When is Biden’s Democratic convention speech? How to watch and what to know
The Democratic national convention is under way, with a prime-time address scheduled tonight from Joe Biden.
The president’s speech in Chicago opens a convention that, until 21 July, was meant to serve as his coronation as the Democratic nominee in a re-election bid. Having dropped out, Biden will now use his convention speech as a chance to highlight the accomplishments of his administration, and support the Harris-Walz ticket.
Here’s what else to know about Biden’s speech on Monday night.
When is Biden’s convention speech?
Biden is scheduled to speak at 9.50 pm CT on Monday evening, the first day of the Democratic convention.
How can I watch the speech?
The party will livestream the convention on its Democratic national convention website and on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
The Guardian has a team of reporters in Chicago and will be covering the speech in depth, including via a liveblog.
Major news networks are likely to carry prime-time programming. PBS will have live coverage beginning at 8pm ET each night.
What will Biden talk about?
The president has been reportedly working on his address with his longtime adviser Mike Donilon and chief speechwriter, Vinay Reddy. He is expected to return to a familiar theme – the defence of democracy against Donald Trump – and tout Harris as the ideal successor.
“What he’s going to say, in part, is that he picked Kamala Harris to be his running mate because she was brilliant,” Cedric Richmond, a co-chair of the Harris-Walz 2024 campaign, told a press briefing on Monday. “Because she had experience as a prosecutor, experience as an attorney general. She was an effective and forceful US senator. He’s going to make sure that people understand that he picked her because she was great, she was a great partner, and that she’s going to be a great next president of the United States.”
Senators Chris Coons of Delaware, a close Biden ally, told reporters: “I’m excited that we’re kicking off our campaign by celebrating just how much Joe Biden got done at home and abroad. He’s got a longer record of accomplishment than we could possibly celebrate tonight but I’m grateful to play some small part in doing it.”
Will Biden be at the rest of the convention?
No. Biden is set to depart the convention after the first night for a vacation in Santa Ynez, California.
Politico reported earlier last week that Biden was frustrated by members of his own party – including Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer – for the roles they played in ousting him from the race.
Biden will not be at the convention for Obama’s speech on Tuesday night, nor Thursday for remarks from the vice-presidential and presidential nominee.
Who else is speaking at the convention?
The full lineup of speakers has not yet been released, but several big names – plus many new lawmakers and rising stars – are expected to appear.
Tuesday 20 August: Former president Barack Obama will give an address.
Wednesday 21 August: Former president Bill Clinton will join Minnesota governor and nominee for vice-president Tim Walz on the convention’s third night.
Thursday 22 August: Vice-President Kamala Harris will close out the fourth night of the convention.
The following speakers have been confirmed for Monday night: Shawn Fain, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hillary Clinton, Jamie Raskin, Jasmine Crockett, Andy Beshear, a woman affected by abortion bans, Raphael Warnock and Chris Coons.
Conventions provide the opportunity for young or up-and-coming Democrats to boost their name recognition. Memorably, Barack Obama gave a keynote address at the 2004 convention as a little-known state legislator and returned to the stage in 2008 to accept the party’s nomination.
Meanwhile, several celebrities are set to appear, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus who played a vice-president in the comedy Veep as well as the singer and activist John Legend, who will headline a night with Illinois’s billionaire governor, JB Pritzker.
What is the speaker schedule for Monday night?
5.15pm CT
Minyon Moore, chair of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee;
Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee;
Invocation: Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich, archdiocese of Chicago;
Land acknowledgment: Zach Pahmahmie, Tribal council vice-chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and Lorrie Melchior, tribal council secretary of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation;
Presentation of colors: Illinois state police honor guard;
Pledge of allegiance: William Harrison, 9, and Charles Harrison, 5;
National anthem: Soul Children of Chicago;
Remarks and video introduction: Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson;
Presentation of the convention agenda: Jaime Harrison joined by vice-chairs Keisha Lance Bottoms, Ken Martin, and Henry R Mu?oz III, treasurer Virginia McGregor, and finance chair Chris Korge;
Confirmatory and ceremonial vote for the vice-presidential nominee: Minyon Moore.
