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The Latest: Day 2 of the DNC features the Obamas and second gentleman Doug Emhoff

Day two of the Democratic National Convention has begun.
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Former President Barack Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/James Lipari)

Day two of the has begun.

Former President , former first lady Michelle Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff spoke at the DNC, a day after the , who served eight years as Obama鈥檚 vice president. Biden won鈥檛 be in the hall to see his former running mate speak, as he departed Chicago Monday after delivering his own speech.

With President Biden having addressed delegates, the week鈥檚 full focus now turns to and her running mate, .

Follow the AP鈥檚 Election 2024 coverage at: .

Here鈥檚 the Latest:

Obama warns about the danger of polarization

Obama pleads for civility and community in the nation鈥檚 coarse public and online discourse, warning, 鈥淲e chase the approval of strangers on our phones; we build all manner of walls and fences around ourselves and then wonder why we feel so alone.鈥

Appealing to Americans to make meaningful connections, he said, 鈥淲e don鈥檛 trust each other as much because we don鈥檛 take the time to know each other 鈥 and in that space between us, politicians and algorithms teach us to caricature each other and troll each other and fear each other.鈥

Obama echos the golden rule: 鈥極ur fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they鈥檒l extend to us鈥

Obama encouraged Democrats to listen to those who disagree with them and fight for the votes of those who have differences with them.

鈥淲e start thinking that the only way to win is to scold and shame and out yell the other side,鈥 Obama said. 鈥淭hat approach may work for the politicians who just want attention and thrive on division. But it won鈥檛 work for us.鈥

Obama urged his party not to rush to pass judgment on those with values that are different from theirs, saying, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how we can build a true Democratic majority.鈥

He added: 鈥淥ur fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they鈥檒l extend to us.鈥

That鈥檚 a joke

While praising Harris repeatedly and even leading a chant of 鈥淵es she can!鈥 Obama also talked almost wistfully about the progress made under his administration鈥檚 signature health care law, the Affordable Care Act.

He used the law鈥檚 formal title, but then joked of Republicans, 鈥淪ince it鈥檚 become popular, they don鈥檛 call it Obamacare no more.鈥

Obama sneaks in some Easter eggs

The former president is bringing back some of his signature campaign lines, including a 鈥淔ired up, Ready to go鈥 call, talk of 鈥渉ope鈥 and an instruction to voters 鈥 鈥淒o not boo, vote鈥 鈥 when the crowd jeered a reference to Trump.

Obama heralds the 鈥榝ight鈥 ahead

The former president warned the crowd at the DNC that even though 鈥渢he torch has been passed鈥 to Harris, the work for Democrats is not yet done.

鈥淔or all the incredible energy we鈥檝e been able to generate over the last few weeks, this will still be a tight race in a closely divided country 鈥 a country where too many Americans are still struggling and don鈥檛 believe government can help,鈥 he said.

鈥淢ake no mistake, it will be a fight,鈥 Obama said. For all the energy and memes and rallies, he said, 鈥渢his will still be a tight race in a closely divided country.鈥

The last election was decided by 40,000 votes across three states.

鈥楰ids with funny names鈥

Former President Obama began his speech with self-deprecation but also used one of his favorite lines about being an up-and-coming politician with a funny name.

鈥淚 am the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama,鈥 he joked.

Obama then added, 鈥淚鈥檓 feeling hopeful because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible.鈥

That was a reference to the difficulty some have had in pronouncing his and Kamala Harris鈥 name 鈥 a problem some had with Obama鈥檚 when he was just emerging on the national stage.

Obama heaps praise upon his former running mate

Obama is highlighting Biden鈥檚 record in one of the only significant discussions of his accomplishments since he turned over the convention to Harris on Monday night.

He praised Biden for being 鈥渟elfless enough to do the rarest thing there is in politics: putting his own ambition aside for the sake of the country.鈥

鈥淗istory will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger,鈥 Obama said. 鈥淚 am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend.鈥

President Obama seeks to lend Harris his political capital

Former President Barack Obama sought to recapture the energy of his 2008 run for office and lend it to Harris鈥 campaign effort this time around. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know about you, but I鈥檓 feeling fired up! I鈥檓 feeling ready to go,鈥 Obama said. 鈥淚鈥檓 feeling hopeful because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible.鈥

Michelle Obama welcomes her husband Barack Obama to the stage

鈥淏efore I go, I have one more job tonight,鈥 Michelle Obama said after concluding her speech before introducing 鈥渟omebody who knows a whole lot about hope.鈥

She introduced Barak Obama who she said still wakes up every day thinking about what he can do for the country. The couple hugged warmly, kissed and then held their clasped hands skyward as the former president took the stage.

鈥楾hey are still only human鈥

Michelle Obama is using Harris鈥 and Walz鈥檚 first names, belying not only her personal relationships with the nominees but also perhaps helping voters develop their own deeper perspective of them as people. It came as Obama went on to talk about how politicians aren鈥檛 infallible and will make mistakes.

In closing, Michelle Obama sought to warn Democrats not to become 鈥渢heir own worst enemies,鈥 nitpicking qualities about Harris and Walz.

鈥淜amala and Tim have lived amazing lives. I am confident they will lead with compassion, inclusion and grace,鈥 Obama said. 鈥淏ut they are still only human. They鈥檙e not perfect. And like all of us, they will make mistakes.鈥

Michelle Obama: 鈥楪oing small is never the answer鈥

Even as she attacked Trump, Michelle Obama sought to capture a flavor of the energy from her 2016 convention address when she encouraged Democrats to take the high road against Donald Trump: 鈥淲hen they go low, we go high.鈥

She warned Tuesday that Trump鈥檚 policies and rhetoric 鈥渙nly makes us small. And let me tell you 鈥 going small is never the answer.鈥

She added: 鈥淕oing small is petty 鈥 it鈥檚 unhealthy 鈥 and quite frankly, it鈥檚 unpresidential.鈥 She called Harris and running mate Tim Walz 鈥済ood, big-hearted people.鈥

Michelle Obama made a series of not-so-subtle jabs at Donald Trump

Without ever mentioning Trump鈥檚 name, Michelle Obama made mention of what she called his 鈥減rivilege鈥 to 鈥渇ailing forward.鈥

鈥淲e will never benefit from the affirmative action of gender, race or wealth,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have the luxury of whining or cheating others to get ahead.鈥

Obama tweaked Trump for his history of attacking her and her husband, drawing rave applause from Democrats.

鈥淗is limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black,鈥 she said.

鈥淲ho鈥檚 going to tell him that the job he鈥檚 currently seeking might just be one of those 鈥淏lack jobs?鈥

Obama said she was last in Chicago to bury her mother

Former first lady Michelle Obama is giving a touching tribute to her mother, Marian Robinson, who died earlier this year.

She called her mother the woman who 鈥渟et my moral compass high and showed me the power of my own voice.鈥

鈥淚 still feel her loss so profoundly,鈥 she said.

Marian Robinson was an integral part of the Obamas鈥 years in the White House, where she lived with them and helped raise the then first-couples鈥 two daughters.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 even sure I鈥檇 be sturdy enough to stand before you tonight but my heart compelled me to because of the sense of duty that I feel to honor her memory and remind us all not to squander the sacrifices our elders make to give us a better future,鈥 the former first lady said.

Many 鈥 but not all 鈥 delegates in the floor and first-tier sections are still on their feet as Obama continues her remarks. Standing or sitting, most seem to be listening and paying attention, with little side chatter quieted.

Former first lady Michelle Obama gets a heroe's welcome at the DNC

Obama, a Chicago native from the city鈥檚 South Side, took the stage in a sleeveless Navy dress to wild and raucous applause.

鈥淗ope is making a comeback,鈥 she said.

She tied the energy in the Democratic party to her husband鈥檚 campaign 16 years ago. 鈥淪omething wonderfully magical is in the air, isn鈥檛 it,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the contagious power of hope.鈥

鈥淎merican, hope is making a comeback.鈥

Emhoff says Harris will 鈥榣ead with joy and toughness鈥

Emhoff told the crowd that Thursday marked his and Harris鈥 10th wedding anniversary.

He joked that that meant he鈥檇 have to hear the embarrassing voicemail again 鈥 but also said he鈥檇 hear her give a speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination.

鈥淲ith your help, she鈥檒l lead with joy and toughness. With that laugh and that look,鈥 he said.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth strolled onto the stage

Before Emhoff to the stage, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who lost both her legs when the Black Hawk helicopter she was piloting in Iraq was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and typically uses a wheelchair, walked out on stage under her own power on prosthetic legs, drawing cheers from the crowd at the DNC.

