(CHICAGO) — Democrats kicked off their convention Monday with a who’s who of guests who all touted Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for the White House.
Several topics came up during the night including the future of reproductive rights and Project 2025.
Harris made a surprise appearance after several Democratic VIPS took the stage, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The main stars of the night were some of the Democrats’ longstanding figures including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
But the main spotlight came as President Joe Biden spoke to the cheering crowd, reflecting on his four years as president and his decision to “pass the torch” to Harris.
Here’s how the news is developing:
California Gov. Newsom to present Harris with delegate votes at ceremonial DNC roll call
California Gov. Gavin Newsom will lead his state’s delegation at the DNC on Tuesday, delivering the delegates that send California native, Vice President Kamala Harris, over the top of the delegate threshold for the nomination in a ceremonial roll call.
Harris is already the nominee, but Tuesday’s ceremonial roll call is a gesture in name only.
Politico was first to report the news.
‘America, America, I gave my best to you’: Biden
Biden closed his speech by citing a verse from the song “American Anthem,” which he says has meant a lot to him and his family.
He said he would spare the crowd his singing so just quoted the verse: “America, America, I gave my best to you.”
“I gave my best to you for 50 years,” Biden said. “I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you.”
He ended his speech saying he’s more optimistic about the future than he was when he was first elected to the Senate at the age of 29.
“Folks, we just have to remember who we are,” he said. “We’re the United States of America. And there’s nothing we cannot do when we do it together.”
Biden joined by Jill Biden, Kamala Harris after speech
After giving remarks for roughly an hour, Biden was joined by first lady Jill Biden on stage as the song “Higher Love” blared throughout the stadium.
They were soon joined by Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, both of whom exchanged hugs with Biden.
Other Biden family members also embraced him, including his son Hunter Biden and several of his grandchildren.
At one point, Harris and Biden clasped their hands together and raised them in the air.
Scene inside United Center as Biden speaks
All around the stadium, attendees held up vertical “We love Joe” signs echoing the shape of the delegation signposts. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was seen on the convention floor with the sign.
Others held up cards that read, “Thank you Joe.”
In their box, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sat with their spouses listening to Biden’s speech. Walz was emotional throughout much of the president’s remarks.
DNC program over planned time
Monday night’s DNC programming was scheduled to wrap over an hour ago, by 11 p.m., as Biden continues his keynote speech.
DNC officials addressed the length, blaming the “raucous applause” for going over the time.
“Because of the raucous applause interrupting speaker after speaker, we ultimately skipped elements of our program to ensure we could get to President Biden as quickly as possible so that he could speak directly to the American people,” convention officials said in a statement. “We are proud of the electric atmosphere in our convention hall and proud that our convention is showcasing the broad and diverse coalition behind the Harris-Walz ticket throughout the week on and off the stage.”
Biden discusses Ukraine, Gaza wars
President Biden, after touting accomplishments at home, turned to his handling of conflicts around the globe.
On Ukraine, Biden praised the strength of Kyiv and of NATO in the face of Russia’s aggression.
“Just as no commander in chief should ever bow down to a dictator, the way Trump bows down to Putin, I never have,” Biden said. “And I promise you, Kamala Harris will never do it, will never bow down.”
Biden also discussed the Israel-Gaza war, saying he is working tirelessly to get his peace plan for the Middle East approved by all sides to bring an end to the conflict and to bring hostages home.
“Those protesters in the street have a point,” he said. “A lot of innocent people being killed on both sides.”
‘Donald Trump is going to find out the power of women in 2024’: Biden
Biden brought up reproductive rights as a key election issue this November. He noted that in the Dobbs decision in which the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, the court’s majority wrote that women are not without electoral or political power.
“No kidding,” Biden said. “MAGA Republicans found out the power of women in 2022. And Donald Trump is going to find out the power of women in 2024. Watch.”
Biden slams Trump over treatment of veterans
The president slammed his predecessor over his rhetoric on veterans and armed service members.
Biden, whose son Beau served in the military, chastised Trump over reports that he called fallen soldiers “suckers and losers.”
“They’re not the words of a person not worthy of being commander in chief. Period,” he said.
Biden pushes for universal background checks, ban on assault rifles
The president turned his attention to the rising gun violence in the country citing stats that showed firearm deaths were the leading cause of deaths among children.
“More died from a bullet than cancer, accidents or anything else in the United States, in America. My God,” he said.
Biden spoke about his and Harris’ gun control polices and again pushed for a ban on assault rifles and universal background checks.
“If we care about public safety, we need to prevent gun violence,” he said.
Biden goes after Trump on the border, immigration issues
President Biden is continuing his criticism of his predecessor, accusing him of “lying” about the border.
“Here’s what he won’t tell you: Trump killed the strongest bipartisan border deal in the history of the United States,” Biden said.
Biden went on to slam Trump for his rhetoric toward immigrants, saying Democrats “will not demonize immigrants, saying they’re poisoning the blood of America.”
He reiterated the party’s support for legal immigration and protections for “Dreamers.”
Biden on Trump: ‘He’s the loser’
Biden had pointed words for Trump.
“Donald Trump calls America a failing nation. He says we’re losing,” Biden said. “He’s the loser. He’s dead wrong.”
“America’s winning, and the world’s better off for it,” Biden continued.
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.
“Lying is Trump’s toxic superpower. He’s ripped apart families, communities, our whole country,” Logis said.
“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
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