Democratic convention replay: Tim Walz accepts VP nomination, says 'we have the right team'
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz formally accepted the vice presidential nomination on Wednesday, taking the stage in Chicago and laying out the potential Harris-Walz administration's top priorities.
“It's the fourth quarter. We're down a field goal, but we're on offense and we've got the ball. We're driving down the field, and boy, do we have the right team,” he told the cheering crowd at the Democratic convention, before vowing that he would fight to lower costs for Americans and protect reproductive rights.
Former President Bill Clinton also delivered a speech at the 2024 Democratic convention, celebrating former President Joe Biden's term in office and applauding Vice President Kamala Harris' candidacy. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other top Democrats gave their own speeches on day three of the Democratic convention.
The parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a young man who was kidnapped in the wake of Hamas' shocking attack on Israel on Oct. 7, addressed the convention earlier Wednesday night, pleading for the world to help bring home all of the people held hostage in the ongoing conflict.
Keep up with the USA TODAY Network's live coverage of the Democratic convention.
Gus Walz has a learning disorder. His dad, Tim Walz, says it's his secret power
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the vice-presidential running mate of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, has spoken openly and lovingly about his neurodivergent 17-year-old son Gus, who has ADHD, along with a non-verbal learning disorder and an anxiety disorder. Walz and his wife, Gwen, both former teachers, said recently in a statement to People magazine that they never considered Gus’ conditions an obstacle.
When Walz delivered his acceptance speech inside the packed United Center arena Wednesday night, Gus watched from the audience with his mother and sister, Hope, and sobbed.
“Hope, Gus and Gwen – you are my entire world, and I love you,” Walz said.
Gus Walz sprung from his seat, moved by his father's words.
He pointed his index finger, saying "I love you, dad.
-Michael Collins
More: Tim Walz's son Gus has a learning disorder. Can his visibility help disabled Americans?
Coach Walz says there will be time to sleep ‘when you’re dead’
Walz emphasized the fast approaching general election in November with a couple of expected football references.
“It's the fourth quarter. We're down a field goal, but we're on offense and we've got the ball. We're driving down the field, and boy, do we have the right team,” he said.
He added, “Our job for everyone watching is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling, one inch at a time, one yard at a time, one phone call at a time, one door knock at a time, one $5 donation at a time. Look, we got 76 days. That's nothing. There will be time to sleep when you're dead.”
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Tim Walz lays out Kamala Harris' agenda
In a pitch to undecided voters across the country, the Minnesota governor highlighted a few key issues the Harris-Walz administration would prioritize - with an eye on Americans' wallets. The goals included cutting taxes for the middle class, lowering prescription drug prices and making home prices more affordable,
"Kamala Harris is going to stand up and fight for your freedom," Walz added.
-- Marina Pitofsky
Tim Walz says Project 2025 will make things ‘much harder for people’
Walz bashed Project 2025, an extensive 920-page plan put together by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, that aims to reshape the federal government.
Though Trump has distanced himself from the project, which critics have called“authoritarian,” many officials from his previous administration helped work up the plan.
“Project 2025 will make things much, much harder for people who are just trying to live their lives,” said Walz. “They spend a lot of time pretending they know nothing about this, but look, I coached high school football long enough to know and trust me on this. When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they're going to use it.”
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Tim Walz officially accepts the Democratic nomination for vice president
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who took the stage to John Mellencamp’s “Small Town,” began his remarks thanking Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden.
“Vice President Harris, thanks for putting your trust in me and for inviting me to be part of this incredible campaign,” said Walz. “And a thank you to President Joe Biden for four years of strong, historic leadership.”
Walz then officially accepted the nomination for vice president.
“We're all here tonight for one beautiful, simple reason: we love this country,” said Walz. “So thank you to all of you here in Chicago and all of you watching at home tonight. Thank you for your passion. Thank you for your determination. And most of all, thank you for bringing the joy to this fight.”
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Legend takes the stage
John Legend took the stage of the convention with singer and percussionist Sheila E. to perform Prince and The Revolution’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” The performance featured a high-energy guitar solo and sequined dancers.
Legend is a prolific recording artist who has also made a name for himself as a social activist that includes his advocacy for changes to the U.S. criminal justice system.
-Clara Hendrickson
Pete Buttigieg bashes Trump and Vance in his remarks
Former South Bend Indiana mayor and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wasted no time going after Trump and Vance in his remarks to convention attendees.
“Donald Trump rants about law and order as if he wasn't a convicted criminal running against a prosecutor, as if we were going to forget the crime was higher on his watch,” Buttigieg said.
“And don't even get me started on his new running mate,” Buttigieg said. “At least Mike Pence was polite.”
Buttigieg claimed that Vance “is one of those guys who thinks if you don't live the life that he has in mind for you, then you don't count.”
“I believe America is ready for a better kind of politics. Yes, politics at its worst can be ugly, crushing, demeaning, but it doesn't have to be. At its best, politics can be empowering, uplifting,” he said.
