Democratic National Committee

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⏰ DNC delegates want time to assess Biden

Delegates to the Democratic National Convention are pleading for as much time as possible to decide whether Biden should lead their ticket, delegates and state party officials told Axios.

• ?‍♀️ The delegates are still in the dark about when they are required to hold their "virtual roll calls" to nominate their presidential candidate.
• ? Democrats — from lawmakers facing re-election to activists who make the party run — are still spooked by Biden's jarring debate performance last week. They want time and options in case Biden steps aside or is forced out by donors or lawmakers.

In May, the Democratic National Committee announced plans to nominate its ticket via virtual roll calls of delegates weeks before the party's convention in Chicago, which starts Aug. 19.

• Officials have said the roll call needs to happen before Aug. 7, the deadline to get on the ballot in Ohio.

?️ What they're saying: "We need as much time as possible," a party delegate from the Northeast told Axios. "There's no way we can make a decision in two or three weeks."

• "We are still waiting to hear what Biden is going to do," Gilberto Hinojosa, chair of the Texas Democratic Party, told Axios. "Our national Democratic leadership has to make a decision on what is ultimately the best for America — and this world."

"The primary is over, and in every state the will of Democratic voters was clear: Joe Biden will be the Democratic Party's nominee for president," DNC chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement.

Read more

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⏰ Scoop: DNC plans to run out clock

The Democratic National Committee is quietly steaming ahead with plans to technically nominate President Biden weeks before the party's convention next month, Axios' Hans Nichols and Alex Thompson have learned.

• Why it matters: It's the latest effort by Biden's team to stamp out the Democratic rebellion that's been pushing for the president to step aside.

If the working plan for a "virtual roll call" holds, Biden just has to outlast his party's critics for about two more weeks.

• The window for voting is likely to open July 29 and conclude by Aug. 5, according to people familiar with the matter.

? What we're hearing: Some delegates are concerned the DNC is trying to jam them by moving up the voting deadline.

• "Behind the scenes, people at the Biden campaign and DNC are working to put in the fix," Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, a Biden delegate from Maryland, wrote to fellow state delegates last week in an email obtained by Axios.

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DNC's mad dash

Despite growing backlash from Democrats worried about officially nominating Biden weeks before the convention, top DNC officials are moving forward with a virtual roll call vote to codify him as the party's nominee by Aug. 7.

• The plan won't be formally announced until after a credentials committee meeting on Sunday.
• That will set up a frantic two weeks, which could be more chaotic if Biden decides to drop out of the race.

The Biden-Harris campaign tells Axios: "If the facts matter — and they should — here is one: President Biden is the Democratic nominee and he is going to win this November."

Zoom in: Some delegates are pleading for more time and an actual floor vote.

• "I need to be convinced that it is necessary to vote virtually in early August," said Gilberto Hinojosa, the chair of Texas Democrats and Rules Committee member.

Go deeper

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? Dems' great handoff

President Biden's address to the Democratic National Convention on Monday night in Chicago will kick off the party's weeklong changing of the guard, Axios' Hans Nichols writes.

• Why it matters: It'll be the goodbye long Biden resisted — putting him in the unusual position of celebrating his accomplishments, while trying to persuade Americans to pick another Democrat for the White House.

The DNC's storyline: Democrats are focused on America's future, while Trump is obsessed with himself and the past.

• "To paraphrase one of President Biden's favorite poems, it's a convention lineup well-constructed to make hope and history rhyme," said Jeff Nussbaum, a former Biden speechwriter.

Between the lines: Democrats have enjoyed great fundraising success from their "three presidents" routine. Now they'll try to tease out the act over three nights of prime time.

• Biden (and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) speak Monday night, followed Tuesday by former President Obama. Former President Clinton speaks Wednesday before V.P. nominee Tim Walz.

