The Latest: Protests kick off as the Democrats get ready for Night 1
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.
President Joe Biden is the headline speaker for the first evening. Later this week, Vice President Kamala Harris will officially accept the party’s nomination.
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Here’s the Latest:
The stage is set but no one’s shown up
Not a single speaker or spectator showed up by early Monday afternoon to a speakers’ stage in Chicago set up by city officials near the United Center as crowds of anti-war activists preparing to march began filling a park a few blocks away.
Eight groups with progressive agendas had signed up for 45-minute speaking slots Monday. On other days, some conservative groups including the Illinois Policy Institute have plans to speak.
Sen. Schumer regaled boisterous gathering of union members with the tale of his political origin
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was a young man in his early 20s and said he was working at a “big fancy law firm” – a job he hated.
“I was pushing a pencil for some … rich guy who I knew I wouldn’t like if I ever met him,” Schumer said.
So he decided to run for the New York Assembly and told his barber — also a local bookie — who gave him 50-to-1 odds of winning.
Schumer went on to win and the reason, he said, was because of his supporters in the labor movement who campaigned for him.
“You men and women of labor were there when I needed you,” Schumer said to raucous applause. “As long as I’m in office, I will always be there when you need me.”
Israel supporters at park as pro-Palestinian rally took place to ‘make our presence felt’
Around 40 pro-Israel supporters walked around a park where a pro-Palestinian rally was taking place, and later marching towards the United Center.
The pro-Israel counter-protesters, who mainly remained silent while waving Israeli flags, were accompanied by approximately 20 Chicago police officers on bicycles. Although tensions flared at times, no physical altercations occurred during the park walk.
Josh Weiner, co-founder of Chicago Jewish Alliance and walking with the pro-Israel group, said their intent was to “make our presence felt.”
Weiner said the group had applied for permits that were not approved by the city.
“The pro-Palestine protesters have gotten multiple permits, including a march, which seems to be a little bit weighted on one side,” Weiner said.
Biden’s daughter Ashley will introduce him before his DNC speech Monday night
The speech, which will follow remarks by first lady Jill Biden, is expected to serve as a sort of political farewell for the president, who abandoned his bid for a second term amid concerns about his age.
The rest of the speaking program, which is scheduled to last about five hours, will include a mix of Democratic Party stars and union leaders. Rep. James Clyburn and Sen. Chris Coons, two of Biden’s closest allies, are slated to deliver remarks. So is Hillary Clinton, the former first lady and secretary of state who fell short in her own campaign for president.
United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain will make a solo appearance while other labor chiefs will share the stage earlier in the evening.
As with any convention, there’s the potential for lesser known politicians to seize their speaking slot to make a name for themselves. The line up includes California Rep. Robert Garcia, Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, New York Rep. Grace Meng and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Green Party candidate Jill Stein: Don’t vote for Harris until she supports swift ceasefire in Gaza
Green Party candidate Jill Stein on Monday urged Democrats to withhold their vote from Harris until she supports a swift ceasefire in Gaza.
“We must vote against genocide,” Stein said during an Abandon Harris news conference. “In fact, there is no lesser evil. We have two greater evils: One conducting genocide now, the other saying to finish the job right now.”
Stein is on the ballot in several key states for Democrats this year. She ran in 2016, gaining tens of thousands of votes in battleground states, including Wisconsin where her vote count was more than Donald Trump’s winning margin in the state. Some Democrats have blamed her for helping Trump win the state and the presidency that year.
DNC’s party platform still names Biden as the candidate for president
DNC delegates are set to vote Monday night on a 2024 party platform that wrongly names Biden as the candidate running for reelection.
The party said the document outlining a progressive vision for the next four years was approved by its platform committee on July 16, days before Biden bowed out and endorsed Harris for president. As a result, the platform repeatedly refers to Biden’s second term and his administration’s accomplishments. It mentions Harris’ work as vice president but doesn’t describe her candidacy or go into detail on her views on key issues.
Harris has talked generally about supporting the Biden administration’s key goals, which are more or less endorsed in the platform as written. She has outlined a string of new economic proposals but otherwise hasn’t released a detailed list of her policy positions since launching her campaign.
The DNC said its platform makes “a strong statement about the historic work that President Biden and Vice President Harris have accomplished hand-in-hand.”
Citing the Israel-Hamas war, the Abandon Biden movement shifts its focus to Harris
A group that has spent the months since the Israel-Hamas war pursuing a campaign for Democrats to push Biden out as their presidential candidate shifted its focus Monday to the new presumptive nominee: Kamala Harris.
The Abandon Biden movement has focused on the president’s handling of the deadly war in Gaza and the flow of U.S. military aid to Israel as it responds to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. But at an event Monday, the group rebranded to Abandon Harris, saying the vice president’s inability to differentiate herself from Biden’s handling of the war is not acceptable.
