The fourth and final night Thursday is crescendoing with a speech from .
After a week of Democrats鈥 most prominent figures rallying the party faithful, Harris has accepted her party鈥檚 nomination for president during a speech where she offered her vision and policy agenda to the American people.
The theme of the final night was 鈥淔or Our Future,鈥 according to convention organizers.
Follow the AP鈥檚 Election 2024 coverage at: .
Here鈥檚 the Latest:
Harris hosts an 鈥榓nniversary鈥 party for staffers
After her speech, Harris went to another part of the United Center and briefly addressed a group of staffers and supporters at a postconvention speech party.
鈥淲e just decided that we would celebrate our anniversary with all of you,鈥 said Harris who accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on her and her husband Doug Emhoff鈥檚 10th wedding anniversary.
The party included former Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin and a former co-host of The View, Desir茅e Rogers.
鈥淥ur fight is deeply and truly borne out of love of country,鈥 Harris said, adding, 鈥渃elebrate tonight鈥 and 鈥渋t鈥檚 been a wonderful convention.鈥
Protestors clash with Chicago police
A few dozen protesters fought briefly with Chicago police on the edge of Union Park.
The small group, leftover from the earlier demonstration, planned to march toward the convention center, but they were blocked by rows of police in riot gear who pushed into the group, shouting, 鈥淢ove back.鈥
Several of the protesters surged forward, with some swinging wooden signs down on the officers. The group has since retreated to the park, where an organizer said they plan to regroup. Police have ordered all media to leave the area, warning over a loudspeaker, 鈥淚f you fail to comply, you will be in violation of the law and we will place you into custody.鈥
Trump is campaigning off Harris鈥 speech
Within moments of Harris finishing her speech, the Trump campaign sent out a fundraising email titled 鈥淲orst speech ever!鈥
鈥淔arewell to America if we have President Kamala!鈥 it proclaimed.
Fact Focus: Trump previously supported federal abortion legislation
In a during his 2016 campaign, Trump expressed his commitment to this view by vowing to sign the . The then-Republican president advocated for the bill , at that year鈥檚 annual March for Life festival in Washington, saying he 鈥渟trongly supported the House of Representatives Pain-Capable bill, which would end painful, late-term abortions nationwide.鈥
Trump said that he would 鈥渃all upon the Senate to pass this important law and send it to my desk for signing.鈥 The bill, which included exceptions for saving the life of a pregnant woman, as well as rape or incest, was passed by the House in 2017 but failed to move forward in the Senate.
Fact Focus: Trump鈥檚 shifting position on abortion rights
During her DNC acceptance speech, Harris said of Trump that the former president would 鈥渂an medication abortion and enact a nationwide abortion ban with or without Congress.鈥
While Trump has said in the past that he would support a national ban on abortion, he made clear his changed position on Thursday鈥檚 Fox & Friends: 鈥淚 would never. There will not be a federal ban. This is now back in the states where it belongs.鈥
In April, he said that he would leave the issue in a on his Truth Social platform.
Days later, asked by a reporter upon arriving in Atlanta whether he would , Trump shook his head and said, 鈥淣o.鈥
But just a month earlier Trump suggested that he鈥檇 support a national ban on abortion . He also often brags about appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.
Trump has previously supported a federal ban on abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Trump told CBS News on Monday that he would not enforce the Comstock Act to restrict the sale of abortion medication by mail. The act, originally passed in 1873, was revived in an effort to block the mailing of mifepristone, the pill used in more than half of U.S. abortions.
Harris鈥 blended family is a political first
The image of a mixed-race family joining the candidate on stage as she accepts the nomination to potentially be the first Black and Asian American female president is a political first in many ways.
Donald Trump is accusing Harris of misstating his positions on reproductive rights
鈥淚 do not limit access to birth control or I.V.F. - THAT IS A LIE, these are all false stories that she鈥檚 making up, that I鈥檝e never even heard of,鈥 wrote Trump, who appointed the judges who overturned Roe V. Wade. 鈥淚 TRUST WOMEN, ALSO, AND I WILL KEEP WOMEN SAFE!鈥 he wrote.
Trump has been offering commentary on the speech on his social media network.
He has repeatedly questioned why she didn鈥檛 implement the policies she鈥檚 proposing while serving as vice president.
鈥淲hy didn鈥檛 she do something about the things of which she complains?鈥 he asked.
That鈥檚 a wrap for Harris
After speaking for about 37 minutes, Harris wrapped up her speech and was joined on stage by her husband, Doug Emhoff, along with running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen.
Family members began to play with some of the 100,000 red, white and blue balloons that began to cascade from netting where they鈥檇 been held in the ceiling all week.
Harris reaffirms her support for Ukraine and NATO
Harris made a forceful defense of Ukraine and NATO in her speech as she lambasted Trump鈥檚 past comments on the war in Ukraine.
鈥淎s President, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies,鈥 Harris said.
Harris touted that five days before Russia invaded Ukraine, 鈥淚 warned President Zelenskyy鈥 and helped lead the U.S. diplomatic response in rallying 鈥渕ore than 50 countries.鈥
Access to United Center has been restricted
The DNC has restricted access to the United Center, which is at capacity, in the final hours of the convention, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
A fire department spokesperson said on X that the decision was made by the DNC in consultation with Chicago fire officials. He said both city fire and DNC officials would continue to monitor the situation.
Crowds of credentialed journalists were photographed outside the United Center, where they were not allowed entry into the stadium. The United Center can hold about 23,500 people.
鈥楾he scale of suffering is heartbreaking鈥
In a stunning departure from the Biden campaign, Harris made the U.S.鈥檚 most forceful message yet on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The vice president said that she would 鈥渁lways stand up for Israel鈥檚 right to defend itself,鈥 while pushing for the release of the hostages and the implementation of a cease-fire deal.
鈥淎t the same time, what has happened in Gaza in the last 10 months is devastating, so many innocent lives lost,鈥 Harris said. 鈥淒esperate, hungry people fleeing to safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.鈥
Harris looks to flip the script on border security
Border security has been a major point of GOP criticism for Harris and her campaign, but the Democrat is drawing big cheers from her arena of delegates for her border plans.
Harris said, 鈥淚 know we can live up to our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants and reform our broken immigration system.鈥
She also criticized Trump for his own actions, saying he 鈥渙rdered his allies in Congress to kill鈥 a border bill.
鈥淲ell, I refuse to play politics with our security,鈥 she said, pledging to 鈥渂ring back the bipartisan border security bill鈥 and saying she鈥檇 sign it into law.
Outside the DNC, protestors hold a sit-in
While Harris is in the middle of her nomination acceptance speech inside the Democratic National Convention, protestors outside have staged an impromptu sit-in on Chicago鈥檚 Ashland Avenue.
The man leading it, who declined to be identified, said he initially sat because he was exhausted from hours of marching. Before long, about 100 others had joined him, singing 鈥淲hich Side Are You On?鈥 over bongo players and an electric guitar. While police initially called on the group to disburse, they retreated after the request was ignored.
Signs are a big thing at the convention
For Harris鈥 key moment, there are many color-coordinated options around the United Center.