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Harris' twin edges

Vice President Kamala Harris is heading into the DNC doing better than President Biden in the Rust Belt, and now she has extra help in the Sun Belt. Why it matters: Harris isn't just outperforming expectations. She's growing her overall lead against former President Trump, election guru Nate Silver wrote today. Edge #1: Harris is narrowly leading Trump in the polling averages of the "Blue Wall" states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, Axios' Erin Doherty reports. She's outperforming Biden's last polling vs. Trump by roughly six percentage points in each of the three states. Edge #2: Abortion referendums are now on the ballot in Nevada and Arizona. The abortion rights side has won every time it's been on the ballot since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Now abortion rights supporters are counting on the referendums to juice turnout, to the benefit of Harris and vulnerable Democratic Senate campaigns in both states. The bottom line: Harris might need to improve even more to win. Trump outperformed the Rust Belt polls by nine points compared to this time in 2016, and five points as of this date in 2020, as CNN's Harry Enten pointed out today. Screenshot: CNN

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?️ Dem convention sneak peek

The stage is set at the United Center in Chicago. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images At a corner table at Chicago Cut Steakhouse last night, Democratic National Convention festivities started early. Some of the most iconic names in Democratic politics — friends for as long as 48 years — told stories about old podiums and old fights, while celebrating new euphoria about Vice President Harris' strength going into her convention, which starts Monday. Why it matters: This convention is also a reunion. Veterans of past Democratic conventions will lead Harris-Walz floor whip operations and the boiler room. The big oval table included power players past and present: Minyon Moore, a Chicago native and chair of the convention; Donna Brazile, former Democratic National Committee chairwoman, who's attending her 11th convention (eighth as a delegate); Bill Daley, a legendary Chicagoan who was White House chief of staff under President Obama and secretary of Commerce under President Clinton; Leah Daughtry, co-chair of the Rules Committee; Marcia Fudge, Harris-Walz co-chair and former HUD secretary for President Biden; Michael Whouley, Charlie Baker and Ginny Terzano of Dewey Square Group; and Bill Daley Jr. The campaign veterans paid tribute to longtime convention powerhouse Mike Berman, who died in January. They shared lore about the late, great reporters Jack Germond and David S. Broder. "My heart is full," Brazile told me, then added with a laugh: "I got the highest steak on the menu. Because Bill Daley was paying."

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?Chicago gets ready

Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images Above: Volunteers maneuver the large bags of balloons that will fall from the ceiling of the United Center next week at the Democratic convention. Go deeper: How Chicago is preparing to handle protests

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‘Is this America?’ Six decades later, Fannie Lou Hamer gets an answer

Sixty summers ago, Fannie Lou Hamer told millions of Americans watching the Democratic National Convention that 16 bullets came into her home after she tried to vote in Mississippi.

https://mississippitoday.org/2024/08/14/is-this-america-six-decades-later-fannie-lou-hamer-gets-an-answer/?

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? Exclusive: Biden Easter eggs

Photos: Democratic National Convention When the Democratic National Convention opens in Chicago tomorrow, the stairs at the delegate entrance (above) will say "History Is In Your Hands" — a quote from Biden's Oval Office address on July 24. As delegates arrive on Monday, when Biden speaks in prime time, digital signage in the United Center will say: "History is in your hands" and "Spread the faith." ?️ New this morning ... Convention organizers released these night-by-night themes and speaker details: Monday, "For the People": Biden and Dr. Jill Biden speak, along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and a welcome from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Tuesday, "A Bold Vision for America's Future": Former President Obama plus Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, with a welcome from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Wednesday, "A Fight for Our Freedoms": V.P. nominee Tim Walz delivers his acceptance speech, preceded by former President Bill Clinton, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (per CNN). Thursday, "For Our Future": Vice President Harris accepts the convention's nomination for president. Other speakers include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Go deeper: Stage unveiled.

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Chicago's top watchdog raises alarms about police tactics for protests during Democratic convention

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg warned that using pepper spray and corralling protesters ‘risks escalating tensions and violating constitutional rights of lawful demonstrators.’

By  Tom Schuba

 

  May 30, 2024, 1:35pm CDT

 

After a peaceful protest through Hyde Park, demonstrators and police officers square off on May 31, 2020, at Lake Park and 53rd Street.

