Obama praises ‘selfless’ Biden as he hails ‘new chapter’ under Harris

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Barack Obama hailed a “new chapter” for America under Kamala Harris as he praised “selfless” Joe Biden for stepping aside from the presidential election.

In an address to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where his wife Michelle also spoke on Tuesday, Mr Obama returned to his campaign message of hope in an appeal to the party to work hard for Ms Harris.

The former president, 63, hinted at his concerns about Mr Biden’s age as he portrayed Ms Harris as a younger and more dynamic candidate, and compared Donald Trump to an inconsiderate neighbour using a leaf-blower.

“We don’t want four years of bluster and bumbling and chaos,” he said.

“We’ve seen that movie before — and we all know that the sequel is usually worse. America is ready for a new chapter.”

Mr Obama praised Mr Biden, his former running mate, for “putting his own ambition aside for the sake of the country” by stepping aside on July 21 to make way for Ms Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket.

He was one of several Democratic grandees to push Mr Biden privately to stand back from the race, amid polling that showed he would likely lose to Trump.

“History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger,” Mr Obama said on Tuesday. “I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend.”

The speech came on the second day of the convention, where party delegates held a symbolic roll call to demonstrate their support for Ms Harris’s campaign. The vice president herself will speak on Thursday night as she formally accepts the nomination.

In his speech, Mr Obama described Ms Harris as “a person who has spent her life fighting on behalf of people who need a voice and a champion,” who was “not born into privilege” and “actually cares about what other people are going through”.

Contrasting her with Trump, Mr Obama recounted her career as a prosecutor and described her as a civic-minded public servant who understood the concerns of ordinary voters.

“We can’t just point to what we’ve already accomplished,” he said. “We can’t just rely on the ideas of the past. We need to chart a new way forward to meet the challenges of today. And Kamala understands.”

Both Obamas stressed that the election is likely to be close in some states, urging Democrats to “do something” and volunteer to help the party’s ground operation ahead of polling day on November 5.

Mrs Obama said the result would be decided by “a handful of votes in every precinct”.

They also criticised Trump, who previously promoted the theory that Mr Obama was not born in the United States, sparking a decade-long feud.

“Here’s a 78 year old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago,” Mr Obama said.

“It has been a constant scream of gripes, and grievances. And that’s actually been getting worse, now he’s afraid he’s going to lose to Kamala.”

He added that Trump had a “weird obsession with crowd sizes”, while gesturing suggestively with his hands to indicate a few inches, and said he saw political power as “nothing more than a means to his ends” to help his “rich friends.”

“I heard someone compare Trump to the neighbour who keeps running his leaf blower outside your window every minute of every day,” he said.

“From a neighbour, that’s exhausting. From a president, it’s just dangerous.”

Mr Obama reused some of the themes of his own presidential campaigns, focussing on a positive message about Ms Harris and chiding the crowd for booing Trump: “Don’t boo – vote.” Delegates chanted his old campaign slogan: “Yes we can.”

But his 35-minute address also reflected his more recent thinking on America’s damaged social fabric, which has been the topic of his latest writing.

“We live in a time of such confusion and rancour, with a culture that puts a premium on things that don’t last: money, fame, status, likes,” he said.

“We chase the approval of strangers on our phones. In that space between us, politicians and algorithms teach us to caricature each other and troll each other and fear each other.”

He said that Ms Harris would bring about “a restoration of what Lincoln called, on the eve of the Civil War, ‘our bonds of affection’...an America that taps what he called ‘the better angels of our nature.’”

“That’s what this election is about,” he said. “And I believe that’s why, if we each do our part over the next 77 days – if we knock on doors, if we make phone calls, if we talk to our friends, if we listen to our neighbours, if we work like we’ve never worked before – we will elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States, and Tim Walz as the next Vice President of the United States.”

Read below for all the news from the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night.

05:03 AM BST

That’s all for now

Thanks for following our live coverage of the Democratic national convention. This live blog is now closed, but we’ll be back tomorrow for day three of the event.

04:43 AM BST

Obama issues rallying cry as he finishes speech

“If we knock on doors, if we make phone calls, if we talk to our friends, if we work like we’ve never worked before, if we hold firm to our convictions, we will elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States,” Barack Obama says in a rallying cry to the assembled Democrats.

“We will elect leaders up and down the ballot who will fight for the hopeful, forward-looking America we all believe in.”