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Wes Moore: 'We are a nation of patriots'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore kicked off his convention address on Wednesday by reflecting on the the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March, saying Kamala Harris called him after the deadly incident and vowed to stand with the state.
More: At 11, in handcuffs. Now, Maryland's first Black governor: Wes Moore and lessons from being first
Moore said the recovery efforts in his home state mirror America's own journey: "We are a nation of patriots who serve when the mission is hard and serve when the destination is uncertain."
-- Marina Pitofsky
Oprah Winfrey takes swings at Trump, Vance
TV host and celebrity Oprah Winfrey called for unity – while calling out some on the other side of the aisle, including Trump’s running mate JD Vance who has come under fire for past comments disparaging “childless cat ladies.”
“When a house is on fire, we don’t ask about the homeowner’s race or religion,” Winfrey said. “We don’t wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No. We just try to do the best we can to save them.”
“And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady,” she added, in a comment interrupted by applause, “we try to get that cat out too.”
Winfrey called on independents and undecided voters to cast a ballot for Harris this fall.
“There’s a certain candidate that says if we just go to the polls this one time, that we’ll never have to do it again,” Winfrey said, referring to Trump. “Well you know what, you’re looking at a registered independent who’s proud to vote again and again and again because I’m an American and that’s what Americans do.”
-- Savannah Kuchar
Amanda Gorman delivers new poem at convention
Amanda Gorman, the country's first national youth poet laureate, delivered a riveting poem that drew applause and cheers from the audience.
Gorman debuted a new poem called "This Sacred Scene" inspired by the "atmosphere of change and unity," according to Vanity Fair, which spoke with Gorman.
“Only now approaching this rare air are we aware that perhaps the American Dream is no dream at all, but instead a dare to dream together,” she said in one of her lines.
She was invited to perform an original poem titled "The Hill We Climb" at President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021.
-- Sudiksha Kochi and Amaris Ecinas
Democrats promise Americans’ ‘real freedom’
Pennsylvania Gov. Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro spoke loudly and emphatically when he took the stage, his voice sounding hoarse at times. The Democrat who was vetted as a possible running mate to join Vice President Kamala Harris on the presidential ticket told fellow members of his political party that they – not Republicans – represent “real freedom.”
As voters eye the upcoming election, they see a fork in the road with each candidate offering a wildly different path. “Will we be a nation defined by chaos and extremism or will we choose a path of decency, honor and continued progress?” Shapiro asked. Former President Donald Trump and Republicans, Shapiro said, want to chip away at hard-won freedoms away from Americans.
He mentioned efforts to restrict what books children can read and strip away abortion rights. He told the crowd their rights are on the line this fall and described Trump’s vision for the country as an authoritarian one.
-Clara Hendrickson
Uncommitted delegates vow to hold sit-in protest until Palestinian gets to speak at DNC
A group of delegates to the Democratic National Convention were holding a sit-down protest outside the convention hall Wednesday night, saying they would remain until the Harris campaign allowed a Palestinian to speak on the main stage in Chicago.Abbas Alawieh, an uncommitted delegate from Dearborn, Michigan, said he had been in regular contact with the Harris campaign and convention planners for days, asking for someone who could describe the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to speak. Alawieh said on Wednesday he was told "the answer is no."Alawieh and a few other of the 30 uncommitted delegates then sat down outside on the street, with Alawieh saying he would remain until the Harris campaign changed its mind."We made the ask (for a speaker) every which way... It's very reasonable... This level of suppression is unacceptable," Alawieh said.
--Todd Spangler
Pelosi thanks Biden, looks to Harris, and warns about protecting democracy
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, credited with helping push Biden toward dropping his reelection bid, called the current president’s administration “one of the most successful presidencies of modern time.”
“And we quickly proved that Democrats deliver,” Pelosi said.
“Thank you Joe,” she added.
The fellow Californian praised Biden’s vice president and now Democratic nominee Harris, as well as Harris’ running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, who served 12 years with Pelosi in the House.
“Thank you, Tim,” Pelosi said.
The former speaker also spoke on the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, offering a warning about this year’s election, saying ensuring a peaceful transition of power is paramount
“Let us not forget who assaulted democracy on January 6: He did,” Pelosi said, referring to then-President Trump. “But let us not forget who saved democracy that day: We did.”
-- Savannah Kuchar
How do you pronounce Kamala Harris’ name?
Despite decades in the public spotlight, mispronunciations of the vice president's name have not gone away.
Kamala is pronounced "COM-mah-la," with emphasis on the first syllable. When pronounced correctly, the vice president's name sounds like comma-la.
? Sudiksha Kochi and Rachel Barber
Bill Clinton knocks Donald Trump, says former president ‘creates chaos’
Former President Bill Clinton began his remarks thanking President Joe Biden for his service, touting his handling of the economy, COVID-19 pandemic and foreign policy.