 

The city’s top watchdog raised alarms Thursday about the Chicago Police Department’s planning ahead of the Democratic National Convention, warning that using pepper spray and corralling protesters “risks escalating tensions and violating constitutional rights of lawful demonstrators.”

 

The report from Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s office follows her office’s blistering analysis three years ago that the department had been “outflanked, under-equipped and unprepared to respond to the scale of the protests and unrest” that followed the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020.

Witzburg’s criticism was far more tempered in the new report, but she expressed serious concerns about some of the steps CPD has taken to gear up for the convention in August.

 

“As Chicago prepares to host the DNC — and reckons with the prospect of large-scale demonstrations to accompany it — we must be confident that the mistakes of 2020 will not be repeated,” she said in a statement.

In a letter attached to the report, Police Supt. Larry Snelling disagreed with many of Witzburg’s harshest findings and insisted CPD “has made considerable progress with respect to its mass gatherings since the events of 2020.”

The inspector general’s report notably highlights the use of “kettling,” a controversial tactic in which police officers surround protesters from all sides.

 

In a new draft policy on mas arrests, CPD urges officers to refrain from “kettling” but doesn’t specify when the tactic could be allowed or mention demonstrators’ rights to peacefully gather and be protected from unlawful searches.

 

The police department has drawn a line between “kettling” and what CPD describes as “encirclement,” although the inspector general’s office notes that officials in New York City found the practices are effectively the same.

In August 2020, Mayor Brandon Johnson — then a Cook County commissioner — joined other elected officials to denounce an alleged “kettling” incident downtown that led to 24 arrests.

But CPD’s training materials refer to the incident as “encirclement” and describe it as “a success.”

“Despite financial costs to the city from its prior use of containment tactics and the public criticism it received, CPD does not address the potential consequences of improper containment tactics in its training,” the inspector general report states.

 

 

It similarly warns that officers aren’t properly trained on the circumstance when pepper spray can be deployed against protesters.

The report notes that police training allows the use of pepper spray on demonstrators who merely ignore demands, conflicting with guidance from law enforcement associations and other municipalities.

CPD was also criticized for training officers on the mass arrest policy while it’s still in draft form and failing to better engage the public ahead of its implementation.

But the report makes no specific recommendations for improvements related to any of the issues raised.

 

Snelling used his response letter to detail the level of training, planning and outreach that has gone into preparing for the Democratic convention.

He also hammered on the restrictions governing “encirclement,” which he notes “shall only be used to surround those persons who will be arrested.”

“For every person encircled, individual probable cause must have already been established prior to conducting the encirclement,” he said. “This is different from ‘kettling,’ which refers to police surrounding and detaining persons without the probable cause to do so.”

Snelling noted that CPD has also made changes on the use of pepper spray in crowds “in response to protests containing passive and active resisters,” and those changes are now part of current training.

 

Meanwhile, CPD’s new mass arrest policy continues to face scrutiny from a coalition of community groups that’s involved in the federal consent decree mandating sweeping departmental changes.

On March 13, the coalition warned in a court filing that that policy “eviscerates protections required by the First Amendment, the consent decree, and CPD’s existing First Amendment policy.”

Chicago Deputy Corporation Counsel Jennifer Bagby later called the coalition’s analysis “inaccurate and misleading,” and closed-door settlement talks have since been convened.

Maggie Hickey, the independent monitor overseeing compliance with the court order, urged police officials last week “to not lose focus on making deliberate progress” as the Democratic convention nears.

 

Hickey also wrote a scathing report on CPD’s response to the protests and unrest that rocked the city in the summer of 2020 and impacted the scope of the consent decree.

Years later, both she and Witzburg have credited CPD for taking important steps to address those operational failures, with Hickey noted there had been “lessons learned” from her report.

