Tag Archives: Democratic National Convention 2024

Entertainment

Kamala Harris Accepts Nomination, Kerry Washington Hosts

Vice President Kamala Harris strode onto the DNC stage at 10:30 p.m. on the conference’s closing evening, simply after her beloved sister laid a agency basis for her re-introduction to America — someting dozens of essentially the most highly effective within the Democratic celebration have additionally spent the previous 4 nights making certain. Harris offered herself to the celebration and U.S. citizens because the nominee to banish former President Donald Trump from politics for good in November. 

“Our nation with this election has a valuable, fleeting alternative to maneuver previous the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the previous,” Harris informed her celebration within the speech, the place the previous senator and Califonia lawyer normal formally accepted the celebration’s nomination. “An opportunity to chart a brand new approach ahead. Not as members of anyone celebration or faction, however as People.”

Within the first part of Harris’ roughly 45-minute speech, she shared some particulars with the 25,000 inside Chicago’s United Heart and hundreds of thousands at house about her background. Harris defined how she was raised largely by her mom following a divorce but additionally by a “household by love” in San Francisco’s East Bay. The vice chairman included a quick profession origin story, revealing why she was decided to turn out to be a prosecutor — Wanda, her greatest pal, moved in with Harris’ household after she revealed that she was being abused by her stepfather.

“On behalf of my mom and everybody was ever set out on their very own unlikely journey, on behalf of People just like the individuals I grew up with, individuals who work, chase their desires and look out for each other, on behalf of everybody whose story may solely be written within the best nation on Earth, I settle for your nomination,” she stated to the celebration’s gathered members.

For the rest of Harris’s speech, the VP uncared for to say the historical past being made even together with her nomination, not to mention a win. As an alternative, she spoke of her stance on points — on the economic system, abortion rights, border safety and international coverage — all of that are solely consistent with the Democratic celebration’s platform. A point out of the mass killings and carnage in Gaza was made — to a roar from the gang — however not earlier than a press release confirming unilateral assist for Israel, which is unlikely to assuage any protesting in opposition to the Israel-Hamas warfare at occasions surrounding her candidacy. 

And sure, Harris can assault. She spent period of time going after her opponent, and Trump was handed the blame for the demise of the bipartisan congressional border invoice. She stated that as president, she would signal it.

The notion of Harris as a former lawyer normal “prosecuting” Trump was felt in moments, as she spoke of the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol and used the legalese time period, “his express intent” to explain the GOP candidate’s actions that day. The GOP at giant additionally didn’t escape her derision: “Merely put, they’re out of their minds,” she informed the stadium. 

Themes that have been repeated all through all 4 nights of the 2024 DNC — “we’re not going again” and the notion that the Democrats are the forward-looking celebration for voters to decide on this 12 months — have been embedded into Harris’ closing remarks as she ended her greatest pitch to People. 

“Allow us to write the subsequent nice chapter within the best story ever informed,” Harris stated. The Chicago crowd returned with chants of “U.S.A! U.S.A!”

Just a few hours into the ultimate evening, after possibly two dozen speeches from distinguished Democrats like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Texas Rep. Colin Allred, who’s campaigning to unseat GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, the United Heart’s stage was commanded by superstar host Kerry Washington, one in every of Hollywood’s extra politically-minded actor-producers (it’s not only a function she performed on TV, in spite of everything).

“Look, I do know that I’m the one standing on this stage, however I’m not the lead character on this story,” Washington stated to rising applause. “I’m right here as a mom, as a daughter, as a proud union member. I’m right here because the granddaughter of immigrants, as a Black girl descended from enslaved individuals. I’m right here tonight as a result of I’m an American and since I’m a voter, and since we the persons are stronger when all our voices are heard.”

“I’m not the lead character on this story. You might be, all of you. You’re the messengers. You’re the fixers. Dare I say you’re the Olivia Pope,” she added, referring to her Scandal political operative character.

