(CHICAGO) — Former director of communications for Trump’s transition team, Bryan Lanza, and former Senator Heidi Heitkamp spoke with ABC News about their opinions regarding Vice President Kamala Harris and her presidential campaign.
Lanza said that Harris has not had to answer for the various policy changes she’s made over the last 4 to 6 years, which he says leaves her answers ambiguous while making her solutions seem suitable for everyone. He also stated that Harris has significantly benefited from what he calls a “sugar high” of the media pumping her up and that the Democrats have just been so relieved that it’s no longer Joe Biden on the ticket.
Heitkamp disagreed with Lanza and rebutted by saying that when Harris talks about day care, paid family leave, affordable education and affordable housing — they are each her own ideas. The former North Dakota senator also accused the Republican Party of whining when they talk about the Harris campaign as being borne of canceling a taxpayer-funded primary.
Heitkamp and Lanza debated on the first day of the Democratic National Convention.
ABC NEWS: Joining us now is former senator and ABC News contributor Heidi Heitkamp and former Trump communications adviser Bryan Lanza. Thank you both so much for joining us.
Let’s start with you, Heidi. We’re talking about the momentum, really, Kamala Harris has going into the convention. What do you feel that she’s on solid ground about? And what do you think she still has work to do on?
HEITKAMP: Well, she’s going to have a lot of work to do because you can’t just build on kind of this change in the hey, I wouldn’t say sugar high, but the kind of momentum that you had. I think you already see it plateauing somewhat.
And so she’s got to come out. She’s got to energize young people, which I think she can do because young people have been pretty discouraged. They look at a ticket between Joe Biden and President Trump and they go, ‘you know, they don’t look like me. They don’t know my problems.’ They see her and they really see someone I think that they’re interested in learning more about. And if she can energize young people, suburban women, I think she’s on the way to victory. But that’s, that’s not a given.
ABC NEWS: And Bryan, same question to you. What do you think is working and where do you think that she has work to do still when it comes to convincing maybe some of those Nikki Haley supporters or independents who might still be on the fence?
LANZA: Well, thank you for having me. And, you know, clearly where it’s working is not answering any questions. She doesn’t have to answer the various policy changes that she’s made over the last 4 to 6 years and not have an answer that sort of makes her ambiguous and makes her solution for everybody. But you saw on Friday when she rolled out, you know, some of her economic policies and she talked about, you know, price controls.
You know, that sort of drew some criticism from some very liberal newspapers and even drew some criticism from Nancy Pelosi, who said she’d like Kamala Harris to govern from the center.
So I think she’s benefited a lot from, I’ll call it, a sugar high of the media sort of pumping up Kamala Harris. And the Democrats just been so relieved that it’s not Joe Biden on the ticket anymore. But as with all sugar highs, they all crash. And we’re starting to see the crash now as she talks more and more about policy, which she can’t defend because she’s been a part of this administration that has been, has stood by during record inflation, record illegal immigration, two wars and possibly a third.
I mean, the world is on fire and it was under their watch.
ABC NEWS: Heidi, I just want to put his response right to you. Heard him there. He says sugar high comes first and then, and then you crash.
HEITKAMP: Yeah, I don’t believe that. I think that when you look at what she’s been able to accomplish so far, I think they thought the steam was going to go out of this momentum a lot earlier. And it hasn’t. And I think, you know, I’m going to just take issue with this idea that she’s been speaking to concerns of the American people.
When she’s talking about day care, when she’s talking about paid family leave, she’s talking about making education affordable, housing affordable. Those are all ideas that she has, you know, she has poll tested — they are true. And they have someone who isn’t talking about this at all.
ABC NEWS: And Bryan, Republicans have been very critical of this passing of the torch from Biden to Harris. How do you think that this will play out for voters who think that President Biden was forced out by members of his own party?
LANZA: Clearly he was, and from my perspective, I love the fact that the primaries don’t have to exist at the presidential level anymore. It’s a political operative I’ve found rather annoying, hard to predict, and a tremendous waste of resources.
So I think with the Democrats breaking the seal and canceling out 14 million votes, you’re canceling a taxpayer-funded primary. I think that sets a precedent for less primaries going forward, not more. And so I think they, you know, passing the torch sort of thing. They’ve been successful at it, you know, not having to address the 14 million people who voted millions of dollars of taxpayers that instituted the election and come out to 1,800 phone calls to get it, to get the nomination.
But I think that the, the sort of the end of their argument about threat to democracy. So it cost them a very valuable talking point that they had, but they ultimately got here and, you know, good for her. She unified her party. But by that, I mean, it wasn’t because 14 million people voted. They vacated 14 million people’s votes to get her here.
ABC NEWS: Heidi, I really do have questions for you. But it’s more interesting to get your reaction to Bryan because I see you reacting, shaking your head as he’s talking.
HEITKAMP: I hope Bryan encourages the entire Republican Party to only talk about this switcheroo as some kind of threat to democracy, as opposed to something that needed to happen in order to present the candidate that the public wanted to see. And so the more they complain about this, it’s just whining.
They now have a race between Kamala Harris, who their principal at once upon a time said would be easier to defeat than Joe Biden. So why not be happy about it? As Republicans, they know better. They know that Kamala Harris is is, has already surged in the polls. This race, which was in a very dire condition for the Democratic Party, now is dead even. And she has momentum behind her. And so keep complaining. Keep talking about it because it’s not going to win any votes.
ABC NEWS: Bryan, I’ll give you 15 seconds; Final word here.
LANZA: You know I’m not complaining. You asked the question, but, listen, from our standpoint, once this question, once the election gets back to the issues that matter, inflation, immigration, the wars, it’s clearly, it’s clear that President Trump has the advantage.
There’s a reason Joe Biden is not on the ballot today because he wasn’t able to sell success on those particular issues. And Kamala has less ability to sell that success. Sell that, especially with her sort of liberal San Francisco values and these dangerous liberal policies that she helped introduce on Friday.
ABC NEWS: Bryan Lanza, Heidi Heitkamp, thank you both so much. Good conversation. We appreciate the back and forth. All right. Give both perspectives and opinions on here. We appreciate it.
(WASHINGTON) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to drop out of the presidential race by the end of this week, sources familiar with the decision tell ABC News.
Sources tell ABC News that Kennedy plans to endorse Donald Trump — but when asked directly by ABC News if he will be endorsing the former president, Kennedy said, “I will not confirm or deny that.”
“We are not talking about any of that,” he said.
Sources cautioned the decision is not yet finalized and could still change, with one source adding that Kennedy’s hope is, in part, to finalize things quickly in order to try to blunt momentum from the Democratic National Convention.
One possible scenario being discussed is for Kennedy to appear on stage with Trump at an event in Phoenix on Friday, though the sources cautioned that Kennedy’s thinking could always change and sources close to Trump say no plan for Friday is finalized.
Kennedy’s campaign manager, Amaryllis Fox, emailed senior staff on Wednesday morning thanking them for their hard work — but indicated a decision on the way forward had not been made, a source familiar with the email told ABC News.
“There are a couple potential paths forward, not only two, and I can bear witness to the care, examination that Bobby has invested in the consideration of each,” Fox wrote, according to the source.
A spokesperson for Kennedy posted on X that Kennedy will “address the nation” live on Friday to discuss his “path forward,” but offered no specifics.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kennedy told ABC News regarding the Democratic convention and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, “I think it was a coronation, it’s not democracy. Nobody voted. Who chose Kamala? It wasn’t voters.”
He also complained about the way his campaign has been treated.
“She went in four weeks from being the worst liability for Democratic Party to the second coming of Christ without giving one interview, without showing up for a debate, without a single policy that anyone thinks isn’t ridiculous,” he said. “It’s not democracy.”
(CHICAGO) — After the excitement sparked by the Obamas Tuesday night, Democrats will try to keep to momentum going when vice presidential nominee Tim Walz headlines the third night of speakers.
He’ll be joined earlier by another former president — Bill Clinton — as well as Nancy Pelosi and Pete Buttigieg.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Video shows Harris reacting to roll call Tuesday night from backstage at rally
From backstage at her Milwaukee rally Tuesday night, Vice President Kamala Harris watched California Gov. Gavin Newsom cast his state’s votes during Tuesday night’s ceremonial roll call.
“California, we proudly cast our 482 votes for the next president, Kamala Harris,” Newsom can be heard saying in the video, posted by the Harris campaign.
Harris appeared overcome with emotion watching the moment.