Duckworth was speaking about how she was able to have two daughters with the help of in vitro fertilization, a procedure that some Republicans have threatened after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. 鈥淓very American deserves the right to be called 鈥淢ommy鈥 or 鈥淒addy鈥 without being treated like a criminal,鈥 Duckworth said. 鈥淜amala Harris believes that.鈥

Emhoff shares his personal biography

Emhoff is mixing his personal story and detailing his background with praise for his wife.

鈥淪he鈥檚 showing you what you already know, she is ready to lead,鈥 Emhoff said, imploring the crowd that Harris will bring joy and also a steady hand to the White House.

Emhoff described being McDonald鈥檚 employee of the month and said he鈥檚 still best friends with the people he grew up with and that their group chat 鈥渋s probably blowing up right now.鈥

Emhoff gently tried to defuse Republican political attacks against the way his wife laughs, telling the convention, 鈥淵ou know that laugh, I love that laugh!鈥

Republicans have roundly mocked Harris鈥 laugh, which sometimes erupts during awkward moments. Trump even toyed with giving her the nickname Laffin鈥 Kamala Harris.

The second gentleman stresses his middle-class upbringing for a national audience

Emhoff detailed at the Democratic National Convention how he was the son of two Brooklynites who have been married for nearly seven decades, and that the family moved to New Jersey when he was a kid because of opportunities for his father, who worked in the shoe business.

When his dad got another new job, Emhoff said, the family moved across the country to Los Angeles, where money was tight enough that he worked at McDonald鈥檚 for extra money while in high school. Harris has also played up her experience working at McDonald鈥檚 on the campaign trail, lately.

Emhoff said he used loans and help from his dad to get through law school and went to work as a lawyer where he met 鈥渢he guys in my fantasy football league鈥 where his team name is still Narvana, a shoutout to its 1990s roots.

Mesa, Arizona's Republican mayor says Americans must put 鈥榗ountry first鈥

John Giles, the mayor of Mesa, Arizona, and a registered Republican addressed the Democratic convention and explained why he was rejecting his party鈥檚 presidential nominee, Trump.

鈥淚 have a confession to make, I鈥檓 a lifelong Republican,鈥 Giles said, before adding. 鈥淏ut I feel more at home here than in today鈥檚 Republican Party.鈥

Mesa is Arizona鈥檚 third largest city, a Phoenix suburb with more than 500,000 people. It was settled by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who remain influential even as the city鈥檚 Latino and Asian population has grown rapidly.

Giles said, 鈥淲e all need an adult in the White House鈥 and that the country saw when Trump was elected in 2016 what it was like not to have one.

The mayor said Biden and Harris reached across the aisle and pushed policies that benefitted his city. He said he was like the majority of the Americans, in the political middle: 鈥淟et鈥檚 put our country first.鈥

Harris鈥 complicated prosecutorial history

While Harris is eager to tout her prosecutorial background, her record on criminal justice matters is nuanced and complicated. When she was first elected to the Senate in 2016, she presented herself as a 鈥減rogressive鈥 prosecutor and called for the elimination of cash bail.

But previously she pursued the parents of chronically truant students, sought higher bail amounts and aggressively prosecuted drug crimes, earning her the nickname of 鈥淐opala.鈥

As attorney general, she appealed convictions that judges had ordered thrown out. Her office fought a court order mandating the release of state prisoners due to overcrowding. She also opposed legislation requiring her office to investigate shootings involving police and declined to back statewide standards for the use of body cameras by local law enforcement.

Alsobrooks praised Harris鈥 record as a prosecutor

Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Maryland, praised Harris鈥 record as a prosecutor.

鈥淪he put rapists, child molesters and murders behind bars,鈥 said Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Maryland and a former prosecutor herself.

Harris has leaned into her years as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general, presenting it as a leading credential in her race against Trump, who was recently convicted of dozens of felonies in a New York hush money case.

鈥淕etting justice for others isn鈥檛 a power trip for her,鈥 Alsobrooks said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a sacred calling. Kamala Harris knows how to keep criminals off the street.鈥

And, Alsobrooks predicted in a jab directed at Trump, 鈥淪he鈥檒l keep one out of the Oval Office.鈥

Several protestors outside the DNC have been taken into custody

Multiple people have been taken into custody following an intense demonstration and march by pro-Palestinian protesters outside the Israeli consulate in Chicago.

Some demonstrators set an American flag on fire in the street as the celebratory roll call for Harris took place inside the United Center about 2 miles away.

As protesters regrouped and approached a line of police in riot gear in front of a Chicago skyscraper that houses the Israeli consulate, an officer said into a megaphone, 鈥淵ou are ordered to immediately disburse.鈥 A woman in the front of the march shouted back with her own megaphone: 鈥淲e鈥檙e not scared of you.鈥

FACT FOCUS: JD Vance and the child tax credit

Sen. Chuck Schumer, of New York, claimed that Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance 鈥渄idn鈥檛 even show up to vote鈥 to expand the child tax credit and restore some tax breaks for businesses.

Vance indeed did indeed . The bill failed to advance in the Senate as Republicans largely opposed the measure, arguing that they would be in a position to get a better deal next year, .

But there鈥檚 more to the story. Vance has also said he would , currently at $2,000, to $5,000. He said the Senate vote was a 鈥渟how vote,鈥 when bills are designed to fail but allow parties to highlight issues before voters.

Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland senate candidate and longtime Harris friend, takes the stage

Angela Alsobrooks, a friend to Harris of 14 years who is running to become Maryland鈥檚 first Black U.S. senator in a competitive race, has taken the convention stage. The Maryland seat is critical if Democrats want to maintain control of the Senate.

Alsobrooks, who is the chief executive of Maryland鈥檚 second-most populous county in the suburbs of the nation鈥檚 capital, wrote on social media earlier in the day that she looks forward to sharing why Harris 鈥渋s going to make an incredible President of the United States.鈥 Both women are former prosecutors.

The Prince George鈥檚 County executive is running a heavily Democratic state against popular former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican. Hogan won the governorship and was reelected in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, but the GOP has not won a Senate seat in Maryland in more than 40 years. The race is being closely watched, because it could determine control of the Senate. Harris made a campaign stop for Alsobrooks in June in Prince George鈥檚.

Alsobrooks would become the nation鈥檚 third Black woman to be elected to the Senate. Harris was the second Black woman elected to the chamber.

New Mexico governor touts Harris鈥 record on health care

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is using her time at the DNC podium to argue for Harris鈥 ability to deliver on campaign promises, specifically when it comes to issues related to health care.

Lujan Grisham focused much of her remarks around arguing that Harris as president can lower drug costs and protect abortion rights for women.

鈥淓ither these guys don鈥檛 get it, or they just don鈥檛 care,鈥 the two-term Democrat said, of Trump and Vance and their take on such issues鈥 importance.

Gov. JB Pritzker laces into Trump

JB Pritzker, the deep-pocketed governor of Illinois who was instrumental in bringing the Democratic convention to Chicago, used most of his speech to slam Trump.

Pritzker started by noting that Harris 鈥渟pent some of her early life鈥 in Illinois, which has produced past presidents including Barack Obama.

鈥淲e claim her too,鈥 Pritzker declared, before pivoting to evoking hometown hero and basketball legend Michael Jordan in slamming Trump.

Pritzker said the former president 鈥渃laims to be very rich. But take it from an actual billionaire, Trump is rich in only one thing, stupidity.鈥

鈥淭hese guys aren鈥檛 just weird,鈥 Pritzker said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e dangerous.鈥

Bernie Sanders plays the hits

It鈥檚 a new convention, but much of Sen. Bernie Sanders鈥 messaging is the same he鈥檚 been delivering for several political cycles. A one-time Democratic challenger to both Biden and Harris, Sanders appeared on the DNC stage Tuesday to chants of his name by convention goers.

In his 2016 presidential campaign, Sanders often ranted against billionaires and promised that he鈥檇 aim to implement policies that would somewhat even out the economy, a message he returned to in his remarks.

Sanders also called in large part for the removal of big money from election funding.

鈥淏illionaires in both parties should not be able to buy elections, including primary elections,鈥 he said.

The Vermont progressive also laid out a series of liberal policy goals for the party if Harris were to win the president and Democrats control Congress next year. The list included expanding Medicare and raising the national minimum wage.

