People stand in front of a sign featuring Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz at the United Center before the start of the Democratic National Convention on Saturday in Chicago.
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The Democratic National Convention will begin Monday in Chicago, a month after Republicans held their convention in Milwaukee. Democratic organizers should completely rework programming for the DNC after President Biden dropped out of the race at the end of July and approved Vice President Harris to replace him on the ticket.
But leaders at the DNC say they’re harnessing the energy that Harris and his running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have brought to the race, and they hope to carry that momentum into this week’s convention and beyond.
Here’s what you need to know.
When is the convention?
The convention will be held from Monday, August 19 to Thursday, August 22. Convention programming will be broadcast from the United Center in Chicago live from 6:15 pm to 11:00 pm ET on Monday, and from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm ET for all other days.
What will we see this week?
About 50,000 visitors will attend the convention, including about 4,000 delegates.
Democrats are hoping to fully unify behind Harris and Walz after divisions within the party emerged over Biden’s presidential bid in July following a disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker will welcome Democrats to the host city in speeches on Friday and Tuesday respectively. The convention will align events on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok as part of an effort to expand its reach to younger voters and online influencers.
What will the order be?
The theme of the convention was “For the People, For Our Future.” Democrats will argue that the Harris-Walz ticket is in the interests of the American people and their freedom and future, while highlighting the achievements of the Biden-Harris administration. The Harris campaign will also contrast its ticket with Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, who they say will pull America back.
Each day’s theme reflects a broader message:
- Monday: “For the People”
- Tuesday: “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”
- Wednesday: “Fighting For Our Freedom”
- Thursday: “For Our Future”
What will happen every day?
Workers prepare balloons before they are lifted above the floor of the United Center for the DNC on Saturday in Chicago. Official programming begins Monday.
Image by Kevin Dietsch/Getty
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Image by Kevin Dietsch/Getty
Planners for the Democratic National Convention have not announced the full list of speakers for each night.
Harris will arrive at the convention shortly after a bus tour through Pennsylvania over the weekend. He will also hold a rally Tuesday in Milwaukee, the same city where Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination last month. The bus tour and Milwaukee event are clear indicators from the Harris campaign that he is eager to campaign aggressively in blue-walled states that could help him win the presidency.
But one of the biggest items usually on the convention’s to-do list — to officially nominate the party’s choice for president — has been sorted after delegates gathered for a virtual roll call vote earlier this month to advance the ballot certification deadline in Ohio. While Harris is technically already the nominee, the DNC must issue a certificate of vote, and Harris will officially receive the nomination at the end of the week’s event.
Harris and Walz, along with the main leaders of the Democrats, are expected to further lay out the policy vision, including the stances on price gouging and expanding the child tax credit, which they revealed last week.
Who will be there?
There are going to be some political heavyweights said, including former President Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and two top Democrats in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will also speak at the convention.
In addition, Veep actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus will host a panel with the Democratic Governors Association focusing on female governors in the US
The Republican National Convention was just a month ago. What has changed since then?
abundant. Republicans are more united than before the convention, which comes just days after Trump survived an assassination attempt. Biden is still in the race, and Trump’s campaign is taking advantage of the divisions Democrats face over Biden’s bid.
But the tide seems to have turned with the Democrats — at least for now. There is a passion for Harris’ campaign in a way that Biden has never had, and this is reflected in the fact that Harris has secured a place on the same battlefield as Biden.
What kind of counterprogramming should we expect from the Trump campaign?
The Trump campaign announced Saturday that Vance, Trump’s running mate, will hold a news conference Tuesday on crime and safety in Kenosha, Wis., the same city. shooting from Jacob Blake causing civil unrest and mass protests in 2020.
Trump campaign advisers also said in a press call on Friday to expect more on Trump and Vance’s policy plans in the coming days.
How do you set the convention?
Visit NPR.org for live video, analysis and fact-checking; listen and watch NPR’s special coverage on many public radio stations. Subscribe to NPR’s Politics Podcast for a recap after each night’s convention. And subscribe to it NPR’s Political Newsletter to take an analysis of the week.