“Congratulations,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was standing next to Harris, told the vice president before exchanging a hug.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
Booker, Moore, Shapiro and more expected to speak Wednesday night
Sen. Cory Booker, and Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania are expected to take the stage Wednesday night before Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s Wednesday prime-time address, according to DNC Executive Director Alex Hornbrook.
Former Trump staffer Olivia Troye will also give remarks, Hornbrook told reporters.
-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd
Harris’ campaign has raised around $500M since becoming Democratic candidate: Source
Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has raised about $500 million since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, according to a source familiar.
New campaign disclosure filings once again show the Harris campaign and the DNC’s cash on hand advantage over the Trump campaign and the RNC following a major fundraising boost the Democrats saw after Vice President Kamala Harris took over the top of the Democratic ticket last month.
The Harris campaign and the DNC together raised $248 million in July, out-raising The Trump campaign and the RNC, which raised $78 million, disclosures show.
The Harris campaign and the DNC entered August with $285 million in cash on hand, compared to the Trump campaign and the RNC having $250 million in cash on hand entering August.
Harris and the DNC’s latest money advantage comes after Trump and the RNC showed fundraising prowess the past few months and quickly eclipsed the cash on hand edge that Biden and the DNC previously had going into the general election.
The latest filings only show partial figures released by the campaigns and the national party committees’ figures – with full figures from the joint fundraising committees scheduled to be released in October.
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Tim Walz takes the convention stage
Amid lingering buzz generated by passionate speeches from Michelle and Barack Obama – vice presidential nominee Tim Walz will be the keynote speaker tonight.
The man Kamala Harris calls “Coach” will likely stress what he calls the politics of “joy” while also taking swipes at Donald Trump.
The theme tonight is “A Fight for our Freedoms.”
Other notable speakers tonight include figures beloved by Democrats – former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
(CHICAGO) —Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled her economic platform, her first major policy rollout since becoming the Democratic nominee.
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday held a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he said he’s “entitled” to insult his Democratic opponent because he doesn’t respect her and attacked her record on the economy.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Bulletproof glass shields Trump at North Carolina rally
Former President Donald Trump spoke behind bulletproof glass at his rally in North Carolina on Wednesday as new security measures are being put in place after the assassination attempt against the former president.
Trump was surrounded by the glass barriers as he addressed supporters in Asheboro. The event marked his first outdoor rally since the shooting on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, during which Trump and two others were injured and one person was killed.
-ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler
RFK Jr. planning to leave 2024 race: Sources
Robert Kennedy Jr. is planning to drop out of the race by the end of this week, sources familiar with the decision tell ABC News.
Sources say that Kennedy is leaning toward endorsing former President Donald Trump, though the sources cautioned the decision is not yet finalized and could still change. One source added that the hope is, in part, to finalize things quickly in order to try to blunt momentum from the DNC.
Kennedy is set to address the nation on Friday, his campaign said earlier Wednesday.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky, Will McDuffie, Olivia Rubin, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders
RFK Jr. to address nation Friday about ‘path forward’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will “address the nation” live Friday to discuss his “path forward,” his press secretary posted on X Wednesday.
The campaign did not immediately offer any more specifics.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie
Harris headed to Milwaukee rally tonight
Democratic candidate for president, Vice President Kamala Harris, is set to speak at a rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday, according to her campaign.
Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ vice presidential running mate, will be in attendance, the campaign confirmed. Also expected at the event are Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, members of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise, including Khris Middleton and President Peter Feigin, and labor leaders.
Harris and Waltz appeared at the DNC in Chicago on Monday night, where Harris surprised delegates by taking the stage early in the night for a brief speech.
Tuesday’s rally, which is being held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, is aimed at energizing Wisconsin voters, the campaign said.
Iran denies involvement in attempts to hack Trump, Biden campaigns
Iran is denying reports it was involved in attempts to hack the presidential campaigns of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, the latter of which while he was still in the race.
In a statement, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, said that reports of attempted hacking, which came from Google and Microsoft, are “unsubstantiated.”
“Such allegations are unsubstantiated and devoid of any standing. As we have previously announced, the Islamic Republic of Iran harbors neither the intention nor the motive to interfere with the U.S. presidential election,” the statement read. “Should the U.S. government genuinely believe in the validity of its claims, it should furnish us with the pertinent evidence—if any—to which we will respond accordingly.”
-ABC News’ Pierre Thomas
7:32 AM EDT Bernie Sanders to speak at DNC on ‘lowering health care costs’
Lowering health care costs will be a central theme at the Democratic National Convention this week, campaign and convention officials said on Monday, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), confirmed as one notable program speaker set to focus upon the issue — specifically on “lowering Rx drug prices” and “taking on Big Pharma.”
Speakers throughout the week like Sanders, California Rep. Robert Garcia, Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will highlight the support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for strengthening the Affordable Care Act, convention officials shared first with ABC News.
In a Friday speech setting out a string of economic proposals, Harris pledged to “lower the cost of insulin and prescription drugs for everyone.” She also said she’d “demand transparency from the middlemen who operate between Big Pharma and the insurance companies, who use opaque practices to raise your drug prices and profit off your need for medicine.”
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and more to host DNC
Actors Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling and commentator Ana Navarro will serve as hosts at the Democratic National Convention this week, convention officials confirmed to ABC News.
Each will host one night of the four-day convention, starting the programming with opening remarks and reappearing onstage throughout the night.
Goldwyn will host Monday night, Navarro on Tuesday and Kaling on Wednesday. Washington will host on Thursday, the night Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepts her nomination.
CNN first reported this news.
Harris and Walz debut new campaign buses and kick off tour ahead of DNC
Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz debuted their new campaign buses Sunday and kicked off a bus tour of southwestern Pennsylvania ahead of this week’s Democratic National Convention.
Upon their arrival on Air Force Two, a few hundred supporters greeted Harris, Walz and their spouses at a hangar where the new were buses parked.
Supporters told ABC News they were thrilled by Harris’ candidacy, with one saying she had not felt this excited about politics in years. Some said they had never volunteered for a campaign before signing up to work on Harris’.
“I was excited about Biden, but I am a million times more excited about Kamala,” Nicole Molinaro, a Pittsburgh-area mom, said. “I think that we need her leadership. We need her intelligence. We need her progressive, you know, stance. I think we need her experience. We need everything about Kamala.”
Another supporter, Edward Freel, said he was unsure about Harris at first, “but then, as I started listening better and following her, [I thought] this woman is going to be good for this country.”
Trump campaign releases counterprogramming schedule for DNC week
During the week of the DNC, Former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance will be out on the campaign trail, holding events in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
Trump allies — including Sens. Ron Johnson and Rick Scott, and Rep. Byron Donalds — will travel to Chicago to host press conferences every day of the convention. The Trump team will also give a press conference on Thursday ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the Democratic party’s nomination.
“As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again,” Trump Campaign Senior Advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Michelle Obama to speak at DNC this week
Former first lady Michelle Obama will speak at the DNC in Chicago this week, ABC News has confirmed with her office.
Her appearance, first reported by Essence Magazine, will be among a lineup of prominent Democratic leaders who are rallying in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Former President Barack Obama is also scheduled to speak at the DNC.
According to a source familiar with the planning, Michelle Obama will speak on Tuesday — the same day as the former president.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart and Gabriella Abdul-Hakim
Former Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will help Trump prepare for presidential debate
Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will assist Trump in preparing for his first debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“[Trump] does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisors and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage,” Trump campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a statement to ABC News, confirming a development first reported by The New York Times.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and a one-time Democratic presidential candidate during the 2020 election, gained brief momentum during her presidential run after challenging Harris on the debate stage on topics like criminal prosecutions.
Since leaving the Democratic Party, Gabbard has been gaining traction among Trump supporters, and more recently she has appeared on Fox and other conservative news outlets attacking Harris.
– ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh, and Lalee Ibssa
Election 2024 updates: ABC News Harris-Trump debate to be held in Philadelphia
The first debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump will be held by ABC News at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
The Sept. 10 debate will be moderated by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis.
It will air live at 9:00 p.m. ET on the network and on its 24/7 streaming network ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.
US Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota and Democratic vice-presidential nominee, during a campaign event at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Harris-Walz campaign effort to calcify the renewed enthusiasm from their party at the top of the ticket is seeing their biggest week of mobilization of the entire election cycle as the party’s national convention charges on in Chicago.
Ahead of the convention, the campaign launched what they characterize as a “weekend of action,” where over 10,000 volunteers barnstormed battlegrounds, making near 900,000 calls and knocking on more than 100,000 doors, contacting in sum over a million voters, per details first shared with ABC News. The campaign says that they were able to recruit over 24,000 volunteers.