Delegates have vertical blue signs with 鈥淜amala鈥 written out. Many people have added American flags handed out earlier in the night atop the post holding those blue signs, hoisting the flags further aloft.
Delegates in the seats directly in front of Harris 鈥 between the stage and the platform that holds a number of cameras broadcasting the convention 鈥 have smaller rectangular signs reading 鈥淗arris-Walz.鈥
Harris blasts Trump on abortion
In her speech, Harris touched on what has become the central policy issue of her vice presidency and now her campaign: the risk to reproductive rights.
鈥淭onight in America, too many women are not able to make those decisions,鈥 she said.
鈥淎nd let鈥檚 be clear about how we got here: Donald Trump handpicked members of the United States Supreme Court to take away reproductive rights.鈥 She added, 鈥淥ne must ask why exactly is it that they don鈥檛 trust women? Well, we trust women.鈥
Harris promises an 鈥榦pportunity economy鈥
鈥淭he middle class is where I come from,鈥 Harris said, describing for delegates how her late mother kept a 鈥渟trict budget鈥 and 鈥渨e lived within our means.鈥
She said her mother taught her and her sister, Maya, that opportunity is not available to everyone.
But now Harris promises to create an 鈥渙pportunity economy,鈥 where she said, 鈥渆veryone has the chance to compete and a chance to succeed.鈥
She also promised a 鈥渕iddle-class tax cut.鈥
Harris charts 鈥榓 new way forward鈥
鈥淲e are not going back鈥 chants broke out in the venue as Harris criticized Trump鈥檚 record and began outlining her vision for the nation.
鈥淲e are charting a new way forward, forward to a future with a strong middle class,鈥 Harris said. 鈥淎nd building that middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency.鈥
Harris lays out her case against Trump
Harris is issuing warnings about how Trump鈥檚 prior willingness to violate the law indicates a willingness for a reckless second term if he鈥檚 elected to the White House again.
The former prosecutor listed off Trump鈥檚 conviction in the New York fraud case, as well as the judgment against him in the E. Jean Carroll case.
鈥淛ust imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails and how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States, not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security but to serve the only client that he has ever had: himself,鈥 Harris warned.
鈥楢 president for all Americans鈥
The loudest applause came after Harris made a plea to all across the aisle, saying that she pledges to uphold the rule of law.
鈥淚 promise to be a president for all Americans, to hold sacred America鈥檚 constitutional principles, fundamental principles, from the rule of law and fair elections to the peaceful transfer of power,鈥 she said.
Harris said her best friend Wanda is one of the reasons she became a prosecutor
She said Wanda confided in her that she was being sexually abused by her stepfather when they were in high school. Harris invited her friend to come live with her.
鈥淭his is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor,鈥 Harris said. 鈥淓veryone has a right to safety and to dignity and to justice.鈥
鈥楰amala Harris, for the people鈥
One of the advantages of having run for president before is that Harris has had time to hone parts of the campaign speech that comprises pieces of what she鈥檚 delivering at the DNC.
In her 2020 presidential bid, Harris often spoke of her role as a prosecutor and the personal experiences that inspired her to take on that career.
She also reflected, verbatim, several lines that date back to least her 2019 campaign launch, saying that she always introduced herself as 鈥淜amala Harris, for the people.鈥
Afterward, Harris said that she accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, to a roaring, sign-waving crowd.
Harris reflects on her parents鈥 social-justice values
Harris drew a direct line between her current values and politics with her upbringing in a civil rights-oriented household. Harris noted that her parents met amid the civil rights movement and raised her with values of social justice.
鈥淢y mother was a five-foot-tall, brown woman with an accent,鈥 Harris said. 鈥淎nd as the eldest child 鈥 I saw how the world would sometimes treat her, but my mother never lost her cool,鈥 Harris said.
鈥淪he taught us to never complain about injustice but to do something about it,鈥 Harris said to cheers. 鈥淎nd she also told us to never do something 鈥榟alf-assed.鈥 And that is a direct quote,鈥 Harris said.
Harris honors her parents
Harris might be a well-known figure as vice president, but, on the biggest stage of her presidential campaign thus far, she鈥檚 still taking the opportunity to get into some biography.
After a speech by her sister, Maya, who made repeated references to their mother鈥檚 accomplishments, Harris 鈥 who doesn鈥檛 frequently mention her father 鈥 spoke about both of her parents, then her upbringing, primarily at the hands of her mother.
In an emotional tribute to her mother and father, Harris talked about the lessons she learned from both her parents who divorced when she was young. 鈥淢y mother would stay, stay close,鈥 she said. 鈥淏ut my father would say as he smiled, 鈥楻un Kamala! Run! Don鈥檛 be afraid. Don鈥檛 let anything stop you.鈥欌
Kamala Harris is on the stage for the fourth and final night of the DNC
Harris was greeted by an ovation that spanned nearly 3 minutes before she was able to begin her speech.
鈥淥K, let鈥檚 get to business,鈥 Harris said after thunderous cheers drowned out her attempts to get started.
鈥淎nd happy anniversary, Dougie,鈥 she said, marking their 10th wedding anniversary.
Gov. Roy Cooper knows the crowd wants Harris
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper isn鈥檛 beating around the bush in prime-time programming: He knows delegates are ready to hear from their nominee.
Cooper took the stage Thursday noting that he鈥檚 鈥渢he last guy standing between you and the moment we鈥檙e all waiting for鈥 鈥 Harris鈥 acceptance of the Democratic nomination.
Cooper recalled how he served alongside Harris when both were attorneys general in their respective states.
Cooper鈥檚 name had been floated as a possible VP for Harris after she ascended to the top of Democrats鈥 ticket.
Maya Harris honors her and Kamala鈥檚 mother
Harris鈥 sister is, as the VP often does, talking about her mother鈥檚 support in her daughters growing up to be strong women.
Maya Harris says that her mother 鈥渨as a trailblazer who defied the odds and defied herself.鈥
Kamala Harris often talks about her mother鈥檚 influence on her understanding of the world and her commitment to fighting for the rights of others.
鈥淜amala鈥檚 entire life has been about fighting for each of us to have that freedom,鈥 Maya Harris said, of her sister.
Getting choked up, Maya Harris said she wished her mother could be present in the hall tonight, saying she could envision seeing her smiling and saying 鈥渉ow proud she is of Kamala,鈥 before telling 鈥渁ll of us to roll up our sleeves and get to work.鈥
鈥榊ou never thought you鈥檇 see me here, did you?鈥
Rep. Adam Kinzinger was the latest Republican to speak on the DNC stage in support of the Harris-Walz ticket. Kinzinger retired from Congress after he criticized his own party in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a bid to stop Joe Biden from becoming president. Kinzinger, at the invitation of Democrats, defied his leadership to join Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming as a member of the House committee investigating the attack.