Washington later led Harris’ great-nieces in a lesson for the gang and people watching at house: Kamala is pronounced “comma,” then “lah.” Get it proper, people, it’s not laborious! Afterward, Meena Harris, Ella Emhoff and Helena Hudlin — the VP’s niece, step-daughter and goddaughter, respectively, spoke of Harris’ affect on their lives through the years.

Gun management, a key concern for a lot of Democrats, took middle stage when Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath, whose son was killed by a gunman, was joined by the households of youngsters slain in Uvalde, Texas; Newtown, Connecticut; Charleston, South Carolina; and Chicago. The phrases that got here from the moms discussing their grief have been among the most gutting moments of the conference.

Former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was shot within the head in 2010 at an occasion in her district, took to the stage together with her husband, astronaut and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who was on the shortlist to hitch Harris on the ticket. He spoke a bit afterward international coverage points and the a number of wars and geopolitical conflicts by which the U.S. is entangled. 

“All of us want a staff. I’ve flown into house 4 occasions. I’ve flown into fight almost 40 occasions. Not as soon as did I try this on my own. It took a staff to perform a mission,” Kelly stated. “Vladimir Putin is testing whether or not we’re nonetheless robust — Iran, North Korea and particularly China. Watch intently. Trump… invited Russia to do, and these are his phrases, not mine, ‘Regardless of the hell they need.’”

He continued, “Vice President Harris has at all times championed America’s assist for NATO, for Ukraine and for the Ukrainian individuals. She defends free, truthful elections in all places. You already know the way Trump feels about these. Trump skipped his intelligence briefings. He was too busy sucking as much as dictators and dreaming of 1 himself.“

Earlier than Sen. Kelly’s speech, enduring singer-songwriter Pink took the DNC stage following Giffords’ second, singing “What About Us” from her seventh studio album, Stunning Trauma. Alecia Beth Hart Moore, aka Pink, wrote the monitor as a protest music directed on the U.S. authorities, asking why it has failed so many individuals. Its accompanying music video, launched in 2017, reveals members of minority teams dancing and chased by searchlights helicopters above them. She carried out the music on Thursday together with her daughter, 13-year-old Willow by her aspect harmonizing.

Democratic Social gathering rising star and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — maybe she’s risen to celebration star standing at this level — hit on kitchen-table financial points, angling on making herself and Harris relatable to the citizens on this entrance. 

“I’ve identified [Harris] greater than a decade, and she or he comes from a household rather a lot like mine, and I’m positive rather a lot like yours,” Whitmer stated. “We have been each raised realizing that nobody was going at hand us something, particularly as ladies.”

As evening 4 of the Democratic Nationwide Conference opened, visitors who had poured in to fill the 25,000 seats within the United Heart discovered an surprising object on the seats — a wristband gentle with the DNC 2024 emblem on its face. With one wristband for everybody, minds ran wild concerning the final goal of the thing. 

Whispers started to be exchanged a couple of hole left within the programming towards the top of the evening, and with Oprah Winfrey’s shock look on the podium within the rearview, which girl could be worthy of such a slot? Many turned their focus to rumors that Beyoncé would carry out, however the singer’s rep informed The Hollywood Reporter that Queen Bey “was by no means scheduled,” and wouldn’t attend.

The ladies delegates current wore white to honor ladies’s suffrage on the evening of Harris’ acceptance of the Democrats’ nomination. It was a triumphant group, and so they danced to Chicago native DJ Metro a number of occasions all through the night’s breaks. The DJ additionally performed Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and Beyoncé’s “Texas Maintain ‘Em” at occasions.

Celebrities peppered the roster, with Eva Longoria, internet hosting alongside Washington. D.L. Hughley and others joined later, however the first Hollywood superstar to seem was Morgan Freeman, who joined actor Jeffrey Wright as a narrator of one in every of Harris’ new advertisements which have run this week. The 87-year-old Oscar winner, whose narration abilities have been utilized in motion pictures so regularly, it’s nearly a cliche, spoke over a montage of moments from Harris’ life that will look acquainted to savvy viewers who watched the DNC Present final evening.