Mr Obama concludes: “Together we too will build a country that is more secure and more just, more equal and more free.”

“So let’s get to work. God bless you. God bless the United States of America.”

04:39 AM BST

‘We yearn for an America where we work together’

Barack Obama says the presidential election is an opportunity to restore unity to the US after years of political polarisation.

“As much as any policy or program. I believe that’s what we yearn for, a return to an America where we work together and look out for each other,” he tells the convention.

“A restoration of what Lincoln called on the eve of civil war, our bonds of affection, an America that taps what he called the better angels of our nature.

“That is what I believe this election is about.”

04:30 AM BST

The two-decade relationship between Obama and Harris

Barack Obama has known Kamala Harris for two decades.

The pair began their political careers at similar times, mixing in overlapping Democratic social circles.

As president, Mr Obama inadvertently shone a national spotlight on Ms Harris when he referred to her as “brilliant”, “dedicated”, and “by far, the best looking attorney general in the country”.

The comments, made during a San Francisco fundraiser in 2013, ignited a sexism storm. Mr Obama later called Ms Harris to apologise.

04:28 AM BST

Obama: Democracy isn’t just a bunch of dusty laws

Issuing a defence of democracy, Barack Obama says: “I think most Americans understand that democracy isn’t just a bunch of abstract principles and and dusty laws in some book somewhere.

“It’s the values we live by. It’s the way we treat each other, including those who don’t look like us or pray like us or see the world exactly like we do.”

He urges Democrats to stay away from thinking that “the only way to win is to scold and shame and out yell the other side”, adding: “After a while, regular folks just tune out, or they don’t bother to vote.”

“We need to remember that we’ve all got our blind spots and contradictions and prejudices, and then if we want to win over those who aren’t yet ready to support our candidates, we need to listen to their concerns and maybe learn something in the process,” Mr Obama says.

04:22 AM BST

‘Yes, she can’

“Yes, she can,” Barack Obama says, adapting his old campaign slogan for Kamala Harris. The crowd takes up the chant.

04:20 AM BST

‘Kamala is the neighbour rushing over to help’

Barack Obama praises Kamala Harris and says she is the “neighbour rushing over to help” rather than the “neighbour running the leaf-blower”.

“This is a person who has spent her life fighting on behalf of people who need a voice and a champion,” he says.

“As you heard from Michelle, Kamala was not born into privilege. She had to work for what she’s got, and she actually cares about what other people are going through.”

04:18 AM BST

Obama: Trump only cares about power

“The truth is, Donald Trump sees power as nothing more than a means to his ends,” Barack Obama continues.

“He wants the middle class to pay the price for another huge tax cut that would mostly help him and his rich friends.

“He killed a bipartisan immigration deal written in part by one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress, that would have helped secure our southern border.

“Because he thought trying to actually solve the problem would hurt his campaign.”

Later in the speech, he claims that Trump has “got pretty stale”.

04:16 AM BST

Trump ‘is like a neighbour running his leaf-blower’

Turning to Donald Trump, Barack Obama says: “Here’s a 78 year old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his gold escalator nine years ago.

“It has been a constant stream of rights and grievances... Childish nicknames, the crazy conspiracy theories, this weird obsession with crowd sizes.

“It just goes on and on and on.

“The other day, I heard someone compare Trump to the neighbour who keeps running his leaf-blower outside your window every minute of every day.”

04:07 AM BST

Obama pays tribute to his ‘brother’ Biden

Barack Obama pays tribute to Joe Biden, saying the decision to select him as his running mate was “one of his best” decisions. Mr Biden has made the same comment about Kamala Harris.

“Joe and I come from different backgrounds, but we became brothers,” Mr Obama says.

“What I came to admire most about Joe wasn’t just his smarts, his experience, it was his empathy and his decency and his hard earned resilience, his unshakable belief that everyone in this country deserves a fair shot.”

He adds: “History will remember Joe Biden has an outstanding president who defended, democracy, at a moment of great danger.

“And I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend.

04:05 AM BST

Crowd chants ‘yes we can’ as Obama soaks up applause

The crowd is chanting “yes we can” at Barack Obama as he stands on the stage and absorbs their applause.

“I don’t know, but I’m feeling fired up,” he says. “I’m feeling ready to go, even if I am the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama.”

04:05 AM BST

‘A political homecoming for the Obamas’

This is something of a political homecoming for the Obamas.

