CHICAGO (AP) — The Democratic National Convention begins Monday in Chicago, just four weeks after President Joe Biden ended his campaign and made way for Vice President Kamala Harris to take the Democratic top spot.
The political transformation just months before the general election battle with the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, has led to a rapid succession of changes in the Democrats’ overall outlook for 2024, making the convention all the more remarkable.
Here’s what you can see on the first day:
Biden will speak Monday night
Until a month ago, Biden was expected to take the convention stage on Thursday night, as is customary for the party’s nominee. Now, Biden will deliver a speech on the convention’s opening night on Monday, as will his wife, first lady Jill Biden.
Biden is expected to use his speech as a symbolic handover of his party to Harris, capping five decades in Democratic politics and underscoring what he sees as a threat to the country if Trump returns to the White House.
Harris will be on hand to watch the president’s speech. Signs around the arena will feature a regular Biden-ism: “Spread the faith.” While Harris is expected to stick around all week, officials say Biden has no plans to be in Chicago after his own performance.
A focus ‘for the people’
According to convention organizers, the theme for Monday’s events is “For the People,” a reference to the theme of Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign and a phrase she has incorporated into her new campaign, starting with a fundraising email the night Biden left the race.
The terminology harks back to her 2019 launch, when Harris — a longtime prosecutor and the first woman in California to serve as attorney general — recalled introducing herself in court as “Kamala Harris, for the people,” adding, “In my entire life, I’ve only had one client, the people.” During that campaign, Harris returned to the phrase again and again, in speeches but also on signs and T-shirts, and as part of the official terminology of her main campaign committee.
On the convention’s opening night, organizers noted that speakers will want to make the argument that “while Donald Trump is putting himself first, Democrats are fighting for the American people,” something they said is reflected in Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
In addition to elected officials and party leaders, Democrats plan to honor “ordinary Americans” and a few entertainers each night.
Protests are planned in the city
Thousands of activists are expected to gather in Chicago, hoping to draw attention to abortion rights, economic injustice and the war in Gaza. Demonstrations are expected every day of the convention, and while their agendas vary, many activists agree that an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas is a priority.
There have been months of preparation for the tens of thousands of activists expected in the city. Chicago police have undergone training in constitutional policing, county courts say they are clearing more space in anticipation of mass arrests, and hospitals near the safety zone are ramping up emergency preparedness.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is among the speakers expected to take the stage on the convention’s opening night, said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that the city was prepared for the thousands of activists expected to participate in protests surrounding the DNC.
“Our local law enforcement worked with the Secret Service and other local agencies to ensure a safe, peaceful, yet lively and exciting convention,” he said.
Trump’s Counterprogramming
While Democrats tout their leading candidates, Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, have their own events all week long as they battle for victory in the states at stake. Like Democrats — and like they did at their own convention last month — Republicans are adding a theme to each day’s events, with Monday focusing on the economy.
On Monday, Trump and Vance will both be in Pennsylvania, the Rust Belt battleground both men have been battling in recent days. Each day of the DNC, Trump’s allies will also hold a press conference in Chicago, a preview of what’s expected from the stage at the United Center.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP
