Monday, August 19th 2024, 6:34 pm
The Democrats kicked off their convention in Chicago on Monday night, with President Biden set to headline and first lady Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also set to speak as well.
While Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have already been nominated via a virtual roll call, Democrats are set to hold a ceremonial vote Monday to formally nominate Walz. The ceremonial roll call vote on the presidential nomination is expected Tuesday.
Although Monday's theme is officially "For the People," Democrats are hoping to project a theme of unity despite the upheaval this summer that led to Mr. Biden dropping out of the race and being replaced with Harris at the top of the ticket.
Chicago has been gearing up for protests, especially with the legacy of the violent 1968 convention. A pro-Palestinian march is being held Monday afternoon in a City Hall-approved route starting at nearby Union Park.
More than 4,000 delegates will convene in Chicago to recognize Harris as the Democratic nominee and approve the party's platform.
Typically, the convention includes a roll call vote to formally nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates. But Harris officially cemented her status leading the presidential ticket earlier this month when she earned a majority of delegates in a virtual roll call. The vote was held in early August in order to avoid potential issues with ballot access in Ohio. A ceremonial roll call is still expected to take place at the convention.
The official schedule has not yet been released. However, Democratic National Convention officials have confirmed that President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will speak Monday. The theme on Monday will be "For the People," and the speakers will pay tribute to Biden, DNC officials said.
According to a source familiar with the planning, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the 2016 nominee, is expected to be among Monday's speakers.
Former President Barack Obama is planned for Tuesday, which will have the theme "A Bold Vision For the Future."
On Wednesday, which will be titled "A Fight For Freedom," former President Bill Clinton and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi of California will speak Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the schedule. A spokesman for Rep. Tom Suozzi confirmed the New York congressman, who flipped a red seat to blue in a special election earlier year, is also in the lineup.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will also speak this week, DNC officials said.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will address the convention Monday, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will speak Tuesday.
Walz is expected to take the stage Wednesday to officially accept the vice presidential nomination. Harris will formally accept the presidential nomination during her speech Thursday in a night dedicated "For the Future."
Democrats unveiled a draft of their platform in July, when Biden was still running for president.
It mentions Trump dozens of times, seeking to draw a sharp contrast between Democrats' priorities and the positions of the former president and "Project 2025," a conservative blueprint for the next Republican president.
The Democrats' platform proposes raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, making the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit permanent, making child care affordable and lowering health care costs.
It also proposes a minimum income tax for billionaires, raising the corporate tax rate, banning "junk fees" and ramping up clean energy projects.
On reproductive rights, the platform says Democrats are committed to passing legislation to codify abortion protections, strengthening access to contraception and protecting access to IVF and FDA-approved medication abortion.
Democrats also want to expunge federal marijuana-only convictions, strengthen democracy, secure the border and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
The platform also mentions support for "a negotiated two-state solution that ensures Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic state with recognized borders and upholds the right of Palestinians to live in freedom and security in a viable state of their own."
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