1 of 7 | In Washington, D.C., on Monday, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden depart the White House for the Democratic National Convention. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI | License Photo
As the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago, the man who previously had hoped to top the Democratic ticket instead will take the stage Monday night and make the case for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the nation for the next four years.
President Joe Biden, the first Oval Office occupant since former Democratic President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 to announce that he was not seeking another term in office, will deliver keynote remarks Monday night to the more than 4,000 convention delegates roughly a month after ending his re-election bid before endorsing Harris. Advertisement
The president’s speech will come after the appearance onstage of former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former first lady and 2016 nominee for the presidency and first American woman ever nominated by a major U.S. political party for the top office in the land. Advertisement
The convention will have a celebrity host for each of its four nights. However, a full official schedule for the week has not yet been released.
Television programming for each night of the DNC will begin at 7 p.m. ET, or 6 p.m. CT, through Thursday.
DNC events will be held at two different venues. The United Center in downtown Chicago will be the site of speeches and other evening events, while McCormick Place will host meetings or other official party business.
On Monday, Tony Goldwyn, the actor who portrayed a U.S. president on the popular hit show Scandal, will kick-off the event with keynote speeches and programs set to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET, or 5:15 pm. CT.
Harris, now only the second woman in U.S. history nominated by a major political party to be the nations’ chief executive, earlier this month solidified her status on the presidential ticket after the Democratic National Committee held a virtual roll call in which the former senator from California received a needed majority of convention delegates. But the ceremonial roll call still will take place.
The first day’s convention theme is being called “For the People,” and the nearly 2 dozen speakers are widely expected to pay tribute to Biden, beginning with the convention’s committee chair, Minyon Moore, and DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison of South Carolina. Advertisement
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will then take the stage, followed by Peggy Flanagan, the current lieutenant governor serving under the vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Then speaking will be two House members, Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., and Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif.
The American labor movement will be represented on state with labor leaders Lee Saunders of AFSCME, SEIU’s April Verrett, Brent Booker of LiUNA, Kenneth Cooper from IBEW, with Claude Cummings Jr. of CWA and the AFL-CIO’s Elizabeth Shuler, who will join together in their own remarks.
Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow will then speak prior to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, followed by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Shawn Fain, a high-profile ally of Democrats and president of United Automobile Workers, is next in line, and his comments will be followed by those of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
Then to speak will be former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former first lady and 2016 nominee for the presidency and first American woman ever nominated by a major U.S. political party for the top office in the land.
Four House members are slated to then offer remarks first with South Carolina’s Rep. Jim Clyburn, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Jasmine Crockett of Texas and finally New York Rep. Grace Meng. Advertisement
Abortion rights, a key factor in this year’s election and DNC platform, then takes center stage with speakers from states that currently have abortion-restriction policies. Amanda and Josh Zurawski, Kaitlyn Joshua and Hadley Duvall will speak on the topic.
Also on stage Monday night: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Chris Coons of Delaware, a long-time Biden friend.
The president’s wife, first lady Dr. Jill Biden, will be third from last speaker and is expected to express her support for Harris while asking Americans to join together “with faith in each other, hope for a brighter future, and love for our country,” a source familiar with her remarks told CNN.
Her speech will center on Biden’s strength and character “in a way that only a spouse of nearly 50 years can do.”
After that will be the appearance of theri daughter, Ashley Biden, who will introduce her father, sources say.
