman
Mark Kelly touts Harris’ strength on foreign security
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly joked that it was tough to follow-up his wife Gabrielle Giffords and P!nk, but zeroed in on the topic of foreign security.
Kelly, who was in consideration for the vice president spot on the Democratic ticket, warned of Trump’s support of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his lack of support for America’s allies.
“Vice President Harris has always championed America’s support for NATO, for Ukraine and for the Ukrainian people,” he contended.
Kelly, a retired astronaut and Navy pilot, also chastised Trump for his treatment of service members.
“Trump thinks that Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice are suckers and losers. If we fall for that again and make him the commander in chief, the only suckers would be us,” he said.
Security is next theme of the night
In line with various speakers’s emphasis on Harris as a would-be strong commander-in-chief, now the conversation is shifting toward security.
A video just aired of a previous Harris speech on the need for a “strong America” to ensure global stability and democracy.
Speaking now is retired Air Force general and NASA astronaut Mark Kelly. Up soon is former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
Republicans should ‘forfeit’ conventions: Meghan McCain
Conservative political commentator Meghan McCain has some advice for Republicans while watching the DNC tonight.
“Maybe republicans just shouldn’t have conventions… just forfeit because I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU CAN COMPETE WITH THIS!” she tweeted.
Maybe republicans just shouldn’t have conventions… just forfeit because I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU CAN COMPETE WITH THIS! #DNC2024
Artist P!nk took the stage with her daughter Willow Sage Hart to sing “What about us?”
The 2017 song was written in response to the unrest going on in the country, the singer has said in previous interviews.
Mark Kelly operates iPad with speech for wife Gabby Giffords
Gabby Giffords, who survived a near-fatal gun shot to the head, spoke Thursday night on how she survived the assassination attempt and the need for gun reform.
“I survived!” she exclaimed.
Her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly, was advancing her speech on an iPad as her own version of a teleprompter.
‘I reach out for the daughter I will never hold again’: Impactful stories on gun violence Four people impacted by gun violence shared their stories with the crowd in moving statements.
Abbey Clements of Newtown, Connecticut, a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary, said she carries that “horrific day” with her, when 20 children and six of her colleagues were shot.
“They should still be here,” she said.
Kim Rubio of Uvalde, Texas, whose daughter was one of 19 children killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting, recounted that day through tears.
“I reach out for the daughter I will never hold again,” she said, as the crowd yelled out her daughter’s name.
Melody McFadden of Charleston, South Carolina, said her niece’s murder on a beach remains unsolved.
Americans impacted by mass shootings shared their heartrending stories at the Democratic National Co…Show More “I’ll keep fighting,” she said.
Edgar Vilchez of Chicago, Illinois, recounted when his high school classmate was shot in school.
“Instead of worried about taking a test, I started worrying about living to take another test,” he said.
He said he learned a lot that day: “How to run, how to hide and drop.”
Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath said the stories “strengthen their resolve” to fight for the “safer futures that we all deserve.”
Gun violence takes focus
Americans impacted by mass shootings just shared their heartrending stories.
Speaking next is Gabby Giffords, who was shot during an assassination attempt in when she was in Congress.
Gun violence is among the top issues in the Democratic Party’s platform, which calls for an assault weapons ban and ending the gun industry’s immunity from liability. In contrast, the GOP convention platform made no mention of firearm violence or gun control.
Harris’ record as a prosecutor was seen differently when she ran in 2020
In speeches and videos, the convention is talking about Harris’ record as a prosecutor. It’s a reminder that the national mood has shifted since her last run for president, when she ran in the 2020 Democratic primary. At the time, efforts to reform policing were reaching a fever pitch, and her record as a prosecutor actually hurt her with progressives in the party. Those issues would only grow by the time she joined Biden’s ticket as vice president, after the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota.
But that was four years go. Support for the Black Lives Matter movement has dropped since then, and Harris is working to reframe her history as a prosecutor to portray herself as a champion of victims. She’s also framing it in opposition to Trump, who has since been convicted in a felony case in Manhattan and is facing several other charges.
—538’s Monica Potts
Biden posts picture of phone call to Harris before speech
In an X post Thursday night, President Joe Biden said he and the first lady just talked to Harris ahead her speech at the convention coming up.
He added that they “can’t wait to watch her accept this historic nomination.”
In the photo, the Bidens, who are in Santa Ynez, California, are standing in front of a TV with the DNC on screen and Biden is holding a phone.
