The Democratic National Convention has kicked off its fourth and final night.
After a week of Democrats’ most prominent figures rallying the party faithful, Vice President Kamala Harris will accept her party’s nomination during a speech in which she is widely expected to offer her vision and policy agenda to the American people.
The theme of the final night is “For Our Future.”
Elizabeth Warren gets a standing ovation
As she was welcomed to the stage Thursday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts received a standing ovation.
After wiping a tear from her face, Warren, who competed against Harris when they each unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic party’s nomination in the 2020 election cycle, spoke about her experience working with Harris when she was California’s attorney general. At the time, Warren was working to set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Pennsylvania senator takes aim at ‘greedflation’
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who is running to be reelected to his seat representing Pennsylvania, discussed “shrinkflation,” which he, Harris and President Joe Biden have talked about this election cycle.
Casey, in February, introduced legislation to “crack down” on big corporations “shrinking products without reducing prices.”
Biden, on more than one occasion, has endorsed the bill in public.
“Most companies are good companies. It’s the food conglomerates that sit behind the supermarkets. The faceless wholesalers, they’re the ones who are extorting families at the checkout counter. This is greedflation. I’ve been fighting it a long time. So is Kamala Harris. And finally, we’re starting to win.”
Congressman makes AI crowd-size joke
With artificial intelligence continuing to be a popular topic — and with former President Donald Trump frequently commenting on and comparing crowd sizes, a U.S. congressman who spoke on Thursday made a joke about AI and the crowd.
“As a computer science major, I am so impressed with how large this AI-generated crowd looks tonight,” U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu said as he was met with laughter from the crowd.
Lieu, of California, then talked about his experience working with Harris during the 2008 recession and housing crisis.
Female delegates are wearing white to honor women’s suffrage on the night of Harris’ speech
If you think you’re seeing a lot of women wearing white tonight, you don’t 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.
When Harris takes the stage to accept the Democratic presidential nomination — becoming the first Black woman, and only the second woman overall, to do so — she will be looking out across a sea filled with the color of women’s 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.
Video highlights Harris’ life, professional achievements
A video, which is narrated by actor Morgan Freeman, played at the DNC. It focused on Harris’ life, from childhood through the current day.
The video featured childhood friends, as well as family members and people Harris has worked with in her many roles over the years. Harris, prior to becoming President Joe Biden’s vice president, was a U.S. Senator, California’s attorney general, and a prosecutor before that.
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’s program is packed with members of Congress and other Democratic leaders and will conclude with Vice President Harris formally accepting her party’s 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 — if it’s actually anyone at all — remains a mystery.
Day 4 of the DNC has begun
The fourth and final night of the convention has officially been gaveled in.
Day 4 speakers and performers
- Chair of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee Minyon Moore
- U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas
- National President of the American Federation of Government Employees Everett Kelly
- Imam Muhammad Abdul-Aleem of Masjidullah Mosque of West Oak Lane, Pennsylvania
- Luna Maring, 6th Grader from Oakland, California (Pledge of Allegiance)
- President of the National Education Association Becky Pringle and President of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten
- U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California
- Former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia L. Fudge
- U.S. Rep. Ted W. Lieu of California
- U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin
- U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts
- U.S. House of Representatives Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse of Colorado
- Mayor Leonardo Williams of Durham, North Carolina
- U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois
- U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
- U.S. Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado
- U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan
- U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan of New York
- The Rev. Al Sharpton
- Representatives of “the Central Park Five”
- Council Member Dr. Yusef Salaam of New York City
- Activist Korey Wise
- Activist Raymond Santana
- Activist Kevin Richardson
- Former prosecutor and friend of Vice President Harris Amy Resner
- Director of Federal Affairs at the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network Karrie Delaney
- Former Attorney General of Illinois Lisa Madigan
- President of the National Urban League Marc H. Morial
- Former student at Corinthian Colleges Nathan Hornes
- Former New York State Assistant Attorney General Tristan Snell
- Gov. Maura Healey of Massachusetts
- Youth organizer and human trafficking survivor Courtney Baldwin
- Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland
- Content creator John Russell
- U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost of Florida
- U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Texas
- Anya Cook of Florida
- Craig Sicknick of New Jersey
- Gail DeVore of Colorado
- Juanny Romero of Nevada
- Eric, Christian, and Carter Fitts of North Carolina
- The Chicks (National Anthem)
- Actress Kerry Washington (host)
- Meena Harris, Ella Emhoff and Helena Hudlin
- Comedian and actor D.L. Hughley
- Sheriff Chris Swanson of Genesee County, Michigan
- A Conversation on Gun Violence with U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia and joined by Abbey Clements of Connecticut, Kim Rubio of Texas, Melody McFadden of South Carolina, Edgar Vilchez of Illinois
- Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona
- P!NK (performance)
- U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona
- Former United States Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta
- U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona
- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan
- Eva Longoria
- Former Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois
- Maya Harris
- Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina
- Vice President Kamala Harris