鈥淚 look forward to working with Kamala and Tim to pass this agenda,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淎nd let鈥檚 be clear. This is not a radical agenda.鈥

Harris pauses speech when someone in the crowd appears to be in distress

鈥淲e need a medical assistant here,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e need a nurse. We need a medic here, please.鈥

She asked her supporters to clear a path so medics could reach the person needing assistance.

Then she declared to applause: 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be OK. We鈥檙e going to be alright.鈥

Then she added: 鈥淭his is who we are. This is what we鈥檙e about, looking out for each other,鈥 using the moment to continue the contrast she was drawing with Trump.

Harris wrapped up her roughly 25-minute remarks in Milwaukee with one of the signature call-and-response mantras of her campaign: 鈥淲hen we fight, we win.鈥

In Milwaukee, Harris emphasizes the hard work ahead for her supporters

鈥淲e know this is going to be a tight race until the very end,鈥 Harris said. 鈥淲e have hard work ahead of us but we like hard work. Hard work is good work. And with your help, this November we will win.鈥

She then began laying out the contrast between herself and Trump: one vision 鈥渇ocused on the future鈥 and another 鈥渇ocused on the past.鈥

Navarro compares Trump to dictators

Navarro, a co-host of ABC鈥檚 鈥淭he View鈥 and a longtime Republican critic of Trump, also sought to paint a parallel between Trump and dictators in countries like her native Nicaragua.

鈥淟et me tell you what communist dictators do,鈥 Navarro said. 鈥淭hey attack the free press, they call them the enemy of the people.鈥

She added, 鈥淭hey refuse to accept legitimate elections when they lose and call for violence to stay in power.鈥

Ana Navarro rallies the pet lovers

Political commentator Ana Navarro evoked a now familiar Democratic political attack line against Republicans, sticking up for the nation鈥檚 pets.

鈥淜amala Harris, she likes dogs. And my dog ChaCha likes her,鈥 Navarro said as a picture of Harris with her dog flashed on the convention floor screen. To loud cheers, she continued, 鈥淒ogs are good judges of character. So are cats.鈥

That was a reference to Trump鈥檚 running mate, JD Vance, once deriding 鈥渃hildless cat ladies,鈥 a past remark that has roiled the GOP campaign since he was chosen.

鈥淲e cannot elect a president who does not like dogs or hangs around with people who shoot them,鈥 Navarro deadpanned. That was an allusion to Trump, who doesn鈥檛 have any pets, and to another leading Republican, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem who killed a dog, detailing it in her own memoir.

Prime-time speeches are underway

Pivoting to the next portion of the night, convention organizers played a video showing notable times Harris as VP has voted to break a tie in the Senate. That included the Inflation Reduction Act, one of Biden鈥檚 signature legislative achievements.

Sen. Chuck Schumer has begun speaking and will be followed by high-profile Democrats including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois and former President Barack Obama.

Harris makes surprise video appearance as roll call wraps

It was never really in doubt, but after the celebratory roll call, Rea confirmed Harris鈥 nomination as Democrats鈥 top-of-the-ticket pick. Harris was officially nominated earlier this month in a virtual roll call of delegates.

Following the roll call, Rea tossed to incoming video from Harris鈥 and Walz鈥檚 campaign appearance in Milwaukee, where the two are on stage in the same arena that hosted Republicans last month for their convention. They entered the stage to Beyonc茅鈥檚 鈥淔reedom,鈥 which has become an anthem for the campaign.

鈥淚 thank everyone there and here for believing in what we can do together,鈥 Harris said.

That split screen moment created a powerful visual for Harris: two arenas simultaneously full of her supporters.

Green Bay Packers shoutout met with boos in Chicago

When Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers took his turn at the mic during Democrats roll call vote Tuesday, he name-checked the Green Bay Packers football team.

That did not sit well in Chicago, the DNC鈥檚 host city, where utterances of support for the Packers are often taken as fighting words by long-suffering Chicago Bears fans.

Evers was showered with boos after name-checking the Packers.

In their long-running Midwestern rivalry, the Packers routinely best the Bears, winning 107 games to the Bears鈥 95.

Texas Democrats spotlight abortion rights

Texas Democrats used their roll call moment to bring light to the issue of abortion rights, with TV actress and Texas native Eva Longoria introducing former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards.

Kate Cox, who was denied emergency abortion care by the Texas Supreme Court, told conventiongoers about her experience after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 鈥淏ecause of these abortion bans I had to flee my home,鈥 Cox said in an emotional moment.

鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing pro-life about letting women suffer and even die.鈥 She added that she is now pregnant and her baby is due in January, in time to see Harris sworn in as president.

Two notable absences from the roll call

The ceremonial state-by-state roll call at the DNC offers elected officials and up-and-coming political figures a chance to shine on a big stage, often taking the opportunity to deliver short, fiery speeches before casting their state鈥檚 votes for the Democratic nominee.

What was notable, however, is who wasn鈥檛 present: two vulnerable Democratic senators in tough reelection races who steered clear of their party鈥檚 festivities.

Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, were nowhere to be seen when their states cast their votes.

Both Montana and Ohio are states Trump won and the two are considered among Democrats most endangered senators.

Jewish protesters and allies block Israeli consulate in Chicago, demanding a cease-fire in Gaza

A few dozen protesters chanting 鈥淔ree, free Palestine!鈥 gathered outside a skyscraper that houses the Israeli consulate for a pro-Palestinian demonstration on the second night of the . Some carried Palestinian flags, while many others wore black and covered their faces.

The consulate, located about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the United Center, has been the site of since the war in Gaza began in October. It is in a building connected to the Ogilvie Transportation Center, a major commuter rail station.

Dozens of Chicago police officers were posted outside the building, where law enforcement had closed down most of the entrances to the building on Tuesday, allowing commuters to come in only one entrance where armed officers were also posted. Many of the building鈥檚 shops were closed. Martha Hill, a spokeswoman for the Metra commuter rail service, says train service is running as normal.

Harris to talk about Roe v. Wade in Milwaukee

Harris plans to draw attention to Trump saying Monday he had 鈥渘o regrets鈥 about appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion, according to an excerpt of the speech she plans to give in Milwaukee.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 because he hasn鈥檛 had to face the consequences,鈥 Harris plans to say. 鈥淲omen and families have. Well, we will make sure he does face the consequence at the ballot box this November.鈥

As they awaited Harris鈥 speech, her supporters listened to the Chicago convention鈥檚 roll call blasting from the arena speakers.

The odd couple

They may be a somewhat unlikely pair, but DNC Secretary Jason Rae and DJ Cassidy are tag-teaming the celebratory roll call of states.

Rae calls out the states and territories as they come up in the voting order, and Cassidy chimes in with occasional commentary as he flips from track to track for each batch of delegates.

A tale of two gatherings

Walz opened his remarks at the Milwaukee rally by noting that the Fiserv Forum is where Republicans held their national convention in July and nominated Republican Trump for president.

The Minnesota governor talked about how good Republicans felt when their gathering had concluded, then added: 鈥淲ell, trust me Milwaukee. A hell of a lot can change in four weeks,鈥 he said as the crowd burst into cheers.

Brinkmanship isn鈥檛 lost during the roll call

New Hampshire鈥檚 delegation declared itself home of the nation鈥檚 鈥渇irst primary鈥 except that the Democrats gave that honor to South Carolina this cycle.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared, 鈥淲e鈥檙e from Jersey, baby. And you鈥檙e not.鈥

Missouri saluted its Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at the expense of all the country鈥檚 other teams.

Film director Spike Lee joined New York Democrats to deliver the state鈥檚 298 votes to Harris. Lee, who is a staple courtside at the Knicks games, was joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Why California and Minnesota passed during the roll call

California and Minnesota, the home states of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, have passed during the convention roll call 鈥 letting the party roll on.

This year鈥檚 roll call has been unlike any in political history. But one tradition held, the one mandating that the home state of the nominee generally passes, then goes near the end to pass the deciding vote to formally clinch the nomination.

This year, Minnesota, where Walz is governor, could get the count close and let Harris鈥 California and its motherlode of delegates put her over the top as the Democratic nominee.

Sean Astin joins Indiana delegation

Actor Sean Astin, best known for playing the titular Notre Dame football player in 鈥淩udy,鈥 joined the Indiana delegation to help cast its 86 delegates for Harris and Walz.

鈥淚 want what鈥檚 best for Indiana and that means electing Kamala Harris the first woman president of the United States of America,鈥 Astin said.