鈥淪ome have questioned why I鈥檝e taken the stand I have,鈥 Kinzinger said. 鈥淭he answer is simple, ladies and gentlemen. We must put country first. And tonight, as a Republican speaking before you, I鈥檓 putting our country first.鈥
He added, 鈥淚 know Kamala Harris shares my allegiance to the rule of law, the constitution and democracy.鈥
Trump changes his tune on Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp
Just weeks ago, the former president delivered a series of blistering attacks at a rally against the Georgia governor.
But in a social media post, Trump thanked Kemp 鈥渇or all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country.鈥
鈥淚 look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!鈥 he wrote.
His worlds marked a major departure from his comments at a rally earlier this month, where Trump tore into the governor, blaming him for his narrow 2020 loss in the state.
In a roughly 10-minute tirade, Trump railed against Kemp for not giving into his false theories of election fraud and also blamed the governor for not stopping a local district attorney from prosecuting him and several associates for his efforts to overturn the results.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a bad guy. He鈥檚 a disloyal guy. And he鈥檚 a very average governor,鈥 Trump said then. 鈥淟ittle Brian, little Brian Kemp. Bad guy.鈥
Eva Longoria also worked at a fast-food restaurant
Actress Eva Longoria says that Harris 鈥渨orked at McDonald鈥檚, but I worked at Wendy鈥檚.鈥
鈥淎nd look at us now,鈥 Longoria declared.
Harris has frequently discussed previously working at McDonald鈥檚 as she works to make her middle-class upbringing more relatable to voters.
Beyonc茅 will not attend the DNC
Beyonc茅 will not be attending Thursday鈥檚 Democratic National Convention, according to a source involved in the evening鈥檚 planning. Speculation about a potential surprise appearance by the music superstar spread like wildfire ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris鈥 acceptance speech.
鈥楤ig Gretch鈥 thinks Trump is out of touch
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, and that鈥檚 the sort of welcome she got at the United Center.
The Michigan Democrat took the stage to big cheers, telling the at-capacity crowd that she鈥檚 known in Detroit as 鈥淏ig Gretch,鈥 and, as a woman, knows how to 鈥淕SD 鈥 get stuff done.鈥
Talking about Harris, Whitmer said the Democratic nominee 鈥済ets us. She sees us. She is us.鈥
But of the GOP nominee, Whitmer went on, 鈥淒onald Trump doesn鈥檛 know you, at all.鈥
鈥淗ell, you think he鈥檚 even been to a grocery store?鈥 Whitmer asked, implying Trump is out of touch with the needs of everyday Americans.
Whitmer鈥檚 name is often mentioned as a future presidential candidate for Democrats.
Swing state officials get prime speaking (and seating)
They鈥檒l play a big role in the general election, but the swing states are also being well represented at this week鈥檚 DNC.
Throughout the week, representatives from the battlegrounds of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona have been making appearances on the United Center stage.
Those speakers, like Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, haven鈥檛 necessarily spent lots of time talking specifically about why their states would be critical wins for Democrats. But as they take the stage, they get a big welcome from their state鈥檚 delegation 鈥 and it鈥檚 no accident that lots of those delegations have prime seating in the arena.
Pink duets protest song with her 12-year-old daughter
dueted with her 12-year-old daughter Willow Sage Hart on her song 鈥淲hat About Us鈥 at the Democratic convention.
The two, wearing black and accompanied by only a few backup singers and an acoustic guitar, harmonized in sober but heartfelt tones on the 2017 protest song Pink co-wrote.
鈥淲hat about all the broken happy ever afters?鈥 the mother and daughter sang. 鈥淲hat about all the plans that ended in disaster?鈥
Their performance came after Rep. Gabby Giffords and others affected by gun violence had given emotional presentations to the crowd.
Sen. Mark Kelly stresses the importance of teamwork
The Arizona Democrat said Thursday, 鈥淚鈥檝e flown into space four times. I鈥檝e flown into combat nearly 40 times. Not once did I do that by myself.鈥
In a somewhat rare occurrence during the convention鈥檚 closing night, Kelly invoked Trump鈥檚 name, saying that the GOP nominee 鈥渟kipped his intelligence briefings鈥 because he was 鈥渢oo busy sucking up to dictators and dreaming of becoming one himself.鈥
Kelly also quipped that it was tough to follow his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who got a lengthy ovation Thursday as she appeared and talked about the 2011 shooting that left her gravely wounded.
鈥淧resident Obama had to follow Michelle,鈥 Kelly said, recollecting the convention schedule from Tuesday. 鈥淚 had to follow Gabby and Pink.鈥
Shooting survivor and former Rep. Gabby Giffords advocates for firearm legislation
After surviving a mass shooting at a 2011 meet-and-greet event, former Rep. Gabby Giffords was joined by her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, to bring light to the issue of gun violence in America.
鈥淜amala can beat the gun lobby and can beat gun trafficking,鈥 said Giffords, who opened the Giffords Law Center to track and analyze firearm legislation in all 50 states.
Five people affected by gun violence share their stories
Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia, who has become one of the top congressional advocates against gun violence, spoke of how she lost her son Jordan to gun violence in 2012.
鈥淭hey should still be here,鈥 Newtown, Connecticut, teacher Abbey Clements said of the students and staff killed at her elementary school in 2012.
Kim Rubio of Uvalde, Texas, recalled the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in where her daughter was killed.
Melody McFadden of Charleston, 麻豆视频 Carolina, said her niece was 22 when she was shot to death in Myrtle Beach in 2014. Edgar Vilchez of Chicago said he 鈥渓earned how to hide and how to drop鈥 in school, to escape violence, but that there are also lessons in 鈥渨riting the story that we choose to鈥 when it comes to lessening gun violence.
Joe and Jill Biden wish Harris luck from their vacation in California
This was supposed to be the night when President Biden accepted the Democratic nomination for a second term on stage in Chicago.
Instead, he鈥檚 on vacation in California as Harris prepares to become the party鈥檚 nominee.
The White House said Biden and first lady Jill Biden called Harris to wish her luck before her speech.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 wait to watch her accept this historic nomination,鈥 Biden wrote on social media. 鈥淜amala and Tim will inspire a generation and lead us into the future.鈥
鈥楢n American president must lead the world in tackling climate change鈥
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary, said Vice President Kamala Harris is the best candidate to confront the climate crisis.
鈥淎n American president must lead the world in tackling climate change,鈥欌 Haaland told delegates at the DNC. 鈥淲e need a president who understands that assignment. That鈥檚 Kamala Harris. I know her record. She held polluters accountable for spilling oil into the San Francisco Bay. She defended President Obama鈥檚 Clean Power Plan in court. And as vice president, she cast a tie-breaking vote for the most ambitious climate action plan in our nation鈥檚 history,鈥欌 the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
鈥淜amala Harris and Tim Walz will fight for a future where we all have clean air, clean water and healthy communities,鈥欌 Haaland said to thunderous cheers.
Democrats get some help on pronouncing Harris鈥 name correctly
How to correctly pronounce Harris鈥 first name has come up repeatedly. At the DNC鈥檚 closing night, prime-time emcee Kerry Washington brought the nominee鈥檚 great nieces on stage to help.