Michelle Obama is a proud product of Chicago’s Southside.

It was from this city that Barack Obama launched his historic White House bid in 2007.

In the crowd that chilly February day was one Kamala Harris, an early endorser of the young Illinois senator’s candidacy.

Tonight, he’s repaying the favour as he tries to rally the public behind Ms Harris.

04:01 AM BST

Democrats ‘cannot get a Goldilocks complex’ about Harris

Michelle Obama has urged Democrats not to be complacent about electing Kamala Harris as she issued a rallying cry for the new presidential candidate,

“There are still so many people who are desperate for a different outcome, who are ready to question and criticise every move Kamala makes, who are eager to spread those lies, who don’t want to vote for a woman,” she said.

“So no matter how good we feel tonight or tomorrow or the next day, this is going to be an uphill battle.”

In what appeared to be a plea for party unity, Mrs Obama added: “So folks, we cannot be our own worst enemies. Because the minute something goes wrong the minute a lie takes hold, folks, we cannot start wringing our hands. We cannot get a Goldilocks complex about whether everything is just right.

“And we cannot indulge our anxieties about whether this country will elect someone like Kamala, instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected.”

03:57 AM BST

Obama skewers Trump - while barely using his name

Michelle Obama has repeatedly skewered Donald Trump without having to use his name too often.

She describes how “most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward”, or “benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth”.

The crowd is lapping it up. The applause deafening at times.

03:56 AM BST

‘Trump feels threatened by successful black people’

Mentioning Donald Trump for the first time, Michelle Obama says that he tried to demonise her and her husband, the former US President Barack Obama.

“For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us,” she says.

“His limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happen to be black.”

03:53 AM BST

Obama hearkens back to Clinton convention

Michelle Obama says of Kamala Harris: “She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency.”

It is a line with some context. At the 2016 convention, her husband Barack Obama described Hillary Clinton as “more qualified” than anybody to hold America’s highest office.

“I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman - not me, not Bill, nobody - more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America,” he said.

03:52 AM BST

Obama: Trump ‘fails forward’ and is a ‘whiner and cheater’

Michelle Obama is taking a number of swipes at Donald Trump without mentioning the Republican by name.

“Kamala has shown her allegiance to this nation, not by spewing anger and bitterness, but by living a life of service and always pushing the doors of opportunity open to others,” the former First Lady said.

“She understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward. We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth.

“If we bankrupt the business or choke in a crisis, we don’t get a second, third or fourth chance.

“If things don’t go our way, we don’t have the luxury of whining or cheating others to get further ahead.”

03:50 AM BST

‘Electric atmosphere’ as Michelle Obama talks

The atmosphere in the room as Michelle Obama speaks is absolutely electric.

The crowd is oscillating between wild applause and complete silence as she pays tribute to her mother, whom she said died recently.

She drew a comparison between the life of her mother and Kamala Harris’s mother, and praises Ms Harris for her work and “allegiance to this nation”.

“We all deserve the opportunity to build a decent life,” she says.

03:50 AM BST

Harris ‘is one of the most qualified people to seek the presidency’

“My girl, Kamala Harris, is more than ready for this moment,” Michelle Obama told the Democratic national convention.

“She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency, and she is one of the most dignified.

“A tribute to her mother, to my mother and to your mother too, the embodiment of the stories we tell ourselves about this country. Her story is your story.”

She added: “No one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American. No one.”

03:47 AM BST

Michelle Obama: Hope is making a comeback

“America, hope is making a comeback,” Michelle Obama tells the crowd in Chicago as she takes the stage in her hometown.

It’s a catchy line, and a bit of a theme of this convention. Earlier Doug Emhoff spoke of Kamala Harris as a “happy warrior”.

Tim Walz has spoken of putting “joy” back into politics. The Democrats are focused on the power of running a positive messaging campaign.

Mrs Obama describes it as a “contagious power”.

“The exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day,” she says.

03:41 AM BST

Michelle Obama heads onto the stage

Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, got a rapturous reception from the crowd in Chicago as she walked onto the stage.

03:40 AM BST

Obamas up next

Tonight we’ll hear from two figures who are not just the Democrats’ best speechmakers, but possibly the best political speakers in the country.

Barack Obama’s oratorical talents were crucial to the popularity of his presidency. Michelle Obama’s 2016 convention speech moved the audience to tears.