Florida won鈥檛 back down

Florida鈥檚 delegation played Tom Petty鈥檚 anthem to hard-headedness, 鈥淚 Won鈥檛 Back Down,鈥 in casting its delegates for Harris 鈥 a not-too-subtle jab at the state鈥檚 Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis used the song as the theme of his failed Republican presidential primary this cycle, and it was the name of a Super PAC that spent lavishly in his losing cause.

鈥淔lorida is worth fighting for,鈥 state Democratic chairwoman Nikki Fried declared, arguing that her state is worth national Democrats campaigning for despite it鈥檚 hard shift to the right and likeliness to go for Trump in November.

Delegates show off their home-state tunes

Decked out in blue satin, DJ Cassidy is spinning a special song for each state in the roll call at the Democratic Convention.

Alabama, obviously, got 鈥淪weet Home Alabama鈥 by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Alaska announced their backing of Vice President Harris to 鈥淔eel It Still鈥 by Portugal. The Man, a band from Wasilla. Florida committed its delegates to 鈥淚 Won鈥檛 Back Down鈥 by Tom Petty, who was born in Gainesville. The rapper Lil Jon appeared over the music of DJ Snake鈥檚 鈥淭urn Down for What鈥 ahead of Georgia awarding its delegates to Harris.

Lil Jon makes a surprise appearance during Harris roll call

In a surprise appearance, rapper Lil Jon joined the Georgia delegation to help deliver its 123 votes for Harris. The rapper鈥檚 hit song 鈥楪et Low鈥 has became a sort of rally cry for the Harris-Walz campaign in the last few weeks.

鈥楶谤别蝉别苍迟鈥

Under Democratic Party rules, only Harris garnered enough signatures to be entered into nomination. Votes for any other person or uncommitted votes were tallied as 鈥減resent鈥 during the virtual roll call earlier this month. Tuesday night鈥檚 鈥渃elebratory鈥 vote is following that earlier鈥檚 roll calls vote total.

The roll call begins

Democrats are holding a 鈥渃elebratory鈥 roll call vote to nominate Harris on the second night of their convention in Chicago. The party held a virtual vote on Aug. 6 that made her the party鈥檚 official nominee. Tuesday鈥檚 vote is taking place with a DJ and light show in the United Center arena.

Protesters expected at the Israeli consulate in Chicago

Dozens of Chicago police officers are posted outside a skyscraper that houses the Israeli consulate where an evening demonstration is expected.

The building also is home to one of the city鈥檚 major transportation hubs.

Police had closed down most of the entrances on Tuesday, allowing commuters to come in only one entrance where armed officers were also posted. Many of the building鈥檚 shops were closed.

Martha Hill, a spokesperson for the Metra commuter rail service, says train service is running as normal.

Proceedings came to a literal standstill for the DNC group photo

It may have been an awkward several moments of pseudo-silence, but Democratic delegates have sat for their official 360-degree portrait.

It鈥檚 somewhat of a tradition for photographer Abbas Shirmohammadi to use a more-than-century-old camera to take delegates鈥 photo.

For several minutes, delegates were admonished to stay in their seats and not to move as a panoramic photo was taken around the United Center.

Perched atop a ladder, Shirmohammadi turned a modern camera, then an older model, around the arena as delegates were instructed to look toward the center and stay still.

鈥淚 congratulate all of you,鈥 Shirmohammadi said to applause when his images had been completed. 鈥淭hank you for your patience.鈥

Shirmohammadi is a 4th generation photographer and, according to a bio associated with a talk he gave at the National Press Club, has been involved in creating images of numerous presidential inaugurals and Democratic conventions.

After Monday night delays, Democrats are now ahead of schedule

After Night 1 ran so long, the second night of the Democratic convention has raced out far ahead of its early schedule.

A series of speeches and video montages wrapped quickly and organizers began setting up for a state-by-state roll call about 35 minutes before it had been scheduled to begin.

Harris already formally clinched the Democratic nomination in a virtual vote earlier this month, but, per tradition, each state鈥檚 delegation will have a chance to symbolically pledge its delegates to her on the convention floor.

Organizers promised tweaks to the schedule to keep Tuesday鈥檚 program moving. It鈥檚 early yet, but so far they鈥檝e kept that promise.

Teamsters members make DNC appearance absent President Sean O鈥橞rien

While Teamsters President Sean O鈥橞rien chose to speak at the Republican convention at Trump鈥檚 invite, members of his union decided to appear at the Democratic convention to say they鈥檙e with Vice President Harris. It was another jab at Trump for claiming to back workers even as his administration tried to restrict the power of organized labor, a sign of how Harris hopes to diminish his backing from blue-collar voters.

鈥淚f they win, working people like my friends here from the Teamsters will pay the price,鈥 said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., with several Teamsters by his side.

Kenneth Stribling, a retired Teamster, then explained how the Biden administration had helped rescue the financially troubled pensions of union members like himself as part of its pandemic aid.

鈥淭hey got it done without one single Republican vote in Congress,鈥 Stribling said. 鈥淭hey saved over 1 million pensions.鈥

The DNC pivots away from Biden

President Joe Biden was the star of the DNC on Monday night as he delivered his swan song to his party after 50 years in elected office. He was a bit player as the convention鈥檚 second evening got started.

鈥淭he torch has been passed to a new generation,鈥 former New Orleans mayor and White House official Mitch Landrieu opened the second night鈥檚 program saying. The first hour of speeches featured praise of Harris and criticism of Trump, but only passing reference to the unpopular Democratic incumbent. The praise and thanks to Biden for stepping aside that permeated the Monday program yielded only to minor mentions of the 鈥淏iden-Harris administration.鈥

It was the latest sign of Biden鈥檚 waning influence in the party as he prepares to leave the White House in January.

Democrats highlight former Trump voters who switched to supporting Harris

For the second in as many nights, the Democratic convention has frequently featured stories from ordinary voters, who talked about voting for Trump in 2016 or 2020 or both, but said they wouldn鈥檛 do so again.

The voters, filmed in what to be in their homes in states around the country, described being fed up with Trump鈥檚 criminal conviction, his frequent lying for political gain and his leading a mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol in January 2021.

The effort recalled Republicans, who during their convention featured frequent videos of 鈥渆veryday Americans鈥 to fire up their own crowd last month in Milwaukee.

Trump鈥檚 former press secretary backs Harris

Trump鈥檚 former White House press secretary says she used to be a 鈥渢rue believer鈥 who spent holidays with the Trump family, but now she鈥檚 backing Harris.

Stephanie Grisham told Democratic delegates that Trump 鈥渕ocks鈥 his supporters behind closed doors and 鈥渉as no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth.鈥

This fall, Grisham said she鈥檚 backing Harris because the Democrat 鈥渢ells the truth, she respects the American people and she has my vote.鈥

Grisham resigned from her White House post following the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, the first senior staffer to do so that day.

She held no press briefings as Trump鈥檚 press secretary, explaining 鈥渦nlike my boss, I never wanted to stand behind that podium and lie.鈥

Common feels 鈥榝ortunate鈥 to have Kamala Harris

Rapper Common performed his hit song 鈥淔ortunate.鈥 In the second verse, he changed the lyrics to say, 鈥淔ortunate, yo, we got the gold in Paris, we fortunate, y鈥檃ll, for Kamala Harris.鈥 The Chicago native also added in several ad-libs about 鈥淐hi Town鈥 as the host city of the DNC.

鈥淚 thank God for this moment in time where Kamala Harris will change the world for the better with love, hope and grace,鈥 he said as he introduced the song. Grammy-winning gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds joined Common on stage, singing some of his song 鈥淕od is God鈥 between verses and vocalizing to 鈥淔ortunate.鈥

Common, a Grammy and Oscar-winning musician and actor, is no stranger to political advocacy. He endorsed Biden in 2020 and performed at his rallies and had previously supported Obama鈥檚 campaigns. He also performed poetry at an event at the White House in 2011 at Obama鈥檚 invitation.

The performance, which was followed by a funky instrumental rendition of 鈥淭ell Me Something Good,鈥 signaled the convention鈥檚 shift out of its country music moment Monday into a focus on R&B and hip-hop.

Democrats throw the book at Trump (again)

One of Democrats鈥 favorite new political props, a massive book labeled , made a repeat appearance at the second night of the DNC.

On Tuesday, Malcolm Kenyatta, a Pennsylvania state representative and rising Democratic star, totted the book out onto the convention stage before roasting Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance.

鈥淯sually Republicans want to ban books, but now they are trying to shove this down our throats,鈥 Kenyatta said.