鈥淚t鈥檚 come to my attention that there are some folks who struggle, or pretend to struggle, with the proper pronunciation of our future president鈥檚 name,鈥 the 鈥淪candal鈥 actor said to kick off prime-time speeches. 鈥淐onfusion is understandable. Disrespect is not. So tonight we are going to help everyone get it right.鈥
Washington then brought up Amara, 8, and Leela, 6 鈥 daughters of Harris鈥 niece Meena Harris 鈥 to lead the United Center crowd in a call-and-response chat about putting together 鈥渃omma鈥 and then 鈥渓a.鈥
Some Republicans, including Trump, regularly pronounce Harris鈥 first name incorrectly as 鈥淜ah-MAH-la.鈥 When asked why, Trump said last month that he had heard Harris鈥 first name said 鈥渁bout seven different ways.鈥
At the DNC, some speakers have pronounced Harris鈥 name incorrectly, including former President Bill Clinton and Rev. Al Sharpton.
Fact Focus: Trump鈥檚 connection to Project 2025
Many speakers at the convention have linked Trump to Project 2025, but Trump the conservative initiative, saying on social media he hasn鈥檛 read it and doesn鈥檛 know anything about it. At a rally in Michigan, he said Project 2025 was written by people on the 鈥渟evere right鈥 and that some of the things in it are 鈥渟eriously extreme.鈥 He has also denied knowing who is behind the plan.
Project 2025 has also said that to a specific candidate or campaign, yet it is . Some of the people involved in Project 2025 are former senior officials from the Trump administration. The project鈥檚 director is Paul Dans, who served as chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management under Trump.
Trump鈥檚 campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt was featured in one of Project 2025鈥檚 videos. John McEntee, a former director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office in the Trump administration, is a senior adviser. McEntee told the conservative website The Daily Wire earlier this year that Project 2025鈥檚 team would integrate a lot of its work with the campaign after the summer when Trump would announce his transition team.
Trump鈥檚 running mate, Sen. JD Vance, of an as yet unreleased book written by Kevin Roberts, president of The Heritage Foundation, which created Project 2025.
Kerry Washington: 鈥橸ou are the Olivia Popes!鈥
Actor Kerry Washington told the audience, 鈥淵ou are the fixers, you are the Olivia Popes!鈥 as she opened the prime-time hours as host of the final night of the Democratic convention.
Washington has been best known in recent years for the ABC TV series 鈥淪candal,鈥 on which she plays Olivia Pope, crisis manager to a U.S. president, played by Monday night鈥檚 DNC host Tony Goldwyn. Goldwyn appeared on stage, hugged her, and helped her shoot a video of the arena.
Washington has been among the most vocal Hollywood supporters of Harris since she became a presidential candidate last month.
She was also a big supporter of President Biden, playing a virtual hosting role at the 2020 COVID-19-limited convention that brought his nomination.
The Chicks kept it a capella for the national anthem
, the Texas trio of Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer were minus their banjos, fiddle and guitar as they sang in three-part harmony (with no audible effects) at the United Center.
They sang 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥 in the same style at the 2020 convention, but that rendition was remote and prerecorded for the COVID-19-limited convention.
Little-known names performed the anthem to open the first three nights of the Chicago convection, but 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥 was moved to prime time Thursday night, not long before Harris is scheduled to speak.
have never been shy about getting into the political mix.
They dropped the 鈥淒ixie鈥 from the front of their name 鈥 timed to the release of 鈥淢arch, March,鈥 a song about social justice 鈥 amid the nationwide George Floyd protests and a surge in Black Lives Matter sentiment.
In 2003 during the run-up to the Iraq War, Maines said on stage in London that they were ashamed that President George W. Bush was from Texas.
That led to a big backlash and exile from many country circles. They turned the negative attention into one of their biggest hits, 2006鈥檚 鈥淣ot Ready to Make Nice.鈥
Chicago drumline continues convention tradition
The Democratic primary is over, but remnants of one of its mainstays made an appearance at the United Center: a drumline.
On Thursday night, several white-clad drummers played an energetic set, including a moment where one of them played the drums while being held upside down.
Especially at Democratic presidential primary events, drumlines are a frequent fixture of many political events. During the 2020 cycle, Harris appeared at a Charleston, 麻豆视频 Carolina, event where drumlines from several local colleges performed.
Beyonc茅 rumors buzz in the bathroom
The vibe inside the stadium has been palpable since rumors began to swirl earlier that Beyonc茅 could be the special guest on the DNC鈥檚 final night. That energy spiked when DJ Metro decided to play Beyonc茅鈥榮 song 鈥淭exas Hold Em鈥欌 during an intermission, with many getting on their feet in anticipation.
An AP reporter overheard United Center bathroom attendants as well as security guards whispering about the possibility that Queen Bee herself could make an appearance Thursday night.
NBA all-star Steph Curry endorses Harris over video at DNC
He wasn鈥檛 on the schedule, but NBA star and Olympic gold medal winner Stephen Curry just popped up on the big screens at the DNC to lend his support to Harris鈥 campaign.
Welcomed by big cheers from the thousands packed into the United Center for the convention鈥檚 closing night, Curry said his amped-up feeling of patriotism during the recent Olympics drove home for him that 鈥淜amala Harris as president will bring that unity back.鈥
Curry, who plays for the Golden State Warriors, who said last month that he supported Harris, closed by saying, 鈥淭he Oval Office would suit her well. In the words of Michelle Obama, do something. Go vote.鈥
Earlier this week, Curry鈥檚 Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr took the DNC stage to endorse Harris as well.
Rep. Colin Allred draws contrast between 鈥榤e鈥 and 鈥榳e鈥
Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, who is campaigning to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz, talked about how the Republican senator and others in the party are 鈥渕e guys.鈥
鈥淕uys who talk a big game and only care about themselves,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut you know what has stuck with, is that America has never been about 鈥榤e.鈥欌
He added, 鈥淧resident Obama said I think the most powerful word in our democracy is the word 鈥榳e.鈥欌
Rep. Maxwell Frost: 鈥極ur patriotism is more than some slogan on a hat鈥
Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest and first Gen Z member of Congress, used his convention speech to talk about climate change.
鈥淭his election is about every drop of water that we consume and every breath we breathe,鈥 Frost said. 鈥淔ighting the climate crisis is patriotic.鈥
He added, 鈥淎nd unlike Trump, our patriotism is more than some slogan on a hat.鈥
It鈥檚 a major issue for a lot of young voters, but climate change hasn鈥檛 been a dominant theme at this week鈥檚 convention. Several speakers and prepackaged videos played throughout the arena have aimed to make the case for preserving resources for future generations.
Officials are restricting movement inside Union Center
With hours still to go in the DNC鈥檚 closing night program, movements are being restricted for some of those inside the convention hall.
Journalists seated in sections just off the arena floor have been told that they won鈥檛 be allowed to return to those seats if they leave for any reason, starting at around 7:20 p.m.
Officials with the House Press Gallery said DNC officials had issued the policy, citing restrictions put in place by the fire marshal.
Trump revives 鈥楶ocahontas鈥 insult against Elizabeth Warren
Donald Trump is reviving a widely denounced insult against Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren as he responds to the DNC on his Truth Social network.