In 2020, figures suggest it was Mrs Obama’s virtual address that drew more eyeballs than any other speaker.

It remains to be seen whether she’ll outshine her husband tonight, but both Obamas are likely to bring more star power than every other figure we’ll see on stage this week - including its keynote speaker, Kamala Harris.

03:40 AM BST

Harris ‘still makes time for calls with stepchildren’

Doug Emhoff highlights the virtues of his “beautiful, blended family”, describing how his two children refer to Kamala Harris as “Momala”.

He reveals that despite becoming the Democratic presidential candidate in the last month, she still makes time for phone calls with his children while taking a respite from the campaign trail.

“She’s always been there for our children, and I know she’ll always be there for yours too,” he says.

Whether intended or not, the comments offer a rebuke to JD Vance’s comments about “childless cat ladies”, whom the GOP vice presidential candidate suggested don’t have a direct “stake” in America’s future.

03:39 AM BST

‘I learned what drives Kamala’

Doug Emhoff is also offering an intimate insight into Kamala Harris, describing how they met after being set up on a blind date.

She still plays the first voicemail he left her on their anniversary each year, he says.

“As I got to know her better  and fell in love fast - I learned what drives Kamala,” he says.

“It’s what you’ve seen over these past four years and especially these past four weeks.”

03:37 AM BST

Emhoff talks about Harris’ relationship with stepchildren

“Those of you who belong to blended families know that they can be a little complicated,” Doug Emhoff continued.

“But as soon as our kids started calling her ‘Mommala’ I knew we’d be okay.”

Kamala Harris has previously been attacked as one of a “bunch of childless cat-ladies” by JD Vance, the Ohio senator and Donald Trump’s running mate.

He added: “She’s always been there for our children. And I know she’ll always be there for yours, too.”

03:34 AM BST

Emhoff recalls being set up with Kamala Harris

Doug Emhoff recalled how he left a “rambling” voicemail for Kamala Harris when he was set up with her on a blind date.

“In 2013 I walked into a contentious client meeting. We worked through the issue. And by the end of the meeting the now, happy client offered to set me up on a blind date, which is how I ended up with Kamala Harris’s phone number,” he told the convention.

“Now, for generations, people have debated, when to call a person, you’re being set up and never in history has anyone suggested 8:30am?

“And yet, that’s when I dialled. I got Kamala’s voicemail and I just started rambling.”

03:30 AM BST

Has Emhoff been taking tips from Michelle Obama?

We’re hearing from the man who became America’s first ever Second Gentleman.

Doug Emhoff, husband of Kamala Harris, is now hoping to take on another history-making title: the First Gentleman.

Perhaps he solicited some tips from Michelle Obama backstage on how to navigate the role of spouse to the most scrutinised politician on earth.

03:29 AM BST

Emhoff ‘gets huge reaction from Chicago crowd’

Doug Emhoff just got a huge reception from the crowd in Chicago. The delegates on the convention floor here are waving red signs that say “Doug”.

“Hello to my big beautiful blended family up there,” he says to his family members watching from a box. “My mother is the only person in the world who thinks Kamala is the lucky one, to marry me,” he jokes.

03:29 AM BST

‘My mother thinks Kamala’s the lucky one’

“My mother is the only person in the whole world who thinks Kamala is a lucky one for marrying me,” Doug Emhoff said, in a line that drew a laugh from the crowd in Chicago’s United Centre.

“I love you so much,” Mr Emhoff said, addressing his wife directly.

“I’m so proud of how you’re stepping up for all of us, but that’s who she is - wherever she’s needed, however she’s needed, Kamala rises to the occasion.”

03:26 AM BST

Doug Emhoff makes his way onto the stage

Doug Emhoff, the Second Gentleman and Kamala Harris’ husband, has made his way onto the stage and will shortly begin his speech.

03:23 AM BST

Republican mayor: We’ve become a cult of Donald Trump

The Republican party has been reduced to “the cult of Donald Trump”, a Republican mayor has told the Democratic national convention.

John Giles, the mayor of Mesa in Arizona, said: “Trump doesn’t know the first thing about public service like a child, he acts purely out of self interest.”

He continued: “My hero [Arizona senator] John McCain taught us to put country over party, and that’s how vice president Harris and Governor Walz will lead.

“I have an urgent best message for the majority of Americans who like me are in the political middle. John McCain’s Republican Party is gone, and we don’t owe a damn thing to what’s been left behind.”