In a sign of how unpopular Project 20205 is with the public, Trump has disavowed the effort. Still, it was crafted by many leading conservatives who would likely hold influential positions in a future Trump administration.

The book made its first appearance on Monday when Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow walked on stage and dropped the hefty tome on the top of the speaking lectern.

Presidential grandsons stump for Harris

Grandsons of former Presidents Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy cast Vice President Haris in the same image as their famous family members.

鈥淜amala Harris carries my grandfather鈥檚 legacy,鈥 said Jason Carter. 鈥淪he knows what is right.鈥

He said the 99-year-old former president wishes he could be in attendance. 鈥淗is body may be weak tonight, but his spirit is stronger than ever,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淢y grandfather can鈥檛 wait to vote for Kamala Harris.鈥

Jack Schlossberg, Kennedy鈥檚 grandson, said like when his grandfather was elected in 1960, 鈥淥nce again, the torch has been passed to a new generation,鈥 he said. 鈥淪he believes in America like my grandfather did 鈥 that we do things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.鈥

Patti LaBelle performs 鈥榊ou Are My Friend鈥

The DNC crowd didn鈥檛 get James Taylor singing 鈥淵ou鈥檝e Got a Friend鈥 but they did get another music legend 鈥 R&B star Patti LaBelle 鈥 singing 鈥淵ou Are My Friend.鈥

LaBelle sang the stirring number during a memorial segment as the proceedings began for the evening. 鈥淕od bless America, Kamala Harris!鈥 she called out at the end.

This isn鈥檛 the first time at the DNC for LaBelle 鈥 she wowed the crowd two decades ago at the 2004 convention with her rendition of Sam Cooke鈥檚 鈥淎 Change Is Gonna Come.鈥

Last month, LaBelle kicked off her 8065 Tour at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles 鈥 鈥80 years of life, 65 years in music.鈥 And in June, she sang 鈥淥h, People鈥 on the White House lawn for President Joe Biden鈥檚 Juneteenth concert, joined by Gladys Knight among other artists.

And we鈥檙e off

Night 2 of the Democratic National Convention has kicked off in Chicago, with organizers moving up the start time by half an hour to try and keep the program from running as far behind schedule as it did on the opening night.

On Monday, the convention opened late and never got back on schedule, with President Joe Biden delivering the featured speech around 11:30 p.m. on the East Coast.

Organizers promised more tweaks in the schedule to keep things moving more quickly on Tuesday.

Democrat campaign group breaks fundraising record

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that it raised $17.6 million in July, making the Committee鈥檚 year-to-date total a record $107.1.

鈥淭he American people are hearing Democrats鈥 message of lowering costs, growing the middle class, and defending their rights, and they are showing up to support this forward-looking agenda,鈥 said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene in a statement. The DCCC is the campaign arm of Democrats in the House of Representatives.

Maryland senate candidate and longtime Harris friend Angela Alsobrooks will speak on DNC Night 2

Angela Alsobrooks, a friend to Harris of 14 years who is running to become Maryland鈥檚 first Black U.S. senator in a competitive race, will be speaking at the convention as a candidate. The Maryland seat is critical if Democrats want to maintain control of the Senate.

Alsobrooks, who is the chief executive of Maryland鈥檚 second-most populous county in the suburbs of the nation鈥檚 capital, wrote on social media earlier in the day that she looks forward to sharing why Harris 鈥渋s going to make an incredible President of the United States.鈥 Both women are former prosecutors.

The Prince George鈥檚 County executive is running a heavily Democratic state against popular former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican. Hogan won the governorship and was reelected in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, but the GOP has not won a Senate seat in Maryland in more than 40 years. The race is being closely watched, because it could determine control of the Senate. Harris made a campaign stop for Alsobrooks in June in Prince George鈥檚.

Alsobrooks would become the nation鈥檚 third Black woman to be elected to the Senate. Harris was the second Black woman elected to the chamber.

UAW president believes union households will support Harris

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain is confident that more union households will vote Democratic this year, as he鈥檚 aggressively contrasting the record of the Biden-Harris administration with Trump鈥檚 time in the White House.

鈥淲e need to expose him for the fraud that he is and speak truth to that,鈥 Fain said to a group of reporters. 鈥淪o long as he鈥檚 a candidate, I鈥檓 not going to be shy about it. Not going to be quiet about it ... I feel that鈥檚 my obligation to working-class people, to our membership to do that.鈥

Fain has framed the election as a battle between the working class and wealthy elites, saying that Trump as president tried to quash unionization efforts and failed to protect worker rights despite his blue-collar outreach. By contrast, both Harris and Biden have stood with the UAW during last year鈥檚 strike.

Biden made it a priority as part of the strike settlement for the automaker Stellantis to resume and expand operations in Belvidere, Illinois, though Fain says the company is now dragging its feet on the commitment in a way that he says could violate the contract. It鈥檚 a sign that union action could play a big role for voters in key states such as Wisconsin and Michigan.

Obama will make the case for Harris during his DNC address

Former President Barack Obama will use his remarks tonight to make the case for Harris鈥 election and lay out the task before Democrats in the coming 10 weeks.

That鈥檚 according to an Obama aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss his speech in advance. Obama will also make the case for the values of the party and nation he believes are at stake in the race against Trump.

The speech comes as Obama plans to increase his political activity this fall to support Democrats up and down the ticket.

20.3 million viewers tuned into the DNC on Monday

Democrats reached an estimated 20.3 million television viewers for the first night of their national convention, the Nielsen company said. That compares to the 18.3 million Republicans reached on the first night of their convention last month.

Nielsen tallied the audience from 13 separate networks that televised the event from 10 p.m. Eastern until the end of President Biden鈥檚 speech after midnight.

Most people, 4.6 million, watched on MSNBC with CNN coming in second, Nielsen said.

The key night for political watchers will be Thursday when Vice President Harris delivers her acceptance speech for the top of the Democratic ticket. Last month, Trump, less than a week removed from an assassination attempt, reached 25.3 million for his speech.

No credible danger following bomb threat, Secret Service and Chicago PD report

The U.S. Secret Service and Chicago Police Department found no credible dangers after checking into bomb threats made Tuesday at 鈥渁 number of locations鈥 in downtown Chicago where the Democratic National Convention is taking place.

Law enforcement cleared the affected areas and are continuing to assess any reported threats.

Gov. Pritzker denies 2024 presidential aspirations

Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker denies seriously considering running for the presidency in 2024, though he鈥檚 flattered people talked about him in that context.

Earlier this summer following Biden鈥檚 decision not to seek reelection and subsequently endorse Harris for the presidency, Pritzker was one of several Democrats whose names were tossed around as potential challengers to the vice president.

He said at the CNN-Politico Grill that the background plotting that some assumed he鈥檇 been doing in the shuffle of Biden stepping down was 鈥渘ot occurring.鈥 He said he likes being governor but didn鈥檛 rule out running for president in the future.

Pritzker said he had campaigned with Biden and DNC officials to hold this year鈥檚 convention in Chicago and was happy about how it was going so far.

鈥淎s you all can see, Chicago鈥檚 a great city to have a convention,鈥 Pritzker said. But when asked if he鈥檚 angling to host another one in 2028, he said that would be premature.

鈥淲e aren鈥檛 starting a bidding process yet,鈥 he said.

Voter Voice: 鈥榊ou just can鈥檛 live in fear鈥

Sharon Gross, 70, gathered with a crowd along a nearby road to watch Trump鈥檚 motorcade arrive in and leave Howell. With sunny skies and 70-degree weather, Gross said she enjoyed waiting with the crowd about three hours before former President Trump鈥檚 arrival.

Gross said that a friend of hers did not want to attend the event due to fear of violence following the attempt on Trump鈥檚 life last month. 鈥淵ou just can鈥檛 live in fear,鈥 Gross said.

Her husband Jay Gross, 86, is a Livingston County Commissioner. He watched Trump鈥檚 speech inside the Sheriff鈥檚 Office equipment garage and hoped to have Trump sign his MAGA hat, but he was not close enough to ask.

鈥淚 agreed with him 1,000%,鈥 he said after Trump鈥檚 remarks. 鈥淔or me, the two big issues are the border 鈥 immigration issues 鈥 and the economy.鈥

James Taylor isn鈥檛 mad about getting bumped from the DNC stage

Singer James Taylor said it was an honor to be at the Democratic convention despite his performance getting cut for time.

