Obamas to address conference on Tuesday
Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the Democratic National Convention.
Barack and Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders are due to address the crowds in Chicago later, following a rapturous reception for Joe Biden’s speech on Monday.
The Obamas’ endorsement of Kamala Harris in July was seminal in securing the Democratic presidential nomination for the current US vice-president, helping to bypass a potentially ugly internal fight.
As Ed Pilkington writes, today’s convention will also see almost 5,000 delegates from all 50 states and US territories gather on the floor of the United Center to hold what is being billed as a “ceremonial roll call” symbolically to hand the Democratic nomination to Harris.
The event will be purely figurative: Harris was officially elevated into that position two weeks ago through an online vote of delegates.
You can read the full story here:
Other Monday highlights include a surprise appearance by Harris herself, taking the stage to thank Biden for his service to the country. She will cap the convention with her speech on Thursday. Also on Monday:
-
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Democratic National Convention, calling for a ceasefire and arms embargo on Israel. Dozens of protesters appeared to break through one security fence near the convention site and several demonstrators were handcuffed and detained. During Biden’s speech, demonstrators unfurled a “Stop Arming Israel” banner.
-
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told the convention: “America has before us a rare and precious opportunity in Kamala Harris … She understands the urgency of rent checks and groceries and prescriptions. She is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to taking on corporate greed.”
-
Hillary Clinton outlined the historic nature of Harris’s nomination: “I see the freedom to look our children in the eye and say, ‘In America, you can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you,’ and mean it. And you know what? On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris, raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th president.”
-
Speakers from red states gave personal accounts of the impacts of abortion bans. Hadley Duvall, from Kentucky, described how she was raped by her stepfather and became pregnant at age 12: “I can’t imagine not having a choice. But today, that’s the reality for many women and girls across the country because of Donald Trump’s abortion bans.”
Key events
Former Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham to speak at Democratic convention tonight
Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary under the Trump administration, will speak at the Democratic national convention today to show her support for Kamala Harris.
Grisham worked in a number of different roles for Donald Trump – as a press aide during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, as chief of staff and press secretary for then-first lady, Melania Trump, and as White House press secretary and communications director. She resigned in the aftermath of the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
In a statement announcing her appearance, Grisham said:
I never thought I’d be speaking at a Democratic convention. But, after seeing firsthand who Donald Trump really is, and the threat he poses to our country, I feel very strongly about speaking out.
She added:
While I don’t agree with Vice President Harris on everything, I am proud to be supporting her because I know she will defend our freedoms and represent our nation with honesty and integrity.
Roy Cooper, the Democratic governor of North Carolina, said he has “that 2008 feeling” about the party’s chances of winning his state with Kamala Harris on the top of the ticket.
Cooper, speaking at a Bloomberg event at the Democratic national convention on Tuesday reported by AP, acknowledged that he did not have the same optimism about his state just weeks ago, when Joe Biden was at the top of the ticket.
Before Biden dropped out, Democrats “were not united, Cooper said, adding that he was “grateful” for the president’s decision to step aside “because it brought everybody together.”
“Everyone loves President Biden,” he said, but added of the decision to drop out:
It was the time to do this, it was the time to make history.
The Democratic national convention’s programming tonight will begin earlier after how late it ran last night, CNN is reporting, citing DNC organizers.
Organizers say tonight’s convention programming will begin earlier after how late last night ran, per @betsy_klein.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 20, 2024
Doors at the United Center in Chicago are scheduled to open at 4pm CT, with main programming beginning at 6pm CT.
The theme for today’s edition of the convention will be “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”.
Ben Makuch
As the presidential election approaches, a recently designated neo-Nazi terrorist group is covertly seeding violent propaganda on to mainstream social media channels – exposing tens of thousands of unknowing followers to radicalizing messages – according to background research and a report provided to the Guardian by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).
One of those channels on Telegram purports to be associated with Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, with an administrator claiming in group chats discovered by ISD to have had direct contact with the longtime Donald Trump ally who is well-known for playing footsie with extremists and admitting to fomenting revolution.
The UK government listed the Terrogram collective as an official terrorist entity in April. The move spiked public interest in the shadowy network of violent neo-Nazi propagandists on Telegram that preaches accelerationism, which demands followers hasten the collapse of society through acts of terrorism.
Terrorgram has already had success inspiring adherents. The Bratislava shooter who killed two people outside of a gay bar in 2022 cited it in his manifesto. Just last week, a teenage suspected supporter in Turkey carried out a mass stabbing at a mosque. Followers of Terrorgram in Canada and in the US have already been subject to terrorism-related charges in recent years.
Read the full report here: Neo-Nazi terrorist group using Steve Bannon account to radicalize people
Crews are adding fencing to the security perimeter near the United Center ahead of the second day of the Democratic national convention, after protesters breached the outer perimeter fence on Monday.
From CBS News’ Darius Johnson:
RIGHT NOW: Crews are adding fencing at Washington and Wolcott in the secure perimeter near the United Center where the DNC is being held. This comes after protesters breached the fence yesterday to get closer to the convention. Several were arrested. @cbschicago #DNC2024 pic.twitter.com/LEupxhJl4R
— Darius Johnson (DJ) (@DariusJohnsonTV) August 20, 2024
Dozens of protesters appeared to break through one security fence near the convention site on Monday and several demonstrators were handcuffed and detained.