03:17 AM BST

Protesters detained by police as clashes break out

Pro-Palestine protesters have been detained by police outside the Israeli consulate in Chicago as clashes broke out between officers and demonstrators.

A large crowd is reported to have remained in the area as the confrontation died down, with protesters shouting slogans including: “Free, free Palestine.”

It is unclear how many protesters have been detained. More than a dozen were arrested by police as activists marched on the convention centre and pushed through a security perimeter.

03:13 AM BST

Democrats risk missing Obama due to queue chaos

Democrats risk missing Barack Obama’s keynote speech this evening because of chaos in the security queues outside.

There have been issues on both evenings of this convention with huge lines outside the United Centre, after protesters forced tighter security measures on the nearby streets.

Frank Luntz, the American pollster, said some people are waiting two hours to get in. Anyone joining the queue now might miss all of the speeches.

03:01 AM BST

Pictures: Democrats celebrate as Harris confirmed as nominee

02:49 AM BST

‘Trump is rich in only one thing - stupidity’

Illinois governor JB Pritzker brought the house down with a quip that makes a virtue of his immense fortune.

Discussing Donald Trump’s claims of huge wealth, he says: “Take it from an actual billionaire, Trump is rich in only one thing - stupidity”.

Mr Pritzker was considered a strong contender to be Kamala Harris’ running mate. His delivery tonight is a reminder of just how deep the current Democratic bench is.

02:48 AM BST

Illinois governor: Americans don’t want Donald Trump

JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, fired out a series of attacks Donald Trump when he took to the convention stage.

“Americans don’t want to be forced to drive 100 miles to deliver a baby because of draconian abortion law shut down the maternity war,” he said - one of several criticisms of Trump this evening on abortion rights.

“Americans with LGBTQ kids don’t want them facing discrimination at school because the state sanctioned it,” Mr Priztker continued.

“Americans want to go to their neighbourhood grocery store and not have to worry about some random guy open-carrying an AR-15.” The semi-automatic rifle was used by a would-be assassin to shoot at Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania in June.

The Illinois governor claimed that Kamala Harris wanted to create a country with “a little serenity, the serenity that comes from a balanced chequebook, an affordable grocery bill and a housing market that has room for everyone”.

“If there’s one thing I know about Donald Trump, he’s not bringing anyone any kind of serenity,” he added.

02:44 AM BST

Sanders ‘fails to work crowd into a frenzy’

I’ve seen a fair few of Bernie Sanders speeches, but this is the Vermont senator at his least energetic.

The 82-year-old’s trademark angry tirades were missing from this address, and he isn’t working the crowd into a frenzy the way I’ve seen him do many times before.

Is this a sign the party has moved on from the days of the Bernie Bros?

02:40 AM BST

Sanders: We must end ‘horrific’ war in Gaza

Bernie Sanders pressed Kamala Harris to guarantee access to life-saving drugs if she wins the White House in November.

“Joe and Kamala may made sure that no senior in America pays over $35 a month for insulin. We need to make sure that reality is true for every American,” he told the Democratic national convention.

“I look forward to working with Kamala and Tim to pass this agenda.”

Mr Sanders got his biggest cheer of the night when he declared: “We must must end this horrific war in Gaza, bring home the hostages and demand an immediate ceasefire.”

02:35 AM BST

Delegates ‘losing interest’ during Sanders speech

Bernie Sanders is now addressing the crowd at the DNC, where delegates appear to be losing interest and chatting among themselves after a fiery roll call.

The last time Mr Sanders was at a DNC, he had just dropped out of the 2020 Democratic primary and endorsed Joe Biden. There was a scramble on the convention floor to decide what would happen to the delegates who had voted for him, and there was more than a little hostility between their campaign teams.

The veteran Vermont senator was one of the voices who came out with concerns about Mr Biden in the weeks before he stood down. Now, he’s speaking full-throatedly in support of Kamala Harris.

02:34 AM BST

‘Too many Americans are struggling’

Bernie Sanders, the independent Vermont senator, paid tribute to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ record before pivoting to an attack on “oligarchs”.

“When the political will is there, Government can effectively deliver for the people of our country.

“And now we need to summon that bill again, because too many of our fellow Americans are struggling every day to just get by, to put food on the table to pay the rent and to get the health care they need.”

He added: “We need an economy that works for all of us, not just the billionaires.”