“I want to thank him for his courage, compassion, his class, his service, his sacrifice,” said Clinton. “Joe Biden, he kept the faith and he’s infected a lot of the rest of us.”
Clinton then painted a bleaker picture of Trump, saying that the former president “proved even more than the first go around, that he's about me, myself and I.”
“He's still dividing, he's still blaming, he's still belittling other people. He creates chaos, and then he sort of curates it as if it were precious art,” Clinton said, before adding “When Kamala Harris is president, every day will begin with you, you, you, you.”
? Sudiksha Kochi
Jeffries on Trump: ‘We broke up with you for a reason’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., began his remarks by saying President Joe Biden’s time in office would be remembered as some of the most consequential in U.S. history, and he thanked Biden for his decision not to seek another term and instead endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket.
“Now the road ahead will not be easy,” he said.
Jeffries described former President Donald Trump as a man on a mission to revive a failed relationship. “Donald Trump is like an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away,” Jeffries said. “We broke up with you for a reason.”
“Been there, done that. We’re not going back,” Jeffries said, a potential reference to Taylor Swift's hit "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together."
-Clara Hendrickson
Mindy Kaling shares memory of cooking with Kamala Harris
Actress Mindy Kaling opened her remarks with a playful joke, “I am so proud to be here supporting my friend. But the real reason I am here is that deep down, I truly believe that as a woman of color and as a single mother of three, it is incredibly important that I be appointed the ambassador to Italy.”
But on a more serious note, Kaling recalled a fond memory of spending time with Harris when they were filming a video making a popular Indian food, dosa, together.
“She was so much better than me, but she also knew that my family was watching, so as she gently corrected my sloppy dosa making, she was complimenting me every step of the way, making sure that my daughter…heard how good of a cook I am,” she said.
?Sudiksha Kochi
Kenan Thompson blasts Project 2025
Comedian Kenan Thompson came on stage to do a dramatic reading and continue Democratic criticism of Project 2025 – a conservative blueprint for a Republican presidency.
Trump has continually denied association with the plan.
In conversations with a handful of Americans appearing virtually, Thompson highlighted a variety of agenda items, from cutting LGBTQ rights to eliminating the Department of Education.
“You ever seen a document that can kill a small animal and democracy at the same time?” the comedian said while holding a large hardback copy of the project.
? Savannah Kuchar
Stevie Wonder delivers electric performance of ‘Higher Ground’
Before Stevie Wonder began performing “Higher Ground,” he told the crowd he loved them and urged them to campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris with a positive message.
“As we stand between history’s pain and tomorrow’s promises, we must choose courage over complacency,” he said. “We need to choose joy over anger. Kindness over recrimination and peace over war every time. We must choose to be above the ugly words, the hateful anger and the division those words and anger create. We must keep on keeping on until we are truly a united people of these United States and then – and then – we will reach our higher ground.”
The crowd clapped and boogeyed along to the hit song.
?Clara Hendrickson
More: Who's performing on night 3 of the 2024 DNC?
Jan. 6 attack on US Capitol revisited
The segment of the DNC programming Wednesday night that focused on Jan. 6, 2021, started by airing a video of former President Donald Trump’s speech that dat when he encouraged his supporters to fight his 2020 election loss before they stormed the U.S. Capitol to prevent Congress from certifying the results.
The video revisited harrowing scenes from the deadly assault and the effort to stop the peaceful transition of presidential power.
“Thank God they failed,” said Mississippi’s U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson, of Trump’s supporters. “Because in this county, we settle our differences at the ballot box, not through violence.” Thompson chaired the committee that investigated what lead up to and unfolded on Jan. 6. He warned that Trump is in the middle of another effort to sow doubt on the upcoming Nov. 5 election.
Former U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell followed Thompson. He said he saw violence while serving in the military in Iraq. “Nothing, nothing prepared me for Jan. 6,” he said. “I was assaulted with a pole attached to the American flag.” He said he almost died.
?Clara Hendrickson
Anti-Trump Republicans hit the stage to bash the former president
Two Republicans rallied on stage Wednesday and talked about why they're voting for Harris in November. Olivia Troye, former Trump administration national security official, accused the former president of "laying the groundwork to undermine this election.”
“Being inside Trump's White House was terrifying, but what keeps me up at night is what will happen If he gets back there,” she added.
Geoff Duncan, former lieutenant governor of Georgia, called on Republicans to vote for Harris.
“If Republicans are being intellectually honest with ourselves, our party is not civil or conservative, it's chaotic and crazy, and the only thing left to do is dump Trump,” he said.
“Look, you don't have to agree with every policy position of Kamala Harris. I don't, but you do have to recognize her prosecutor mindset that understands right from wrong, good from evil. She's a steady hand and will bring leadership to the White House that Donald Trump could never do,” he said.
? Sudiksha Kochi
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro refuses to be Donald Trump's talking point on antisemitism
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro believes former President Donald Trump wants to use him to stoke antisemitism in the Democratic Party and across America.
