Looking Back at the Highlights of Democratic National Convention

The energy was strong all week in Chicago as the Democratic National Convention went through the process of officially presenting Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate. The four-day event at the United Center featured the heavy hitters of the Democratic Party, including past presidents, musical performances, and more. Here is a recap of the notable moments at this week's Democratic National Convention.

Harris Officially Accepts Party Nomination

The convention culminated on Thursday evening when Harris took to the stage and officially accepted the nomination. Harris used her time in front of the delegates and national television audience to lay out her vision for the country. The first part of Harris' speech provided an inside look into her early beginnings, moving around the country and living as a working class family.

Moving into the second half of the speech, Harris detailed her stances on the domestic and global economy, women's reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, housing, and border security. She also spent time addressing her experience working with foreign allies. Harris pledged that she would ensure that the U.S. always has the strongest military forces while honoring the service of veterans. The vice president also promised to cut taxes for the middle class should she get elected.

Harris walked the fine line between supporting Israel and showing empathy toward the civilian crisis in Gaza. During this segment of the speech, Harris reminded Americans that she and President Biden are working around the clock to negotiate a ceasefire deal and free the hostages.

Other notable speakers on Thursday included a host of U.S. senators, including Alex Padilla of California, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Mark Kelly of Arizona. There were also a handful of members from the U.S. House of Representatives, including Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, Lucy McBath of Georgia, Joe Neguse of Colorado, Maxwell Frost of Florida, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Colin Allred of Texas, and Ruben Gallego of Arizona. On the state gubernatorial side, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, and Roy Cooper of North Carolina all addressed the delegates prior to Harris' appearance.

Former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger crossed over to the other side of the aisle to throw his support behind Harris. Kinzinger appealed to the nation's sense of patriotism, pointing out that Democrats are just as patriotic as Republicans.

Wherever you stand on the candidates, there is no doubt that Thursday was a historic night for America. Harris is distinguished as being the first Black woman and first Asian American to be on the top of a major party ticket in the U.S. Should she win the election, Harris would be both the first female and the first Indian American president.

President Biden Kicks Off Keynote Addresses on Opening Night

The torch was passed on the first night of the convention when President Joe Biden gave the keynote address, offering his endorsement for Harris. Those gathered on the convention floor gave the president a standing ovation as they chanted his name and thanked him for his service. Biden was introduced by his daughter, Ashley Biden, in a moving tribute to her father.

The convention got off to a hot start with a who's who of the Democratic Party taking the stage. The featured speakers on Monday included New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and first lady Dr. Jill Biden. Harris herself made a brief appearance early in the festivities, speaking briefly and getting the crowd fired up to cheer on Biden.

Obamas Steal the Stage Tuesday Night

Democratic royalty headlined the show on Tuesday night as both former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama spoke to the crowd separately. Michelle Obama took the stage first, delivering a speech that brought down the house. President Obama followed up with an address that pledged his support to help Harris get into the White House.

Prior to the appearance by the Obamas, Harris' husband Doug Emhoff addressed the crowd of delegates. The personal speech touched on the relationship that Emhoff has with his wife and how she has been a partner in helping to parent his two children.

While Emhoff and the Obamas were speaking in Chicago, Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Walz, made a quick stop in Milwaukee. Speaking to a packed arena, the two were videoconferenced into the event in Chicago following the state roll call.

Tim Walz Keynote Speaker on Wednesday

Gov. Walz introduced himself to the nation on Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention as he formally accepted the party's nomination for vice president. Walz gave an inside glimpse into his early life, his career as a teacher and a football coach, and how he ended up in politics. He also spent a good amount of time speaking about his family, including his wife and two children.

Wednesday's convention theme was "fight for our freedoms," tying the Republicans into the January 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol as well as Donald Trump's efforts to remain in office by trying to overturn the results of the election.

Also appearing on stage on Wednesday in Chicago were former President Bill Clinton, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Oprah Winfrey. John Legend and Stevie Wonder headlined the musical acts on Wednesday.

On the Other Side of the Campaign

While the Democrats had the spotlight this week, the Trump campaign spent the last few days swinging through some of the toughest battleground states. According to a campaign release, the former president will be joined by a special guest during his rally in Arizona on Friday. It is being reported that the guest could be Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Kennedy is expected to end his run as an independent candidate on Friday and endorse Trump.

Trump called into Fox News shortly after the conclusion of Harris' acceptance speech. When questioned by the anchors about his reaction to the speech, Trump said that she should be doing the things that she promises to do when she is already serving as the nation's vice president.

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