DNC kicks off in Chicago with Biden headlining first night

The president also used his speech to acknowledge the protestors who had gathered outside the DNC to voice their disapproval of his handling the Israel-Hamas war, particularly the sale of US arms weapons to Israel.

"Those protesters out in the street, they have a point, a lot of innocent people are being killed, both sides," he said.

"We’re working around the clock, my secretary of state, to prevent a wider war and reunite hostages with their families and surge humanitarian health and food assistance into Gaza now," Biden said. "To end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally, finally deliver a ceasefire and end this war."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel on Monday, and had said that Israel had accepted some new proposals ahead of ceasefire talks in Egypt later this week.

But it appears that one of the biggest takeaways from the night was that protesters had a relatively muted impact on the gathering itself. American media outlets reported that the number of protesters appeared to be in the "low thousands" when a much bigger crowd was expected.

Biden sought to set the record straight on his feelings over stepping down from the race.

"All this talk about how I’m angry at all the people who said I should step down — that’s not true," he said. 

"I love my country more, and we need to preserve our democracy."

It has been said that Biden stepped down after reviewing polling data that showed almost no path for him to beat Trump in key states.

Biden was unable to get a word in during the first minutes of his keynote speech, as he was drowned out by an excited crowd holding up vertical "We love Joe" signs.

The president thanked his daughter, who introduced him, along with his son, Hunter, and his wife, Jill Biden.

"America, I love you," Biden told supporters.

The overwhelming support for Biden caps a tumultuous month for the president who dropped out of the presidential race last month.

 

 

South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, whose endorsement of Biden three days before his state's primary in 2020 was seen as pivotal to his victory, warned of the dangers of the Republican blueprint for Trump's next term, "Project 2025." He called it "Jim Crow 2.0."

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, another leading Democrat in the south, focused his remarks on reproductive rights. Hailing from the same state as Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, Beshear said “in 21 states, Trump’s actions have resulted in extreme bans on abortion — in my state, even in cases of rape, incest, and nonviable pregnancies...That fails any test of humanity, any test of basic decency, any test of whether you have any underlying empathy."

Jasmine Crockett, a Congresswoman from Texas, recalled in her speech how Vice President Harris had comforted her in the face of Republican attacks. She said Harris' words "gave me my legislative legs and I’ve been running ever since."

US President Joe Biden was tearful as he started his speech.

He had stepped aside a month ago to pave the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the party's presumptive nominee.

Biden warned of "clear and very present threats to our democracy."

He criticized Trump's handling of the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, arguing that the far right was "emboldened" by the Republican politician's presidency.

"There is no place in America for political violence," Biden said.

"You cannot say you only love your country when you win," he said, pointing to Trump's claims that the 2020 election in which he was defeated by Biden was fraudulent.

Biden called for an America where "hate has no safe harbor."

The incumbent president highlighted what he considered to be his achievements during his term in office.

"We've had one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever," Biden said.

He hailed his administration's handling of the economy, saying that wages had risen and inflation was continuing to fall.

"We finally beat Big Pharma," he declared, adding that Medicare is now able to negotiate lower drug prices.

Biden praised his administration's infrastructure projects and accused Trump of never building "a damn thing."

US President Joe Biden was greeted by a huge ovation at the Democratic National Convention. Watch here:

Hillary Clinton, who was defeated by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, spoke at the Democratic National Convention and presented a vision of Harris on the "other side of that glass ceiling" if she is elected as the US' first woman president in November.

"The story of my life and the history of our country is that progress is possible, but not guaranteed," she said.

"And now, we are writing a new chapter in America's story," Clinton said. "Kamala has the character, experience and vision to lead us forward."

Clinton was the first woman to secure a major US party's nomination as candidate for president.

She criticized Trump, pointing to the former president's numerous legal troubles.

"Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history, the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions," she said, referring to his conviction in the so-called hush money trial.

Clinton served as secretary of state between 2009 and 2013 under former President Barack Obama and was first lady to former President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001.

Making a brief, unannounced onstage appearance, US Vice President Kamala Harris said she was "forever grateful" to President Joe Biden. 

"I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden," she said to cheers.

"Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation."

Harris' remarks came shortly before Biden was scheduled to address the event. 