“After which got here a second that modified Kamala Harris’ future, and lit the hearth inside,” Freeman informed viewers in his trademark air of omniscience.

The audio system on the United Heart within the first hours included California Sen. Alex Padilla, who was appointed to Harris’ seat when she ascended to the vice presidency. Sharing her seat isn’t all Padilla has in frequent with Harris — they’re each the kids of migrant households who rose to the highest of their state’s political enviornment. 

​​“My query to you is that this: This November, who is able to defend the dream?” Padilla requested the gang. “Tim Walz is able to defend the dream. Kamala Harris is able to defend the dream.”

Subsequent, Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin shared particulars of her upbringing that intently mirrored GOP VP candidate J.D. Vance. Just like the junior senator from Ohio, Baldwin had a mom who struggled with dependancy and was raised by her grandparents. Social Safety and Medicare have been technique of survival for her childhood, and Baldwin identified that Trump has urged each applications could possibly be reduce. “We received’t let that occur,” she stated.

“We Democrats, we honor our elders and ask the rich to pay their fair proportion,” she added.

Al Sharpton then appeared on stage to introduce The Exonerated 5 — the brand new title of the 5 males who, as youngsters, have been falsely accused in a New York rape case after which railroaded by the justice system. Donald Trump took it upon himself on the time to pay a reported $89,000 to take out full-page advertisements in 4 newspapers calling for the younger males to be executed by the state. All 5 have been exonerated by way of DNA proof evaluation; collectively, they served 41 years in jail.

Korey Sensible, the one one of many 5 to serve all his time within the grownup jail system, spoke to the gang about his expertise in 1989, saying, “as we walked into the courtroom day by day, individuals screamed at us, threatened us due to Donald Trump….we have been harmless children.”

Yusef Salaam, who now serves as a New York Metropolis Councilman representing a bit of Harlem, spoke subsequent about electing Harris to “lastly say goodbye to that hateful man.”

“That man thinks that hate is the animating drive in America; it’s not. We’ve got the constitutional proper to vote — in reality, it’s a human proper, so allow us to use it,” Salaam stated. “I would like you to stroll with us. I would like you to march with us. I would like you to vote with us. And let me inform you, that is going to be so stunning. And collectively on Nov. 5, we are going to usher in Kamala Harris and Tim Walz into the White Home.”

Entertainment

Tim Walz Takes VP Nomination on Democratic Ticket to End Zone

With a lead-up that included speeches from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, his residence state Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and none apart from Sheila E. and John Legend masking Prince, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had an enormous introduction on the 2024 Democratic Nationwide Conference, the place he wholeheartedly accepted the social gathering’s nomination for vp on the ticket with Kamala Harris.

That was all earlier than Ben Ingman, who grew up subsequent to the governor, spoke of being coached by Walz along with his center college basketball group, then launched the highschool soccer group he famously coaches in Minnesota and invited them onto the stage. The wind-up to the potential VP’s stage look reached a fever pitch with an advert that includes his spouse, First Woman of Minnesota Gwen Walz, who shared her husband’s story, starting along with his roots in Nebraska after which enlisting within the Military Nationwide Guard. 

The spot aired within the stadium and on residence screens earlier than Walz appeared to thunderous applause in Chicago’s United Area and spoke of his formative years, educating and segue into politics. 

“So, there I used to be, a 40-something highschool trainer with little children, zero political expertise, and no cash, operating in a deep purple state,” Walz mentioned. “However you already know what? By no means underestimate a public college trainer.”

“I represented my neighbors in Congress for 12 years, and I discovered an terrible lot,” he added when the roar of applause died. “I discovered how you can work throughout the aisle on points like rising the agricultural economies and caring for veterans. And I discovered how you can compromise with out compromising my values. Then, I got here again to function governor, and we obtained proper to work making a distinction in our neighbor’s lives.”

