Democrats convened in Chicago on Monday to celebrate Vice-President Kamala Harris' bid for the presidency against Republican Donald Trump and to honor President Joe Biden, whose withdrawal from the race transformed his party's prospects. The four-day Democratic National Convention's launch is anticipated to attract tens of thousands of protesters, many against the Biden administration's backing of Israel's Gaza operation, who plan to march along a mile-long path through the city beyond the security zone.
Biden, 81, who reluctantly terminated his re-election campaign a month ago under pressure from senior Democrats concerned about his age, will deliver a prime-time speech at the convention on Monday evening to advocate for Harris' election and Trump's defeat. As Democrats aim to demonstrate unity following the unprecedented shift in candidates, Harris, 59, is expected to join Biden on stage, where he will symbolically hand over the reins to her. Harris will officially accept the nomination on Thursday night in a much-awaited speech. If victorious on November 5, Harris would become the first female president in US history.
A coalition of around 200 social justice organizations, including many pro-Palestinian groups, will assemble outside the convention. Some pro-Palestinian delegates are urging the party to revise its platform to restrict arms to Israel. Harris enters the convention amid a historic surge: her campaign has set fundraising records, filled arenas with supporters, and swayed opinion polls in several battleground states in favor of the Democrats.
Biden withdrew his re-election campaign after a disastrous debate with Trump on June 27, which led longtime allies, major donors, and other party backers to call for his withdrawal. A month ago, polls indicated Trump held a clear advantage over Biden, but Harris has narrowed the gap both nationally and in many competitive states such as Pennsylvania, which will be crucial in the election.
"I've attended every convention since I was eligible to vote, and I can say I've never felt this kind of energy and electricity at any convention other than the one for Barack Obama," remarked Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday. Harris embarked on a bus tour in western Pennsylvania on Sunday with her vice-presidential running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. She accused Trump of being a coward whose politics revolved around belittling opponents.
Harris will spend much of the week in Chicago but will detour to Milwaukee on Tuesday for a campaign event, returning to Chicago to listen to her husband, Doug Emhoff, speak at the convention that night. The Trump campaign plans to intensify efforts in key battleground states during the convention week to divert attention from Harris and emphasize policy areas where Republicans have a polling edge.
In his most vigorous stretch of campaigning in this race, Trump will discuss economic policy at a small business in southern Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon, followed by events in North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada later in the week. Some major allies and donors have advised Trump to avoid racial and gender-based insults towards Harris and concentrate on critiquing her policy record. Trump's Michigan event will be in Howell, a city attempting to overcome its racist past, including Ku Klux Klan rallies in the 1970s and 1980s.
Last month, about a dozen white supremacists chanted "Heil Hitler" and carried signs like "White Lives Matter" during a march through downtown. Another group of protesters yelled, "We love Hitler, we love Trump" from a highway overpass in a nearby town, according to local media. The Harris campaign condemned Trump for not denouncing what it described as a "blatant display of racism and antisemitism in his name."
Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump would emphasize in Howell that hate would have no place in the country if he returns to the White House. She noted Biden visited Howell in 2021. A Trump campaign official said on Sunday that the event was aimed at the Detroit media market and was hosted by a Trump-supporting local sheriff whose office is in Howell. Democrats will also honor their 2016 presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, who is expected to speak before Biden. Former president Barack Obama will speak on Tuesday, and former president Bill Clinton will speak on Wednesday.