Shapiro refuses to be that match.
"Donald Trump is the least credible person to listen to when it comes to hate and bigotry and certainly antisemitism," Shapiro told reporters on Monday at the Democratic National Convention. "He's trying to use me. He's trying to use other Jews to divide Americans further."
? Jessie Balmert, Karissa Waddick and Francesca Chambers
How many nights is the DNC?
The DNC is scheduled to run August 19-22 at the United Center in Chicago.
– Gabe Hauari
Texas sheriff touts Harris on immigration
Texas’ Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar was among a handful of speakers Wednesday to address immigration and the border – an issue that Democrats have struggled with against Republicans.
Salazar described his experience policing border crime, include human trafficking, and criticized Trump’s record.
“Now Kamala, on the other hand, has been fighting border crime for years,” he said.
The sheriff highlighted the vice president’s experience prosecuting traffickers as California’s attorney general.
“Down in my neck of the woods, we call that fooling around and finding out – I may be paraphrasing a bit,” Salazar told the crowd.
? Savannah Kuchar
Maren Morris performs
Singer Maren Morris took the convention stage Wednesday to perform her song, “Better Than We Found It.”
Morris said earlier she was “honored” to perform at the convention, in a statement to The Tennessean.
"It’s a moment where we, as a country, can come together and hear rational plans for the future of women’s and LGBTQ rights,” she said. “We can be inspired by people’s stories and navigate a safe path forward for our children."
? Savannah Kuchar
Parents of man kidnapped by Hamas call for their son, other hostages to be brought home
Rachel Goldberg told convention attendees that her son, Hersh, was kidnapped by Hamas when he attended the Nova Music Festival in Israel on Oct. 7 last year.
“Hersh is a happy go lucky, laid back, good humored, respectful and curious person. He is a civilian,” she said. But since his kidnapping, Goldberg said she and her husband, Jon Polin, have lived on “another planet.”
“Anyone who is a parent or has had a parent can try to imagine the anguish and misery that Jon and I and all the hostage families are enduring,” she said.
Polin said that needing his son and all the other hostages back home is not a political issue, but a “humanitarian issue"
“There is a surplus of agony on all sides of the tragic conflict in the Middle East,” he said. “In a competition of pain, there are no winners.” At the end of their remarks, Goldberg had a message for their son: “Hersh, if you can hear us. We love you. Stay strong. Survive.”
?Sudiksha Kochi
Midwest attorneys general highlight Kamala Harris’ experience as a prosecutor
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison recalled the moment he first watched the video of George Floyd’s murder and Gov. Tim Walz appointing him to lead the prosecution of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who killed Floyd. Ellison said he also remembers Vice President Kamala Harris reaching out to congratulate him when he won the case.
“No one is above the law and no one is beneath it. No one is outside the circle of our compassion,” he said.
Harris “never shied away from a good fight” as a prosecutor, said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. “But what really stands out is when she stood up and protected her constituent’s freedoms,” Nessel said, pointing to Harris’ refusal to defend California’s ban on same-sex marriage. “It meant a lot. She was fighting for families like mine.” Nessel is the first openly LGBTQ+ person to hold statewide office in Michigan.
Nessel concluded her speech by referencing Trump’s felony convictions and the pending criminal cases against him. Harris is taking the path from the courtroom to the White House, she said. “Not the other way around.”
?Clara Hendrickson
Debbie Wasserman Schultz knocks Ron DeSantis
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., knocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in her speech, saying that he “turned Florida into a testing ground for the right’s most egregious, dangerous policies.”
“I can tell you firsthand, it's been devastating for families in my district and across the state,” she said, referencing book bannings, abortion restrictions and other actions.
“This is project 2025. In practice, it's what Donald Trump and JD Vance want for the whole country, but we're not going to let it happen,” she said.
“I say this as a Floridian, but also a mom and an American. We can't let them do to America what they did to Florida,” she added.
? Sudiksha Kochi
Pair of lead pipe removal advocates champion infrastructure investments
Deanna Branch celebrated the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to remove lead pipes from communities like hers where she said her son in Milwaukee was hospitalized due to high levels of lead in his blood. “Lead was everywhere in our pipes, in our paint and in our soil,” she said.
Rashawn Spivey – owner of Hero Plumbing in Milwaukee – said he’s replaced more than 1,000 pipes in the city, crediting federal infrastructure investments and said he had a chance two years ago to show Harris his work to see it firsthand.
?Clara Hendrickson
You get a car! – I mean, vote: Oprah Winfrey to appear at convention
Longtime TV host Oprah Winfrey will make an appearance on the third night of the Democratic convention, CNN reported.
She is set to join other influential celebrities, including singer John Legend, leading up to vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz’s headlining acceptance speech.