 

 

 

 

 

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?Fortress Chicago

The police presence is massive today as the Windy City braces for protests outside the DNC, Axios Chicago co-author Justin Kaufmann reports. Besides downtown, conventiongoers should be ready for lots of police in the popular Fulton Market District near the United Center. There are multiple officers stationed at almost every corner, while squad cards flash their lights in the middle of medians along Michigan Avenue. Go deeper: Axios Chicago is live blogging the DNC. U.S. Capitol Police walking near Michigan Ave. Photo: Carrie Shepard/Axios

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DNC

 

The Democratic National Convention begins in Chicago today, where Vice President Kamala Harris will formally accept her party's nomination to become the next commander-in-chief. President Joe Biden is slated to pass the torch to Harris in a speech later this evening in front of thousands of delegates and party members. The president is expected to use his remarks to lay out his argument for Harris and describe the record they've achieved together. In addition to Biden, the convention is set to feature a "who's who" list of speakers, including former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker confirmed that "about 250" members of the state's National Guard will be on standby as tens of thousands of protesters prepare to march on the convention this week. 

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Democrats open a DNC transformed by Harris’ rise, but face lingering questions A refreshed Democratic Party reintroduces itself to a divided U.S. this week, having been transformed by Vice President Kamala Harris' rise to the top of its ticket. But just beneath the surface, real questions loom about the depth of Harris’ newfound support, the breadth of her coalition and the strength of her movement. Read more.

Why this matters: The convention will lean into the party's potential to make history as Harris vies to be the first woman, the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office. How the Democrats present Harris and her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will be critical, especially with Donald Trump launching a weeklong effort to cut into their message.   Not even a month ago, Democrats were deeply divided over foreign policy, political strategy and President Joe Biden himself, who was holding on after his disastrous debate by suggesting he had a better chance than any Democrat — including Harris — of beating Trump.   A potential distraction will be thousands of progressive protesters who are expected to descend upon Chicago to decry the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Harris’ allies are hopeful that the pro-Palestinian protesters will not overshadow the official program.

Related coverage ➤  What to watch as the Democratic National Convention gets underway in Chicago  Trump will campaign across the US this week as he struggles to adjust to Harris  Favorable views of Harris have risen this summer, AP-NORC poll shows

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DNC live updates: Democrats get ready for Night 1, Biden to deliver closing remarks

The Democratic National Convention begins Monday in Chicago, with roughly 50,000 people expected to arrive in the Windy City. That includes thousands of anti-war activists who plan to demonstrate near the United Center.

https://apnews.com/live/updates-democratic-national-convention-harris-walz?

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?️ DNC sneak peek

Photo: Mike Allen/Axios I snapped these photos while roaming around the United Center this morning after a hit on CNBC's "Squawk Box." Photo: Mike Allen/Axios Photo: Mike Allen/Axios Tonight's lineup (6:15 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. ET).

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Sweating the Teamsters

The leader of a major labor union says he's been ghosted by the Democratic National Convention.

• Teamsters President Sean O'Brien never heard back about his request to speak this week in Chicago, Axios' Erin Doherty reports.

Why it matters: At least seven leaders of major labor unions were set to take the DNC stage tonight, but O'Brien has become persona non grata in some Democratic circles.

• The Teamsters boss became the first-ever union president to speak at an RNC last month, delivering fiery remarks before a party that has a track record of opposing labor movements.
• Rank-and-file Teamsters retirees have been invited to attend the DNC, a sign that O'Brien's snub is personal, The Bulwark reports.

The big picture: The Teamsters historically endorse Democrats, but the union with about 1.3 million members has not yet offered an endorsement this cycle.

• Vice President Kamala Harris is planning to sit for a roundtable with members of the Teamsters.
• Harris and Gov. Tim Walz have worked to shore up support among labor unions and win over some of the voters in this key demographic who have drifted toward Trump.