鈥淧ocahontas is now speaking at the DNC,鈥 Trump wrote, returning to an attack line Native American leaders have called offensive and distasteful.
Questions about Warren鈥檚 heritage surfaced during her 2012 Senate race challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Scott Brown.
In a 2012 interview with The Associated Press, Warren said she and her brothers were told of the family鈥檚 Native American heritage by their parents but never sought proof of ancestry because she didn鈥檛 think it was necessary.
Members of the Exonerated 5 take the DNC stage
Rev. Al Sharpton is being joined onstage by members of the Exonerated Five, also referred to as the Central Park Five 鈥 five men who were falsely accused of beating and raping a woman in New York鈥檚 Central Park when they were youths in the late 鈥80s. Antron McCray is the only member of the group not on stage.
At the time they were accused, Donald Trump calling for the state to reinstate the death penalty.
The boys were charged and convicted 鈥 and later exonerated after serving time in prison. But the ads paid for by Trump drew a lot of attention and helped build his celebrity.
鈥淥ur youth was stolen from us,鈥 said Korey Wise, who blamed Trump for some of the harsh treatment they received from the public. 鈥淗e spent $85,000 on an ad ... calling for my execution.鈥
Gavin Newsom just wants to 鈥榙eliver for California鈥
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is conspicuously steering around questions about whether he might join a potential Kamala Harris administration or where his own political ambitions might take him in the future.
When asked during an interview with NBC about a possible role in a Harris White House, the Democratic governor at first appeared to stumble over his words, saying, 鈥淵es, and.鈥
The interviewer then interjected, asking again if he would accept a role in her administration, he said, 鈥淢y role in the administration is to deliver for California.鈥
He said he plans to 鈥渕ake her a success by being successful鈥 for residents in their home state 鈥 鈥渞egardless of whether or not they voted for a Democrat.鈥
There has been widespread speculation about Newsom鈥檚 political future and he was asked if he was thinking about 2032, when a possible two-term Harris administration would end.
鈥淚n 2032, I hope to be walking without a cane,鈥 Newsom said.
Tonight鈥檚 surprise guest is not Mitt Romney
There鈥檚 been a lot of speculation as to what surprises may be in store for attendees at this closing night of the DNC. But Sen. Mitt Romney says he鈥檚 not among them.
The Utah Republican posted on X on Thursday that, 鈥淐ontrary to fake news posts, I am not the surprise guest at the DNC tonight.鈥
Romney, who has long had disagreements with Trump, has said he wouldn鈥檛 back the former president in this year鈥檚 election.
Rep. Elissa Slotkin says Trump will take the US 鈥榖ackward鈥
Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, used her convention speech to bring light to what a second Trump presidency would mean for America on the global stage.
鈥淭rump wants to take us backward,鈥 she said. 鈥淗e admires dictators ... a lot. He treats our friends as adversaries and our adversaries as friends.鈥
She also tried to bridge her state鈥檚 fierce sports rivalries as she called on its voters to support Harris.
Slotkin saluted the college football champion Michigan Wolverines, shouting鈥淕o Blue!鈥 But then she added, 鈥淕o Green!鈥 a reference to one of Michigan鈥檚 top rivals, Michigan State.
The oversized book is back
A large, bound copy of the roughly 900-page 鈥淧roject 2025鈥 that Democrats have used all week as a prop at their convention made a return appearance for the final night.
Democrats have used the plan as a way to attack Trump and his policies.
Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado brought the oversized book on stage and said that Project 2025 would abandon U.S. troops, alleys and values. He said the plan endorses turning away from support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and calls for personnel changes of top military leaders.
Bob Casey takes corporations to task over 鈥榞reedflation鈥
Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, who is running for reelection in one of the country鈥檚 most closely contested swing states, spoke about Harris鈥 promises to crack down on food producers and other corporations that she argues have unfairly raised prices to pad their profits.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e selling you a lie,鈥 Casey said, after discussing how much more expensive diapers have gotten in his state. 鈥淧rices are up because these corporations are scheming to drive them up.鈥
He denounced 鈥済reedflation,鈥 something Harris frequently does.
Trump has countered by dismissing Harris鈥 anti-price-gouging proposals as communist-style price controls.
Elizabeth Warren fights back tears during a minutes-long standing ovation
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts became the second and last woman to run against Harris in 2020. Now she鈥檚 at the convention that is nominating her. She was welcomed with a standing ovation and minutes-long cheers from the crowd while openly fighting back tears.
鈥淜amala Harris can鈥檛 be bought and she can鈥檛 be bossed around,鈥 Warren said about her former Democratic rival. The two women served in the Senate together.
Morgan Freeman lends his voice to Harris鈥 campaign video
Morgan Freeman has become the next prominent Black actor to narrate a Kamala Harris campaign video played at the Democratic convention.
The 87-year-old Oscar winner lent his signature 鈥渧oice of God鈥 narration to a montage of moments from the vice president鈥檚 life that was played early in the program on Thursday night, speaking lines like, 鈥淎nd then came a moment that changed Kamala Harris鈥 destiny, and lit the fire within.鈥
Actor Jeffrey Wright provided the narration for a similar video that played on Monday.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin speaks on the importance of Social Security and Medicare
Wisconsin Sen. rallied convention delegates with calls to protect entitlements for older Americans.
Baldwin, who is up for reelection this cycle, spoke as members of her home state delegation chanted 鈥淭ammy! Tammy!鈥
She told of her mother being a teenager who struggled with addiction when she was born, and of having never met her father. Baldwin was raised by her grandparents, she said, and, as they aged, she saw the importance of Social Security and Medicare.
Baldwin said Trump has suggested both programs could be cut but 鈥渨e won鈥檛 let that happen.鈥
鈥淲e Democrats, we honor our elders and ask the wealthy to pay their fair share,鈥 she said.
It鈥檚 a packed house in advance of Harris鈥 arrival
Unlike some of the other nights of this DNC, just about every single seat appears to be filled in the United Center as programming kicks off.
Long security lines have meant that delegates and guests had a hard time getting inside the arena. But as early as 2 p.m., delegates were already streaming toward the facility in which Harris will later accept the presidential nomination. Now, as the first speakers take the stage, they鈥檙e in their seats, with many wearing blinking or sparkly accessories like flashing blue hats for Illinois delegates, and foam cheese heads for Wisconsin delegates.
Sen. Alex Padilla says Harris and Walz will 鈥榙efend the dream鈥
California Sen. Alex Padilla, who was sworn in to fill Kamala Harris鈥 Senate seat in 2021 after she became vice president, talked about how both he and Harris are a product of the American dream, coming from immigrant households and ascending to the highest levels of public office.
鈥淢y question to you is this: This November, who is ready to defend the dream?鈥 Padilla asked convention goers. 鈥淭im Walz is ready to defend the dream. Kamala Harris is ready to defend the dream.鈥
Teacher union leaders back the Harris-Walz ticket
No surprise that teachers鈥 unions are backing the Harris-Walz ticket 鈥 the vice presidential candidate is a former social studies teacher himself. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, tried to school delegates on Republican plans such as eliminating the Department of Education.