Walz, whose booming voice and soccer coach’s motivational perspective can seize most crowds’ consideration, then rattled off a few of his achievements in Saint Paul, Minnesota — a lot of which sound much like what Harris has thus far proposed for her personal platform. 

“We reduce taxes for the center class,” he mentioned. “We handed paid household and medical depart. We invested in preventing crime and inexpensive housing. We reduce the price of pharmaceuticals and assist folks escape the sort of medical debt that almost sank my household, and we made positive that each child in our state will get breakfast and lunch day by day.”

Walz obtained one use of the “bizarre” descriptor when tying the GOP and former President Donald Trump, alongside along with his operating mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, to Challenge 2025 — his crowds nonetheless eat up that signature phrase.

“They spend quite a lot of time pretending they know nothing about this. However look, I coached highschool soccer lengthy sufficient to know, belief me on this, when any person takes the time to drop a playbook, they’re going to use it,” Walz mentioned. “It’s an agenda that serves no person besides the richest and probably the most excessive amongst us. And it’s an agenda that does nothing for our neighbors in want. Is it bizarre? Completely. Completely. However it’s also incorrect and it’s harmful.”

He then used one other soccer metaphor to drive his pitch for Harris-Walz residence.

“Group, it’s the fourth quarter, we’re down a subject purpose, however we’re on offense and we’ve obtained the ball,” Walz mentioned. “We’re driving down the sphere. And, boy, do we’ve got the precise group, Kamala Harris is hard, Kamala Harris is skilled and Kamala Harris is prepared. Our job is to get into the trenches and do the blocking and tackling. One inch at a time, one yard at a time, one telephone name at a time, one door knock at a time, one $5 donation at a time.”

Walz exited the stage, closing out night time three as he walked off, to Neil Youg’s “Rockin’ within the Free World.”

Earlier than Walz took to the stage, Oprah Winfrey stunned a delighted conference crowd, the place she gave a fiery speech in help of Harris, in addition to touched on the significance of voting. “I’m calling on all you independents and all you undecideds — you already know that is true…values and character matter most of all,” she mentioned. “Greater than something… decency and respect are on the poll in 2024.”

Earlier Wednesday, former President Invoice Clinton graced the DNC and confirmed off his distinctive charms, emphasizing the legacy of President Joe Biden and his 4 years in workplace and evaluating him to founding father George Washinton for his determination to surrender the large political energy that comes with the U.S. presidency.

“Let’s reduce to the chase. I’m too outdated to gild the lily. Two days in the past, I turned 78,” Clinton mentioned, his voice hoarse and his body seemingly skinny as ever. He then identified that he’s nonetheless youthful than former President Donald Trump, who made age an outsized matter throughout this election cycle — a minimum of when he was the youthful candidate whereas going through Biden.

After praising the present president, whose identify practically vanished from the conference by the third night time, Clinton moved on to Harris, who he mentioned he believes is the “clear alternative” being offered to voters. 

“Kamala Harris is the one candidate on this race who has the imaginative and prescient, the expertise, the temperament, the desire, and sure, the sheer pleasure, to get one thing performed,” he mentioned. “I imply, look, what does her opponent do along with his voice? He largely talks about himself. So, the following time you hear him, don’t depend the lies, depend the ‘I’s.’”

He went on the assault towards Trump for his many “vendettas, his vengeance, his complaints, his conspiracies.” 

“He’s just like the tenors opening up earlier than he goes on stage, like I did, by saying, ‘me, me, me, me, me.’ When Kamala Harris is president, day by day will start with you, you, you, you,” the previous president mentioned.

Clinton left the stage to Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Cease,” which for many who had been there in 1992, is synonymous along with his first presidential marketing campaign. 

Halfway by means of night time three, a movement of celebrities lastly arrived on stage at Chicago’s United Area, with each host Mindy Kaling and SNL’s Kenan Thompson bringing some comedic star energy to the proceedings. However they had been no match for the pure charisma and public talking talents of Hakeem Jeffries.