The group has demanded that Harris support an unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza in addition to a full U.S. arms embargo on Israel.
As an alternative to Harris, the group has been pushing for third party candidates like progressive Cornel West and Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
“We ask the American people to vote for these third party candidates that are part of a broader movement to end a system that claims that the only rational thing is to select the lesser of two evils,” Hassan Abdel Salam, founder of Abandon Biden, said at a news conference Monday.
Chicago leaders say they’re committed to keeping protests peaceful during the DNC
“The city of Chicago is really good at things like this,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said at a Monday news conference. “We are ready.”
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling praised police and march organizers for a peaceful Sunday night protest he said went off without any problems. He said officers stood ready to ensure the demonstrations stay peaceful throughout the week.
“Listen, it’s this simple. The Chicago Police Department is here to protect everyone in this city,” Snelling said. “What we will not tolerate is intimidation. We we will not tolerate violence.”
Protester issues include climate change, abortion rights and racial equality, to name a few. But many agree that pressing for an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war is the top message of the demonstrations. They have likened it to the Vietnam War of their generation.
Walz responds to GOP criticism of how Harris laughs
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz is responding to some in the GOP mocking the way his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, laughs.
“They’re on her because she laughs,” Walz, the Minnesota governor, told a meeting of the Hispanic Caucus during Monday’s first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. “My god. I’ll take someone who laughs any damn day of the week.”
He continued of Harris, “She has a joy emanating out of her.”
Former Republican President Donald Trump has frequently criticized Harris for her laugh, and online videos of Harris laughing over and over through the years have become common.
As hundreds of the people in the crowd hoisted their cellphones to film and take selfies while he spoke from the nearby podium, Walz suggested Harris had reset the race since President Joe Biden gave up his reelection bid and endorsed her last month.
“People don’t to just want to vote against something. They want to vote for something,” Walz said. “Kamala Harris has given you something to vote for.”
Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez addresses the Hispanic Caucus
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign manager says “we know that Latino voters are critical to our pathway to victory” in November.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez told members of the Democratic National Convention’s Hispanic Caucus that the campaign sees Hispanic voters as a large enough voting bloc to make up the margin of victory in critical swing states, including Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania.
Chavez Rodriguez pointed to an ad in English and Spanish that the campaign has produced promoting Harris’ background and upbringing.
“We’re going to do it in English. We’re going to do it in Spanish. We’re going to do it in Spanglish,” Rodriguez said to cheers, referencing Hispanics that are bilingual or mostly speak one or the other.
Meanwhile, the battle for control of the House sends GOP Speaker Mike Johnson on western state campaign swing
While Democrats open their convention in Chicago, House Speaker Mike Johnson is keeping a robust August campaign schedule as he fights to hold his slim Republican majority this election.
Johnson is scheduled to be out West in Arizona and New Mexico this week fundraising and rallying with Republican House candidates. He had earlier stops in Montana and Washington state, including an event for Republican Joe Kent.
Democrats posted record online House fundraising in the immediate aftermath of Harris’ rise to the top of ticket. But Johnson told House Republicans in a private call last week he was transferring $4 million he had raised to their own campaign committee, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss the private talk.
All told, the Republican speaker has traveled to more than 40 cities in 20 states this month, the person said.
— Lisa Mascaro
What channel is carrying the convention?
The DNC will livestream on more than a dozen platforms, including the convention website, YouTube and X. For the first time in convention history, organizers say, they will also host vertical streams across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to make the proceedings more accessible on mobile devices.
Convention officials say there will be English and Spanish versions, as well as American Sign Language interpretation and an audio description service.
A number of network and cable news outlets have announced special programming for the prime-time portions of the convention, when Harris and others will give speeches from the hall where delegates are convening.
Other media outlets, both local and national, will stream whatever is happening on the floor. The actual space itself is closed to the public, behind several layers of security accessible only to delegates, officials, volunteers and credentialed media.
▶ Read more about how, and when, to watch the action at the DNC
More details on Monday’s DNC speakers
On day one of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, organizers of the event say viewers will hear from “everyday people” as well as a slate of elected officials, including a headlining appearance by President Joe Biden that will serve as a celebration of his record in office.
Among the speakers: United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain; Hillary Clinton; Reps. Grace Meng, Jamie Raskin and Jasmine Crockett; as well as Sens. Chris Coons and Raphael Warnock; and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Much of the programing will focus on Biden’s record of achievements during his time in the White House, which includes passing major pieces of legislation that included policies Democrats had dreamed of enacting for a generation.
“I think it’s important for him to answer those age-old questions: what have you done for me lately and why bother to go out and vote?” said former Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Biden advisor.
