WASHINGTON — Less than a month after becoming the presidential candidate in the biggest shakeup in presidential politics in a generation, Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver a highly anticipated acceptance speech on Thursday as she accepts the Democratic nomination at the party’s convention in Chicago.
Harris’ rise to the top of the ticket after President Joe Biden reversed course and said he would not seek re-election has breathed fresh life into the Democratic candidacy, with polls showing Harris — who already official party candidate following a virtual vote earlier this month — fared significantly better than Biden against Republican rival Donald Trump.
Over the course of four days, Democrats will look to capitalize on their base’s newfound enthusiasm for the campaign, with keynote speakers looking to rally the faithful behind the party’s positions on reproductive rights, gun safety and voting rights, while convincing teenage votersHarris is also expected to elaborate on her policy positions.
Harris’ nomination is historic. The daughter of immigrants, Harris is the first Black and South Asian woman elected to lead a major party. She would be the first woman of any race to lead the country as head of government.
The party has not released an official detailed speaker schedule, but a convention official confirmed that “current and former presidents are scheduled to participate in the convention program.” Biden and two former presidents, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as former candidate Hillary Clinton, will all speak, according to the New York Times.
Vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is scheduled to deliver the convention keynote address Wednesday night, and Harris’ acceptance speech will close the convention on Thursday, a convention official said.
The evening block will run from 6:30pm to 11pm ET on Mondays, and from 7pm to 11pm ET the rest of the week.
In addition to the regular television broadcasts, the convention will be streamed live on several social media platforms, including YouTube, X, Instagram, and TikTok. The official live stream will be available on DemConvention.com.
Dozens of Democratic caucus and council meetings are also scheduled throughout the day, as well as breakfasts and state delegation meetings. Media organizations and outside groups are also organizing events throughout the day that Democratic officials and candidates will attend.
Protests are also expected over the Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war with Hamas, amid delegation of undecided voters who oppose the war.
According to DemList, a newsletter for Democratic officials and allies, 25,000 protesters are expected during the convention.
The competition that has changed
Harris entered the race almost immediately after Biden announced July 21 will not seek re-election, motivating Democrats worried about Biden’s indigent poll performance against Trump, whose re-election bid Biden ousted in 2020.
Monmouth University survey published on August 14 showed a huge boost in enthusiasm for Democrats. The survey found that 85% of Democratic respondents were excited about the Harris-Trump race. By comparison, only 46% of Democratic respondents said in June that they were excited about the Biden-Trump race.
Harris has also been polling better against Trump, and polls in key battleground states and nationally have consistently shifted toward the Democratic nominee since Biden dropped out of the race.
Polls in seven key states published by The Cook Political Report With Amy Walter on Aug. 14 showed Harris narrowly ahead in five states — Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — and tied in Georgia and trailing in Nevada. All of those results were better than Biden’s performance in the same poll in May.
Poll conducted August 14 by Quinnipiac University showed Harris with a 48%-45% lead in Pennsylvania. Harris’ 3-point lead was within the poll’s margin of error.
Democrats are hoping to keep the momentum going through the convention. Polls typically favor the party during and immediately after its national convention.
Despite recent polls, Harris and Walz continue to describe themselves as outsiders in the race.
Campaign Topics
During her brief campaign stop, Harris emphasized several key messages.
She has made reproductive rights a central focus, including the slogan “We will not back down” in her speech at a rally after describing the Republican position on abortion. In addition, a Texas woman who had to leave the state for an emergency abortion will speak at the DNC, according to Reuters.
Harris also referenced her past as a prosecutor, contrasting with Trump’s legal troubles.
Harris, Walz campaign as co-candidates for first time in western Pennsylvania
Walz highlighted his working-class background and military service while attacking Republicans’ stances calling for restrictions on reproductive rights and a ban on certain books in schools.
Waltz first stop in the solo campaign Since Harris selected him as her deputy, he has attended union conventions, where he has emphasized his union roots as a high school teacher.
Walz was not initially considered a favorite to run alongside Harris as vice president, but his appeal as a Midwesterner who won a tough election and implemented progressive policies, led to his election August 6.
Harris has faced criticism for not giving a formal media interview or holding a press conference since becoming a candidate.
Platform in motion
Democrats have not yet set their agenda for 2024. Adoption of the party’s agenda is typically one of the official items on the convention agenda.
Party set platform design in July, just eight days before Biden dropped his re-election bid. The documentary focused on the theme of “finishing the job” and mentioned Biden, then the presumptive nominee, 50 times and Harris 12 times.
Party spokespeople did not respond this week to an inquiry about plans to update the platform.
Reproductive rights are likely to be at the top of any political wish list.
While vice president, Harris led the administration’s messaging on reproductive rights after the Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion in the summer of 2022.
In her campaign speeches, she frequently stressed the need to “trust women” and that the government should not make decisions about reproductive health.
Harris has frequently promised that if elected she would restore reproductive rights, but unless Democrats win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and 60 votes in the Senate, she is unlikely to fulfill that promise.
From Roe v. Wade overturned In this Supreme Court decision, Democrats campaigned on reproductive rights that go beyond abortion to include protections for in vitro fertilization.
Party Platform for 2020 focused on recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, high-quality health care, investing in education, protecting democracy and fighting climate change.
Democrats are likely to continue to criticize the playbook for Project 2025, a roadmap developed by the Heritage Foundation think tank to implement conservative policies across the federal government if Trump wins in November.
Trump has distanced himself from the document but has not provided details of his own policy plans.
Chicago Conventions
The Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago, a city with a long history of hosting the event. The Democrats have held their convention in Chicago 11 times, first in 1864 and most recently in 1996.
This year’s convention will be the first in-person for Democrats since 2016. In 2020, it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic and held virtually.
The four-day convention will feature speeches and side events hosted by state Democratic Party leaders.
The ceremonial roll call vote with delegates on the convention floor will take place on Tuesday. Vice President Walz’s nominating speech will take place on Wednesday evening, and Harris will deliver her nomination acceptance speech on Thursday evening.
The city is also bracing for mass protests by several groups over reproductive rights, LGBTQ protections, housing and an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. according to WBEZ News.
The Chicago City Council approved a ceasefire resolution in January with Mayor Brandon Johnson casting the deciding vote, making it the largest city to call for an end to Israel’s war with Hamas, in which more than 40,000 Palestinians died.
The war broke out after a Hamas attack on October 7, in which almost 1200 people died in Israel and hundreds were taken hostage.
The path to nomination
Harris’s nomination speech will be the culmination of her party’s five-year run to the nomination.
In 2019, the California senator announced that he intended to run for president in the next year’s election, but fell out before the first votes were cast in primaries or party meetings, after she failed to gain the approval of Democratic voters.
Biden later named her as his vice presidential running mate, and together they defeated Trump and then-Vice President Mike Pence in the 2020 election.
Biden launched a re-election campaign in 2024 but dropped out after a disastrous debate performance in June that raised questions about his ability to campaign and serve another four-year term.
After Biden’s withdrawal, Harris brisk secured 99% Delegates become the party’s likely candidateFive days of virtual voting secured her official nomination.
With less than three months until Election Day, Harris and Walz have already visited key battleground states like Arizona, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
Their campaign also raised more than $300 million, according to the campaign. Official Federal Election Commission figures will be released in mid-October.
Harris and Trump have agreed on September 10th debate hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia. Trump has proposed two more debates, and Harris said she is open to another one between the first debate and Election Day.
Walz and Republican vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio have agreed on October 1st debate on CBS News in New York.