After Kaling joked that she “courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian” in an Instagram cooking video and recalled the vp coming to her residence to assist her make Indian meals throughout her 2020 run, Thompson, beset with some technical difficulties, video-chatted with People of all stripes after which defined to them how they might be impacted by Challenge 2025. 

“You ever seen a doc that may kill a small animal and finish democracy on the identical time?” he requested. “Right here it’s.” 

Thompson likened the guide, which was for the third night time in a row represented by an outsized novelty guide held by a speaker, to the “phrases and situations” of a second Trump administration — however one which voters mustn’t skip and click on “settle for.”

Earlier than former President Invoice Clinton’s speech got here Jeffries’s greatest second earlier than the social gathering and the nation. The Home minority speaker and inheritor obvious to the speaker place, ought to the Democrats win a majority, dazzled all of them, bringing a roar to the gang as he listed the entire folks and issues Kamala Harris cares about — grandparents, kids, your rights and so forth. 

“President Biden selflessly handed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris who was prepared, prepared and capable of combat for the folks,” Jeffries mentioned Wednesday, including that the president “will go down as probably the most consequential presidents of all time.”

Harris, he advised the gang, is “a brave chief, a compassionate chief and a standard sense chief who will ship actual outcomes for on a regular basis People, whereas former President Donald Trump is like “an outdated boyfriend who you broke up with, however he simply received’t go away.”

In a second which will predict a sure pop star’s look in Chicago, Jeffries mentioned of Trump, “There isn’t a cause for us to ever get again collectively.”

Songwriting legend Stevie Marvel additionally made a shock look in Chicago, the place he backed Harris for president and carried out his hit music “Greater Floor.” His hit music, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours” was a staple of Barack Obama’s presidential marketing campaign and the previous president honored the singer with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.

“That is the second to recollect: while you inform your kids the place you had been and what you probably did. As we stand between historical past’s ache and tomorrow’s guarantees, we should select braveness over complacency. It’s time to stand up and go vote,” Marvel advised the gang in Chicago.

Marvel’s soulful music is correct consistent with Harris’ style and the music she has performed on the marketing campaign path.

The acknowledged theme for the third day of the DNC was set to be “A Battle for Our Freedoms” and the primary rapid-fire batch of audio system introduced reproductive and LGBTQ rights to the fore. They then tied the GOP and Trump to the ever-present Challenge 2025, with the primary set of audio system, primarily girls, who stepped as much as the rostrum discussing the matters, which have develop into driving points for the social gathering.

On Wednesday, Emily’s Record President Jessica Mackler was the primary to say Challenge 2025, which she shortly tied to the precise to abortion care. Underneath Joe Biden’s administration, however ensuing from the opinions of three Supreme Court docket judges appointed by Trump, the constitutional proper to abortion care was struck down in 2022.

“Challenge 2025 is a blueprint for banning abortion in all 50 states,” Mackler advised the crows on the United Heart. “It could give extremists like Donald Trump and J.D. Vance the ability to watch your being pregnant and even prosecute medical doctors for prescribing abortion treatment. Make no mistake: the specter of Challenge 2025 may be very actual. However so is our capacity to cease it.”

The audio system early within the night got here to the stage quick and livid, with some talking for round two minutes on points historically vital to the Democrats earlier than praising Harris and exiting to applause from the gang: CEO of Boca Latino Maria Teresa Kumar, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (bumped from earlier this week), Minnesota Lawyer Basic Keith Ellison and different minor social gathering stars had their second on Wednesday.

Throughout her time earlier than the large crowd, Kelly Robertson, the president of the nonprofit Human Rights Marketing campaign, shifted deeper into LGBTQ rights whereas enthusiastically talking out towards the GOP’s platform.