Yet the most ambitious investments in organization will come at the latter half of the week — with the campaign hosting its largest telephone banking night of the cycle Wednesday, planning to launch 4,000 volunteers to work the lines.
On Thursday, the campaign will host 500 watch parties across the country in every state as Vice President Kamala Harris delivers her formal acceptance speech as the party’s newly minted nominee, a process that has come together in the short span of a month.
The campaign also held volunteer trainings and launched organizing resources on Monday and Tuesday.
“This week, Vice President Harris’ vision and story will be on full display for millions of American voters in key states. But our campaign isn’t stopping there— in fact, we’re redoubling our efforts to aggressively earn the support of the voters that will decide this election.” Battleground States Director Dan Kanninen said in a statement first sent to ABC News.
“On the stage at the Democratic National Convention and on the ground via thousands of organizing trainings, phone banks and watch parties across the country, this campaign is leveraging the moment to break through and meet voters where they are — exactly the work needed to win a tough and close election this November,” the statement continued.
These efforts are part of the campaign’s new efforts to mine the honeymoon buzz around Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, moving on turning any energy into action; mission critical with what continues to be a dead-heat race between Harris and former President Donald Trump several major battleground polls. This also comes as several grassroots voter groups host large-scale virtual telethons of sorts drawing big celebrity names to recruit volunteers and entice hefty donations, often netting millions of dollars each call.
Per a new ABC News/Ipsos poll, Harris and Walz lead former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance by 50-45% among all adults. Among those now registered to vote, it’s 49-45%, a slight Harris advantage.
In a sharp swing from when President Joe Biden was the nominee, 60% of Harris’ backers support her strongly, matching Trump’s strong support and compared with just 34% strong support for Biden last month, ABC News/Ipsos found.
Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a pre-recorded message during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024 in Chicago. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(CHICAGO) — Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago has wrapped.
Here’s a look at some of the key moments in a night that saw highly-anticipated prime-time speeches from Barack and Michelle Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, along with a few surprise guests:
Barack Obama passes the torch
Former President Barack Obama delivered the keynote speech a day after the DNC saw an emotional tribute to his vice president, President Joe Biden.
“Now the torch has been passed,” Obama said, turning to Harris’ candidacy and her campaign against former President Donald Trump.
“Now it is up to all of us to fight for the America we believe in,” he added. “And make no mistake, it will be a fight.”
Obama went on to slam Trump as a “78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rose down his golden escalator.”
“As we gather here tonight, the people who will decide this election are asking a very simple question: Who will fight for me? Who’s thinking about my future, about my children’s future, about our future together?” he asked. “One thing is for certain, Donald Trump is not losing sleep over that question.”
After more than 30 minutes on stage, Obama had a simple message for convention-goers.
“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,” Obama said.
“That is what this election is about,” he added.
Michelle Obama: ‘We cannot get a Goldilocks complex’
Former first lady Michelle Obama was greeted with an enthusiastic standing ovation as she took the stage as the penultimate speaker.
She said until recently she had mourned the “dimming” of hope felt in the country following the recent developments in the country and the loss of her mother.
However, she said she recently felt it spreading again.
“America, hope is making a comeback,” she said.
She took subtle but biting jabs at Trump, contrasting his past scandals with Harris’ years of accomplishment.
“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,” she said.
“If we bankrupt a business or choke in a crisis, we don’t get a second, third, or fourth chance,” she added.
In her closing remarks, she warned that a handful of votes in select states would decide the election and pushed Americans to come out to the polls.
“So, we need to vote in numbers that erase any doubt we need to overwhelm any effort to suppress us. Our fate is in our hands,” she said.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff gets personal
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff reintroduced himself to America in a personal, down-to-earth speech as Harris makes a historic bid for the White House that, if elected, would make him the first-ever first gentleman.
He talked about having a “typical suburban childhood” and his fantasy football league that’s named after the band Nirvana. He touched on major life moments: going to law school, becoming a father to son Cole and daughter Ella, getting divorced and then getting set up on a blind date with Harris.
On his wife, he said she “finds joy in pursuing justice.”
“She stands up to bullies — just like my parents taught me to. She likes to see people do well — and hates when they’re treated unfairly. She believes this work requires a basic curiosity in how people are doing. Her empathy is her strength,” he said.
He talked about Harris coming to synagogue with him and making a “mean brisket for Passover.” He said Harris encouraged him as second gentleman to fight against antisemitism.
“Kamala is a joyful warrior,” he said. “It’s doing for her country what she has always done for the people she loves. Her passion will benefit all of us when she’s our president.”
Angela Alsobrooks puts spotlight on key Senate race
Democrats picked Angela Alsobrooks to give a lengthier speech than others as she runs for Senate in Maryland, a race once considered sleepy. But with popular former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan as the GOP nominee, the race is more competitive, and Democrats are desperate to keep the seat of outgoing Sen. Ben Cardin in their column.
Alsobrooks spoke about her friendship with Harris and how she looked up to her as a mentor.
Alsobrooks said when she ran for state’s attorney in 2009, she discovered Harris’ work as district attorney piloting a program to help low-level offenders get job training, GED help and more.
“After reading about this super-bad district attorney, I talked non-stop about her on the campaign trail,” she said. “Two days after I won the election, my phone rings. It’s Kamala Harris, calling to congratulate me and ask how she could help. She helped me bring Back on Track to Maryland. Crime went down, and economic growth went up. Back on Track is now a national model.”
Alsobrooks went on to tout Harris’ prosecutorial record against big banks, gangs and more.
“Kamala Harris knows how to keep criminals off the streets,” she said. “And come November, with our help, she’ll keep one out of the Oval Office.”
Illinois Gov. Pritzker on ‘weird’ GOP
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker repeated comments made by Democrats calling Trump and other Republicans “weird” over their rhetoric and actions.
He took the sentiment further, citing instances when Black or brown-skinned Americans are “derided as a DEI hire for the sin of being successful while not white.”
“Let’s be clear, it’s not ‘woke’ that limits economic growth, it’s ‘weird,'” the governor said.
“These guys aren’t just weird, they’re dangerous,” Pritzker added.
The “weird” labeling of Republicans was first adopted by Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and used widely as a tactic to label the party’s platforms and attacks.
Former Trump official touts Harris
The DNC is highlighting several former supporters of former President Donald Trump this week, including everyday Americans who previously voted for him who are now backing Harris.
But Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary, was the first of several former Trump officials slated to speak at the convention. She described herself not only as a former supporter of Trump but as a “true believer” who has since changed her tune.
“He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” she said of Trump.
“When I was press secretary, I got skewered for never holding a White House briefing,” Grisham added. “It’s because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie. Now, here I am behind a podium advocating for a Democrat. And that’s because I love my country more than my party.”
Festive ceremonial roll call
A lively ceremonial roll call before the prime-time slot got the crowd energized as delegates cast their votes for Harris while songs from artists from each state blared through the arena.
The roll call featured some surprise cameos alongside more expected political leaders from their respective states, including rapper Lil Jon (Georgia) actor Sean Astin (Indiana), director Spike Lee (New York) and actress Eva Longoria (Texas).
The roll call ended with Harris addressing the crowd from a rally in Milwaukee and thanking the delegates for nominating her as the Democratic presidential nominee.
“This is a people-powered campaign, and together we will chart a new way forward,” she said.
Former US President Barack Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(CHICAGO) — Barack and Michelle Obama used their star power to lift up Vice President Kamala Harris — and eviscerate her opponent.
Representing Democrats’ modern version of political royalty, the former president and former first lady brought a raucous Chicago crowd to its feet with their distinctively soaring rhetoric. But compared to past speeches, these were different.
“When they go low, we go high,” Michelle Obama famously said during her 2016 Democratic National Convention speech.
On Tuesday, they did both.
Both praised Harris Tuesday as someone uniquely capable of connecting with the American people and deserving of a groundswell of support, issuing calls to action for Democrats to get out to the polls this November.
“Kamala Harris won’t be focused on her problems, she’ll be focused on yours. As president, she won’t just cater to her own supporters, punish those who refuse to kiss the ring or bend the knee. She’ll work on behalf of every American. That’s who Kamala is,” Barack Obama said.
“We cannot afford for anyone to sit on their hands and wait to be called upon. Don’t complain if no one from the campaign has specifically reached out to ask for your support. There is simply no time for that kind of foolishness. You know what we need to do. So, consider this to be your official ask: Michelle Obama is asking you, no I’m telling y’all, to do something,” Michelle Obama said to cheers in her speech introducing her husband.