鈥淲e are coming together to say not on our watch,鈥 Pringle said.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, went a bit deeper by talking about the idea of the social contract, a concept that originated with the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. She said teachers know that actions are often more important than words.
鈥淢y students taught me you鈥檝e got to walk the walk,鈥 she said.
Female delegates are wearing white to honor women鈥檚 suffrage on the night of Harris鈥 speech
If you think you鈥檙e seeing a lot of women wearing white tonight, you don鈥檛 need to adjust your television set.
There appeared to be a coordinated effort among female delegates and Democratic supporters as they arrived at the United Center on Thursday afternoon, with security lines and convention floor seats filling up with women clad in white suits, dresses and other attire.
So when Harris takes the stage to accept the Democratic presidential nomination 鈥 becoming the first Black woman, and only the second woman overall, to do so 鈥 she will be looking out across a sea filled with the color of women鈥檚 suffrage, the movement that culminated with American women securing the right to vote in 1920.
The homage is a couture callback to other momentous political events in which women wearing white have played a role, particularly for other glass ceiling moments.
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The final night of the DNC is underway
Convention chairwoman Minyon Moore and Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat, took the stage to welcome the delegates for the last session.
Thursday night鈥檚 program is packed with members of Congress and other Democratic leaders and will conclude with Vice President Harris formally accepting her party鈥檚 nomination.
The arena is also buzzing about the possibility of a secret special guest making an appearance. But, so far at least, the secret is holding and who the guest might be 鈥 if it鈥檚 actually anyone at all 鈥 remains a mystery.
Demonstrators are amassing ahead of the DNC鈥檚 final night
Demonstrators began amassing at Union Park Thursday on the final night of the convention for a march organized by the Coalition March on The DNC.
In the lead-up to the event, the grassy field teemed with Palestinian flags, as a speaker system played Palestinian dance songs. The largely festive atmosphere was briefly interrupted by the arrival of Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate and current Trump surrogate, who said he was interested in 鈥渉earing alternative points of view.鈥 After describing himself as a supporter of Israel, Ramasway was driven from the park by protesters chanting 鈥渞acists go home.鈥
鈥楾he answer is no鈥: Pro-Palestinian delegates say their request for a speaker at DNC was shut down
Leaders of the 鈥淯ncommitted鈥 movement, which garnered hundreds of thousands of votes in Democratic primaries across the nation in protest of the Israel-Hamas war, have been to secure a speaking slot for a Palestinian American at the this week.
The Uncommitted National Movement said Wednesday that a Democratic National Committee official delivered a firm response: 鈥淭he answer is no.鈥
In response, delegates decided to stage a sit-in outside Chicago鈥檚 United Center and vowed to remain until their request is granted or the convention ends on Thursday night. The sit-in has exposed the most visible cracks in the Democratic Party during an otherwise energized week.
The news came just a day after featuring the held by Hamas, igniting a firestorm of criticism from some on the left.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to the territory鈥檚 Health Ministry.
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Will Beyonc茅 perform at the DNC tonight? The internet sure thinks so.
Intense speculation that Beyonc茅 will make an appearance at the DNC has built to a frenzy in recent hours.
The pop icon already gave Harris permission to use her hit song 鈥淔reedom鈥 as a campaign anthem. But many have surmised that Beyonc茅 herself will make an appearance at the Democrats convention, pointing to a cryptic tweet by a top Harris aide, as well as an afternoon soundcheck inside the United Center that featured the Beyonce song 鈥淐uff It.鈥
An hour before festivities were set to kick off, White House political director Emmy Ruiz tweeted out an emoji of a bee, which some took as a reference to the Beyhive, a colloquialism for avid Beyonc茅 fans.
Beyonc茅 isn鈥檛 the only star who was rumored to be making a surprise appearance. Some on social media postulated that Taylor Swift could appear, too.
Live from the DNC, it could be one of your favorite online influencers
Across this week鈥檚 convention, more than 200 online influencers, streamers and other social media personalities have been capturing and livestreaming their impressions of what鈥檚 going on.
There鈥檚 the 12-year-old nicknamed 鈥淜nowa,鈥 who鈥檚 posted with a swath of prominent Democrats and went head-to-head with Republican personalities like MyPillow founder Mike Lindell inside the convention hall.
A veteran from rural North Carolina with more than 5 million TikTok followers proclaimed himself a 鈥淗illbilly for Harris.鈥 Other influencers and social media personalities are sharing everything from the food available at trucks outside the United Center to attendees鈥 thoughts on more serious issues, such the war in Gaza.
The creators were invited to the DNC by convention organizers, a new but significant part of a digital strategy that aims to leverage the sizable followings of creators across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Discord and Twitch, according to officials with Democratic presidential nominee campaign. They hope it will help Harris and reach new voters who might not be following along with political news via traditional media.
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Trump visits the US-Mexico border alongside victims of violent crime
Trump ticked through a list of brutal crimes blamed on people who were living in the country illegally during a campaign event on the Arizona-Mexico border.
Trump invited relatives of two victims to join him in front of the wall.
Alexis Nungaray, whose 12-year-old daughter Jocelyn was killed in Houston, said the men charged with killing her should have been in immigration detention. She implored Americans to vote for Trump, saying he would get the border controlled.
鈥淧lease, please, I really hope everybody can hear my pain,鈥 she said. 鈥淗e needs to be in office. We need better control. We need to stop this. We need to stop losing our littles.鈥
Trump said Harris likes to talk about the future, calling out a central message she鈥檚 promoting at the Democratic convention, but the families joining him in Arizona, he said, 鈥渨ant to go back to the safe past.鈥
Sudden fame for Tim Walz鈥檚 son focuses attention on challenges of people with learning disabilities
鈥淭hat鈥檚 my dad!鈥 17-year-old Gus Walz could be seen exclaiming Wednesday night during his father鈥檚 speech at the DNC. He stood, tears streaming down his face, and pointed to his father, , who
Gus wept through much of the 16-minute speech, and took the stage with his family afterward, wrapping his dad in a tight bear hug, burying his face in his shoulder.
The high school senior鈥檚 joy quickly went viral. He was still trending Thursday on X. And his newfound fame is focusing attention on the challenges of people with learning disabilities. His parents that Gus has ADHD, an anxiety disorder and something called a nonverbal learning disorder. Searches on Google have spiked since Thursday night this week for the disorder and for the teen鈥檚 name.
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Denied a DNC speaking slot, uncommitted delegates call shutout 鈥榮oul-crushing鈥
Uncommitted delegates who oppose U.S. support for Israeli military operations in Gaza said Thursday that they still want Democrats to feature a Palestinian American speaker on stage.
Sabrene Odeh, an uncommitted delegate from Washington, said that 鈥渋t鈥檚 incredibly soul-crushing鈥 to have their voices shut out of the convention.
She said party leadership gave them a 鈥渇lat out no鈥 on Wednesday, leading the uncommitted delegates to spend the night outside the United Center in protest.
鈥淭he lowest bar we could set is asking for a Palestinian American to speak,鈥 said Asma Mohammed, an uncommitted delegate from Minnesota.
