Chicago DNC to feature Biden, Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton as speakers
Kamala Harris’ running mate Mike Waltz is expected to take the stage on Wednesday to formally accept the vice presidential nomination (Photo: PTI)
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) kicks off Monday in Chicago, a month after the Republicans held their convention in Milwaukee. U.S. President Joe Biden will speak during prime time on the first day of the convention, passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Nearly 50,000 attendees are expected to attend the convention, including about 4,000 delegates. The theme of the convention is “For the People, For Our Future.” While the official schedule has not yet been released, officials with the Democratic National Convention have confirmed that President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will speak on Monday.
Monday’s theme is “For the People,” with speakers expected to pay tribute to Biden, DNC officials said. Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak Tuesday, with a focus on the theme “A Bold Vision for the Future.”
Former President Bill Clinton and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi of California are scheduled to address the convention on Wednesday under the theme “A Fight for Freedom,” a source familiar with the schedule said. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are also expected to speak this week, DNC officials said.
Kamala Harris’ running mate Mike Waltz is expected to take the stage Wednesday to formally accept the vice presidential nomination. Harris will formally accept the presidential nomination during her speech on Thursday, an evening devoted to the theme “For the Future.”
Harris will arrive at the convention shortly after a bus tour of Pennsylvania over the weekend. She will also hold a rally on Tuesday in Milwaukee, the same city where Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination last month.
Normally, the convention includes a roll call vote to formally nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates. However, Harris officially cemented her status as the presidential candidate earlier this month when she won a majority of delegates in a virtual roll call. The vote was held in early August to avoid potential ballot access issues in Ohio. A ceremonial roll call is still expected to take place at the convention.
Democratic organizers had to completely overhaul the DNC’s programming after President Biden withdrew from the race in late July and endorsed Vice President Harris as his successor.
Biden’s close aide, Ajay Bhutoria, said: “We are here at the United Center, where the Democratic Party convention is going to take place tomorrow. I am here to preview the stage; as you can see, this is the stage where President Biden will speak on Monday, followed by President Obama on Tuesday, Governor Walz on Wednesday and many other leaders. Finally, our nominee, the first Indian, first Asian, first Black woman to be the next president, Vice President Harris, will accept the nomination here on Thursday.”
“There are going to be a lot of great things happening, with nearly 50,000 to 60,000 people expected to attend the convention. It’s a pretty exciting moment for the country, and history is going to be made here. As you can see, there are a lot of people here already.
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First publication: Aug 19, 2024 | 08:11 AM IST