As we reported earlier, the Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild said 12 protesters were arrested on Monday.
Chicago police are expected to hold a press conference later this morning.
Key takeaways from night one of the Democratic national convention
Sam Levin
The Democratic national convention kicked off Monday in Chicago, just one month after Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy and paved the way for Kamala Harris to take over the ticket. Here are key takeaways from the day:
1. Joe Biden passed the torch: ‘America, I gave my best to you’: Biden revisited some of the darkest chapters of the Trump administration, including the January 6 insurrection, and attacked Donald Trump’s vision of America, saying, “He says we’re losing. He’s the loser.” He earned loud applause for his praise of Kamala Harris, saying selecting her as vice-president was the “best decision I made my whole career”, and, “Crime will keep coming down when we put a prosecutor in the office instead of a convicted felon.”
2. Ocasio-Cortez energized the crowd and praised Harris’s ceasefire efforts: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave one of the most energetic speeches of the night, talking about her roots as a bartender and saying that Harris “understands the urgency of rent checks and groceries and prescriptions. She is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to taking on corporate greed.” The progressive congresswoman and “Squad” member also earned loud applause for saying that Harris was “working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bringing hostages home”.
3. Hillary Clinton said Kamala Harris will break the ‘glass ceiling’: Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and 2016 presidential candidate, also gave an impassioned speech, outlining the historic nature of Harris’s nomination: “When a barrier falls for one of us, it falls and clears the way for all of us.” Clinton drew a sharp contrast between Harris, a former prosecutor, and Trump who “fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history … the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions”. The remark sparked “lock him up” chants, a throwback to the “lock her up” chants Clinton faced in 2016 at Trump rallies.
4. Democrats rallied around abortion rights and stopping Project 2025: Speakers from red states gave personal accounts of the impacts of abortion bans. Hadley Duvall, from Kentucky, described how she was raped by her stepfather and became pregnant at age 12: “I can’t imagine not having a choice. But today, that’s the reality for many women and girls across the country because of Donald Trump’s abortion bans.” Speakers also repeatedly tied the Trump and the Republican agenda to Project 2025, the roadmap for a second Trump administration crafted by former Trump officials. Mallory McMorrow, a state senator from Michigan, held a copy of the Project 2025 document and assailed the plan to “turn Donald Trump into a dictator”. Congressman Jim Clyburn called Project 2025 “Jim Crow 2.0”. Biden noted that the project calls for the dismantling of the US department of education.
5. Kamala Harris gave surprise remarks: Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at the convention on Monday night to Joe Biden for his service. Harris, who is due to give her formal speech at the end of the week, electrified the crowd when she entered the stage, with Beyoncé’s Freedom playing in the background.
6. Thousands protested outside the DNC: Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Democratic National Convention, calling for a ceasefire and arms embargo on Israel. Dozens of protesters appeared to break through one security fence near the convention site and several demonstrators were handcuffed and detained. During Biden’s speech, demonstrators unfurled a “Stop Arming Israel” banner, but the speech continued uninterrupted. There was limited talk of Gaza on the convention floor, though Biden reiterated his efforts to secure a ceasefire and said, “Those protesters out in the street, they have a point – a lot of innocent people are being killed, on both sides.” The Democratic party’s official platform released before the convention did not include an arms embargo, a key demand by uncommitted delegates.
A dozen people were arrested during yesterday’s demonstrations outside the United Center in Chicago, where the Democratic national convention took place, according to the Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild.
According to the guild, a total of 14 protesters have been arrested as of Monday night. It said that two people have required hospitalization as a result of their arrests by Chicago police.
A statement posted on social media reads:
The Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is condemning the aggressive and, at times, violent response by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) toward protesters at the start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC).
Both protesters arrested on Sunday were held for hours before being allowed to speak to a lawyer, and were not allowed to make private phone calls with attorneys at the police station in violation of CPD policies and procedures and the law.
Per @NLGChicago this morning: “a total of 14 protesters have been arrested as of Monday night, including two on Sunday and 12 on Monday. Two protesters have needed hospitalization as a result of their arrests by CPD.”
— Jinx Press (at DNC) (@JinxPress) August 20, 2024
Joe Biden and his family are vacationing for the rest of the week in Santa Ynez, California in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country.
The Bidens arrived early this morning at the ranch of Joe Kiani, a longtime Democratic donor and the founder of Masimo and Cercacor Laboratories.
Biden has called Kiani “one of my closest friends” and in 2021 appointed him to the President’s council of advisers on science and technology. Kiani has also previously hosted the president’s son, Hunter Biden.
Asked if the president was going to California to “lay low” for Kamala Harris during the Democratic national convention, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden is “very much continuing to be the president, the commander in chief”. She told reporters:
He’s going to spend time with his family. I think that’s important for any families to do. Presidents are never on vacation.
He’s a president wherever he is. He’s certainly going to continue to be doing the work, going to be very much focused and getting updates – for example, what’s happening in the Middle East; foreign policy, more broadly, and also domestic.