Taylor was to have sung his 1971 hit 鈥淵ou鈥檝e Got a Friend鈥 accompanied by cellist Owen Young and singers Kenya Hathaway and Matthew Johnson before President Biden鈥檚 speech on Monday night. But convention officials said they had to make cuts because of the 鈥渞aucous applause鈥 that was interrupting speakers and prolonging the program.

鈥淚t became clear, as the evening unfolded, that there wouldn鈥檛 be time for our 鈥榊ou鈥檝e Got a Friend鈥 with cello and voices,鈥 Taylor said in a statement Tuesday. 鈥淢aybe the organizers couldn鈥檛 anticipate the wild response from the floor of the United Center.鈥

He added, 鈥淎nyway, sorry to disappoint. But a great and inspirational, quintessentially American moment. We were honored to be there.鈥

Gen Z congressman's political start shares similarities with the oldest sitting US president

Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first Gen Z member of Congress, has more in common with the oldest president in U.S. history than some might think.

Onstage at the CNN-Politico Grill, the 27-year-old Frost recalled relating to Biden over entering politics at a young age. Frost got elected to the House at 25, and Biden was elected to the Senate at 29.

鈥淗e called me when I first won my race, and we talked about the similarities,鈥 Frost said. 鈥淲e spoke about his experiences going through that.鈥

Frost said he thinks Gen Z cares about Biden鈥檚 legacy and called himself a 鈥渂ig Joe Biden fan.鈥 But he now supports Vice President Kamala Harris, with whom he said he shares something else: a diverse background.

鈥淲e talk about intersectionality and all these different things, but for someone like Kamala Harris, this is her life. Being mixed race. Understanding different cultures,鈥 Frost said. 鈥淎nd this is what our country is. Me too.鈥

Trump says Harris supports defunding the police

Turning to the men gathered behind him in uniform, he asked 鈥渄o you want to be defunded?鈥 Some in the crowd booed at the question.

Turning to the DNC, Trump said Harris must have been laughing when President Joe Biden spoke in Chicago on Monday night.

鈥淚t was a vicious violent overthrow of a president of the United States,鈥 he said of Biden鈥檚 decision to not seek reelection.

At Michigan event, Trump entered to light applause and whistles as he took the podium

鈥淣ice people by the way,鈥 he said in greeting.

About 100 people including uniformed and non uniformed officers gathered inside an equipment hanger at the sheriff鈥檚 office, according to his campaign.

Trump spoke against a backdrop of sheriff鈥檚 vehicles, police shields, red and blue lights and signs that read 鈥淢ichigan is Trump Country.鈥

Trump quipped that he has the back of the 鈥渂lue鈥 as well as those in brown, a reference to the sheriff鈥檚 department law enforcement officers who stood behind him in brown uniforms as he began his remarks.

RFK Jr. shows up too late to testify against Democrats鈥 ballot challenge in Pennsylvania

showed up too late to testify Tuesday in a court case in Pennsylvania where Democratic activists are trying to bar him from the ballot for president in the premier battleground state, prompting testy exchanges between the judge and Kennedy鈥檚 lawyer.

Lawyers for the two Democratic activists who filed the say Kennedy鈥檚 candidacy paperwork states a fake home address 鈥 an allegation being aired in other state courts 鈥 and falls short of the signature-gathering requirement applied by state law to third-party candidates.

Kennedy showed up an hour and 40 minutes late, blaming a canceled flight from Massachusetts to Harrisburg, and never testified after Commonwealth Court Judge Lori Dumas chose to proceed without him as a witness.

鈥淭his is the first that I鈥檓 hearing about this,鈥 Dumas said when told about Kennedy鈥檚 absence. Shortly after Kennedy arrived, the judge adjourned the hearing and did not say when she鈥檒l rule.

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Top reproductive rights group enthusiastic that Harris can win in November

Vice President Kamala Harris was 鈥渁n hour one endorsement鈥 for , a group that advocates for Democratic women who support abortion rights running for office, said president Jessica Mackler at a Tuesday news briefing in Chicago.

鈥淲e鈥檝e seen firsthand how accomplished, qualified, and ready she is to win and also to lead this country forward,鈥 Mackler said.

Reproductive and abortion rights have since the U.S. Supreme Court , stripping away the constitutional right to abortion. Harris has the federal right to the procedure.

鈥淭he Dobbs decision fundamentally changed the political landscape,鈥 and having Harris instead of President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket kickstarted political enthusiasm, especially for women under 45, according to Mackler.

鈥淭hese women are excited about Kamala Harris,鈥 she said.

Israel supporters gather in downtown Chicago

Israel supporters, including some relatives of people kidnapped by Hamas, gathered at a pro-Israel art installation Tuesday morning in downtown Chicago to call on U.S. leaders to continue backing Israel and pushing for the release of hostages.

The art installation included giant milk cartons bearing photos of some of the hostages.

鈥淲e are here to sound a voice,鈥 Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the United States, told the small crowd. 鈥淲e are here to keep the issue of the hostages high on the agenda.鈥

He noted that 319 days have passed since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. 鈥淲e need to call on Hamas to let our people go,鈥 he said, prompting the crowd to chant 鈥渓et them go.鈥

Elan Carr, CEO of the Israeli-American Council, condemned the pro-Palestinian protesters who have descended on Chicago this week, calling them 鈥渇ringe crazies鈥 and demanding that U.S. leaders 鈥渟tand unequivocally with the state of Israel.鈥

Consul General of Israel to the Midwest Yinam Cohen said he was disappointed by the 鈥渋nstitutional support of the city of Chicago for the anti-Israel protests.鈥

DNC roll call will be ceremonial, but expected to be festive nonetheless

Democratic delegates already voted virtually to nominate Harris as their presidential nominee.

Regardless, they鈥檙e still holding a celebratory in-person roll call vote on Tuesday 鈥 and it鈥檚 expected to be a party.

The roll call will feature a live DJ playing songs to represent each of the 57 delegations present, a convention spokesperson said. It also will feature music, lights, visuals and special effects.

The spokesperson said those present in person or tuning in from home can expect to hear a range of diverse voices during the roll call, including elected officials at all levels of government and delegates who will share moving personal stories.

The roll call will start with Delaware 鈥 Biden鈥檚 home state 鈥 and end with California and Minnesota, home states to Harris and Walz.

In Michigan, Republican senate candidate speaks to law enforcement before Trump鈥檚 arrival

Mike Rogers, who cinched the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate earlier this month, spoke to law enforcement for about an hour and a half ahead of Trump鈥檚 scheduled arrival.

鈥淲e will have your back,鈥 he said to applause from the crowd of about 50 while standing in front of banners that read 鈥淢ake America Safe Again.鈥

The Michigan U.S. Senate race is one of several that could determine the control of the chamber in the fall.

Trump will speak Tuesday afternoon at the Livingston County Sheriff鈥檚 Office on law enforcement and crime.

Multiple Michigan sheriffs criticized the Biden and Harris administration over border policy, speaking about the effects drug trade and fentanyl in their communities. Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott listed a series of recent crimes in remarks he said were committed by people in the country illegally, suggesting the crimes could have been prevented if the perpetrators were stopped from entering the country.

鈥淐ome November, make the obvious choice, reelect Donald Trump,鈥 Abbott said.

Secret Service looking into bomb threats in downtown Chicago

The U.S. Secret Service was checking into bomb threats made Tuesday at 鈥渧arious locations鈥 in downtown Chicago where the Democratic National Convention is taking place.

Law enforcement was screening the affected areas and examining the credibility of the threat, according to a message from the joint information center established for the convention.

A reporter for Fox 32 in Chicago said in a post on X that their station received an email making a pipe bomb threat at four hotels in downtown Chicago.

Vance talks crime at campaign event in Kenosha, Wisconsin

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance took the stage about 10 minutes early at a rally outside the county courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday.

Kenosha was the site of several days of protests against police brutality that turned violent in 2020. Illinois teen Kyle Rittenhouse shot three protesters during one of the demonstrations, killing two of them. A jury later acquitted Rittenhouse of homicide and endangerment charges after he argued he fired in self-defense.

The GOP held him as a symbol of gun rights. Vance used the setting to attack Kamala Harris as soft on crime. He said that feeling safe is an American birthright and promised that he and Trump would end sanctuary cities for people in the country illegally, deport those who are violent and push for the death penalty for drug dealers.

He also called for tougher prosecutors and pledged to end frivolous lawsuits against police.

鈥淎ll this stuff is common sense,鈥 he said.