02:26 AM BST

Schumer: Trump peddles anti-Semitism

Chuck Schumer told the convention that he was the “highest ranking Jewish elected official in American history” and accused Donald Trump of pushing anti-Semitic tropes.

“I want my grandkids and all grandkids to never, never face discrimination because of who they are,” the New York senator said. “But Donald Trump, this is a guy who peddles anti-Semitic stereotypes.”

He went to accuse the Republican of fuelling Islamphobia, claiming: “His prejudice goes in all directions.”

02:23 AM BST

Republican strategist: Harris is no communist

Ana Navarro, on stage now at the DNC, is rejecting the “communist” label Donald Trump and other Republicans have tried to stick on Kamala Harris.

Navarro, a Republican strategist and native of Nicaragua, says she saw the perils of communism first hand under Daniel Ortega.

In a bit of unfortunate scheduling, following Navarro shortly on stage is one Bernie Sanders, a progressive senator who once defended the strongman.

02:22 AM BST

Newsom ‘swamped by delegates’ as he leaves convention floor

Gavin Newsom is getting swamped by delegates and journalists as he tries to get off the convention floor during Chuck Schumer’s speech. He appears to have stopped to give an interview to a TV reporter right in front of the stage where Schumer is speaking.

02:21 AM BST

Trump return would mean ‘American carnage’, warns Schumer

There will be “American carnage” if Donald Trump returns to the White House, the most senior Democrat in the Senate has claimed.

Chuck Schumer told the Democratic national convention: “This November, we can choose a brighter, a fairer, a freer future, or we can relive the dark night of Trump’s American carnage.

“Only one candidate will move America forward, Kamala Harris.”

02:17 AM BST

Newsom ‘making a forceful pitch for cabinet position’

California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, appears to be making a forceful pitch for a cabinet position in a future Harris administration as he represents California at the DNC roll call.

Mr Newsom and Kamala Harris have run in the same political circles for years.

The pair are sometimes described as “frenemies” on account of the perceived rivalry between the two young Democratic stars as they worked their way up the ranks in America’s largest state.

02:15 AM BST

Harris hails ‘freedom and optimism’ as she accepts nomination

“I thank everyone there and here for believing in what we can do together,” Kamala Harris said as she accepted the Democratic party’s nomination.

“We are so honored to be your nominees. This is a people-powered campaign, and together, we will charge a new way forward.

“A future for freedom, opportunity, of optimism and faith. So to everyone in Chicago and across America, thank you. Thank you.

“Thank you, and you’re going to hear from our wonderful second gentleman [Doug Emhoff] shortly. I’ll see you in two days, Chicago.”

02:12 AM BST

Harris addressing DNC from Wisconsin

Kamala Harris is making surprise speech to the Democratic national convention, speaking virtually from a rally in Wisconsin after she was confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate.

01:54 AM BST

Harris: Trump will ‘face consequences’ for attacking abortion rights

Kamala Harris is expected to go after Donald Trump on abortion rights at a rally in Wisconsin today, after the former president said he had “no regrets” about the overturning of Roe v Wade.

She will tell supporters in Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum:

01:44 AM BST

The Daily T: Can Kamala beat Trump?

As the Democratic National Convention kicks off, Harris has broken with tradition to take to the stage before her big speech on Thursday, stealing President Biden’s moment in the spotlight. It’s a signal that it’s well and truly the Kamala show.

Kamal and Sunday Telegraph Political Editor Camilla Turner chat to US Editor Tony Diver to ask the question on everyone’s lips - can she beat Donald Trump?

01:41 AM BST

‘A uniquely American blend of politics and celebrity’

There is a different tenor to tonight’s programme. The crowd is far more fired up. They’ve also all been handed remote-controlled LED wristbands, so there are plenty of flashing multi-coloured lights throughout the arena.

There are also plenty of musicians and celebrities both appearing on stage and in the crowd. It’s a uniquely American blend of politics and celebrity.

01:39 AM BST

Harris crosses delegates threshold to rubber-stamp candidacy

Kamala Harris has now crossed the threshold of 2,350 delegates to become the Democrats’ presidential candidate for the 2024 election. The vote is simply a rubber-stamp - she had already been confirmed at a virtual roll-call earlier this month.

01:26 AM BST

Party atmosphere at DNC as DJ blasts out dance music

Each state has been given its own theme song as delegates cast their votes for Kamala Harris, creating a party atmosphere on the convention floor.