For both Republicans and Democrats, national conventions symbolize the party uniting behind a single candidate for the final stage of the presidential race.

But this year's campaign has been anything but traditional for the Democrats. Due to Biden dropping out of the race last month and some legal concerns regarding the ballot in Ohio, the party has already held a virtual roll call to confirm Harris as its presidential nominee.

Harris secured the support of 99% of the delegates during the virtual roll call in early August, which saw 4,615 delegates cast their vote. Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, have already accepted the Democratic nomination, making any further display of support from the delegates is purely symbolic.

Harris is still expected to give a formal acceptance speech and close the nomination process on Thursday. Read more about what to expect from the DNC this week here.

Dozens of protesters broke through a fence set up by police near the site of the Democratic National Convention.

Police then formed a line along a fence after arresting several of the demonstrators who had managed to get through it. 

Thousands of people had gathered to voice their opposition to the war in Gaza.

Members of the crowd chanted, "End the occupation now" and, "The whole world is watching."

Pro-Palestinian groups have criticized President Joe Biden's administration for sending aid to Israel.

President Joe Biden and his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, arrived in Chicago late Monday afternoon to walk through the site of the Democratic National Convention, where the sitting president will address party faithful later this evening.

Biden, who was forced to drop his candidacy due to concerns over his age, will now attempt to rally the party behind his heir to the nomination, Vice President Kamala Harris, as she squares off against the GOP nominee, former President Donald Trump.

Asked if he was ready to pass the torch to Harris, Biden told reporters: "I am," as he did a sound check at the convention center.

The speech will be one of the last major addresses the 81-year-old will deliver, signaling the end of more than five decades in public office. 

Harris is expected to join the president on stage after the speech, which set to begin at 10:50 p.m. (0250 GMT).

The Bidens arrived in the midwestern metropolis to the sound of protests over his administration's foreign policy, especially as regards Gaza and Israel's ongoing military operation there. Protesters now say they are setting their sights on Harris' role in shaping US foreign policy toward Israel.

Pro-Palestinian protesters are rallying in Chicago outside the Democratic National Convention, with only around half of the turnout that organizers had expected, DW's Stefan Simons reports from Chicago.

Donald Trumpposted a series of doctored and/or AI-generated images of Taylor Swift and her fans to his Truth Social account.

The images posted on Sunday and the accompanying captions suggest the GOP presidential candidate is blatantly attempting to hijack Swift's fame to win support for his own candidacy.

Posting a fake image of Swift dressed as Uncle Sam and featuring the words, "Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump," the former president wrote, "I accept!" Trump, who regularly claims to be more popular than the global pop megastar, also included images of women wearing "Swifties for Trump" shirts. These, too, appear to be fake.

There has been much speculation as to whether Swift will eventually endorse a candidate in this November's election, though her support for legal abortion and LGBTQ+ rights would put her at odds with Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance.

Swift, who commands a massive fan base — and who voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2020 — has remained tight-lipped regarding political endorsements. Nevertheless, she has encouraged fans to register to vote. When she did so last fall, some 35,000 heeded the call.

Kamala Harris will formally accept the Democratic Party's nomination to be its presidential candidate on Thursday night with a speech at the United Center in Chicago.

Harris is heading into the convention on the crest of a wave after her campaign broke records for fundraising and turned opinion polls in some battleground states in Democrats' favor.

Incumbent Joe Biden announced he would step aside after his disastrous debate against Donald Trump on June 27 prompted allies, major donors and other party supporters to question is suitability for another four years.

Polls a month ago showed Trump with a clear lead over Biden, but Harris has made inroads, including in many of the country's most competitive states, such as Pennsylvania.

Activists are gathering in Chicago outside the Democratic National Convention, attempting to highlight issues such as economic injustice, reproductive rights, and, in particular, the conflict in Gaza.

Protesters say their plans have not changed since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and Democrats quickly rallied behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

Their issues cover climate change, abortion rights and racial equality, to name a few, but many protesters agree that pressing for an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war is the protesters' top message, comparing it to the Vietnam War.

Chicago leaders say they're committed to keeping protests peaceful.

"The city of Chicago is really good at things like this," Mayor Brandon Johnson said at a Monday news conference. "We are ready."