Biden headlines on first day of Democratic National Convention: Live updates
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President Joe Biden will be the final speaker at the Democratic National Convention as it kicks off on Monday night.
Biden is set to deliver a unifying message after dropping out of the race last month and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Delegates are gathering in Chicago for the convention, which will see Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz formally nominated to be the party’s candidates in the 2024 presidential race to take on Donald Trump and JD Vance.
Harris has enjoyed an astonishing boom in popularity since Biden made his historic decision not to pursue another term in the White House a month ago in the wake of his disastrous debate performance against Trump in Atlanta on June 27.
With the party rallying around Harris, she has surged in the polls and cemented her appeal by adding Walz to the ticket, a sequence of events that has left Trump and Vance reeling, with seemingly little idea how best to respond to the new challenge they face.
Meanwhile, security has been ramped up as activists arrive to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
Chicago mayor praises Harris as DNC gets underway
Speaking at the beginning of the DNC, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson praised Kamala Harris.
“As the son of a family that worked to make ends meet, I know that Kamala Harris – the daughter of a mom who worked hard every single day – she is going to look out for the interest of everyday people,” he said.
“What will it take to defend our fundamental rights and our freedoms? It will take someone with leadership who would fight for us. And let me tell you, America – leadership, Kamala, she’s got it,” he added.
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Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago – watch livestream
Democrats gathered for their national convention at United Center, home to Chicago’s basketball and hockey teams, while hundreds of protesters assembled at a nearby park to pressure the party to drop military support for Israel’s Gaza offensive.
President Biden’s appearance to start the four-day event will serve as a symbolic passing of the torch to his No. 2 after he quit the race under pressure from top Democrats worried that the 81-year-old incumbent was too old to win or serve another four years.
He will use his speech to portray Former President Trump as a threat to American democracy while touting the achievements of the Biden-Harris administration.
Vice President Harris will formally accept the Democratic nomination on Thursday night with a highly anticipated speech.
If elected on 5 November, she would make US history as the first female president.
Jesse Watters claims ‘no one’ believes in polls showing Harris in the lead
Fox News’s Jesse Watters claimed on Monday that “no one believes these polls are real” showing Kamala Harris in the lead.
‘Don’t go to the orange side’: Mark Hamill takes jibe at Trump at DNC
Mark Hamill took a swipe at Donald Trump and told voters “don’t go to the orange side” as he made an appearance at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. The Star Wars actor, 72, made the joke as he stood alongside Jamie Harrison, chair of the DNC. “We’ve got an important election coming up in November, have you got a message for everybody out there,” Mr Harrison asked Mr Hamill. “In the movies, I fought against make-believe evil. But we’re at a time in history where we’re fighting against real evil,” he responded. “So I beg you, please don’t go to the orange side.”
James Taylor, Mickey Guyton, and Jason Isbell to hit the DNC stage tonight
Several performers will take the stage in Chicago on Monday night.
Singer-songwriter James Taylor, country artist Mickey Guyton, and folk singer Jason Isbell are all set to perform at the United Center tonight.
“I’m a lifelong Democrat, and I pay a lot of taxes, and I want a government that I paid for,” he has said previously. “I do feel as a citizen, I just feel compelled to respond when I’m asked for support.”
Steve Kerr to speak at DNC tonight
Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors NBA team as well as the US national team, is set to speak tonight at the Democratic National Convention, according to Punchbowl News.
Source: independent.co.uk