“Kamala and Tim will inspire a generation and lead us into the future,” Biden said in the post.
March outside DNC continues on final night
Marchers took to the street before sundown on the final day of the DNC. They stretched for more than a mile and took nearly three hours to reach its final destination in Union Park, four blocks west of the stadium.
Hatem Abudayyeh, spokesperson for the coalition, said nearly 8,000 people were in the streets marching. Their goal all week was to raise awareness of the plight of Palestinians, which he said was a success, especially when President Joe Biden mentioned the protestors in his speech Tuesday.
“It means people know we are here, and they are talking about us,” he said.
As marchers slowly moved through a residential street, just two blocks from the stadium, they banged drums, chanted (“just like 1968/nothing here to celebrate”) and taunted Chicago police officers who lined both sides of the street with bicycles.
A skirmish briefly forced the march to pause when several people surrounded Chris Eston, 21, of Peoria, who carried an American flag. After a block of pushing and shoving with the coalition protestors, Eston eventually was ejected from the street by police officers.
“They called my fascist,” he said of the marchers. “I told them in a true fascist country, protests don’t exist. If they’d do this in Iran, they’d get shot.”
-ABC News’ Mark Guarino
What to know about Harris’ family
Several members of Harris’ family, including stepdaughter Ella Emhoff and niece Meena Harris, were up on stage addressing the DNC. Her sister, Maya Harris, is also slated to speak later tonight.
Here’s what to know about her family.
‘Scandal’ stars reunite to fire up crowd: ‘You’re the Olivia Popes’
Kerry Washington took the stage to kick off prime-time coverage.
She began by criticizing any naysayers about a celebrity being at the convention and noted that this was not her moment, but every American’s.
“You are the messengers. You are the fixers. Dare I say it? You are the Olivia Popes,” she said referring to her character on the hit ABC show “Scandal.” “You are the superheroes saving this democracy.”
Washington ended her speech with a reunion with her “Scandal” co-star Tony Goldwyn, who came out to take a selfie with the roaring crowd.
‘Comma-la’
Harris’ two great-nieces were brought out for a tutorial with the crowd on how to pronounce her first name.
Since Harris entered the presidential race, Trump has reverted to an old ploy in his line of attack against her: mispronouncing and mocking her name.
“Confusion is understandable. Disrespect is not,” host Kerry Washington said.
Her name is a nod to her Indian heritage on her mother’s side. In her 2019 memoir, Harris wrote that she pronounced it “Comma-la” and that it means “lotus flower.”
The Chicks sing the national anthem
The Chicks are singing the national anthem, as the prime-time programming kicks off.
It’s been more than 20 years after the group went from country music darlings to pariahs after speaking out against then-President George W. Bush at a concert in the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
“Just so you know, we’re ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas,” singer Natalie Maines told fans in London in March 2003.
Maines later apologized, saying her remark was “disrespectful.” But country radio stations across the country yanked the trio from playlists, while some protesters resorted to publicly trashing their CDs to demonstrate against the singers’ perceived lack of patriotism.
The group changed their named from The Dixie Chicks in June 2020, during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. They also released their first album in 14 years — “Gaslighter” — that year.
Sea of American flags
Scores of attendees are waving American flags as DJ Metro spins songs including Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” and John Mellencamp’s “Small Town.”
A big theme of the week is patriotism.
Families share personal stories on hot-button political issues
Anya Cook, a Florida woman, spoke about being denied reproductive care as she experienced a miscarriage.
Craig Sicknick, with his mother at his side, spoke about his brother: fallen Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died after the attack on Jan. 6, 2021.
“My family knows how dangerous Trump is,” Sicknick said. “He incited the crowd, while my brother and his fellow officers were putting their lives at risk.”
Gail DeVore spoke about her diabetes diagnosis and the stress of being able to afford insulin. She praised the Biden-Harris administration for working to lower prescription drug prices.
Juanny Romero, the owner of a coffee shop, thanked the Biden-Harris administration for its support for small businesses during the COVID pandemic. Their policies, she said, helped her company double in size.
Steph Curry makes video appearance
Recent Olympic gold medalist and Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry made a video address at the convention.
The video included clips of Harris meeting with the Olympic men’s basketball team during a practice.
“That unity on and off the court reminded us all that together, we can do all things and continue to inspire the world. That’s what I believe. That Kamala, as president, can bring that unity back and continue to move our country forward,” he said.
Gen Z congressman addresses climate crisis
Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first Gen Zer elected to Congress, spoke about how Harris and Walz plan to address the climate crisis, including through creating jobs that invest in clean energy.