Vance also took questions directly from reporters in the press area. Asked for his thoughts on the Democratic National Convention taking place only about 60 miles south in Chicago, Vance decried that city鈥檚 murder rate. He also dinged Harris for not taking questions from reporters like he was doing and instead always making sure a teleprompter stands between her and the public.

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow says oversized Project 2025 book will be seen again at DNC

Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow kicked off her speech at the opening night of the Democratic National Convention with a bang, slamming down an oversized hardcover copy of the Heritage Foundation鈥檚 Project 2025 book on the podium.

The book, which McMorrow joked in an interview weighs as much as her 3-year-old daughter, is filled entirely with actual text from Project 2025, the term used for the Heritage Foundation鈥檚 nearly 1,000-page .

The idea to create an oversized version of Project 2025 first came about several weeks ago when Vice President Kamala Harris鈥 campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, contacted McMorrow about speaking about Project 2025 at the convention.

McMorrow said she had never spoken to an arena full of people before and wanted to come up with something that would 鈥減lay well both at home and in the arena.鈥

According to McMorrow, Monday night won鈥檛 be the last appearance of the massive Project 2025 book at the convention. It will be displayed by various speakers throughout the week, with a designated 鈥渒eeper of the book鈥 ensuring its safekeeping in the interim.

鈥淭here will be others who pick up the book baton,鈥 McMorrow said. 鈥淭hat won鈥檛 be the last time you see that Cheesecake Factory menu.鈥

Broadway stars form group to back Harris

A list of Broadway heavy hitters 鈥 including Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Sara Bareilles, Tony Kushner and Sarah Paulson 鈥 have gathered to back the Democratic ticket, creating the volunteer group Broadway for Harris.

The group says it will use phone banks, canvass, social media and host special fundraising events to increase voter participation in key swing districts. A Democratic National Convention watch party on Thursday in Manhattan will launch the group.

Members include more than 70 industry leaders, current and former Broadway performers, producers, writers, directors, choreographers and marketing specialists. A public Zoom call has been set for Aug. 26 to learn about how fans can get involved.

The group includes actors Rachel Brosnahan, Adrienne Warren, Idina Menzel, John Leguizamo, Billy Porter and Alan Cumming; songwriters Alan Menken, Jeanine Tesori, Stephen Schwartz and Benj Pasek and Justin Paul; playwrights David Henry Hwang and Jeremy O. Harris; and producers Jordan Roth, Thomas Schumacher and Jeffrey Seller.

At Trump鈥檚 campaign event

Asked about a comment Trump has made several times through the years at political events about using the U.S. military to help control urban crime, Rep. Byron Donalds said that 鈥渟aying something at a rally is not public policy. It鈥檚 not.鈥

鈥淚f you go to his website, you鈥檙e not going to find that written in stone on the website under what he鈥檚 going to do the help solve crime issues,鈥 Donalds added.

According to campaign policy positions listed on his website, Trump 鈥渉as committed to deploying federal assets, including the National Guard, to restore law and order when local law enforcement refuses to act.鈥

Walz: 鈥榃e鈥檙e not going to make that mistake again鈥

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz says he listened to Hillary Clinton address the party鈥檚 convention Monday night and couldn鈥檛 help but imagine 鈥渉ow different things could have been in 2016, if we鈥檇 gotten the work done.鈥

鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to make that mistake again,鈥 Walz said at a meeting of the convention鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Caucus.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says Harris nomination could be barrier breaking moment

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris a historic, potentially barrier breaking moment for women in politics during a gathering of the Democrat鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Caucus.

Hochul referenced past trailblazing Democratic women like Rep. Shirley Chisholm, a Jamaican American New Yorker who ran for president in 1968, and Geraldine Ferraro, who served as the party鈥檚 presidential nominee in 1984.

鈥淢aybe this means that women can do more than be the supporting cast,鈥 Hochul said.

鈥淭here will be no more barriers. That鈥檒l be proof that every little girl can be whatever she wants because someone came before,鈥 Hochul said. She urged the audience to prevent a 鈥淭rump travesty鈥 this year.

At a JD Vance event in Wisconsin

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde warmed up a crowd of about 150 people waiting for Sen. JD Vance outside the county courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday by bashing Kamala Harris鈥 public safety record.

He accused her of allowing San Francisco to slide into crime during her tenure as district attorney there. He called her stint as California attorney general a failure, accusing her of allowing the rise of sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants, sex trafficking and drug use. She鈥檚 also been unable to control the influx of undocumented immigrants across the southern U.S. border during her time as vice president, he said.

鈥淪he has a history of failure,鈥 Hovde said.

Chicago police superintendent: 鈥榃e鈥檙e up to the challenge鈥 as more protests expected

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said there was a 鈥渂rief breach鈥 of security fencing 鈥渨ithin sight and sound of the United Center鈥 on Monday evening.

He said 13 people were arrested on charges ranging from criminal trespass and resisting and obstructing an arrest to aggravated battery of police officers.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday morning, Snelling praised officers鈥 actions, saying they didn鈥檛 overreact. 鈥淥ur officers showed great restraint,鈥 he said.

He said an estimated 3,500 protesters participated in the march and rally, and just a small group breached the security fence.

鈥淚鈥檓 not going to tie that event 鈥 what happened with the breach 鈥 with the entirety of the protest,鈥 he said, saying the vast majority of protesters were peaceful.

Snelling said more protests are expected as the week goes on, and his department is prepared to de-escalate situations whenever possible.

鈥淎gain, we鈥檙e up to the challenge,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he city is up to the challenge.鈥

Harris campaign ties Trump event in Michigan town to far-right demonstration

Donald Trump is hosting an event Tuesday tied to the theme of 鈥淢ake America Safe Again鈥 in a Michigan city that has long been linked to the Ku Klux Klan.

Howell, a city of about 10,000 people, is a Republican stronghold west of Detroit. Nicole Matthews-Creech, executive director of the Livingston Diversity Council, said the public perception of the area has been stained by its past as the decades-long residence of a KKK grand dragon from the 1970s to the 1990s.

A Trump campaign spokesperson said they didn鈥檛 know about the KKK link and chose the location because it鈥檚 part of the Detroit media market and has a supportive sheriff in what the campaign considers an important area.

Last month, a group of about a dozen masked demonstrators marched through downtown Howell and dispersed after a library board member confronted the group at the Howell Carnegie District Library, according to a news release from the city of Howell, the Livingston Diversity Council and the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce.

Another group of people, similarly dressed, were seen at an interstate overpass nearby. Video from the overpass appears to show someone yell, 鈥淲e love Hitler, we love Trump,鈥 according to reporting by the Livingston Daily.

Matthews-Creech said it hasn鈥檛 been confirmed if the two groups were one and the same.

Harris鈥 campaign played up the connection between Trump鈥檚 past remarks on far-right demonstrations, including comments he made about white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, and the recent demonstration.

鈥淭rump鈥檚 actions have encouraged them, and Michiganders can expect more of the same when he comes to town,鈥 Harris for President Michigan Communications Director Alyssa Bradley said in a statement several days before his visit.

The Trump campaign decried any connection to white supremacy.

鈥淒id the media write this same story when Joe Biden visited Howell in 2021, or when Kamala Harris visits cities where racist protests and marches have occurred in the past?鈥 Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for the Trump campaign, said in a statement.

New security measures in Chicago a day after activists clashed with police

A Chicago park, which had erupted into chaos during the first day of the Democratic National Convention as several dozen activists clashed with police, was calm Tuesday morning but now fortified with new security to prevent further breaches.

During a march of several thousand calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, the group paused at a park a block from the convention center. Several dozen activists then broke away from the larger group, breaching police fencing before being pushed back by officers, leading to multiple arrests.

On Tuesday morning, an extra line of fencing was installed at the park and the tall metal barriers were reinforced to prevent protesters from lifting and removing the panels in the future. No police officers or protesters were present at the park early Tuesday.

Closer to downtown Chicago, security was tighter than usual 鈥 including law enforcement officers with weapons slung across their bodies 鈥 outside the office building that houses the Israeli consulate and a major city transportation hub. Metal barricades were set up and an officer said they were preparing for a 7 p.m. demonstration.

Most of the largest demonstrations have been organized by the Coalition to March on the DNC, which has focused on calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. But smaller protests have popped up around the city, including disruptions at the convention鈥檚 welcome party at Navy Pier.

Harris campaign blames convention process for party platform that wasn鈥檛 updated

The Harris campaign is blaming a long-established process at the convention for a to reflect that the vice president replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.