Beyond promoting Harris, they also touted a vision of a country united, where citizens give each other the benefit of the doubt and can even learn from each other.
“Democracy isn’t just a bunch of abstract principles and dusty laws in some books somewhere. It’s the values we live by. It’s the way we treat each other, including those who don’t look like us or pray like us or see the world exactly like we do,” Barack Obama said. “To make progress on the things we care about, the things that really affect people’s lives, we need to remember that we’ve all got our blind spots and contradictions and prejudices.”
They also held nothing back in going after former President Donald Trump.
Both criticized Trump in sweeping terms, with Michelle Obama calling his style of politics “small,” and questioning ” Why would we accept this from anyone seeking our highest office?” and Barack Obama saying that Americans “do not need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos.”
But they also went after Trump in specific ways that were both cutting and, at times, below the belt.
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs?'” Michelle Obama said in likely the most memorable line of the night, referencing Trump’s claims that immigrants are taking jobs away from Black citizens.
And Obama knocked Trump for his “weird obsession with crowd sizes,” measuring out his hands in a way that some on social media interpreted as a reference to genitalia size.
Each time, the crowd roared.
Democrats hailed the speech, arguing it’s just what the doctor ordered.
The speeches were “great bookends,” said Pete Giangreco, a Democratic strategist who worked on Obama’s campaigns. “Instead of making Trump big and ominous, they made him small and petty and his gripes old and tired.”
“This was just a grand slam,” added veteran Democratic strategist David Brand. “I just think that they prosecuted the case against the convicted felon so marvelously and showed that America needs to get back to normalcy and away from the chaos that is Trumpism.”
The tone of the speeches, both optimistic and critical, inspiring and combative, underscored precisely where the Democratic Party finds itself this year.
The party is jubilant over Harris’ rise to the top of its ticket, particularly after President Joe Biden’s disastrous June debate left Democrats feeling hopeless about their electoral chances in November. The United Center this week, like the party base, has been electrified.
“I am feeling fired up. I am feeling ready to go,” Barack Obama said, echoing an old campaign slogan. “I am feeling hope because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible. Because we have a chance to elect someone who has spent her entire life trying to give people the same chances America gave her.”
But lingering fears of a Trump comeback loom over the euphoria, with attendees repeatedly bringing up the 2016 election cycle, when Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, another historic female candidate who Democrats were confident would win.
“People saw what happens when voters are complacent. Complacency handed us Donald Trump,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, D, told ABC News Tuesday.
With that fear, Democrats are leaving nothing to chance, unwilling to dull their rhetorical knives’ edges in the face of what they describe as nothing short of a risk to democracy in the form of Trump’s comeback bid.
“We’re talking about people who beat police officers with sticks and the American flag on Jan. 6 trying to steal a free and fair election. I’m sorry, I totally reject that,” Brand said when asked about if the Obamas’ rhetoric violated the rule of going high and not low.. “I don’t have patience for that argument about their feelings.”
(CHICAGO) — Vice President Kamala Harris officially became the official Democratic presidential nominee during the second night of the Democratic National Convention.
The night included a lively and upbeat roll call vote of delegates that featured a DJ, some celebrities and energetic speeches. Also, Harris, who campaigned in Milwaukee, thanked the crowd in a live-streamed message.
Second gentleman Doug Emoff talked about his long relationship with Harris and touted her vision for the country.
But the night’s biggest headline was the return of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama to the DNC stage. Both stressed what’s at stake in this election and pushed Americans to come together to bring the country to a better future.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Harris thanks Emhoff for speech in social media post
Harris posted a photo of her watching the second gentleman’s speech at the DNC Tuesday night.
“Love you, Dougie,” she wrote on the social media post.
‘Let’s get to work’ Obama says as he concludes speech
After more than 30 minutes on stage, Obama had a simple message for convention-goers.
“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,” Obama said.
“That is what this election is about,” he added. “And I believe that’s why, if we each do our part over the next 77 days, if we knock on doors, if we make phone calls, if we talk to our friends, if we listen to our neighbors, if we work like we’ve never worked before, if we hold firm to our convictions, we will elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States and Tim Walz as the next vice president of the United States.”
“So let’s get to work. God bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.”
Obama pays tribute to mother-in-law Marian Robinson
Turning personal, Obama spoke about the bond he had with Michelle Obama’s mother, who passed away earlier this year.
“One of the reasons Marian and I became so close was she reminded me of my grandmother, the woman who helped raise me as a child,” he said.
“They were strong, smart, resourceful women, full of common sense who, regardless of the barriers they encountered … In that sense, they both represented an entire generation of working people who, through war and depression, discrimination and limited opportunity, helped build this country,” he said.
Obama says ‘mutual respect’ must be part of party’s message
Obama said to build a true Democratic majority, they have to give grace to people who may not align with their political views.
“That sense of mutual respect has to be part of our message,” he said. “Our politics have become so polarized these days that all of us across the political spectrum seem so quick to assume the worst in others unless they agree with us on every single issue.”
“We start thinking that the only way to win is to scold and shame and out-yell the other side. And after a while, regular folks just tune out or they don’t bother to vote,” he continued. “Now that approach may work for the politicians who just want attention and thrive on division, but it won’t work for us to make progress on the things we care about, the things that really affect people’s lives.”
Obama later acknowledged those ideas “can feel pretty naive right now” but was adamant “the ties that bind us are still there.”
Obama touts progress on the Affordable Care Act
The former president took a moment to note the achievements of his signature policy achievement.
“I notice since it became popular, they don’t call it ‘Obamacare’ anymore,” he said, prompting laughter.
Obama went on to say Harris will continue to build on that progress.
“Kamala knows we can’t stop there, which is why she’ll keep working to limit out-of-pocket costs” he said.
‘I love this guy,’ Obama says of Tim Walz
Obama commended Harris for her vice presidential selection.
“Let me tell you something. I love this guy,” he said of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. “Tim is the kind of person who should be in politics. Born in a small town, served his country, taught kids, coached football, took care of his neighbors. He knows who he is and he knows what’s important.”
He said the Harris-Walz ticket is the embodiment of America’s story.
“A story that says we are all created equal, all of us endowed with certain inalienable rights, that everyone deserves a chance, that even when we don’t agree with each other, we can find a way to live with each other,” he said. “That’s Kamala’s vision. That’s Tim’s vision. That’s the Democratic Party’s vision.”
Obama says Trump’s political ‘act has gotten pretty stale’
Obama derided Trump’s campaign for trying to pit Americans against one another.
“Donald Trump wants us to think that this country is hopelessly divided between us and them, between the real Americans who of course support him and the outsiders who don’t,” he said. “And he wants you to think that you’ll be richer and safer, if you will just give him the power to put those other people back in their place.”
“It is one of the oldest tricks in politics from a guy whose act has, let’s face it, gotten pretty stale,” he continued. “We do not need four more years a bluster and bumbling and chaos. We have seen that movie before. And we all know that the sequel is usually worse.”
“America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We are ready for a President Kamala Harris.”
Obama says Harris-Trump matchup will be a ‘fight’
“Now the torch as been passed,” Obama said, turning to Harris’ candidacy and her campaign against former President Donald Trump.
“Now it is up to all of us to fight for the America we believe in,” he added. “And make no mistake, it will be a fight.”
Obama went on to slam Trump as a “78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rose down his golden escalator.”
“As we gather here tonight, the people who will decide this election are asking a very simple question: Who will fight for me? Who’s thinking about my future, about my children’s future, about our future together?” he asked. “One thing is for certain, Donald Trump is not losing sleep over that question.”
Obama takes a moment to reflect on Biden’s legacy
As Obama reminisced on accepting the party’s nomination 16 years ago, he spoke about choosing President Joe Biden to be his running mate.
“And looking back, I can say without question that my first big decision as your nominee turned out to be one of my best, and that was asking Joe Biden to serve by my side as vice president,” he said.
“Other than some common Irish blood, Joe and I come from different backgrounds,” he continued. “When we became brothers, and as we worked together for eight, sometimes pretty tough, years. What I came to admire most about Joe wasn’t just his smarts; his experience. It was his empathy, and his decency. And it’s hard earned resilience. His unshakable belief that everyone in this country deserves a fair shot. And over the last four years, those are the values America has needed most.”
Obama went on to praise Biden’s leadership as president and for putting the nation before his personal ambition by stepping aside.