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?Biden's torch-passing

President Biden does a sound check today in Chicago. Photo: Eva Hambach/AFP via Getty Images Biden, who was still running for president just 29 days ago, says tonight's prime-time DNC speech will be "memorable" for him. Biden, 81, told reporters that he's ready to pass the torch, CNN writes. Go deeper: Biden's bitter, sweet exit

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Biden's midnight swan song

Photo: Brendan McDermid/Reuters CHICAGO — Well after midnight on the East Coast, an emotional President Biden closed out his 13th — and final as a party leader — Democratic National Convention with a song verse from his inaugural address, Axios' Zachary Basu writes. "America, I gave my best to you," Biden boomed. He then ad-libbed: "I made a lot of mistakes in my career. But I gave my best to you." Why it matters: When Biden stepped away from the podium, he was comforted not just by his wife, his children and Vice President Kamala Harris — but by a United Center packed to the gills with deeply grateful Democrats. Chants of "Thank you, Joe!" and "We love Joe!" rained down from the rafters. A thunderous standing ovation led Biden to reach for his handkerchief and wipe away a tear before he began his remarks. Speaking Monday as the party's outgoing president — and not Thursday, as its nominee — was a bitter pill for Biden to swallow. But for Democrats, Biden's farewell was a show of grace that seemed to bury much of the guilt stemming from the successful campaign to nudge him off the 2024 ticket. First Daughter Ashley Biden introduced her dad. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images 4 takeaways from Night 1 1. Biden claims closure The president's keynote speech, which lasted about 48 minutes, seldom strayed from his usual themes — Donald Trump, democracy, unions, the middle class, NATO and American exceptionalism. Biden did, however, reject the notion that he's still "angry" at the Democratic elites who pushed him to step aside — and vowed to be the "best volunteer" the Harris campaign has ever seen. "Volunteer-in-chief," faithful adviser Anita Dunn called him during PBS coverage a few hours earlier. Whether Biden is truly past the painful episode, the DNC's late-running programming, which meant Biden started at 11:26 p.m. ET, reopened the wounds for some of his allies. "This is awful. He literally set up a campaign and handed it over to them — do they have to cut him out of prime time?" a longtime Biden aide texted Axios' Alex Thompson. Vice President Harris takes the stage on Night 1. Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters 2. Harris' surprise cameo The vice president, who received a raucous reception virtually every time her name was mentioned, brought the house down with an appearance on stage that seemed to surprise even her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and her husband, Doug Emhoff. A beaming Harris walked out to Beyoncé's "Freedom" — some media members momentarily thought it was the pop artist herself — but kept her remarks short as she asked the crowd to thank Biden for his service. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images 3. Clinton's catharsis Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the first woman to win a major party's nomination as the Democratic pick in 2016, was honored by an adoring crowd of delegates far more united than they were eight years ago. At times emotional, Clinton reminded Democrats how close they came to breaking the "highest and hardest glass ceiling" as she celebrated Harris as the party's new torch-bearer: "This is when we break through." Clinton relished the chance to needle her old foe, Trump, mocking him for his felony convictions and nodding along as the DNC crowd chanted: "Lock him up!" Steve Kerr, Team USA men's basketball coach and Golden State Warriors head coach. Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP 4. Three show-stealers Fresh off an Olympic gold medal, Team USA basketball coach Steve Kerr returned to the site of his Chicago Bulls championships to campaign for Harris: "After the results are tallied ... we can — in the words of the great Steph Curry — we can tell Donald Trump, 'Night, night,'" Kerr joked, channeling Curry's viral taunt from the gold medal game. At the GOP convention last month, Hulk Hogan electrified the crowd by ripping off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance tank top. At the DNC, United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain decided it was his turn — removing his jacket to show off a shirt that read: "Trump is a scab. Vote Harris." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), once a proud party insurgent, had the DNC in the palm of her hand as she delivered a scorching speech attacking Trump as a "two-bit union buster." The remarkable full-circle moment sparked speculation about her future plans for higher office. The bottom line: Biden's speech sounded similar to the one he would have given as the party's nominee. But it's hard to believe the audience he would have addressed under that scenario could have matched Monday's atmosphere in jubilance and relief. Go deeper: What to watch on Night 2 (President Obama, Michelle Obama, Doug Emhoff, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker).

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Biden basks in a long ovation and calls for Democrats to unite around Harris President Joe Biden wrapped up the Democratic National Convention’s opening night by beginning his long political farewell with an address that both framed his own legacy and signaled he was ready to start ceding control of the party to Vice President Kamala Harris. His closing message to those still listening as the convention stretched late into the night: “I gave my best to you for 50 years.” Read more.