“Sweet Home Alabama” played while Alabama voted, while Florida was assigned Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” - a song often used at campaign events by Ron DeSantis, the state’s Republican governor.

Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” was blasted out for Michigan, which has just voted.

01:19 AM BST

Harris campaign using Republicans to court independent voters

The inclusion of Donald Trump’s one-time White House communications director in tonight’s programming is part of a deliberate strategy by Democrats to court independent voters.

Stephanie Grisham is one of a number of Republicans who will address the Democratic national convention here in Chicago.

We are also due to hear from other prominent conservatives, including Mike Pence’s former national security adviser and a former GOP congressman, later in the week.

The “Republicans Against Trump” movement proved effective in the 2020 campaign, and Kamala Harris will need to replicate its success and appeal to a significant number of Republican and independent voters if she is to prevail in November.

01:15 AM BST

‘Awkward evening ahead’ as Michael Cohen turns up in press stand

We just had a surprise performance in the convention hall from Lil Jon, the rapper.

But he’s not the only unexpected guest. I’ve been surprised to find myself sitting next to Michael Cohen, the former Trump lawyer who turned on his own boss during the Stormy Daniels trial that ended in Trump’s conviction.

Cohen is here as a journalist, producing his own podcast. He wasn’t interested in talking about the case and said he wouldn’t answer any of my questions — which might make this an awkward evening for me from here on.

12:58 AM BST

Roll call to anoint Harris as Democratic nominee begins

The roll call that will designate Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate for the 2024 election is now underway.

This part of the convention is symbolic, as Ms Harris - who is currently campaigning in Wisconsin - has already been selected in a virtual vote.

12:40 AM BST

Grisham: I wanted my speech to turn Republicans against Trump

Stephanie Grisham, a former top aide to Donald Trump who spoke at the convention this evening, told CNN that she had “done her job” if just a “few” Republicans or independents turned against her former boss.

She is one of several Republicans who are speaking tonight, in an overture by the Harris campaign to conservatives who have been isolated by Trump’s brand of politics.

Kyle Sweetser, former Trump voter, was one of the first people to take to the stage, while John Giles, the Republican mayor of Mesa in Arizona, will be among the final speakers tonight.

12:30 AM BST

Harris and Walz arrive in Wisconsin

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have landed in Milwaukee ahead of their rally at the Fiserv Forum this evening.

12:11 AM BST

Trump mocks his own supporters, says former aide

Donald Trump has no “empathy” or “morals” and calls his supporters “basement dwellers”, one of his former top advisers has claimed.

Stephanie Grisham, the former White House press secretary, told Democrats in Chicago: “Trump mocks his supporters - he calls them basement dwellers... He has no empathy no morals and no fidelity to the truth.

“He used to tell me, ‘It doesn’t matter what you say, Stephanie - say it enough, and people will believe you.”

Ms Grisham said she had been part of the Trump “family” but resigned following the storming of the Capitol by Trump’s supporters on Jan 6, 2021.

“I couldn’t be part of the insanity any longer,” she said.

11:49 PM BST

‘Harris has JFK’s energy and vision’

Kamala Harris has John F. Kennedy’s “energy, vision, and optimism for the future”, his grandson told the Democratic national convention.

Jack Schlossberg continued: “Like President Kennedy, Vice President Harris has dedicated her life to public service.

“She believes in America like my grandfather did, that we do things not because they’re easy, but because they are hard.”

11:47 PM BST

Jimmy Carter is holding on to vote for Harris, says grandson

Jimmy Carter, the 99-year-old former US President, is “holding on” until November despite his failing health so that he can vote for Kamala Harris, his grandson has said.

Jason Carter told the convention: “His legacy is measured by the lives he has touched and the good he has done. Kamala Harris carries my grandfather’s legacy.

“She knows what is right, and she fights for it. She understands that leadership is about service, not selfishness, that you can show strength and demonstrate decency, and that you can get a whole lot more done with a smile than with a scowl.

“Pawpaw is holding on. He is hopeful, and though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever.

“My grandfather can’t wait to vote for Kamala Harris.”

11:43 PM BST

Sanders to take on oligarchs and price gouging in DNC speech

Bernie Sanders will talk about on progressive economics when he addresses the convention around 2am BST (9pm ET), according to excerpts from his remarks.