“History will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger,” Obama said. “And I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend.”
Barack Obama takes the stage, met with ‘Yes we can’ cheers
The former president received a warm welcome from the crowd in the United Center, who revived his iconic campaign slogan “Yes we can!”
“I’m feeling fired up!” Obama said. “I am feeling ready to go — even If I am the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama.”
Michelle Obama fires up crowd
Michelle Obama reminds everyone why she’s on of the Democratic Party’s most popular figures. She consistently polls as someone Democrats would like to see run for president — and this speech showed why.
-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod
Michelle Obama warns that election will be close
In her closing remarks, former first lady Michelle Obama warned that a handful of votes in select states would decide the election and pushed Americans to come out to the polls.
“So we need to vote in numbers that erase any doubt we need to overwhelm any effort to suppress us. Our fate is in our hands,” she said.
‘We cannot get a Goldilocks complex’: Michelle Obama
The former first lady warned that “we can not be our worst enemies” and not take things for granted in this election.
“We cannot get a Goldilocks complex about whether everything is just right,” Michelle Obama said to cheers.
“We cannot indulge our anxieties about whether this country will elect someone like Kamala instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected,” she added.
Obama said she is confident that Harris would be a great leader but noted that there will be a lot of opponents who will put out lies about her.
“It’s up to us to remember what Kamala’s mother told her: Don’t just sit around and complain, do something,” she said. “So if they lie about her, and they will, we’ve got to do something.”
Michelle Obama takes jabs at Trump
The former first lady took several subtle and clear jabs at former President Donald Trump, contrasting his past scandals with Harris’ years of accomplishments.
“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,” she said.
“If we bankrupt a business or choke in a crisis, we don’t get a second, third, or fourth chance,” she added.
Michelle Obama got more direct and noted that Trump “did everything in his power to try to make people fear us.”
“His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black,” she said.
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs?'” Obama asked to a cheering crowd.
“It’s his same old con: doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better,” she added.
Emhoff revives crowd
Emhoff sent the crowd into a tizzy after attendees had been lagging in energy.
The first gentleman told a story of his first date with Harris, prompting cheers when describing by an awkward voicemail he sent her.
-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod
Michelle Obama reflects on mom’s influence
Michelle Obama reflected on her mother’s memory and the values that she instilled in her from an early age.
“Kamala Harris and I built our lives on those same foundational values. Even though our mothers grew up an ocean apart, they shared the same belief in the promise of this country,” she said.
Obama continued to tout Harris’ skills, experience and temperament during her years of service.
“Kamala Harris is more than ready for this moment,” she said. “She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency.”
Michelle Obama gets standing ovation; ‘America, hope is making a comeback’
The crowd at the United Center greeted former first lady Michelle Obama with a standing ovation as she took the stage as the penultimate speaker.
Michelle Obama said until recently she had mourned the “dimming” of hope felt in the country following the recent developments in the country and the loss of her mother.
However, she said she recently felt it spreading again.
“America, hope is making a comeback,” she said.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff re-introduces himself in personal speech
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff re-introduced himself to America in a personal, down-to-earth speech as Harris makes a historic bid for the White House that, if elected, would make him the first-ever first gentleman.
He said he grew up the son of two Brooklynites and had a “typical suburban childhood.”
“The guys I grew up with are still my best friends. The group chat is active every day — and it’s probably blowing up right now,” he said.
He said he worked at McDonald’s in high school when money was tight and worked full-time so he could afford to go to college part-time.
“Thanks to partial scholarships, student loans and a little help from my dad, I got myself through law school and got my first job as a lawyer — which is also where I met the guys in my fantasy football league,” he said. “A lot has changed in our lives since the early ’90s, but my team name is still Nirvana — yes, after the band.”
He said he loved working as a lawyer, became a dad to Cole and Ella, got a divorce and then “something unexpected happened” — he was set up on a blind date with Harris. He said Harris saved his first bumbling voicemail to her “and she makes me listen to it on every anniversary.”
On Harris, he said she “finds joy in pursuing justice.”
“She stands up to bullies — just like my parents taught me to. She likes to see people do well — and hates when they’re treated unfairly. She believes this work requires a basic curiosity in how people are doing. Her empathy is her strength.”
He talked about Harris coming to synagogue with him and making a “mean brisket for Passover.” He said Harris encouraged him as second gentleman to fight against antisemitism.
On their blended family, he said that Harris has “always been there for our children, and I know she’ll always be there for yours too.”
“Kamala is a joyful warrior,” he said. “It’s doing for her country what she has always done for the people she loves. Her passion will benefit all of us when she’s our president.”
This Thursday, as Harris accepts the party’s nomination for president, will be their 10th wedding anniversary, he noted.
“Kamala was exactly the right person for me at an important moment in my life. And at this moment in our nation’s history, she is exactly the right president,” he said.
Alsobrooks gets lengthy speaking slot
Democrats picked Alsobrooks to to give a lengthier speech than others — and it’s no coincidence.
Alsobrooks is running for Senate in Maryland, a race that was once considered sleepy. But with popular former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan as the GOP nominee, the race is more competitive, and Democrats are desperate to keep the seat of outgoing Sen. Ben Cardin in their column.
-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod
Republican mayor addresses DNC in primetime spot
John Giles, the Republican mayor of Mesa, Arizona, got a prime-time spot at the DNC, during which he stressed putting country over party, “as my hero, John McCain, taught us.”
“I have a confession to make. I’m a lifelong Republican. So, I feel a little out of place tonight. But I feel more at home here than in today’s Republican Party,” Giles said at the top of his remarks.
He said the Republican Party has devolved into “the cult of Donald Trump,” whom he said made a lot of lofty promises as president but “couldn’t deliver a thing.”
Biden and Harris, meanwhile, reached across the aisle delivered for his conservative community and “countless more across the country,” he said, while calling on Americans to “put country first” and elect Harris and Walz.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth gets personal about IVF journey
The future of reproductive rights was again a strong topic at the convention with several speakers discussing their personal struggles with having children or finding an abortion.
Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, expressed anger at Trump, Vance and Republicans over their proposals to limit fertility options and ban abortions.
“I take it personally when a five-time draft-dodging coward like Donald Trump tries to take away my rights and freedoms in return — especially when it concerns my daughters,” she said.
Duckworth a veteran and double amputee, was candid about IVF treatments used to conceive her daughters.
“My struggle with infertility was more painful than any wound I earned on the battlefield,” she said.
The senator spoke directly to would-be parents and said she would fight any attempts to restrict reproductive rights.
“We’ll send a message to Trump: Stay out of our doctors’ offices — and out of the Oval Office, too,” she said.
Reproductive rights are a key voter issue that both Harris and Trump are working to speak to voters about as November approaches.
Angela Alsobrooks, who is taking on popular former Gov. Larry Hogan in Maryland’s Senate race, spoke about her friendship with Harris and how she looked up to her as a mentor.
Alsobrooks said when she ran for state’s attorney in 2009, she discovered Harris’ work as district attorney piloting a program to help low-level offenders get job training, GED help and more.
“After reading about this super-bad district attorney, I talked non-stop about her on the campaign trail,” she said. “Two days after I won the election, my phone rings. It’s Kamala Harris, calling to congratulate me and ask how she could help. She helped me bring Back on Track to Maryland. Crime went down, and economic growth went up. Back on Track is now a national model.”
Alsobrooks went on to tout Harris’ prosecutorial record against big banks, gangs and more.
“Kamala Harris knows how to keep criminals off the streets,” she said. “And come November, with our help, she’ll keep one out of the Oval Office.”
After her remarks, the crowd erupted in “Angela” chants.
Alsobrooks’ race against Hogan is a high-stakes where Maryland could alter which party has control in the Senate.
Crowd gets subdued after roll call
Following roaring and upbeat moments during the roll call, the mood at the United Center became more subdued as several speakers, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders and Govs. J.B. Pritzker and Michelle Lujan Grisham.
New Mexico governor focuses on health care
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham drew a contrast between Harris and Trump on health care.
“Donald Trump and JD Vance want to dismantle our health care system, repeal the Affordable Care Act, and eliminate protections for preexisting conditions. Either these guys don’t get it, or they don’t care,” she said. “You know who gets it? Kamala Harris gets it and she cares.”
Harris, she said, has fought to improve the health care system, including working to get Medicare the ability to negotiate lower drug prices. She said that Trump, meanwhile delivered “junk plans, higher premiums and abortion bans.”