? Savannah Kuchar
Stephanie Grisham, anti-Trump Republicans bash former president on convention stage
At the convention Tuesday, anti-Trump Republicans discussed why they were supporting Kamala Harris in November.
Kyle Sweetser, a former Trump voter, said that he used to donate the Trump campaign. But changed, he said, when he “started to see Trump's tariff policy in action.”
“Costs for construction workers like me were starting to soar. I realized Trump wasn't for me. He was for lining his own pockets,” said Sweetser. “Now I'm not left wing, period. But I believe our leaders should bring out the best in us, not the worst. That's why I'm voting for Kamala Harris.”
Stephanie Grisham, a former Trump press secretary, said that she wasn’t just a supporter of the former president. She said she was a “true believer” and one of his “closest advisors” who would spend her holidays at the Mar-a-Lago.
“On January 6, I asked Melania if we could at least tweet that while peaceful protest is the right of every American, there's no place for lawlessness or violence,” said Grisham. “She replied with one word, no. I became the first senior staffer to resign that day. I couldn't be part of the insanity any longer.”
? Sudiksha Kochi
Trio of abortion rights leaders speak at DNC
“When abortion is on the ballot, we win,” said Mini Timmaraju President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. She kicked off her speech by listing the states where voters protected abortion access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. She went on to name the other states where she expects other voters will follow suit this November to enshrine abortion rights.
Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson shared the story of a Georgia patient who couldn’t have an abortion because of the state’s six-week abortion ban. The patient had to crisscross the country – encountering ban after ban – before flying to California to terminate her pregnancy, McGill Johnson said. “We cannot call ourselves a free nation when women are not free,” she said. “Our bodies are on the ballot.”
She was followed by former President of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards who said that when the nation’s high court overturned Roe, a generation of young people lost their reproductive freedom. “That’s the Republican promise of state’s rights,” she said.
?Clara Hendrickson
Cory Booker honors Bill Pascrell, Democratic lawmaker who died this week
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., kicked off his remarks by paying tribute to Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., who died Wednesday.
“He fought for the people,” Booker said. “And so today, while we're heartbroken, we all are a people who can hold loss and joy in our hearts, because we are sad for his loss, but we celebrate his life.”
? Sudiksha Kochi
Follow along as we fact check Walz, Clinton, others
Join the USA TODAY Fact Check Team as we monitor Tim Walz, Bill Clinton and all the other speakers on the third night of the Democratic convention.
We’ll separate fact from fiction and add context when it's needed as Walz introduces himself to the nation and Democrats make their case for supporting Kamala Harris in November.
Fact-checking DNC Day 3: See what Tim Walz, Bill Clinton get right and wrong
?Eric Litke
DNC livestream
Yes, you can livestream the Democratic convention. Keep up with the USA TODAY Network's stream here.
– Marina Pitofsky
How are Harris, Trump doing in presidential polls?
Democrats in Chicago have spent this week celebrating Kamala Harris' rise to the top of the party's ticket, but it's still expected to be a nail-biter of an election.
RealClearPolitics' average of national polls puts Harris at just 1.5 percentage points ahead of Trump. That's well within the margin of error of most of those surveys. In polls of battleground states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona, Trump and Harris are similarly neck-and-neck, with neither candidate leading by more than a percentage point or two.
– Marina Pitofsky
Reports: RFK Jr. to exit race, back Trump by end of week
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to exit the presidential race Friday and endorse GOP nominee Donald Trump, according to ABC News and NBC News citing anonymous sources.
Kennedy's exit would mean the end of a potential spoiler campaign and leaves the contest decidedly between Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, and former President Trump.
Kennedy's campaign announced earlier Wednesday that he will make an address to the nation on Friday in Arizona, where he will talk about "the present historical moment and his path forward."
– Savannah Kuchar
Stevie Wonder set to take the stage at the DNC
Motown legend Stevie Wonder was seen rehearsing onstage at the Democratic convention Wednesday. It wouldn't be the first time he performs to the crowd of Democrats gathered to celebrate a historic nomination. Wonder also performed at the 2008 DNC when the party nominated former President Barack Obama.
John Legend is also set to take the stage at the convention, according to a post on X from the DNC’s press secretary.
Musical acts during the four-day gathering in Chicago have so far included singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and country singer Mickey Guyton who performed on first night and singer Patti LaBelle and rapper Common who performed on the second night.
– Clara Hendrickson
Kerstin Emhoff, Doug Emhoff's ex-wife, produced emotional video with son
Did you catch Cole Emhoff's emotional video last night introducing his father, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, at the Democratic convention? It was co-produced by Kerstin Emhoff, Cole Emhoff's mother and Doug Emhoff's ex-wife.
"This is my Dad, Doug. A film by Cole Emhoff, produced by me, and @Venture_land ??" Kerstin Emhoff shared on X.
Doug and Kerstin Emhoff divorced in 2008, but as they've entered the national spotlight, both have shared that they remained friendly while co-parenting their children.