“Fighting the climate crisis is patriotic, and unlike Donald Trump, our patriotism is more than some damn slogan on a hat,” he said.
Human-trafficking survivor reflects on Harris’ fight for victims
Courtney Baldwin, a survivor of sex trafficking and now a youth organizer, spoke about how then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris shut down the illicit website that listed her and other victims for sale.
Baldwin said she yearned for hope during those dark moments when she was able to hold on to pursue her dreams.
“Vice President Harris is fearless, compassionate, and she still gives me hope. She’s protected people like me her whole life, and I know she’ll fight for us all as president,” she said.
Healey says she ‘can’t wait’ for September debate
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said she can’t wait to see Harris “prosecute the case against Donald Trump” during their ABC News debate on Sept. 10.
Democrats continue to lean into prosecutor v. felon theme
Tonight’s speakers include several prosecutors with ties to Harris or even Trump — including Tristan Snell, who spoke on stage about taking on Trump University fraud.
“Kamala Harris fought scammers like him. And as president, she will continue to fight for you, for us, for the people,” Snell said.
Democrats see the contrast between Harris the prosecutor and Trump the felon as a winning message.
“It’s a beautiful split screen,” Maria Cardona, a Democratic strategist and former senior adviser to Hillary Clinton and former communications director for the Democratic National Committee, previously told ABC News.
“She went after bad people who hurt the people that she was representing and that’s exactly what she’s doing now,” Cardona said.
Trump a ‘hateful man’: ‘Exonerated 5’
New York City Council member Yusef Salaam, one of the five men exonerated in the “Central Park Five” case, called Trump a “hateful man” during his DNC appearance.
“He wanted us dead,” Salaam said. “Today, we are exonerated because the actual perpetrator confessed. And DNA proved it.”
Korey Wise, another one of the men who was exonerated in the case, said they were “threatened” by people after Trump ran ads calling for the death penalty for violent crimes in New York in the wake of the attack.
He said Harris, by comparison, has “worked to make things fairer.”
“I know she will do the same as president and I approve that message,” Wise said.
Harris to promise to be ‘a president for all Americans’
In her acceptance speech tonight, Harris will deliver a message of unity as Democrats look to appeal to independent voters.
“With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past,” she will say. “A chance to chart a New Way Forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”
“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight. And I want you to know: I promise to be a president for all Americans,” Harris will say, according to released excerpts of her speech.
“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads — and listens. Who is realistic. Practical. And has common sense. And always fights for the American people. From the courthouse to the White House, that has been my life’s work.”
Trump’s tie to the ‘Central Park 5’ case
Four of the five men in the “Central Park Five” who were wrongfully convicted in the 1989 rape of a Central Park jogger appeared at the DNC.
The five Black and Latino men, who were teenagers at the time of their arrest, were taken into custody, hounded in police interrogations and ultimately gave false confessions in the brutal assault on jogger Trisha Meili.
While the five teenagers awaited their trial, former President Donald Trump bought newspaper ads calling for New York to adopt the death penalty for violent crimes.
“Bring back the death penalty. Bring back our police!” the ad stated in all caps.
The five men were exonerated in 2002 after convicted rapist Matias Reyes confessed to being Meili’s sole attacker, and Reyes’ DNA was matched to the crime scene. New York City settled with the Central Park Five in 2014 for $41 million in a civil rights lawsuit.
When asked in 2019, following the release of a Netflix series about the case, whether he would apologize for the ads to the men who were exonerated in the Central Park jogger case, Trump refused.
“Why do you bring that question up now? It’s an interesting time to bring it up. You have people on both sides of that,” he said. “They admitted their guilt. If you look at Linda Fairstein and you look at some of the prosecutors, they think that the city should never have settled that case, so we’ll leave it at that.”
Following Trump’s indictment in 2023 on 34 felony counts of falsified business records in the hush money case, some of the exonerated men called it “karma.”
Speakers make case for Harris as commander in chief
The DNC is highlighting national security, with recent speakers Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger; Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin and New York Rep. Pat Ryan, an Army veteran, making the case for Harris as the commander in chief.
“I’ll tell you what I think of Donald Trump. They told me I can’t say that word on TV,” Ryan said.
Slotkin leans in on patriotism
Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., made it clear: Democrats are patriotic, too.
Her speech was the most vocal example of how Democrats are taking back words like “freedom” and symbols like the flag, leaning on her time in the CIA and accusing Republicans of betraying the values they represent.