“Politicians worry about the next election. Statesmen worry about the next generation,” said Richmond, who called Biden “a statesman who will pass the baton on to Kamala Harris to continue to put this country first.”
— An earlier version of this item had an incorrect spelling of Rep. Grace Meng’s last name and incorrect wording in Rep. Cedric Richmond’s quote.
The signs of a post-Biden Democratic party
The scene at the opening events of the Democratic National Convention would have been unrecognizable a few months ago. Delegates dressed head to toe in Harris-Walz merch, some wearing the vice president’s face on their scarf or her euphemisms on graphic tees.
A new generation of Democratic leaders, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Witmer and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, spoke about the new “infusion” of energy at various delegation breakfasts. But even as Democrats kicked off a week dedicated to ushering in their new presumptive nominee, there were still remnants of the man who was leading the party and the presidential ticket just a short while ago.
At the Florida delegation breakfast, speakers made mentions about the “ultimate sacrifice” President Joe Biden made last month to step aside, saying that without that decision, the idea that the Sunshine State could potentially be in play for Democrats would be mere fantasy.
“Joe Biden made a selfless, heroic decision, and it’ll be awesome to celebrate him tonight,” Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida told The Associated Press. “And then we’re going to look to the future and pivot.”
Shortly before Castor took the stage to speak, a DNC volunteer pulled out a suitcase and began to hand out replicas of Joe Biden’s infamous aviators to the dozens of attendees.
Why was the official nomination vote held before the convention this year?
DNC officials first indicated in May that they would conduct a virtual roll call before the convention to clear a potential hurdle in getting the Democratic nominee on the ballot in Ohio. Ohio’s deadline to file for the general election ballot was Aug. 7. Although the deadline had been modified in previous presidential election years to accommodate late-summer conventions of both parties, this year state Republicans initially planned to enforce the existing deadline, with one GOP lawmaker calling the scheduling bind “ a Democratic problem.”
The Republican-controlled Legislature did eventually make an accommodation for the convention at the behest of Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, but the law doesn’t go into effect until Aug. 31. Citing concerns that Ohio Republicans could still try to block their candidate from getting on the ballot despite the legislative fix, DNC officials moved forward with their virtual roll call as originally planned.
After addressing DNC, Joe and Jill Biden will take a vacation in southern California
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will head directly to southern California’s Santa Ynez Valley on Monday for a vacation after they address the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, according to the White House.
The trip to the stunning valley known for its wineries — the Oscar-winning film “Sideways” was filmed there — could give Biden a chance to lay low during a week when Democrats want the focus to be on Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as they make their pitch to many Americans who are just beginning to tune in to the 2024 presidential election.
Pro-Palestinian supporters to hold a rally and march
Pro-Palestinian supporters from across the nation descended on Chicago’s Union Park early Monday in anticipation of a rally and march to near the United Center, where the Democratic National Convention is taking place.
Taylor Cook, an organizer with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, traveled from Atlanta for the Chicago march. Cook said the group was pushing all Democrats to call for an end to aid to Israel, with a particular focus on Vice President Kamala Harris.
“We’re saying to Kamala, she has been complicit in this. People think it’s just Joe Biden, but she is vice president,” Cook said. “So we’re saying, you need to stop if you want our vote.”
Cook also anticipated that the march would be “incredibly historic.”
“I’ve been an organizer for a few years now, and I have never been to a march that is predicted to be this big,” Cook added.
Walz appears at the Wisconsin delegation’s breakfast
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz appeared at the breakfast of the Wisconsin delegation, declaring to cheers, “I can’t say enough about my neighbors.”
Walz, who’s governor of Minnesota, was set to make the rounds at key early meetings on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention, which opened Monday in Chicago.
Returning to a theme he’s frequently used throughout the campaign, Walz promised that he and Vice President Kamala Harris would hustle through the race’s remaining weeks, saying hard work will take precedence over personal comforts and that the Democratic ticket can “sleep when we’re dead.”
The governors of Illinois, Pennsylvania and Michigan hopped from one delegate breakfast to another
Which resulted in roaring crowds of Democrats vying for selfies and handshakes from the Democratic leaders.
“We are on the cusp of electing an administration that will take us the next step forward,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told Florida delegates Monday morning.
Will there be any suspense in the roll vote?
Convention roll call votes haven’t had much drama in more than 40 years. Since then, a single candidate has always emerged in each party as the presumptive nominee well before the convention, making the vote itself a foregone conclusion.
That’s especially true in the 2024 Democratic convention, since the ceremonial vote is non-binding and cannot undo or modify the results of the earlier, official vote to nominate Harris held over five days in the first week of August. That’s not to say there can’t be some attempt to stage a protest vote from the convention floor, but it won’t have any effect on the outcome.