Highlights: After he took the stage to a raucous ovation from delegates, Biden ticked through many of his achievements and shared the credit with Harris. He said picking Harris as his running mate was the best decision he ever made and promised to be the “best volunteer” that Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have ever seen.   Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke hopefully of finally breaking the “glass ceiling” to elect a female president. Vice President Harris made an unscheduled appearance onstage to pay tribute to Biden ahead of his own address to the convention. On a night meant to honor the president who stepped aside to make way for Harris, the vice president added, “We are forever grateful to you.”   Thousands marched outside to protest U.S. support for Israel during the war in Gaza, but inside the venue, the issue went largely unmentioned until Biden got to the microphone. “Those protesters out in the streets have a point,” he said. “A lot of innocent people are being killed, on both sides.”

Related coverage ➤  DNC panelists discuss Gaza as Harris tries to ease tension with pro-Palestinian activists  Barack Obama is returning to the DNC to make the case for Kamala Harris  What to watch as the DNC enters its second day in Chicago

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DNC

 

President Joe Biden was greeted with a lengthy standing ovation on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, telling attendees, "I gave my best to you." Biden also slammed Donald Trump as he made the case for the party's new presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, who earlier appeared on stage to thank Biden for his "historic leadership." Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took to the stage and underscored the potential for the first woman president, adding that she wanted her grandchildren and their grandchildren to know she'd been there for Harris when the "glass ceiling" finally shatters. Later today, former President Barack Obama will deliver a speech that will vouch for Harris and call for party unity ahead of November's consequential election.

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? Yes, they can

CHICAGO — The magic of 2008 roared through the United Center on Night 2 of the Democratic National Convention, courtesy of the party's most beloved retirees: Barack and Michelle Obama, Axios' Zachary Basu writes.

• Why it matters: The symbolism wasn't subtle. President Biden sees Vice President Harris as the heir to his administration. The Obamas see her as the heir to their movement.

"Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn't it?" former first lady Michelle Obama said in opening her remarks. "It's the contagious power of hope."

• Former President Obama teased: "I'm feeling hopeful because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible."

5 takeaways

1. Michelle's tour de force

• The former first lady, a reluctant campaigner who had a strained relationship with Biden, exhorted Americans to mobilize around Harris for the sake of human decency.
• "She understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward. We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth," Michelle Obama said to deafening cheers, as the crowd recognized her not-so-cloaked reference to Donald Trump.
• "Who's going to tell him that the job he's currently seeking might just be one of those 'Black jobs'?" she asked, firing off one of the night's most viral lines.

2. Barack's unity plea

• Former President Obama joked in his keynote address that he's "the only person stupid enough to speak right after Michelle Obama."
• The 44th president cast Trump as selfish and dangerous. Obama thrilled the crowd with a viral hand gesture mocking the Republican's obsession with crowd size: "It's been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that's actually gotten worse now that he's afraid of losing to Kamala. The childish nicknames and crazy conspiracy theories and weird obsession with crowd size. It just goes on and on. The other day, I heard someone compare Trump to the neighbor who keeps running his leaf blower outside your window every minute of every day."

But much of Obama's speech was an appeal for cross-party empathy. "f a parent or grandparent occasionally says something that makes us cringe, we don't automatically assume they're bad people," Obama said. "Our fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they'll extend to us.

• "As much as any policy or program, I believe that's what we yearn for — a return to an America where we work together and look out for each other."

3. Dems' double duty

• In a staggering show of force, Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz held a rally 90 miles away in Milwaukee — packing the same arena that hosted the GOP convention last month.
• The United Center's Jumbotron allowed Harris to address both arenas after Democrats' ceremonial roll call, which featured a show-stealing performance from Georgia native Lil Jon.
• "Not only do we have massive energy at our convention, we've got a hell of a lot more energy at where they had their convention," Walz said in Milwaukee, jabbing Trump. "Oh, that one guy's going to be so sad tonight."