If voters don’t think a second term would under Trump would be worse, “then I’ve got a box of Trump Steaks to sell you,” she said to laughs.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham drew a contrast between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on health care.
New Mexico governor focuses on health care at the DNC
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham drew a contrast between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on health care.
‘These guys aren’t just weird, they’re dangerous’: Pritzker
Pritzker repeated comments made by Democrats calling Trump and other Republicans “weird” over their rhetoric and actions.
He took the sentiment further citing instances when Black or brown-skinned Americans are “derided as a DEI hire for the sin of being successful while not white.”
“Let’s be clear, it’s not ‘woke’ that limits economic growth, it’s ‘weird,'” the governor said.
“These guys aren’t just weird, they’re dangerous,” Pritzker added.
The “weird” labeling of Republicans was first adopted by Walz and used widely as a tactic to label the party’s platforms and attacks.
Former AMEX CEO backs Harris on the economy — one of her biggest vulnerabilities
Kenneth Chenault, who led American Express for 17 years, voiced support for Harris’ economic platform.
“Kamala Harris’s vision for the economy serves us all. She has demonstrated throughout her career that she wants to serve all people, and wants all Americans to have the opportunity to work to achieve their own share of the American dream,” he said. “Our economy goes up and down. But the reason America is the strongest nation in the world is because of our commitment to something bigger than ourselves.”
His remarks come as polls show the economy is a weak point for Harris, who currently trails Trump on the issue. Trump leads Harris by 9 points, 46-37%, in trust to handle the economy, a recent ABC News survey found.
Pritzker fires back at Trump over Chicago comments
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker took jabs at Trump over the former president’s frequent attacks about Chicago.
“To quote a great Chicagoan who won six world championships on these very grounds, ‘We take that personally,'” the governor said paraphrasing a viral Michael Jordan quote.
Pritzker touted the state’s economic policies that he said brought jobs and helped working-class residents, such as eliminating a grocery tax and investing in green jobs.
“More than anything, Democrats want economic policies that are kind, not cruel. But Trump chooses cruelty every time,” he said.
Pritzker is a rising star in the party who has tapped into his vast personal wealth to support Democratic causes. He was once among the list of Harris’ potential vice presidential picks.
Bernie Sanders lays out progressive agenda
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, highlighted some of the Biden-Harris accomplishments they made since coming to the White House in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, from expanding Medicaid to providing rent relief and mortgage relief to protecting union workers’ pensions.
“When the political will is there, government can effectively deliver for the people of our country,” he said. “We need to summon that will again — because too many of our fellow Americans are struggling every day to just get by — to put food on the table, pay the rent, and get the health care they need.”
“Bottom line: We need an economy that works for all of us, not just the greed of the billionaire class,” he said to applause.
He said, though, that more needs to be done and laid out a progressive agenda. At the top of that to-do list, he said, is to “get big money out of our political process.” He also called for the “disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision” to be overturned, increasing the minimum wage and more prescription drug cost cuts.
“I look forward to working with Kamala and Tim to pass this agenda,” he said. “And let us be clear. This is not a radical agenda. But, let me tell you what a radical agenda is. And that is Trump’s Project 2025. Giving more tax breaks to billionaires. Putting forth budgets to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Letting polluters destroy our planet. That is what is radical. And we won’t let it happen.”
He also called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the return of hostages, to applause from the crowd.
Sanders, who was slower to endorse Harris for the presidency, ran for president himself in 2016 and 2020.
Schumer makes case Democrats will keep the Senate
In his remarks, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised Vice President Harris and said she will need a Democratic majority if she wins the presidency.
“She can’t do it alone,” he said.
Schumer predicted Democrats will perform well this November, calling back to the “red wave” prediction that didn’t materialize in 2022 and listing candidates he said are strong in closely-watched races in Montana, Arizona and Maryland.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my good friends at this convention: I am telling all of you now we’re going to hold the Senate again and we’re poised to pick up seats,” he said.
Schumer served alongside Harris in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised Vice President Harris and said she will need a Democratic majority if she wins the presidency.
Police break up protest outside Israeli consulate in Chicago
Behind Enemy Lines, a pro-Palestinian group, gathered early evening Tuesday in front of the Consulate of Israel in downtown Chicago.
Initially there was a small group of about 25 people, but the numbers grew within an hour — enough for police in riot gear to hold a formation to prevent the group from moving farther down the block.
Behind the police line stood a pro-Israel group of about 100 demonstrators holding flags. Both groups were aware of the other and, at one point, each pressed against the police line from both sides.
No clashes took place.
Around 8 p.m. local time, the Israel group started dispersing.
At least five people were seen being taken into custody. The police didn’t initially report any arrests.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling was seen standing among the officers.
-ABC News’ Mark Guarino
Harris addresses Wisconsin crowd after roll call
Harris addressed the DNC crowd from a rally in Milwaukee and thanked the delegates for nominating her as the Democratic presidential nominee.
Harris spoke at the Fiserv Forum, where Trump accepted the nomination last month.
“This is a people powered campaign, and together we will chart a new way forward,” she said.
Read more about the Harris campaign’s decision to hold a rally in the battleground state of Wisconsin on the same night as the DNC here.
California delivers delegates to send Harris over the top in ceremonial roll call
California, Harris’ home state, delivered the delegates to send Harris over the top during the ceremonial roll call.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state is casting its 482 votes for Harris, whom he called a “bright star” whose star has gotten even brighter as she served as the state’s attorney general, a U.S. senator and now as vice president.
“Kamala Harris has always done the right thing, a champion for voting rights, civil rights, LGBTQ rights,” Newsom said. “It’s time for us to do the right thing — and that is to elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States of America.”
Harris is already officially the nominee after the DNC held a virtual roll call earlier this month. Still, the symbolism, and the relationship between Newsom and Harris, is significant.
Democrats showing diverse coalition through roll call
Through the ceremonial roll call, showcasing delegates from all corners of the U.S., the Democratic party is “making it clear they are the party that represents the country,” White House correspondent MaryAlice Parks told ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis.
“They are trying to make it clear that they are building a multi-generational, multi-racial coalition,” she said.
It’s a party in Chicago
Delegates are partying on the convention floor, with hot songs from artists from each state blaring as delegates are cast for Harris.
15,000 people at Harris rally, campaign says There are more than 15,000 people at the Harris rally in Milwaukee, which will broadcast into the DNC tonight, according to her campaign.
The crowd was going wild during Gov. Tim Walz’s remarks.
People are holding signs that say “Freedom” and some have brought their own handmade signs, including one that says “Choose joy.”
-ABC News’ Selina Wang
Protesters march outside Israeli Consulate in Chicago
A large group of pro-Palestinian protesters marched outside the Israeli Consulate in Chicago as the DNC roll call took place.
The exteriors were covered with barricades and several police officers were on hand.
There were no reports of arrests as of 8:45 p.m. ET.
-ABC News’ Ben Stein
A cameo-filled ceremonial roll call
The lively ceremonial roll call has so far featured some surprise cameos alongside more expected political leaders from their respective states.
Standing along the Indiana delegates was actor Sean Astin of “The Goonies” fame, while Louisiana native Wendell Pierce, an actor known for “The Wire,” joined his state’s delegates as they cast their votes for Harris.
The crowd was also treated to a surprise appearance by Lil Jon when Georgia delegates cast their votes.
Lil Jon makes appearance as Georgia delegates cast votes: ‘We’re not going back’
The crowd at the United Center was treated to a surprise appearance by Lil Jon when Georgia delegates cast their votes for Kamala Harris.
The rapper sang “Turn Down for What” to a roaring crowd, adding extra lines that repeated the theme: “We’re not going back.”
Harris’ Milwaukee rally asked to ‘bring the energy’ for DNC broadcast
At Harris’ rally in Milwaukee, the campaign announced in the arena that the vice president will be broadcast into the DNC and that they want the crowd here to “bring the energy.”
“I’m really going to need this energy when they broadcast this live, right?” said Jaliah Jefferson, Wisconsin deputy organizing director, Milwaukee. “VP Harris will be beamed into TVs all across the country.”
“So when it’s our moment, we need to get loud and leave no doubt that Wisconsin is going to send Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to the White House,” she added.
Crowds have been waiting for hours to enter the Fiserv Forum — where the RNC was held last month. The arena is packed with people and it’s a party vibe. The music has been pumping loudly, people are dancing and waving their light-up wristbands. The bass in the music is so loud the floor is vibrating.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang and Will McDuffie
Harris’ stepson talks about how she became ‘Momala’
Kamala Harris’ stepson Cole Emhoff paid tribute to his father, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and how the vice president became part of their blended family, in a video posted on social media ahead of Emoff’s DNC speech tonight.