– Marina Pitofsky
How do you become a delegate to a national convention?
Delegates to national political conventions are selected by each state party based on a set of uniform rules. These rules can change from state to state.
Often, delegates are leaders and active members of a state party, or influential supporters of a candidate. You can contact your local state party for more information on how to become a delegate.
– Karissa Waddick
Police arrest dozens of demonstrators outside Israeli consulate
Police arrested at least 72 people Tuesday evening at a protest outside the Israeli consulate, according to the National Lawyers Guild.
As many as 76 people could have been arrested, but the guild’s totals rely on individuals reporting their arrest, so the number could rise in the coming hours, said Benjamin Meyer, an attorney with the guild in Chicago.
Most of the people were arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor charges such as disorderly conduct, Meyer said. Several people have been released, but many others are still in custody, he said.
Some of the demonstrators last night “felt like they couldn’t leave” and were mostly surrounded by police at times, Meyer said.
Officers’ “tactics last night were very concerning,” he said. Meyer also questioned whether police issued a mass arrest order too early in the demonstration. He argued that people have the right to protest even if the protest is not permitted by police. He raised doubt that the protesters posed an immediate threat to public safety when the arrest order was issued.
He said two protesters since Sunday were hospitalized “because of police abuse” but would not specify their injuries. Two others were hospitalized because of prescription medication needs, he said. Among those arrested were at least two photojournalists. The Society for Professional Journalists condemned their arrests.
– Sophie Carson
FBI probes possible maggot attack on Democratic breakfast in Chicago
Chicago Police and the FBI are investigating if saboteurs placed maggots in the hotel breakfast being served to delegates at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, local media reported.
"Multiple unknown female offenders are alleged to have entered a building...and began placing unknown objects onto tables containing food," the convention's information center said in a statement cited by WGN.
The incident took place at Fairmont hotel, where delegates from Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri and South Dakota are staying, the outlet also reported.
– Dan Morrison
Former Mike Pence aide calls on him to speak out more forcefully against Donald Trump
Oliver Troye, a former advisor to Mike Pence, said she wishes the former vice president would speak out more against his former boss.
“There's no one else that has lived what Donald Trump and the danger that he is, that he poses more than him,” said Troye. “I have seen him in very moments of crisis where he had to navigate how we were going to handle Donald Trump, and how we're going to not let him derail things that we were trying to do when we were trying to help the American people.”
Some of these situations, she said, included the COVID-19 pandemic and mass shootings.
“How do you message in a moment that requires true leadership to the American people while also countering the fact that it’s the person sitting in the Oval Office at the time who’s actually driving some of the hate crimes, and some of these incidents that are happening in the country by the rhetoric that he’s using?”
– Sudiksha Kochi
John Legend to perform at Democratic convention tonight ahead of Tim Walz speech
It is day three of the Democratic convention in Chicago, and today's musical performer will John Legend.
The singer will honor the late singer Prince with his performance before welcoming Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Kamala Harris' vice presidential candidate.
What time will John Legend perform? Here's what to know.
– Mariyam Muhammad
Trump decries 'personal' attacks by Obama
Donald Trump responded to the jabs of predecessor Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama — sort of — by saying they got a little personal during the Democratic convention.
"He was taking shots at your president, and so was Michelle," Trump told supporters Wednesday during a national security speech at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame.
Trump did not extend his comments about Barack Obama, who in his Democratic convention speech described his predecessor's political career as "a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala (Harris) … the childish nicknames and crazy conspiracy theories and weird obsession with crowd size … It just goes on and on."
Instead, Trump mocked his own political advisers for urging him to stick to policy rather than personal attacks, even though his opponents are often personal with him.
"They're getting personal all night long, these people," Trump said. "Do I still have to stick to policy?"
Later in the speech, Trump came back to Obama by saying "he was very nasty last night."
Trump then polled the North Carolina crowd on whether he should get "personal" with his Democratic critics; the crowd cheered loudly in the affirmative, although the former president has engaged in personal insults for decades.
Trump, joking that he might fire his advisers for advocating a policy campaign, went to make periodic attacks on opponents like Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton.
— David Jackson, Zac Anderson
Maren Morris to perform at DNC tonight
Grammy-winning country artist Maren Morris is set to perform tonight at the Democratic convention.
"We are excited to welcome Grammy Award-winning artist Maren Morris to our historic convention stage, where she will help us share the story of the Harris-Walz ticket and engage Americans from every corner of the country," the convention said in an exclusive statement to The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.
"As we highlight a future full of possibilities under Vice President Harris and Governor Walz, Maren's unique talent and authenticity will play a critical role in our mission to make this the most successful and inclusive convention in history."
Morris is a notable progressive activist and has been vocal in supporting LGBTQ+ rights and gender-affirming health care.
“I am honored to be performing at the Democratic National Convention for the first time ever," she said in a statement to The Tennessean. "It’s a moment where we, as a country, can come together and hear rational plans for the future of women’s and LGBTQ rights. We can be inspired by people’s stories and navigate a safe path forward for our children."