Harris and Walz to attend rally in battleground Wisconsin
Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, will attend a campaign rally in Wisconsin today where she is scheduled to deliver remarks at around 8pm CT.
Other attendees joining Harris and Walz at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee include congresswoman Gwen Moore, Milwaukee mayor Cavalier Johnson, labor leaders, and members of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise, the Harris Walz campaign said.
It marks Harris’s seventh visit to Wisconsin this year and her third since becoming the Democratic presidential candidate.
Joan E Greve
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a rousing speech at the Democratic national convention on Monday, offering a full-throated endorsement of Kamala Harris and outlining a sweeping progressive vision for the next administration. Ocasio-Cortez said:
America, when we knock on our neighbor’s door, organize our communities and elect Kamala Harris to the presidency on 5 November, we will send a loud message that the people of this nation will not go back. We choose a new path and open the door to a new day: one that is for the people and by the people.
The New York congresswoman was greeted by the convention crowd in Chicago with loud applause and cheers of “AOC! AOC!” Ocasio-Cortez has won praise for her ability to effectively communicate with voters in an accessible way, promised Harris would be a voice for working Americans and issued a stark warning against reelecting Trump.
Read the full story here.
Ed Pilkington
Hillary Clinton, in her speech on Monday, revelled in the chance to turn the tables on Donald Trump, as she drew a parallel between the slights she endured at the hands of the Republican candidate in 2016 and the insults he continues to hurl at Kamala Harris in 2024.
It is no surprise that he is lying about Kamala’s record, he is mocking her name and her laugh. Sounds familiar?
Clinton compared Trump’s record as a convicted felon with Harris’s as a former prosecutor.
As a prosecutor, Kamala locked up murders and drug traffickers. Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial.
At that moment the thousands of Democratic delegates amassed on the DNC floor spontaneously burst into chants of “Lock him up! Lock him up!” It was an ironic echo of the chant that was repeatedly directed against Clinton by Trump supporters, with his blessing, in 2016.
Clinton, with the diplomacy behoving a former secretary of state, made no comment. But the way she nodded her head in synch to the chants spoke volumes.
Hillary Clinton pins hope on Harris to ‘break through’ glass ceiling
Ed Pilkington
Hillary Clinton gave one of the most powerful speeches of her career in politics on Monday as she implored American voters finally to crack the “highest, hardest glass ceiling” that had eluded her so bitterly eight years ago.
In a rousing 15-minute speech at the Democratic national convention in Chicago, Clinton returned to the theme that she intended to invoke in a victory speech on election night, 8 November 2016. That speech was never delivered, the glass ceiling standing firm in the wake of her shock defeat to Donald Trump. But what she had failed to attain was within the grasp of Kamala Harris, only the second woman to be nominated at the top of a major party presidential ticket.
And the man who had derided and humiliated Clinton on the campaign trail back in 2016, mocking her as “Crooked” and “Lyin’ Hillary”, was now on the defensive. “We have him on the run now,” Clinton said.
Clinton made little effort to hide that for her the hope of pushing Harris into the White House as the first female US president was profoundly personal. “We are so close to breaking through once and for all,” she said, conjuring up the image of Harris raising her hand “on the other side of that glass ceiling” to take the presidential oath of office.
This is our time America. This is when we stand up, this is when we break through.
Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at the Democratic national convention on Monday night, taking the stage to thank Joe Biden for his service to the country.
“This is going to be a great week, and I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden, who will be speaking later tonight,” she said.
Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do, we are forever grateful to you. Thank you, Joe!
Harris, dressed in a tan suit, kept her remarks brief, taking in the enthusiasm from the delegates and convention attenders that were on their feet cheering and chanting. “Looking out at everyone tonight, I see the beauty of our great nation,” the vice-president said.
Harris walked out to Beyoncé’s Freedom, which has become her campaign anthem. Beyoncé’s name has been floated by various sources as a potential surprise musical performance at the Democratic convention.
Pro-Palestinian protesters ‘have a point’, Biden says as thousands join Gaza demonstrations
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Democratic national convention on Monday to demand that the US end military aid to Israel for its ongoing war in Gaza. Activists have branded Joe Biden “Genocide Joe” and called for the vice-president, Kamala Harris, to change course.
The Democrats have been eager to avoid any repeat of their Chicago convention in 1968, when anti-Vietnam war protests and a police riot led to scenes of chaos that stunned the nation and contributed to the party’s defeat in November.
The biggest protest group the Coalition to March on the DNC planned demonstrations for Monday and Thursday to coincide with Biden and Harris’s speeches. Organizers said they expected at least 20,000 activists to demonstrate, including students who protested against the war on college campuses.
On Monday, dozens of protesters appeared to break through one security fence near the convention site and several demonstrators were handcuffed and detained. During Biden’s speech, demonstrators unfurled a “Stop Arming Israel” banner, but the speech continued uninterrupted.
There was limited talk of Gaza on the convention floor, though Biden reiterated his efforts to secure a ceasefire and said:
Those protesters out in the street, they have a point – a lot of innocent people are being killed, on both sides.