6.00pm CT
Co-chaired by the honorable Peggy Flanagan, lieutenant governor of Minnesota;
Welcome remarks: Peggy Flanagan, lieutenant governor of Minnesota;
Welcome remarks: Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee;
Remarks: Maxine Waters, member of the US House of Representatives, California;
Joint remarks: Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP and Melanie L Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation;
Honoring the civil rights leader the Rev Jesse L Jackson, accompanied by Jonathan Jackson and Yusef D Jackson;
Remarks: US representative Lauren Underwood;
Video: Rich Logis, former Donald Trump voter;
Remarks: US representative Robert Garcia;
Remarks: Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, healthcare advocates and founders of I Am ALS;
Remarks: US senator Dick Durbin;
Remarks from Arizona: Dutch Martinez and Ryan Ahern, the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA);
Remarks: US representative Joyce Beatty;
Joint remarks: Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); April Verrett, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Brent Booker, general president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA); Kenneth W Cooper, international president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW); Claude Cummings Jr, president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA); and Elizabeth H Shuler, president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO);
Remarks: Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass;
Performance: Mickey Guyton;
Joint remarks on “Investing in the Future”: California lieutenant governor Eleni Kounalakis, Pennsylvania lieutenant governor Austin Davis, Wisconsin lieutenant governor Sarah Rodriguez, and Harris county, Texas judge Lina Hidalgo.
7.00pm CT
Remarks: “Project 2025 – Chapter One: Introduction”, Mallory McMorrow, Michigan state senator;
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, member of the US House of Representatives, Florida;
Laphonza Butler, United States senator, California;
Linda Haskins, member of the House of Representatives from New Hampshire;
Lt Jeremy Warmkessel, president of Local 302 IAFF Allentown Firefighters, Pennsylvania;
Maria-Isabel Ballivian, executive director of the Annandale Christian Community for Action Childhood Development Center, Virginia;
Deja Foxx, reproductive rights activist and content creator;
Jason Isbell, American singer and songwriter;
Gina M Raimondo;
Kathy Hochul, governor of New York;
Rochelle Adjei-Abasa, regional organizing director for Delaware county, Pennsylvania.
8.00pm CT
Hosted by Tony Goldwyn, American actor and singer;
Steve Kerr, Team USA Men’s Basketball coach and Golden State Warriors coach;
Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers;
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, member of the US House of Representatives, New York;
Stacey Johnson-Batiste and Doris Johnson, childhood friends of Kamala Harris;
Hillary Rodham Clinton, former United States secretary of state;
James E Clyburn, member of the US House of Representatives, South Carolina;
Jamie Raskin, member of the US House of Representatives, Maryland;
Jasmine Crockett, member of the US House of Representatives, Texas;
Grace Meng, member of the US House of Representatives, New York.
9.00pm CT
Joint remarks from Amanda and Josh Zurawski, Texas; Kaitlyn Joshua, Louisiana; and Hadley Duvall, Kentucky;
Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky;
Raphael G Warnock, United States senator, Georgia;
Chris Coons, United States senator, Delaware;
Jill Biden, first lady of the United States;
Performance: James Taylor, American singer and songwriter;
Introduction: Ashley Biden, daughter of Jill and Joe Biden;
Joe Biden, president of the United States.
What else to know about the Democratic national convention?
The Democratic national convention will be held in Chicago from 19-22 August.
Chicago previously played host to the convention in 1996, when Bill Clinton was nominated for re-election, and 1968 when Hubert Humphrey was nominated.
Party leaders have emphasized that the theme of the week will be passing the torch to a new generation of leaders, reflecting Harris’s ascension to the nomination after Joe Biden abandoned his presidential campaign last month.