“In 2014, Kamala became Momala,” Cole Emhoff said. “She took over Sunday night dinners and taught Doug how to actually cook.”
Tonight, the Second Gentleman will be introduced by his son, Cole Emhoff, in a video tribute. In this excerpt of the video, Cole shares how Kamala became Momala to him and his sister, Ella. pic.twitter.com/tt2SvW6Vq2
“Our blended family wasn’t used to politics or the spotlight, but when Kamala became senator, we were all excited to step up — especially my dad,” Cole Emoff added. “Then, Kamala became vice president. It felt like Doug was a bit out of place on Capitol Hill. I thought: ‘What is my goofy dad doing here?'”
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
DNC roll call commences
The roll call for the DNC has begun.
State delegates will go in alphabetical order, with a DJ playing music related to each state.
Josh Shapiro: Harris showing ‘real momentum’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis in an interview from the DNC that he is seeing “incredible enthusiasm” for the Harris-Walz campaign on the ground.
“Kamala Harris is showing up in communities that are oftentimes ignored and left behind,” Shapiro said, adding that she’s sending a message to Pennsylvanians that she cares about them.
“I think as this race progresses, you’re going to continue to see real momentum on her part,” he said.
Trump friends — and foes — on the ground in Chicago
Spotted at the United Center snapping selfies was Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney who was a star witness in his New York hush money trial.
The Trump campaign, meanwhile, continued to hold its daily press conference this morning just three miles away from the DNC site to “remind folks what Donald Trump is running for.”
At the press conference, which focused on the issue of crime, Rep. Byron Donalds sought to counter Harris’ prosecutor persona by painting her as soft on crime and pointing to some of her previous statements — including her previous call to “redirect resources” from police.
Donalds also pushed a familiar line of attack against the Harris campaign — that they are lacking in enough policy positions and instead are focusing on “joy and vibes.”
ABC News asked the Florida Republican what type of messaging he is looking to see from Trump on the campaign trail this week amid tightening polls.
“I think this election is really a choice election, it’s a contrast election, even more so than some others. We have very stark differences with Kamala,” Donalds said, while pointing to the subjects of immigration, crime and foreign policy.
-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters brings dozens of retired Teamsters on stage
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters appeared on stage with dozens of retired Teamsters to highlight Harris-Walz’s commitment to unions.
“Kamala Harris and Tim Walz grew up just like me. And I know, I know they will fight for all of us,” Peters said. “They will make it easier to raise our families and to retire with dignity. Just look at the record. As vice president, Kamala Harris helped pass legislation that finally, finally allowed Medicare to negotiate and lower the cost of prescription drugs.”
Ken Stribling, president of the National United Committee to Protect Pensions, also addressed the crowd, saying, “As president, I know Kamala Harris will have our backs. She will fight for our retirement, Social Security and Medicare.”
-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd
Former Trump official Stephanie Grisham speaks in favor of Harris
The DNC is highlighting several former supporters of former President Donald Trump this week, including everyday Americans who previously voted for him who are now backing Harris.
But Grisham, a former White House press secretary, is the first of several former Trump officials slated to speak at the convention. She described herself not only as a former supporter of Trump but as a “true believer” who has since changed her tune.
“He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” she said of Trump.
“When I was press secretary, I got skewered for never holding a White House briefing,” Grisham added. “It’s because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie. Now, here I am behind a podium advocating for a Democrat. And that’s because I love my country more than my party.”
Common performs: ‘Be fortunate, y’all, for Kamala Harris’
Rapper Common and gospel musician Jonathan McReynolds took to the stage.
Common changed up the lyrics to his song “Fortunate” for the DNC, rapping, “Be fortunate, y’all, for Kamala Harris.”
Jason Carter says Harris ‘carries my grandfather’s legacy’
Jason Carter, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, was the first speaker of the night.
“Kamala Harris carries my grandfather’s legacy,” he said. “She knows what is right and she fights for it. She understands that leadership is about service, not selfishness.”
Jimmy Carter, who is in hospice care and is nearing his 100th birthday in October, told his family he wants to make it to vote for Harris in November, Jason Carter said.
“Papa is holding on. He is hopeful, and though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever,” Jason Carter said.
Patti LaBelle performs during in memoriam
Patti LaBelle, renowned as the “Godmother of Soul,” took to the stage to sing “You Are My Friend” while an in memoriam played behind her.
Those remembered included former first lady Rosalynn Carter and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Night 2 of the DNC kicks off
The second night of the DNC is officially underway in Chicago.
Tonight’s theme is “A bold vision for America’s future” and will feature a keynote address by former President Barack Obama.
The convention will also hold a ceremonial roll call for Harris, who became the official Democratic presidential nominee following a virtual roll call earlier this month.
Israeli American Council hosts ‘Hostage Square’ art exhibition just blocks from United Center
A group of Israeli and American artists showcased their work throughout the day Tuesday to draw attention to the more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
The Israeli American Council (IAC), a nonprofit organization that advocates for the Israeli American community, held the pop-up exhibition it called “Hostage Square” in an empty lot about five blocks east of the United Center, where the DNC is being held through Thursday.
All the art was created in response to the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, said Jeff Aeder, a Chicago-based real estate investor who put the exhibition together over the last four weeks.
The show “is a much more effective way at looking at a different narrative, opposed to two groups yelling at each other, to highlight the plight of the hostages and the trauma that has been felt by the Jewish world,” he said. “Art is a good way for people to tell these stories.”
Throughout the day Tuesday, about a thousand people visited the exhibition, according to Aeder, including Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the U.S., and families of several hostages.
Aeder said he is determining if the art will travel to different locations. He said he is realistic, knowing “it’s very hard” to summon change through artwork. But he hopes the exhibition is one of “a thousand different points of contact” with the public to create awareness about the plight of the hostages and their families.
“We need to continually do everything we can to bring attention to it, because we never know what’s going to touch somebody,” he said. “Being silent is not an option.”
-ABC News’ Mark Guarino
Bernie Sanders to discuss economy in prime-time speech
Sanders is slated to speak in the 9 p.m. ET hour tonight, and according to released excerpts of his speech, he will focus on the economy.
The independent senator worked with the Biden-Harris administration to achieve price negotiations with Medicare on commonly used prescription drugs. The administration announced last week that a deal was reached to lower the cost of 10 medications.
“When the political will is there, government can effectively deliver for the people of our country,” Sanders will say. “We need to summon that will again — because too many of our fellow Americans are struggling every day to just get by — to put food on the table, pay the rent, and get the health care they need.”
“These oligarchs tell us we shouldn’t tax the rich; we shouldn’t take on price gouging; we shouldn’t expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision; and we shouldn’t increase Social Security benefits for struggling seniors,” he’ll go on to say. “Well I’ve got some bad news for them. That is precisely what we are going to do, and we’re going to win this struggle because this is precisely what the American people want from their government.”
-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks
Emhoff, Schumer, Sanders and more will speak tonight
Before the Obamas take the stage Tuesday, the DNC will feature speeches from second gentlemen Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to the convention’s schedule.
Maryland Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks will deliver the keynote remarks.
Remarks are also expected from former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, as well as Jason Carter and Jack Schlossberg, the grandsons of former Presidents Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy, respectively.
Rep. Frost on Gen Z’s excitement for Harris
Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, spoke with ABC News Live anchor Kyra Phillips about the enthusiasm Gen Z has for Kamala Harris.
“Young people are excited about Kamala Harris and I think it’s for many different reasons,” he said. “No. 1, it’s her authenticity. She’s been going viral on TikTok, online, Twitter and a lot of it has to do with her as a human, her as a person, the things she loves, who she is, and the things she says.”
Frost added that young people like Harris because “they hear her message, and then they see themselves represented in her and what she’s fighting for and all the amazing people that we have here today.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first member of Generation Z in Congress, talks about the importance of Kamala Harris and the role of young Americans in politics.
-ABC News’ Isabella Meneses
Trump’s former press secretary Stephanie Grisham to speak tonight
Stephanie Grisham, former President Trump’s third White House press secretary, will speak tonight at the DNC, ABC News can report.
Protesters interrupt Tim Walz’s women’s caucus remarks
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s remarks Tuesday to the women’s caucus at the DNC were interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Walz was recognizing the role women had in aiding him as governor, and was praising former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris before demonstrators started chanting, “Stop killing women in Gaza! Stop killing women in Gaza!”
They unfurled banners in the middle of the room as the audience tried to drown out their protest.
Walz briefly paused his remarks and looked at the protesters before continuing his speech, without acknowledging them.
The protesters were escorted out of the ballroom where they continued their calls for a cease-fire in Gaza and for the end of arms transfers to Israel.
A delegate, who only identified herself as Michelle and a New York delegate, fiercely countered the protesters, accusing them of helping Donald Trump by protesting.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
10 arrests made during Monday’s DNC fencing breach
There were 10 arrests made during Monday’s fencing breach at the DNC, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters on Tuesday.
“I couldn’t be more proud of how Chicago Police Department responded under those circumstances,” Snelling said. “We put on display the trainings and the preparation that we’ve been engaged in for over a year now. That being said, moving forward, we do expect to see, or protest or demonstrate tactics again. We’re up to the challenge.”
Snelling said there were 13 arrests total on Monday, which ranged from criminal trespass to battery on a police officer.
On reports that protesters were “assaulted” by police, the superintendent pushed back hard.
“Those police officers responded perfectly, and we got body cam footage to prove it. They were not hospitalized for injuries.”
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Flashback: Obama calls Harris attractive
On Tuesday night, former President Barack Obama gives a highly anticipated speech in which he is expected to make a forceful case for electing Harris. It won’t be the first time that Obama spoke glowingly of Harris — in fact, he has gotten in trouble for it before. Back in 2013, he spoke at a fundraiser in California that Harris attended and said of the then-California attorney general, “She is brilliant and she is dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you’d want in anybody who is administering the law, and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake. She also happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country.” The comment on Harris’s looks sparked a backlash for being sexist and inappropriate, and he apologized the next day.
—538’s Nathaniel Rakich
Obamas to share details of friendship, support for Harris
When former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama speak at the DNC on Tuesday, they will highlight their friendship with Harris that they say goes back 20 years, according to a source familiar.
The Obamas have been in regular touch with Harris over the years, providing counsel and being a sounding board, too, the source said. Over the last few months in particular, the Obamas have been in close contact with the vice president and supported her campaign in any way they are able, the source said.
Their remarks on Tuesday will turn the page from the Biden administration and focus on how Harris and Walz are the leaders the country needs right out, the source said.
The source highlighted how the Obamas have campaigned for Harris and worked to energize young voters.
-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks
DNC will start half an hour earlier on Tuesday
The DNC will start its programming half an hour earlier than originally planned on Tuesday after Monday’s program had a delayed start that pushed President Joe Biden’s speech past prime time and cut short his farewell.
“We had so much energy and enthusiasm for our president, our ticket, from our speakers and the audience reaction that I recognize that did put us a little bit behind schedule, but we are working with — we made some real-time adjustments last night to ensure we could get to what the delegates and the viewers really came for, which, of course, is President Biden,” Alex Hornsbrook, the executive director of the convention, told reporters this morning.
“And we’re working with our speakers and making some other adjustments for this evening, including beginning at 5:30 to make sure that we stay on track for that tonight,” he added.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
Obamas to make prime-time speeches
The attention on Day 2 of the Democrats’ gathering shifts from celebrating President Joe Biden to prime-time speeches from former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. They’ll help pass the party torch to Kamala Harris.
The convention will also hold a ceremonial roll call to nominate Harris, which follows the party’s virtual process doing so earlier this month. Harris officially had the vast majority of delegate votes needed to secure her nomination when that process ended on Aug. 6.
It’s expected that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Harris’ home state delegation will cast the vote putting her over the top.
(CHICAGO) — Former first lady Michelle Obama took center stage at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, along with her husband former President Barack Obama, to throw their formidable political weight behind Kamala Harris.
“Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it?” Michelle Obama said after a long standing ovation that followed her entrance at the United Center in Chicago, where she grew up and her husband began his political career.
“You know, we’re feeling it here in this arena, but it’s spreading all across this country,” she continued. “We love a familiar feeling that’s been buried too deep for far too long. You know what I’m talking about. It’s the contagious power of hope.”
The opening message was a callback to the campaign slogan that defined Barack Obama’s White House run in 2008 when he became the first Black man elected president.
Harris, who is just the second woman to ever receive a major party’s nomination for president, will try to become the first woman to serve as president.
“The anticipation, the energy, the exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day,” Michelle Obama continued. “The chance to vanquish the demons of fear, division and hate that have consumed us and continue pursuing the unfinished promise of this great nation, the dream that our parents and grandparents fought and died and sacrificed for. America, hope is making a comeback.”
Michelle Obama remains one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, despite her aversion to partisan politics. Her goodwill with the party is so high that when President Joe Biden struggled in his campaign this past year, her name was floated as a possible alternative to take his place atop the ticket, even though she’s repeatedly said she would never run for office.
That star power was on display as she addressed the convention for 20 minutes. Despite maintaining a relatively low profile this election cycle, previously appearing only in a campaign video endorsing Harris after Biden dropped out of the race, the crowd was rapt during her remarks.
“My girl, Kamala Harris, is more than ready for this moment,” she said. “She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency. And she is one of the most dignified.”
She sought to contrast Harris’ background and record with that of Donald Trump, who she expected to launch similar personal attacks against Harris that he did to the Obamas.
“For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black,” she said.
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs?'” she added, prompting thunderous applause from the crowd. “It’s his same old con: doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better.”
Michelle Obama advised that while Harris’ candidacy has reenergized the party, the matchup with Trump will still be a fight — a warning similar to that issued by former Secretary Hillary Clinton in her convention speech on Monday.
“We cannot get a Goldilocks complex about whether everything is just right,” Michelle Obama said. “We cannot indulge our anxieties about whether this country will elect someone like Kamala instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected.”
The former first lady made an appeal to all voters, regardless of political party, to stand up “stand up for what we know in our hearts is right.”
After recounting a story about Harris’ mother telling her not to complain about things but to “do something,” Michelle Obama made a similar plea to those watching to take action throughout the campaign to help Harris get elected.
“So consider this to be your official ask: Michelle Obama is asking you to do something,” she said. “Because this is going to be close. In some states, just a handful of votes in every precinct could decide the winner. So we need to vote in numbers that erase any doubt. We need to overwhelm any effort to suppress us.
(CHICAGO) — Second gentleman Doug Emhoff reintroduced himself to America on the second night of the Democratic National Convention as Vice President Kamala Harris makes a historic bid for president that, if elected, would make him the first-ever first gentleman in the White House.
In a personal, down-to-earth speech that drew frequent laughs from the enthusiastic crowd in Chicago, Emhoff said he grew up the son of two Brooklynites and had a “typical suburban childhood.”
“The guys I grew up with are still my best friends. The group chat is active every day — and it’s probably blowing up right now,” he said.
He said he worked at McDonald’s in high school when money was tight and worked full-time so he could afford to go to college part-time.
“Thanks to partial scholarships, student loans and a little help from my dad, I got myself through law school and got my first job as a lawyer — which is also where I met the guys in my fantasy football league,” he said. “A lot has changed in our lives since the early ’90s, but my team name is still Nirvana — yes, after the band.”
He said he loved working as a lawyer, became a dad to son Cole and daughter Ella, got a divorce and then “something unexpected happened” — he was set up on a blind date with Harris. He said Harris saved his first bumbling voicemail to her — left at 8:30 a.m. — “and she makes me listen to it on every anniversary,” drawing laughs and cheers from the crowd.
On Harris, he said the vice president “finds joy in pursuing justice” and is “ready to lead.”
“She stands up to bullies — just like my parents taught me to. She likes to see people do well — and hates when they’re treated unfairly. She believes this work requires a basic curiosity in how people are doing. Her empathy is her strength.”
He talked about Harris coming to synagogue with him and making a “mean brisket for Passover.” He said Harris encouraged him — the first Jewish spouse, of any gender, for the presidency or vice presidency — to fight against antisemitism.
On their blended family, he said that Harris has “always been there for our children, and I know she’ll always be there for yours too.”
“Kamala is a joyful warrior,” he said. “It’s doing for her country what she has always done for the people she loves. Her passion will benefit all of us when she’s our president.”
This Thursday, as Harris accepts the party’s nomination for president, will be their 10th wedding anniversary, he noted (adding that means he’s “about to hear the most embarrassing voicemail of my life once again”).
“Kamala was exactly the right person for me at an important moment in my life. And at this moment in our nation’s history, she is exactly the right president,” he said.
Emhoff was one of the prime-time speakers Tuesday that also included former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.