“We’re the damn United States of America. We lead,” she thundered in conclusion.
Warren makes couch joke when talking about Trump, Vance
Warren, a policy wonk, said she trusted Harris to handle the economy, abortion, climate change and more.
“Trust Donald Trump and JD Vance?” she said. “To look out for your family? Shoot, I wouldn’t let those guys — I wouldn’t trust them to move my couch.”
Elizabeth Warren gets teary-eyed during long ovation
The Massachusetts senator was seen wiping her eyes as she got emotional during a rapturous welcome from attendees at the United Center.
Vulnerable senators finally make an appearance
Last night, I commented on how few Democratic Senate candidates had addressed the DNC thus far — including zero in competitive races. Well, that ends tonight. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin spoke earlier, and Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania was just on stage. Both are in competitive races in swing states this fall.
-538’s Nathaniel Rakich
Early speakers breeze through speeches
The beginning of the fourth night has been moving briskly, with shorter speeches.
Although there have been a few musical interludes from DJ Metro, they also did not last long. The previous three nights of the DNC have ended after 11 p.m. ET.
Harris’ plan for middle-class families
Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark focused on the burden of child care costs, saying Harris and Walz “know that when everyone can find and afford child care, our kids and our communities will thrive.”
The Harris campaign said it aims to keep some money in middle-class consumers’ pockets by reducing their tax burden.
The plans include a restoration of the expanded child tax credit of $3,600 per child that expired in 2022. Harris also proposed an additional, new $6,000 child tax credit for families with a child in the first year of life.
What Harris has proposed to help homeowners
Former HUD secretary Marcia Fudge and Congressman Ted Lieu just touted Harris’ housing proposals, which she unveiled last week.
Harris has vowed to provide up to $25,000 in down-payment support for first-time homeowners and called for the construction of 3 million new housing units to ease the housing supply shortage.
Sen. Padilla: ‘I knew that I had some big Chuck Taylors to fill’
Sen. Alex Padilla, the first Latino to represent California and Vice President Kamala Harris’ Senate successor, told the crowd “I knew that I had some big Chuck Taylors to fill.”
Harris for years has often sported the popular shoe.
White outfits fill convention arena
White outfits peppered the convention hall here in an ode to suffragists and Harris’ historic candidacy.
The outfit motif has been a hallmark of House Democrats, who have used the color to send a signal at major events, such as past state of the union addresses, including this year’s, when Democrats sought to make a point about abortion.
-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod
DJ gets crowd moving to ‘Lil Boo Thang’
Chicago’s DJ Metro got the crowd to its feet, dancing to “Lil Boo Thang” by Paul Russell, at the start of the night.
100,000 balloons ready to end the night: Source
Convention organizers have 100,000 balloons ready to drop at the end of the evening, according to a source with knowledge.
-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd
4th night of the DNC underway
The fourth and final night of the DNC is officially underway.
The theme of the night is “For our future” and will feature a keynote address from Vice President Kamala Harris as she accepts the party’s nominee for president.
Emhoff says Harris remains focused on issues ahead of ‘her big moment’
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff said Vice President Kamala Harris remains focused on the issues even “while she is preparing for her big moment tonight.”
“She has been in the Oval Office with the president on all of these major issues. She’s been in the Situation Room on all these major issues, just with what’s happening now,” he said Thursday at an event about combating antisemitism hosted by the Jewish Democratic Council of America.
“She’s still working on these issues while she is preparing for her big moment tonight. That’s what leaders do,” he continued.
Harris has spent the day continuing to review her speech and tweaking it by hand as she prepares to deliver what will be the most important remarks of her political life, a personal familiar with the preparation told ABC News.
-ABC News’ Mary Bruce
Harris, Emhoff wish each other happy 10th anniversary
Vice President Kamala Harris wished her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff a happy anniversary on Thursday ahead of her acceptance speech at the DNC. The couple are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.
“To the best partner I could ask for: Happy anniversary, Dougie,” Harris posted on social media, with a picture of the two visiting campaign headquarters in Wilmington the day after she announced her candidacy.
Earlier Thursday, Emhoff did the same, posting a slideshow of photos of himself and Harris.
“Ten years of marriage, forever to go,” Emhoff wrote. “Happy anniversary, @WRQ11HGNB. I love you.”
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
Meet the oldest DNC delegate, Angie Gialloreto
Angie Gialloreto, 95, has attended every Democratic National Convention since 1976, when Jimmy Carter was on the ticket.