The result from the official nomination vote from early August was 4,563 votes for Harris and 52 for “present,” the only other option on the ballot. An additional 79 delegates did not cast votes.
Convention delegates will nominate Harris, again. Here’s how it works
It’s been nearly two weeks since Vice President Kamala Harris officially won the Democratic presidential nomination in an online vote, the first time a nominee was named prior to a party’s convention. But the approximately 4,700 delegates charged with picking a nominee to lead the ticket did so from locations around the globe on their laptops and devices in relative isolation from one other. There was none of the pomp and fanfare that usually accompany the process of selecting the party’s standard-bearer. In other words, it wasn’t very fun.
Democratic party leaders hope to make up for that by holding a ceremonial vote at the Democratic National Convention, which begins Monday in Chicago. Among the major agenda items will be what’s essentially a re-staging of the official presidential nomination vote from early August, mirroring the sometimes-festive, sometimes-raucous roll call votes that have been a staple of in-person party conventions for nearly 200 years.
The Democratic National Committee calls it a “celebratory Roll Call” and said in a statement the event would give delegates the opportunity to “celebrate the nomination” of Harris, who’s the first woman of color to lead a major party presidential ticket.
Chicago mayor urges Harris to embrace agenda that would ‘push for economic stability and growth for working people’
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson urged Vice President Kamala Harris to embrace an agenda that would “push for economic stability and growth for working people.”
“She’s off to a great start already,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said of Vice President Kamala Harris’ emerging economic platform during an interview with The Associated Press.
Johnson, who’s emerged as a surrogate for Harris among progressives and at events for Black male outreach in cities like Detroit, emphasized Harris’ upbringing and record as attorney general as potential strengths on the campaign trail.
“Showing up for working people is what the vice president has done her entire career,” Johnson said.
“The economic stability of our country really requires someone who understands the interests of working people,” he contended.
“She knows what it is like to struggle, along with Governor Walz. Like myself, he is a former social studies teacher,” Johnson said of the Minnesota governor.
Johnson, who on Sunday described Chicago as “one of the most diverse communities in the country,” defended the city’s record on race and inclusion as it grapples with historic challenges like the migrant crisis and debates over racial equity.
Democrats kicked off their convention Monday morning with a series of delegate breakfasts
At the Florida delegation breakfast, Democrats started the session by making note of the turmoil that rocked their party in the last few months leading up to the convention.
“We are here today, in this moment, because President Joe Biden made one of the greatest sacrifices to save this nation,” Nikki Fried, the state Democratic party chair, told delegates.
Democrats in Florida have recently become bullish about their chances in the Sunshine State despite serious doubts among some national operatives.
Democrats open convention transformed by Harris’ ascendance but facing lingering questions
A refreshed Democratic Party reintroduces itself to a divided nation this week, having been transformed by the money, momentum, relief and even joy that followed Vice President Kamala Harris ′ rise to the top of its ticket.
The whiplash of the last month culminates in a convention that begins Monday in Chicago. Above all, the four-day gathering of thousands of activists and party leaders from across the nation is designed to celebrate and strengthen Harris as President Joe Biden’s replacement and boost her campaign to defeat Republican Donald Trump in November.
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. Not even a month ago, Democrats were deeply divided over foreign policy, political strategy and 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.
Trump will campaign across the country this week as he struggles to adjust to Harris
As Democrats kick off their convention in Chicago, Donald Trump ’s campaign is trying to regain its footing after weeks of struggling to adjust to Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the opposing ticket.
Trump will attempt to undercut the Democratic celebration with a jam-packed schedule that includes daily events in battleground states tied to subjects where Republicans think they hold an advantage. It’s his busiest campaign week since the winter, when he faced challengers in the Republican primary.
But when Trump has held events billed as policy speeches throughout the campaign, they have often resembled his usual, rambling rally remarks. And as has long been the case during his political career, Trump has undercut his own message with outbursts and attacks that drown out anything else.
Protesters plan large marches and rallies as DNC kicks off
Crowds of activists are expected to gather in Chicago for protests outside the Democratic National Convention this week, hoping to call attention to such issues as economic injustice, reproductive rights and the war in Gaza.
While Vice President Kamala Harris has galvanized the party as she gears up to accept the Democratic nomination, activists say their plans to demonstrate haven’t changed. They’re ready to amplify their progressive message before the nation’s top Democratic leaders.
Their issues cover climate change, abortion rights and racial equality, to name a few, but many activists agree an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war is the overarching message of the demonstrations. They’ve likened it to the Vietnam War of their generation. The Chicago area has one of the largest Palestinian communities in the nation and buses are bringing activists to Chicago from all over the country.
By The Associated Press