The delegates represent voters from several states who chose 鈥渦ncommitted鈥 during primary votes to protest President Joe Biden鈥檚 approach to the war in Gaza.
Layla Elabed, a leader of the movement, said the goal was 鈥渘ot another bomb.鈥
Trump criticizes Harris' handling of border security
Before his remarks, Trump began criticizing Harris鈥 record on immigration and border security, calling her 鈥渢he worst vice president鈥 as he walked and talked to a few locals near a fence.
鈥淪he was the border czar. All of a sudden she is saying she is not the border czar,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 never a border in the whole world that鈥檚 leaked like this border.鈥
Harris was tasked in March 2021 with tackling the 鈥渞oot causes鈥 of migration from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador 鈥 Central America's so-called 鈥淣orthern Triangle鈥 鈥 but was not given the title of 鈥渂order czar鈥 or put in charge of border security.
Trump鈥檚 motorcade has arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border near Sierra Vista, Arizona
He plans to look at the fence with local law enforcement and border officials, then will speak to reporters. Trump sees border security, the issue that defined his first presidential campaign, as a major liability for Harris.
Illegal border crossings reached record levels during the Biden-Harris administration, though they鈥檝e ebbed more recently.
Trump stepped out of his SUV wearing a suit and red tie and was talking to about a dozen people who greeted him, including several wearing law enforcement uniforms.
In addition to it being the day of her DNC speech, Thursday is also Harris鈥 wedding anniversary
Thursday isn鈥檛 just the biggest day of Kamala Harris鈥 political career as she accepts her historic presidential nomination.
It鈥檚 also her 10th wedding anniversary with Doug Emhoff.
Harris and Emhoff met on a blind date in 2013. In a speech Tuesday night, Emhoff recalled introducing himself in a rambling voicemail.
鈥淚 remember I was trying to grab the words out of the air and just put them back in my mouth,鈥 he said.
Emhoff added that 鈥淜amala saved that voicemail and she makes me listen to it on every anniversary.鈥
CEO of Democratic-leaning think tank: 鈥楩olks don鈥檛 vote for 10-point plans鈥
Patrick Gaspard, the CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the large Democratic-leaning think tank, says Vice President Kamala Harris doesn鈥檛 need to roll out detailed policy plans to win in November.
鈥淔olks don鈥檛 vote for 10-point plans, if they did, we probably would have had President Warren emerge in that contest or Hillary Clinton鈥檚 campaign might be remembered differently,鈥 Gaspard told reporters at a Bloomberg event at the Democratic National Convention.
He said voters are more focused on values and their perceptions of whom candidates are fighting for.
Said Gaspard: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a vibes election, but guess what, every election for the last 200 years has been a vibes election. And that鈥檚 actually one of the reasons that I feel more confident today than I thought I could feel, at this point in the election.鈥
Sen. Schumer talks about his hopes for Harris鈥 speech at the DNC
Hours before Harris鈥 DNC speech, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he hoped 鈥淜amala will talk about the aspirations of working families and what we, as Democrats, will do to help make their lives better.鈥
He said he鈥檇 be listening specifically for efforts to reduce costs on housing, prescription drugs and groceries and to create new jobs, particularly green ones 鈥 all themes Harris has spoken about while campaigning around the country recently.
鈥淭alking about the aspirations of working families, what we can do to both lower costs and create ladders to give people greater income,鈥 Schumer told a small group of reporters Thursday.
Asked if it felt like Trump 鈥 rather than President Joe Biden 鈥 was the incumbent given how much the Democratic convention has focused on the former president, Schumer said Harris 鈥渨ill also talk about the danger of Trump winning again.鈥
鈥淭he reason he鈥檚 mentioned so much is the great depth of the danger鈥 Trump poses, Schumer said. 鈥淭he feeling about the danger.鈥
Police: It may have been mealworms, not maggots, that sickened hotel diner during the DNC
Mealworms may have been what sickened a diner at a Chicago hotel earlier this week during the Democratic National Convention, the city鈥檚 police superintendent said Thursday.
While the investigation continues, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said clues point toward the foreign object being mealworms.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure that those were maggots,鈥 Snelling said when asked for an update on allegations of maggots being placed in food. 鈥淭here was sawdust, so they were probably mealworms. They look the same. But that鈥檚 still under investigation.鈥
Mealworms are common insects that have worm-like, yellow-to-brown colored bodies. They are the larval form of the mealworm beetle. Maggots are similar in appearance, but soft-bodied with white to transparent color. They are the larval stage of flies.
Multiple female suspects entered the Fairmont Chicago, which was hosting a breakfast for delegates at the DNC and began placing 鈥渦nknown objects鈥 onto tables with food before leaving the area at around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, police said.
One person who ingested the food was treated by medical personnel and released at the scene, according to Chicago police.
Shapiro responds to Trump calling him 鈥榯he highly overrated Jewish Governor鈥 of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Donald Trump is 鈥渙bsessed鈥 with spewing hatred after the Republican nominee for president criticized Shapiro as 鈥渢he highly overrated Jewish Governor of the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.鈥
Shapiro spoke Wednesday night at the and said Trump 鈥渨ants to take away our rights and our freedoms.鈥
Trump鈥檚 missive on social media also said Shapiro had 鈥渞efused to acknowledge that I am the best friend that Israel, and the Jewish people, ever had鈥 and that 鈥淪hapiro has done nothing for Israel.鈥
Asked about Trump鈥檚 statement by a reporter Thursday morning, Shapiro said 鈥渋t鈥檚 clear over the last few years, Donald Trump is obsessed with me and obsessed with continuing to spew hate and division in our politics. He鈥檚 someone who has routinely peddled antisemitic tropes like this.鈥
Shapiro has years of experience making Trump the focus of his rhetorical attacks, first as state attorney general and now as governor.
The White House issued a statement, saying 鈥渋t is antisemitic, dangerous, and hurtful to attack a fellow American by calling out their Jewish faith in a derogatory way, or perpetuating the centuries-old smear of 鈥榙ual loyalty.鈥欌
Senate鈥檚 top Democrat shrugs off possible political effect of protesters staging a sit-in outside DNC
Asked about a small group of uncommitted delegates doing a sit-in because convention organizers haven鈥檛 including a pro-Palestinian voice among the speakers, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer recalled Vice President Kamala Harris saying when protesters interrupted her at a recent rally in Michigan that their disruptions might benefit Republican Donald Trump.
鈥淪he said, 鈥楤e quiet unless you want to elect Trump,鈥欌 Schumer told a small group of reporters Thursday, ahead of the convention鈥檚 final evening.
鈥淲e believe we need unity and there鈥檚 overwhelming 鈥 I have never seen such unity,鈥 he said. 鈥淎 small handful of people does not represent close to even a sliver of where the Democratic Party is right now.鈥
Pressed on whether a pro-Palestinian voice should have a convention speaking spot, Schumer responded, 鈥淚 think Kamala Harris has had a very diverse convention.鈥
Chicago police say they鈥檙e not changing tactics and are ready for final night of pro-Palestinian demonstrations at DNC
, more than 2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters marched peacefully past a park where pro-Israel demonstrators had gathered earlier. That demonstration came a day after between police and protesters led to 56 arrests at a much smaller, unsanctioned protest outside the Israeli Consulate in downtown Chicago.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said the protest Wednesday night ended without arrests and that no one was injured.