Since the 99-year-old former president could not attend this year’s DNC due to his health issues, Gialloreto is the oldest delegate to travel to Chicago, where she will watch Harris accept her party’s nomination.
The Pennsylvania native told ABC News the possibility that Harris could become the first woman to serve as president was a long time coming because women “have taken a back seat many years and now we’ll have a leader.”
When asked how she would celebrate if Harris ends up victorious during the November general election against Donald Trump, Gialloreto said she will focus on “getting ready for the next election of local candidates.”
-ABC News’ Morgan Gstalter
Walz meets with former students in Chicago
The morning after accepting his party’s nomination for vice president, Walz gathered in Chicago with former staff, family, friends and former students — including some of the football players who appeared on-stage Wednesday night at the United Center.
ABC News spotted Walz at a Chicago hotel on Thursday morning.
During that meeting, he mingled with several of his former Mankato West High School students over an informal breakfast, according to a source familiar with Walz’s movements. Some of those who met with Walz at the hotel were observed by ABC News donning “Harris-Walz Alumni” T-shirts.
Earlier in the day, Walz posted a video on X showing him hug and greet the students backstage at the convention.
-ABC News’ Lucien Bruggeman, Allison Pecorin and MaryAlice Parks
How Harris prepares for big speeches
Former campaign managers and senior staffers who worked Harris through the years shed light on how she prepares for big speeches.
They said she’s a trial lawyer at her core, and so preparation was key as well as being ready for audience reactions.
In crafting a speech, she would start with themes, outline and then focus in on what she wanted to say well in advance. She would be intimately involved in every speech, making edits and collaborating with those around her.
They said like most people she gets nervous, but would relax, review the remarks, save her voice, conserve energy and rest up.
-ABC News’ Zohreen Shah
What some of Chicago’s young voters think about the 2024 election
Three young voters — one liberal, one moderate and one conservative — discussed their thoughts on the 2024 election while in Chicago for the DNC.
-538’s Nathaniel Rakich
Trump to do live play-by-play of Harris’ speech on Truth Social
Former President Donald Trump said he will do a “LIVE PLAY BY PLAY on TRUTH Social” of Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech at the DNC Thursday night.
“We will start at 10 P.M., Eastern, and be covering and commenting on some of the earlier Speeches made, prior to hers,” Trump posted on his social media platform before going on to slam the dropout of President Joe Biden and saying he was going to “expose” Harris’ policies.
-ABC News Lalee Ibssa
Harris campaign dodges question on why there isn’t a Palestinian speaker at DNC
The Harris campaign at a briefing Thursday morning dodged a question from ABC News on why there isn’t a Palestinian speaker at the convention and why simply saying former President Donald Trump would be worse for Arab-Americans is not the campaign taking their votes for granted.
“No, we’re absolutely not taking their votes for granted,” campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said. “I think, as it relates to uncommitted delegates at this convention, we’re proud, glad that they are here. We’ve worked to engage them throughout the convention.”
Tyler noted a panel conversation that was held with members of the uncommitted movement and said Harris recently engaged with the movement’s leadership in Michigan. He also emphasized that the vice president is working toward a resolution to the Israel-Hamas conflict “with a permanent cease-fire that allows Israel to fully secure itself, that fully continues and make sure that we have full humanitarian aid, but also make sure that Gazans are able to peacefully live and prosper in Gaza.”
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie
12:58 PM EDT Gun control to be featured ahead of Harris’ remarks
Before Vice President Kamala Harris takes center stage Thursday night, gun violence survivors and gun safety advocates will address the DNC, according to Harris-Walz campaign spokesman Michael Tyler.
Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, Rep. Maxwell Frost and the “Tennessee Three” — state Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, are also expected to speak.
Tyler told reporters Govs. Gretchen Whitmer and Roy Cooper, Sens. Mark Kelly and Elizabeth Warren, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger — a member of Jan 6. select committee — will give remarks too.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie
10:11 AM EDT Kamala Harris to tell her personal story in acceptance speech
The fourth and final day of the Democratic National Convention is leading up to a dramatic finale: Kamala Harris giving her acceptance speech and getting to tell her personal story — in her own words — to an audience of millions.
She’s expected talk about a middle-class upbringing with a working mother. She will continue to stress the themes we’ve heard from speakers throughout the convention: optimism and patriotism — the “politics of joy” — drawing a contrast, her campaign says, with the “dark” vision of Donald Trump.