— Marcus K. Dowling
Fashion at the DNC: Michelle Obama's outfit has internet buzzing
Former first lady Michelle Obama spoke at the second night of the Democratic National Convention Tuesday. As with her tenure in the White House, many online were curious about what she was wearing.
Women's Wear Daily said the "futuristic flair" came from luxury fashion brand Monse's resort 2025 collection. Vogue also covered the collection, which apparently included Obama's belted, crisscross, and sleeveless jacket with matching pants.
Fashion also came up in Barack Obama's speech, too, husband's speech, when the former president made a joke about vice presidential nominee Tim Walz's apparel.
"Those flannel shirts he wears, don't come from some political consultant," he said. "They come from his closet and they have been through some stuff."
Read more on the DNC fashion buzz.
— Kinsey Crowley and James Powel
Josh Shapiro on John Fetterman beef: 'Ask his spokesperson'
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro appeared to take a jab at Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, on Tuesday when asked for comment about whether the two swing state politicians are feuding.
“I have no idea, you’ve got to ask Fetterman,” Shapiro told reporters at a roundtable hosted by Bloomberg News during the Democratic convention in Chicago on Wednesday.
He then added: “I would say you should ask his spokesperson but I think they’re not on the same page either.”
Fetterman’s communications director, Carrie Adams, has come under fire for criticizing her boss’ policy position on the Israel-Hamas war. Fetterman’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
— Francesca Chambers and Karissa Waddick
Trump's directs DNC response at N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul
The list of Democrats who have mocked and attacked Trump at this week's Democratic convention is long and luminous, including former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, and former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Yet, so far, Trump's most acidic response his been directed at a lesser-known politician: Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York.
"Adversarial relationships are not good in politics!" Trump said Wednesday on his Truth Social platform, never mind that he has launched some of the most venomous attacks on opponents in political history. In this case, Trump labeled Hochul "the nastiest speaker" at the convention's opening night.
Trump has not commented publicly — so far — on the speeches by Clinton or the Obamas.
In Hochul's speech on Monday night, the New York governor said Trump does not reflect American values.
“Donald Trump was born a New Yorker but ended up a fraud, a philanderer and a felon," Hochul said.
— David Jackson
Who is Jason Rae? Meet the Wisconsinite who called the DNC roll
The roll call at the Democratic National Convention offered each state and territory a moment in the spotlight Tuesday night at the United Center in Chicago.
Steering the process was Jason Rae of Wisconsin, secretary of the Democratic National Committee, who called the roll for the second time. Rae stood at the podium and asked each delegation, "How do you cast your vote?"
Four years ago, Rae called the vote in a virtual convention during peak pandemic months.
Rae has been an active Democrat since his youth. He was the youngest person elected to the Democratic National Committee in 2004, when he was 17. From 2007 to 2017, he led the DNC youth council.
Today, he serves as president and CEO of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and is a partner at Nation Consulting, a Milwaukee-based public affairs firm. He lives in Glendale, Wisconsin with his husband, Phillip.
— Zoe Jaeger
DNC roll call playlist: The songs each state picked
The Democratic National Convention ceremonial roll call set celebrated both national and state pride through music.
As Democrat delegates announced their votes for Vice President Kamala Harris, record producer DJ Cassidy played a unique song representing each state.
Check out the songs and see what your state picked.
— Anthony Robledo
Tough, savvy, and all-around 'nice guy': How Gov. Tim Walz gets stuff done
When Vice President Kamala Harris chose a little-known governor from the Midwest as her running mate, she rewarded a progressive pragmatist with a reputation for using tough love to win elections and be a productive policy pusher.
The newfound spotlight on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, 60, has showcased a reputation of happy-go-lucky-ness. But his track record as a six-term congressman and state executive shows a sharp knowledge of political gambit and geniality.
Walz will have the spotlight Wednesday night as he gives his acceptance speech as the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee.
Read more on his track record and approach to governing.
— Sam Woodward and Riley Beggin
From 'Cowboy Kamala' sashes to Pelosi sweatbands: Which state has the best DNC swag?
The battle for the best Democratic National Convention tchotchkes is underway, with delegations competing to have the best T-shirts, buttons and SWAG after an eight-year, pandemic-induced drought.
For California, it was a rainbow Nancy Pelosi sweatband and a pin claiming Vice President Kamala Harris as a daughter of the state. Hawaii's state party passed out white leis.
Wisconsin served cheese, cheese and more cheese to its conventiongoers. Cheesehead hats, cheese wedge soap and Hook’s five-year aged cheddar.
Over at the New Hampshire state party’s convention headquarters, chairman Ray Buckley said he began planning his delegation’s memorabilia a year ago.
So who had the best? Read more on all the DNC merch.