The Vermont senator, who sits as an independent, is expected to say:

11:33 PM BST

Second day of DNC begins

The second day of the Democratic national convention has officially begun.

One order of business tonight will be a roll-call that ordains Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential candidate - a purely ceremonial function, because she has already been confirmed by a virtual vote.

11:28 PM BST

Harris: We are moving forward with this election

11:24 PM BST

Everything you need to know about the 2024 US election

Donald Trump will face Kamala Harris in the 2024 race for the White House after an eventful start to the campaign.

Joe Biden pulled out of the race after intense pressure following his disastrous first debate with Trump.

The first TV debate between Ms Harris and Trump is due to take place on September 10, a few days before states with the longest in-person polling periods open for early voting.

But, the 2024 timetable is also complicated by the blizzard of litigation faced by Trump, who has had to juggle campaigning with a series of court appearances.

Read the full explainer from Rozina Sabur, our deputy US editor, here.

11:18 PM BST

Where is Kamala Harris?

While Democrats congregate in Chicago for the second night of their convention, Kamala Harris will be campaigning in a neighbouring state.

The vice president will be joined by her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, for a rally in the battleground state of Wisconsin. Recent state-wide polls have put Ms Harris several points clear of Donald Trump.

The pair will address supporters in Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum, where the Republican national convention was held last month.

11:14 PM BST

Excerpts released from Doug Emhoff’s speech

Kamala Harris is a “joyful warrior” and “as tough as it comes”, Doug Emhoff will say in his speech tonight when he pays tribute to his wife.

“Kamala is a joyful warrior,” he is expected to say when he takes to the stage at the Democratic national convention in Chicago.

He will add: “Here’s the thing about joyful warriors: They’re still warriors. And Kamala is as tough as it comes.”

11:09 PM BST

Obama pays tribute to Biden’s ‘resilience’

Barack Obama paid tribute to Joe Biden for his “resilience and unshakable belief” after the US President passed the torch to Kamala Harris last night.

“What I admire most about Joe is his decency, his resilience, and his unshakable belief in the promise of our country,” Mr Obama said of his former running mate.

“Over the last four years, those are the values America has needed most. I am proud to call him my president, and I’m so grateful to call him my friend.”

Mr Biden is reportedly frustrated with Mr Obama for not backing him when he came under pressure from Democrats to drop out of the presidential race last month.

10:53 PM BST

Obama ‘will be the nation’s explainer-in-chief’

Barack Obama will act as the US’ “explainer-in-chief” and put the Democrats on an election footing when he addresses the convention tonight, his former campaign manager has said.

Jim Messina, who guided Mr Obama to victory in the 2012 general election, also suggested that Donald Trump would struggle against Kamala Harris in a presidential race because he was an “old guy” going up against a “young challenger”.

“Barack Obama has sort of become the explainer in chief role to the country to explain the moment they’re in,” he told Fox News. “And I think that’s the transition to this general election that we’re seeing tonight.”

He added: “Americans are optimists. They want to hear about the future. They don’t want to hear about the past.

“And that’s exactly the problem Donald Trump’s going to have, because he’s now the old guy in this race against the young challenger. And so now he’s in that same role. And it’s a difficult role.”

10:45 PM BST

Who is scheduled to speak at the DNC tonight?

Barack Obama, the former US President, and Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, are scheduled to address the Democratic national convention tonight.

Doug Emhoff, the Second Gentleman and Ms Harris’ husband, will talk about his wife while she campaigns in Milwaukee in the battleground state of Wisconsin.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, and Bernie Sanders, the independent Vermont senator and a former contender for the Democratic presidential candidate, are also expected to make remarks.

The schedule also features the grandsons of two presidents: Jason Carter, whose grandfather is Jimmy Carter, and John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg.

10:37 PM BST

13 people arrested at DNC protests on Monday

More than a dozen people were arrested at pro-Palestinian protests outside the Democratic national convention on Monday, Chicago police have said.

Some 13 people were detrained for offences including criminal trespass, resisting and obstructing, and aggravated battery of police officers - which means causing serious bodily harm.

“We are not going to tolerate vandalism and violence in our city,” Superintendent Larry Snelling said.

10:34 PM BST

Pictured: Trump’s former ‘fixer’ spotted at DNC in Chicago

10:27 PM BST

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the live blog. Benedict Smith here. We’ll be bringing you all the updates from the second day of the Democratic national convention, where both Barack Obama, the former US president, and Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, are scheduled to speak.