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Democrats are rounding out list of speakers for DNC鈥檚 final night before Harris takes the stage
Among the politicians on tap are Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, who was considered as a possible running mate for Harris, and his wife Gabby Giffords, a former representative who was nearly killed in a mass shooting in 2011.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a progressive leader, is scheduled to speak as well. So is former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican who became one of the few elected leaders of his party to oppose Donald Trump.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy will also deliver remarks. And Tennessee state lawmakers Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson, the 鈥 鈥 will speak. Jones and Pearson were expelled from the state Legislature for participating in a protest on gun control at the state Capitol.
Chicago police superintendent says Wednesday night protest ended with no arrests and no one injured
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said the protest was pretty large though 鈥渘ot as large as we had necessarily anticipated.鈥
Snelling praised organizers of the Wednesday protest, saying it鈥檚 an example of how people can hold First Amendment protected demonstrations peacefully by collaborating with law enforcement ahead of time.
鈥淒id we have a couple dustups? Sure, but those things were quickly rectified,鈥 he said.
Ramaswamy says media not giving enough coverage to Harris鈥 鈥榩olicy deficits鈥
At a Thursday morning Trump campaign news conference in Chicago, Vivek Ramaswamy also blamed the media for what he characterized as lack of probative coverage of Harris鈥 policy proposals.
鈥淢any covered for Joe Biden鈥檚 cognitive deficits in the same way that I worry the media is now covering for Kamala Harris鈥 policy deficits, and Americans are left holding the bag both times over.鈥
Ramaswamy also listed celebrities participating in this week鈥檚 DNC, portraying them as a distraction from the issues at stake in this campaign.
鈥淚 see Oprah Winfrey. I see John Legend. I see Lil Jon,鈥 Ramaswamy said. 鈥淕reat 鈥 then still tell me what she stands for.鈥
Trump says he plans to do a 鈥楲IVE PLAY BY PLAY鈥 on Truth Social of Harris鈥 speech at the DNC
Trump has been largely quiet on the platform during convention programming, commenting mostly in interviews and events he鈥檚 been holding in battleground states.
White House responds to Trump criticizing Shapiro as 鈥榯he highly overrated Jewish鈥 governor of Pennsylvania
The White House issued a statement on antisemitism the morning after Donald Trump criticized Josh Shapiro as 鈥渢he highly overrated Jewish Governor of the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.鈥
Trump wrote on social media that Shapiro had 鈥渞efused to acknowledge that I am the best friend that Israel, and the Jewish people, ever had.鈥
Herbie Ziskend, the White House principal deputy communications director, said 鈥渋t is antisemitic, dangerous, and hurtful to attack a fellow American by calling out their Jewish faith in a derogatory way, or perpetuating the centuries-old smear of 鈥榙ual loyalty.鈥欌
He added that 鈥淧resident Biden and Vice President Harris believe we must come together as Americans to condemn and combat antisemitism 鈥 and hate and bigotry of all kinds.鈥
Trump鈥檚 allies are still counterprogramming against Harris鈥 policies as DNC wraps up
At a news conference Thursday morning, Carlos Trujillo, who served as Trump鈥檚 ambassador to the Organization of American States, decried Biden-Harris administration policies that 鈥渃ompletely eliminated鈥 Trump-era immigration achievements.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a businessman who went from one of Trump鈥檚 GOP primary rivals to one of his most vocal surrogates, listed crime statistics for the city of Chicago. The DNC host city, Ramaswamy said, has been 鈥渞avaged and devastated ... by rampant crime worsened by the effects of illegal mass migration to this country鈥 he blamed on the Biden-Harris administration and the vice president specifically, due to her responsibilities related to the border.
鈥淔rom one kid of legal immigrants to this country to another, my message to her is, shame on you,鈥 Ramaswamy said.
Trump also said Democrats are spending more time at DNC talking about him than issues
鈥淚t鈥檚 like they鈥檙e having a party. They don鈥檛 mention the border. All they do is make up lies about me,鈥 the GOP presidential nominee complained as he called into 鈥淔ox & Friends鈥 on Thursday morning.
Trump is set to visit the southern border in Cochise County, Arizona, on Thursday as he continues to criticize the Biden administration鈥檚 border policies.
He鈥檚 been spending the week campaigning across battleground states.
Democrats on Wednesday night argued that they鈥檙e offering leadership on the U.S.-Mexico border, working toward policy solutions rather than simply demonizing immigrants and trying to use the issue as a political motivator for their base.
Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar, from the border city of El Paso, said, 鈥淔orget what you hear on the news, I鈥檓 from there. ... When it comes to the border, hear me when I say, you know nothing, Donald Trump.鈥
Trump criticizes Democrats for linking him to Project 2025
Former President Donald Trump is taking issue with continued efforts by Democrats to tie him to the conservative Heritage Foundation鈥檚 Project 2025 at this week鈥檚 Democratic National Convention.
Calling into 鈥淔ox and Friends鈥 on Thursday ahead of the convention鈥檚 final night, Trump called the efforts 鈥渄isgraceful.鈥
鈥淭hey know I have nothing to do with it. I had no idea what it was,鈥 he said, despite the fact that the plan 鈥 which Trump and his campaign have repeatedly disavowed 鈥 was written by many longtime former staffers. 鈥淚 have no idea what Project 2025 is.鈥
He took particular issue with Democrats saying he would sign a federal abortion ban after appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.
鈥淚 would never,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淭here will not be a federal ban. This is now back in the states where it belongs.鈥
Trump also lashed out at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris鈥 running mate, who spoke at the convention Wednesday night, calling him a 鈥渢otal lightweight.鈥
Dems gave freedom an expansive definition
Wednesday night鈥檚 convention theme was 鈥淔reedom.鈥 Backed by Beyonc茅鈥檚 song of the same name, which the musician has authorized the Harris campaign to use, the word flashed on the video screen and in speech after speech at the United Center.
Democrats firmly tied it to the fight over reproductive rights that went into overdrive after the fall of Roe v. Wade.
But Democrats also used the freedom argument to slam Republicans on other social issues, from gay rights to the spread of book bans in schools.
Hundreds of protesters rallied at park and train station on Democratic convention鈥檚 3rd night
More than 1,000 pro-Palestinian protesters marched Wednesday past a park where pro-Israel demonstrators had gathered earlier.
The demonstration, which stayed largely peaceful, came a day after between police and protesters led to 56 arrests.
As marchers passed under a near the United Center that was completed just before the DNC, officers were seen bringing a person to the ground on the platform above. In response, hundreds of protesters pushed against the edge of the station, banging on the glass with their hands and flag poles as they called on police to free the person. The person left through the station鈥檚 emergency exit moments later, accompanied by officers but not in handcuffs, prompting cheers from the crowd.
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