— Francesca Chambers
Who was the DJ at the DNC? Meet DJ Cassidy
The Democratic National Convention featured a musical roll call Tuesday night, and DJ Cassidy, a Grammy-nominated performer ? and now the first "musical maestro" of a convention roll call ? led the event while he introduced each musical artist and state.
Cassidy, a producer from California, according to the Los Angeles Times, wore a shiny blue suit, a beige hat and square sunglasses when he welcomed the crowd to the DNC's roll call as "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge played.
"Now, we're going to pass the mic from state to state so that all our voices are heard all around the nation," said Cassidy.
Read more on Tuesday's night's roll call songs.
— Julia Gomez and Anthony Robledo
Harris campaign taps into dozens of influencers to bolster presidential bid
The Democratic Party credentialed more than a dozen influencers to cover the convention, a dramatic change in how political campaigns seek to reach voters.
At a moment when fewer Americans get their news from mainstream or legacy media outlets such as newspapers and cable news, the Harris campaign has prioritized working through influencers and content creators to spread their message as they scramble in a shortened window to introduce the 59-year-old vice president to the country.
Influencers who spoke to USA TODAY said they aren't being paid by the Harris campaign or the Democratic National Committee to praise their presidential nominee online. But that practice has been known to happen before, influencer strategists said.
Read more on how the Harris campaign is working with influencers.
— Sarah D. Wire and Rachel Barber
Democratic National Convention highlights
Catch up on some of the key moments from Tuesday night.
Michelle Obama lays into Trump and rallies DNC to 'Do Something!' for Kamala Harris
Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President Kennedy, delivers speech on DNC Night 2
'I'm feeling fired up!' Watch Barack Obama speech at the Democratic convention
At national convention, Democrats pass the torch to a new generation of leaders
Ex-Trump insider Stephanie Grisham goes after former boss in DNC speech
— Duane W. Gang
DNC takeaways: 'Hope is making a comeback.' Obamas storm the national stage
Barack and Michelle Obama arrived at the 2024 Democratic convention Tuesday with a message: Yes we Kam!
Speaking to a raucous crowd that hung on every utterance, the Chicago couple brought into focus the values at stake and their belief in how Vice President Kamala Harris is uniquely ready to turn the page and become America's next president.
Here are several key takeaways from Tuesday night.
'It will be a fight': Obama rips Trump, uplifts Harris: Obama criticized Trump for engaging in "childish nicknames and crazy conspiracy theories and (a) weird obsession with crowd size." He described Trump as a leader, "whose act has gotten pretty stale," but also as a "dangerous" person should he return to the White House.
Michelle Obama says something 'magical is in the air': She said Democrats feel the “exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day” but also warned the party not to get complacent, calling it an “uphill” fight to beat Trump in November.
Lil Jon, Spike Lee spice up rollcall: A convention DJ cued up different music selections for each state’s delegation as they announced their delegates committed to Harris. Eminem’s “Lose yourself” was picked for Michigan. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” for New Jersey. For Tennessee, it was Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”
Dems keep making Project 2025 their boogeyman: Democrats continued their assault on Project 2025, the policy blueprint of the conservative think-tank the Heritage Foundation, seeking to tie the agenda to Trump.
— Phillip M. Bailey and Joey Garrison
The Obamas, the Clintons, Carter and even JFK: How the old gang is helping Kamala Harris
President Joe Biden spoke Monday, embracing Harris after reluctantly stepping back from the campaign. Former President Bill Clinton is slated to speak Wednesday. In an animated speech Monday, Hillary Clinton predicted Harris would shatter the "highest, hardest glass ceiling" that she had only managed to crack as the 2016 nominee. Jesse Jackson, a groundbreaking presidential hopeful who is 82 and ailing, gave the audience a thumbs-up from his wheelchair on stage.
Even former president Jimmy Carter, 99 years old and in hospice care at his home in Plains, Georgia, relayed remarks to the United Center on Tuesday via his grandson. "My grandfather can't wait to vote for Kamala Harris," Jason Carter declared.
He was followed on stage by the grandson of former president John F. Kennedy, likening Harris to JFK. "Once again, the torch has been passed to a new generation," Jack Schlossberg said, "to a leader who shares my grandfather's energy, vision and optimism for our future."
Read more on how these prominent Democrats are working to boost the Harris campaign.
— Susan Page
How to watch the Democratic convention
The convention will air live on its website, from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m Central) on Monday, and 7 p.m to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the other days.
The USA TODAY Network and news outlets will livestream the convention and most will broadcast the major speeches live.
— Joey Garrison
Where is the DNC being held?
The convention is in Chicago, just 90 miles south of Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention was recently held.
The Democratic Party has held a national convention every four years since 1832 to nominate its chosen candidates, and Chicago has a storied history of hosting conventions on both sides of the political aisle dating back to 1860, with the nomination of Abraham Lincoln.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, this will be the Windy City’s 26th political convention.
— Maya Homan
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democratic convention replay: Tim Walz accepts VP nomination