Convention delegates on Monday approved a sweeping set of Democratic policy goals for the next four years that repeatedly referred to Biden seeking reelection. Party officials spent more than a year compiling the platform delegates were to consider, but they also approved it days before Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris.

No effort was then made to change it before it was approved on the convention floor.

鈥淥bviously, the platform was voted on before the switch here, and so it鈥檚 part of the process as it played out,鈥 Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler told reporters at a Tuesday morning briefing at the convention.

Rep. Byron Donalds says Harris and Walz don鈥檛 support law enforcement enough

Rep. Byron Donalds is warning against the negative effect he says Harris and Walz would have on American policing if elected to the White House.

The Florida Republican said Tuesday at a Trump campaign media availability that Harris and Walz don鈥檛 support law enforcement ranks strongly enough. Donalds said Harris, a former prosecutor, 鈥渋ncentivized states to move toward cashless bail,鈥 a policy he said 鈥渃reates a turnstile for criminals to be arrested and go right back out on the streets.鈥

Donalds is among the Trump surrogates offering Republican counterprogramming in Chicago as Democrats gather for the DNC.

Donalds also said Walz had a delayed response to the Minneapolis violence after the killing of George Floyd, noting that the areas affected by violence 鈥渕ostly are inhabited by Black people and Hispanic people 鈥 that鈥檚 what was burning.鈥

Donalds also made brief mention of the Day 1 DNC delays that meant a late start to Biden鈥檚 speech but paused before he levied more specific criticism of the president: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a shame to do that to somebody 鈥 well, I鈥檓 going to stop there.鈥

North Carolina governor says he isn鈥檛 concerned by Harris shifting stances on hot-button issues

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says it鈥檚 a sign of growth since she last ran for president in 2019.

Harris has dropped her opposition to fracking and her onetime support for progressive proposals like Medicare-for-all and the 鈥淕reen New Deal鈥 in recent weeks.

鈥淚 think the policy and how it affects people is always important, but clearly the character of the candidate can be more important,鈥 said Cooper, speaking at an event hosted by Bloomberg at the Democratic National Convention.

Cooper, who leads a key battleground state has known Harris since they both were state attorneys general.

Cooper noted Harris had a seat at the table as President Joe Biden passed major legislation in their first two years in office and said the vice president 鈥渟aw the give and the take.鈥

鈥淎nd I think that鈥檚 just part of growing as an elected official and growing as a candidate and being a president for everybody,鈥 he added.

To avoid running late again, DNC organizers plan to start earlier on 2nd day

Organizers are planning an earlier start to day two of the Democratic National Convention in hopes avoiding scheduling that ran hours late and into the wee hours of the night on day one.

DNC director Alex Hornbrook said Tuesday morning that 鈥渨e made some real-time adjustments last night鈥 and 鈥渨e鈥檙e working with our speakers and making some other adjustments this evening鈥 including starting at 5.30 p.m. local time in Chicago 鈥渢o make sure that we stay on track.鈥

During a briefing with reporters, Hornbrook ducked a question about speakers who were canceled on night one as the program ran long 鈥 including a performance by acclaimed singer-songwriter James Taylor 鈥 would be rescheduled. He said only, 鈥淥ur program team is working very hard right now to ensure that we can be on schedule鈥 without providing further details.

President Joe Biden gave Monday鈥檚 night key address, but didn鈥檛 take the stage until around 11:30 p.m. on the East Coast, and the program didn鈥檛 wrap up until well after midnight for a large chunk of the audience watching around the country.

Trump鈥檚 campaign is getting started on Day 2 of its counterprogramming around the DNC

Ahead of a news conference at the Trump Hotel Chicago, placards were on display with statistics on homicide rates in various U.S. cities under the heading 鈥淜amala Crime Crisis.鈥

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, one of Trump鈥檚 top U.S. House allies and surrogates, is expected to give remarks and take media questions.

North Carolina governor says he feels good about Democrats鈥 chances of winning his state

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says he has 鈥渢hat 2008 feeling鈥 about Democrats鈥 chances of winning his state with Vice President Kamala Harris on the top of the ticket.

Speaking at an event hosted by Bloomberg at the Democratic National Convention, Cooper pointed to demographic shifts that have made the state more amenable to Democrats, but also a contentious race to replace him in the governor鈥檚 mansion that will generate its own 鈥渂ottom-up鈥 effect on the ticket.

Cooper acknowledged that he didn鈥檛 have the same optimism about his state just weeks ago when Biden was at the top of the ticket.

鈥淒emocrats were not united,鈥 said Cooper said, before Biden dropped out. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful for his decision to do that because it brought everybody together.鈥

Cooper pointed to the rave reception for Biden at the convention鈥檚 opening night to say, 鈥淓veryone loves President Biden.鈥 But he added of Biden鈥檚 decision to step aside: 鈥淚t was the time to do this, it was the time to make history.鈥

The DNC won鈥檛 only feature speeches by Democrats

The Harris campaign announced Tuesday that several Republican leaders will also offer remarks in Chicago, including former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and the mayor of Mesa, Arizona, John Giles.

Also speaking are former Trump White House staffers Olivia Troye, a former national security official, and Stephanie Grisham, who was a White House press secretary.

Grisham said she knows Harris will 鈥渄efend our freedoms and represent our nation with honesty and integrity.鈥

鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 be speaking at a Democratic convention,鈥 she said in a statement. 鈥淏ut, after seeing firsthand who Donald Trump really is, and the threat he poses to our country, I feel very strongly about speaking out.鈥

Harris travels to Milwaukee for a rally before returning to Chicago in the evening

The Harris campaign said Tuesday it will spotlight 鈥渢rusted messengers鈥 from key battleground states over the convention鈥檚 three remaining days. They include Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada; Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Gary Peters and Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan; Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. From Arizona, Sen. Mark Kelly will speak along with John Giles, the Republican mayor of Mesa.

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina 鈥 a state that voted for Trump in 2020 but is now a major pickup opportunity for Harris 鈥 will be among the final speakers before Harris accepts the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday.

After DNC speech, President Biden and his family arrive in California

President Joe Biden and his family are spending the rest of this week in California at the Santa Ynez Valley ranch of longtime Democratic donor and medical device mogul Joe Kiani.

The Bidens arrived at the property of Kiani, the founder of Masimo and Cercacor Laboratories, early Tuesday after Biden delivered his address Monday at the opening day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Biden has called Kiani 鈥渙ne of my closest friends,鈥 and the president in 2021 appointed his billionaire host to the President鈥檚 Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Kiani has also previously hosted the president鈥檚 son, Hunter, at the 8,000-acre property.

Masimo鈥檚 companies have been locked in a costly legal dispute with Apple. Kiani has accused Apple of violating patents for their watches from his companies, which pioneered technology related to measuring blood-oxygen levels.

DNC panelists discuss war in Gaza as Harris tries to ease tension with pro-Palestinian activists

The Democratic Party has been riven for months by , giving rise to a protest movement that threatened Biden鈥檚 electoral coalition.

But with Biden gone from the race and Vice President Kamala Harris now leading the party, there were some indicators at the on Monday that Harris is taking more assertive steps to ease that tension.

In what organizers called a first, party activists were given space at the convention to hold a forum to discuss the plight of people in Gaza, who've been under Israeli bombardment since Hamas鈥 Oct. 7 attack and its taking of hostages, as well as to share deeply personal 鈥 and often heartrending stories 鈥 about family members lost in the conflict.

Though their core demands 鈥 a cease-fire and withholding U.S. support for Israel鈥檚 prosecution of the war 鈥 remain unmet, the decision to allow activists to hold a forum amounted to the offering of an olive branch by Harris. And it鈥檚 one that many doubted Biden would have extended if he were still the nominee.

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US intelligence officials say Iran is to blame for hacks targeting Trump, Biden-Harris campaigns

U.S. intelligence officials said Monday they were confident that Iran was responsible for the , casting the cyber intrusion as part of a brazen and broader effort by Tehran to interfere in American politics and undermine faith in democratic institutions.

Although the Trump campaign and private-sector cybersecurity investigators had previously said Iran was behind the hacking attempts, it was the first time the U.S. government had assigned blame for the attack.

The joint statement from the FBI and other federal agencies also indicated that Iran was responsible for attempts to hack Vice President Kamala Harris鈥 campaign, saying hackers had 鈥渟ought access to individuals with direct access to the Presidential campaign of both political parties.鈥

The goal of the hacking and other activities, federal officials said, was not only to sow discord but also to shape the outcome of elections that Iran perceives to be 鈥減articularly consequential in terms of the impact they could have on its national security interests.鈥

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