4. Humanizing Harris

• Second gentleman Doug Emhoff offered some self-deprecating levity as he told the story of falling in love with Harris 10 years ago, including the "embarrassing" voicemail he left asking her on their first date.
• Emhoff pulled back the curtain on their "blended family" — two children from his first marriage who call Harris "Momala" — and defended his wife as a "joyful" but fierce warrior.
• "She knows the best way to deal with a coward is to take him head-on because we all know cowards are weak. And Kamala Harris can smell weakness," Emhoff said.

5. A big tent on steroids

• In a sign of the party's ideological diversity — and perhaps a lack of foresight — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) used his speech to rail against "the billionaire class" and its influence on elections.
• Minutes later, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker — who spent $350 million on his own races, and whose family owns the Hyatt hotels — boasted onstage: "Take it from an actual billionaire ... Trump is rich in only one thing: stupidity."
• Several Republicans spoke in support of Harris.

 

DNC

 

Former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff were the big speakers on Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The Obamas delivered an impassioned call to American voters and pledged to continue their efforts to help Vice President Kamala Harris in the final 11 weeks of her presidential campaign. Emhoff used his speech to show a personal side of Harris, who he described as the anchor of their family. While Harris skipped night two of the DNC to campaign in Milwaukee, she symbolically accepted the party's presidential nomination after delegates at the convention held a ceremonial roll call. The speaker lineup today includes Harris' running mate Tim Walz, former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

 

In today's "One Thing" podcast, CNN's David Rind travels to the DNC to hear from Democrats about how Harris has injected energy into the race — and if that enthusiasm will translate into votes. Listen here.

 

Chicago protests

 

Large protests are erupting outside the Democratic National Convention this week, including clashes with police in the streets of Chicago. Crews set up an additional line of security fences in the area on Tuesday — a day after a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, rallying against US support for Israel in its war against Hamas, breached a barrier near the United Center. Tuesday's protests also saw some tense moments outside the Israeli Consulate in Chicago where protesters and police in helmets began pushing and shoving, a CNN crew observed. Hundreds of officers have taken to the streets, clearing the roadway and sidewalks. It's unclear how many arrests had been made Tuesday but multiple people appeared to be detained by police.

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Obamas close Day 2 with a Harris endorsement and warnings about Trump If the Republican convention was all about Donald Trump, the Democrats wanted to put Kamala Harris in a pantheon with past presidents. The second night showcased a double dose of Obama firepower to validate Harris and deliver an unsparing indictment of Trump, as well as serving up a raucous roll call of states that was essentially one big dance party. Read more.

Highlights: The night’s speeches were all about linking Harris to a broader historical arc and evoking the excitement of Barack Obama’s 2008 run that she hopes to replicate. The grandsons of Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy also portrayed Harris as the natural heir of past Democratic leaders.     Barack Obama called Trump “a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.” Playing off her famous line about Republicans going low, Michelle Obama suggested that Trump was going “small” and that “it’s unhealthy, and quite frankly, it’s unpresidential.”   Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, ducked out of Chicago to hold a rally in Milwaukee, wooing voters in battleground Wisconsin. It was a recognition that, regardless of whatever good vibes may exist at the convention, Democrats expect this presidential election to be razor-close.

Related coverage ➤  Pro-Palestinian protesters clash with police near Chicago's Israeli consulate  Your audience is filled with Republicans. The Democratic convention is underway. How to cover it?  Vance and Walz are still relatively unknown, but the governor is better liked, an AP-NORC poll finds

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Fannie Lou Hamer rattled the Democratic convention with her ‘Is this America?’ speech 60 years ago

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is accepting the Democrats’ presidential nomination Thursday, exactly 60 years after another Black woman mesmerized the nation with a televised speech that challenged the seating of Mississippi’s all-white delegation to the 1964 Democratic National Convention.

https://apnews.com/article/fannie-lou-hamer-democratic-convention-atlantic-city-79b54880412b373aa12fc832c9b2bb07?

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Extending the honeymoon

Vice President Harris' campaign brought in $204 million last month — four times more than the $48 million that former President Trump's campaign raised in the same span, Axios' Erin Doherty reports from new FEC filings.