“Donald Trump needs to erase us. He would ban our well being care, belittle our marriages, and bury our story,” she advised the gang. “However we’re not going wherever. We aren’t going again. Kamala Harris is a champion for LGBTQ plus freedom. So tonight, we’re preventing for lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, queer and trans freedom with out exception. We’re preventing for equality for all with out exception. We’re preventing for pleasure.”

Later within the night, Michigan Lawyer Basic Dana Nessel saved the homosexual rights theme on the podium, galvanizing the gang as she mentioned Harris’ file as AG of California, which she served from 2011-2017.

“She’s held accountable environmental polluters, sexual abusers… however what actually stands out is when she stood up and guarded her constituent’s freedoms,” Nessel mentioned. “In 2011, she refused to defend California’s ban on same-sex marriage. She refused to argue that some households ought to have fewer rights than different households.”

“By the way in which, Supreme Court docket, you may pry this marriage ceremony finger from my chilly lifeless hand,” she added later to uproar from the gang.

A probably conflicting second got here when Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the dad and mom of 23-year-old American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, got here to the stage. Hersh is a Hamas hostage whose arm was blown off by a grenade on the day he was taken hostage on Oct. 7 on the Re’im music competition bloodbath in Southern Israel. With Israel’s lethal marketing campaign in Gaza being the important thing topic of protests surrounding the DNC, the speech from his dad and mom, two of probably the most vocal members of the family calling for the discharge of hostages, may not have gone over effectively with the viewers. Luckily, the sector fell silent as they advised his story.

“In a contest of ache, there are not any winners,” Jon mentioned, referring to the large demise toll in Gaza as in comparison with that of Israelis. The “struggling of harmless civilians in Gaza should finish,” he declared, together with the discharge of all hostages and a unilateral ceasefire.

As a substitute of being booed or heckled, the dad and mom acquired a sustained standing ovation once they walked to the rostrum. “Carry them residence,” the gang chanted, main Rachel to double over, sobbing.

Discover extra of The Hollywood Reporter‘s protection of the 2024 DNC right here.

Entertainment

Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, More

Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, Tony Goldwyn and Ana Navarro will function hosts on the 2024 Democratic Nationwide Conference, which kicks off Monday in Chicago.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the information that every of the celebrities will host one evening of the four-day occasion. The plan is that, on their respective nights, one of many 4 will kick off the published with opening remarks and make appearances all through the night.

The schedule is as follows: Goldwyn (Monday), Navarro (Tuesday), Kaling (Wednesday) and Washington (Thursday, which can also be the day that Vice President Kamala Harris will formally settle for the Democratic nomination for president).

The View co-host Navarro, who had beforehand voted Republican however started supporting the Democratic social gathering as soon as Donald Trump entered the political fray, took to Instagram on Sunday to specific her pleasure about being chosen for position.

“I can’t inform you how a lot it means to me,” Navarro mentioned in a video she posted. “Look, I’m a bit refugee woman who fled Communism, who fled Nicaragua on the age of 8, discovered freedom, discovered alternative, discovered a house in America. And for me to have the possibility to face on that stage and assist my woman Kamala make historical past and change into the Democratic nominee, it’s simply such a mind-blowing second.”

Goldwyn beforehand performed a president on Scandal, which additionally starred Washington. Goldwyn at present stars on Regulation & Order, whereas Washington stars on UnPrisoned. Kaling is understood for her position on The Workplace and in addition was tapped to jot down the third Legally Blonde movie with Dan Goor, amongst different credit.

Washington has expertise talking on the DNC: She beforehand took the stage in each 2012 (when Obama accepted the nomination and finally gained the election towards Mitt Romney) and 2020 (when Biden accepted the nomination and went on to defeat incumbent President Trump).

As beforehand reported, former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, together with former President Invoice Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, are also anticipated to talk on the 2024 DNC. President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden will take the stage Monday. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff is also among the many checklist of scheduled audio system. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will settle for his nomination for vp on Wednesday evening.

Others who’re mentioned to be taking the stage are Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and former President Carter’s grandson Jason Carter.

The information of the DNC hosts was first reported by CNN on Sunday.