What to watch as the Democratic National Convention enters its second day in Chicago
CHICAGO– The Democratic National Convention enters its second day on Tuesday.
Now that President Joe Biden has addressed the delegates, the week focuses entirely on Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, the governor of Minnesota. Tim Walzas the party and its leaders try to argue why their new candidate is better suited for the White House than the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.
Here’s what you can see on the second day:
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama return to the city they once called home to take the stage in support of Harris’ nomination.
The Obamas are expected to headline the convention’s second night, a day after Biden, who served as Obama’s vice president for eight years, made an unofficial farewell speech. Biden will not be in the hall to hear his former running mate speak, having left Chicago after delivering his own speech.
According to Harris’s campaign, Michelle Obama is expected to argue how Harris’s experiences and values qualify her to serve as president. Her husband, Harris campaign officials said, will focus on what Democrats must do to defeat Trump in the general election.
In addition to the Obamas, Harris’ husband, second lord Doug Emhoffwill also deliver his speech on Tuesday night. Emhoff, the nation’s first second gentleman, would also be the first man to become first gentleman if Harris is elected president.
Also on the program is the governor of Illinois. JB Pritzkera potential future presidential candidate whose name was mentioned for a time as a possible running mate for Harris.
According to convention organizers, the theme for Tuesday’s events is “A Bold Vision for America’s Future,” a clear pivot toward a new generation of Democrats and their leadership. After a Monday night that touted Harris’s opportunity but also praised Biden’s legacy and decades of accomplishments, convention organizers now appear ready to move on to the next phase of their journey.
In laying out their plans for the week, convention organizers described Tuesday night as a way to contrast what they saw as Harris’ progressive strategy with Trump’s less positive view of America’s future.
As on Monday, Democrats plan to honor “ordinary Americans” and a few entertainers each night, in addition to elected officials and party leaders.
More protests are planned in the area the DNC websitewhere on Monday a few dozen people who split from a larger group expressing opposition to the war in Gaza tore down sections of the security fence in several areas near the convention sites. Some protesters, dressed in black and with their faces covered, dragged sections of the fence back to a park near the United Center, where the convention is being held.
Several protesters who managed to climb through the fence were detained and handcuffed by police.
Thousands of activists are expected to descend on Chicago, hoping to draw attention to abortion rights, economic injustice and the war in GazaDemonstrations are expected every day of the convention and while their agendas differ, many activists agree on an immediate ceasefire in the War between Israel and Hamas is the priority.
Just like Monday, Trump and his running mate, a senator from Ohio, participated. JD Vancecontinue their separate journeys across the battlefields to prevent the Democrats from being the only ones in the political spotlight.
Trump is traveling to Howell, Michigan, for a crime and security event, while Vance is hosting something similar in Kenosha, Wisconsin. As on Monday, Trump’s campaign and surrogates — including Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida — are planning a press conference on the sidelines of the DNC in Chicago, with the daily theme “Make America Safe Again.”
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP