Kamala Harris will finally accept the Democratic Party’s nomination to be its 2024 presidential candidate on Thursday as the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago reaches its climax.
Her running mate Tim Walz formally accepted his nomination on Wednesday, delivering a moving speech that brought his family to tears as he told them: “Hope, Gus and Gwen – you are my entire world and I love you.”
Walz was met with cheers and chants of “Coach! Coach! Coach!” as he took to the stage and declared: “Never underestimate a public school teacher.”
“It’s the fourth quarter, we’re down a field goal, but we’re on offense and we have the ball, we’re driving down the field and boy do we have the right team,” the former football coach concluded.
“Kamala Harris is ready! Our job for everyone watching is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and the tackling.”
Former president Bill Clinton, talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Nancy Pelosi and Democratic rising stars Pete Buttigieg, Wes Moore, Hakeem Jeffries and Josh Shapiro all spoke at the United Center on Wednesday, with musical performances by Stevie Wonder and John Legend.
Harris campaign quizzed on lack of Palestinian speaker on agenda
At the DNC morning press conference, campaign communications director Michael Tyler was asked why there was not a Palestinian speaker anywhere on the four-day agenda.
He was asked: “There’s been a lot of talk about unity this week, so why won’t you all allow a Palestinian speaker to address the convention? And by simply saying that Trump would be worse for Arab Americans, is that not the campaign taking their votes for granted?”
Tyler responded: “No, we’re absolutely not taking their votes for granted. I think, as it relates to uncommitted delegates at this convention, we’re proud and glad that they are here. We’ve worked to engage them throughout, and we’re proud of the fact that we held panel conversations with members of the uncommitted movement. Are proud that the Vice President herself engaged with leadership in the uncommitted movement in Michigan a couple of weeks ago. That’s why the campaign has continued to engage with leadership of the uncommitted movement throughout this convention.”
He continued: “And I think what they will see, what folks who continue to demonstrate and protest will see, is a vice president, what has already been clear, and what they’ll continue to see for the rest of this campaign is a vice president who is committed to ending the violence, ending the conflict, making sure that we resolve this conflict with a permanent ceasefire that allows Israel to fully secure itself, that fully continues, and make sure that we have a full humanitarian aid also make sure that Gazans are able to peacefully live and prosper in Gaza.”
Further, he said: “That’s what she’s going to relentlessly fight for as president United States, and it does stand in stark contrast to our opponent, whose only North Star, is what benefits him. Does not care about national security, does not care about global security, is only interested in his own personal self-interest. And so when you’re looking for somebody who’s going to serve as Commander in Chief, when you’re looking at temperament, ability to handle complex global situations, there’s only one candidate in this race, who fits the bill. And that’s the vice president.”
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2024 16:15
Op-Ed: Tim Walz’s hokey VP speech was Patriotism For Dummies… exactly what Democrats needed
Even if Walz’s “sports, family and warm apple pie” speech seemed ripped directly from the American Patriotism For Dummies playbook, that’s sort of exactly what the DNC needs right now.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2024 16:05
Who is speaking at the DNC tonight?
Per the morning press briefing, the following are speaking tonight at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago:
- Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge
- Senator Alex Padilla (CA)
- Senator Bob Casey (PA)
- Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI)
- Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA)
- Senator Mark Kelly (AZ)
- Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy
- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
- North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper
- Rep Katherine Clark (MA)
- Former Rep Adam Kinzinger (IL)
- Rep Lucy McBath (GA)
- Rep Joe Neguse (CO)
- Rep Elissa Slotkin (MI)
- Rep Colin Allred (TX)
- Rep Ruben Gallego (AZ)
- State Reps Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson (“Tennessee Three”)
- Former Rep Gabby Giffords (AZ)
- Vice President Kamala Harris
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2024 15:58
Former Trump confidantes reunited at DNC
Former Trumpworld insiders Michael Cohen and Omarosa Manigault Newman were reunited at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week — both joining the ranks of Republicans on-site determined to thwart a second Trump presidency and elect Kamala Harris.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2024 15:45
‘You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand!’
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel discussed Kamala Harris’ record defending the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans — and channeled the movie star and gun rights activist Charlton Heston to deliver a message to Republicans who are trying to take away those rights.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2024 15:25
Trump campaign deletes video using Harris’s campaign anthem Freedom after Beyoncé sent cease-and-desist letter
Trump’s campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung posted a video on X on Tuesday of the Republican nominee stepping off the plane in Michigan with Beyoncé’s hit song playing in the background.
Now, the post has been removed.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2024 15:05
Hotties for Harris and Project 2025 condoms: The DNC is courting Gen Z
“We were expecting a funeral — we got a Taylor Swift show instead,” one campaign staffer tells Andrew Feinberg as he reports on the vibe shift at the Democratic National Convention.
Joe Sommerlad22 August 2024 14:45
Watch: The Swiftie taking the DNC by storm
Meet the Swiftie taking the DNC by storm
Meet the Taylor Swift fan taking the Democratic National Committee by storm. Kelly Jacobs, a delegate from Mississippi, explained that she is a “political fashionista” as she showed off her impressive outfit – featuring images of Swift and Kamala Harris – to The Independent. She has also been passing out “Swiftie voter bracelets” at the convention in Chicago. “Young women need to show up to vote, they will help us win the election,” Ms Jacobs said, adding that she would like to see Taylor endorse Vice President Harris ahead of the November election.
Joe Sommerlad22 August 2024 14:25
SNL’s Kenan Thompson slams Republicans over Project 2025
Myriam Page has more on the Heritgage Foundation proposals Trump is trying to distance himself from and which Democrats continue to have a lot of fun with in Chicago.
Joe Sommerlad22 August 2024 14:05
Uncommitted activists stage sit-in at DNC
After a request to give a Palestinian speaker a slot at the Democratic National Convention was denied yesterday, activists from the Uncommitted movement staged a sit-in protest to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Here’s Rhian Lubin’s report on the disbanding of the Muslim Women for Harris-Walz group for the same reason.
Joe Sommerlad22 August 2024 13:45