• The DNC is running smoothly — sure, the speeches are running long, but they're energizing the party and telling the story the Harris campaign wants.
• There's no apparent friction among Democrats, and protests haven't caused any major disruptions inside the arena.
• Former President Trump hasn't shifted any significant attention away from Harris' honeymoon.
• Every living Democratic president — Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and President Biden — has now endorsed her.
• And polls have shifted significantly in Democrats' favor since Harris became the nominee.

⚡️ What's next: Harris still hasn't done an interview or taken questions from voters, but she'll head back out to the trail after the convention with the wind at her back, boasting a major cash advantage, a fired-up base and a convention that, at least so far, is giving her campaign everything it hoped for.

? Tonight's speakers: Tim Walz, Bill Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.), Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Sen. Chris Murphy (Conn.)

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Walz's playbook

CHICAGO — On a star-studded night of speakers, it was a member of the audience who delivered the most unforgettable moment of the Democratic National Convention, Axios' Zachary Basu writes.

• "That's my dad!" a bawling Gus Walz, the 17-year-old son of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, shouted and pointed as his father accepted the party's vice presidential nomination.

Why it matters: On the biggest stage of Walz's political career, his family showed America exactly why Vice President Harris chose him to be his running mate: his ability to mix compassion with no-frills authenticity.

"Hope, Gus and Gwen: You are my entire world, and I love you," Walz said to his daughter, son and wife as he recounted the family's journey with fertility treatments.

• "I'm letting you in on how we started a family, because this is a big part about what this election is about: Freedom!" Walz declared to the crowd of dewy-eyed Democrats.

4 takeaways

1. Wednesday Night Lights

• Walz's experience as a high school football coach dominated virtually every aspect of his speech: an introductory pep rally starring former players, an ocean of "Coach Walz" signs in the audience, and metaphors from start to finish.
• Seeking to tie Donald Trump to Project 2025, for example, Walz declared: "I coached high school football long enough to know ... when somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they're going to use it."

With the crowd building to a roar, he cast Democrats as underdogs: "It's the fourth quarter. We're down a field goal. But we're on offense and we've got the ball. We're driving down the field. And, boy, do we have the right team."

2. Oprah: "Soon and very soon!"

• On a night that featured Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Mindy Kaling, Kenan Thompson and poet Amanda Gorman, it was Oprah Winfrey who stole the show with her first-ever speech at a national political convention.
• A daughter of Chicago who rarely has ventured into politics since endorsing Barack Obama in 2008, Winfrey called on Americans to vote for Harris and Walz's "optimism over cynicism" and "inclusion over retribution."

"When a house is on fire, we don't ask about the homeowner's race or religion. We don't wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No. We just try to do the best we can to save them," Winfrey said.

• Then, thrilling the audience with a not-so-subtle jab at Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Winfrey added: "And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out, too."

Oprah said to choose "common sense over non-sense."

3. Clinton's full circle

• In 1988, then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton drew impatient grumbles and boos from Democratic delegates — and nearly sank his career — with a rambling convention speech that lasted well beyond the intended 15 minutes.
• Clinton, a generational talent as a politician, went on to be a two-term president. But last night, the former president, now 78, blew past his 12-minute allotment with a 27-minute, hoarse speech that featured some memorable zingers blasting Trump, but otherwise left the DNC crowd restless.

4. Rising stars night

• A deep bench of potential 2028 candidates, if Harris lost, shone brightly on Night 3.
• Pete Buttigieg — after acknowledging his reputation as a master of rebuttal ("I'm Pete Buttigieg, and you might recognize me from Fox News") — delivered a searing takedown of Vance, and called on America to "end Trump's politics of darkness once and for all."
• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro electrified the crowd with his patriotic stump speech.
• Maryland Gov. Wes Moore showed off the charisma that has made him one of the convention's hottest tickets.

? What to watch: For three days, the Democratic Party has enjoyed remarkable unity and energy. But new protests are erupting over the decision not to allow a Palestinian American to speak from the main stage.