Program Schedule
Democratic National Convention Night One: For the People
Monday, August 19, 2024

Chicago, IL — While Donald Trump puts himself first, Democrats are fighting for the American people. Vice President Harris has spent her career fighting for the people, and President Biden has exemplified this through his leadership and legacy as a historic president who put the American people’s interests above his own.

Tonight’s proceedings will be co-chaired by the Honorable Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. Later primetime programming will be hosted by Tony Goldwyn. 

5:15 PM

Call to Order
Minyon Moore
Chair of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee
The Honorable Jaime Harrison
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee

Invocation
Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich
Archdiocese of Chicago

Land Acknowledgment
Zach Pahmahmie
Tribal Council Vice-Chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation
Lorrie Melchior
Tribal Council Secretary of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

Presentation of Colors
Illinois State Police Honor Guard

Pledge of Allegiance
William Harrison, Age 9
Charles Harrison, Age 5

National Anthem
Soul Children of Chicago

Remarks and Video Introduction
The Honorable Brandon Johnson
Mayor of Chicago, Illinois

Presentation of the Convention Agenda
The Honorable Jaime Harrison
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
Joined by Vice Chairs The Honorable Keisha Lance Bottoms, Ken Martin, and Henry R. Muñoz III, Treasurer Virginia McGregor, and Finance Chair Chris Korge. 

Credentials Committee Report
The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge
Committee Co-Chair
James Roosevelt, Jr.
Committee Co-Chair

Rules Committee Report
Bishop Leah D. Daughtry
Committee Co-Chair

Platform Committee Report
The Honorable Mitch Landrieu
Committee Co-Chair
The Honorable Regina Romero
Committee Co-Chair

Confirmatory and Ceremonial Vote for the Vice Presidential Nominee
Minyon Moore
Chair of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee

6:00 PM 

Co-chaired by The Honorable Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota 

Welcome Remarks
The Honorable Peggy Flanagan
Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota

Welcome Remarks
The Honorable Jaime Harrison
Chair of the Democratic National Committee

Remarks
The Honorable Maxine Waters
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, California

Joint Remarks
Derrick Johnson
President & CEO of the NAACP
Melanie L. Campbell
President & CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

Honoring
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
Civil rights leader
Accompanied by The Honorable Jonathan Jackson and Yusef D. Jackson

Remarks
The Honorable Lauren Underwood
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Illinois

Video
Rich Logis 
Former Donald Trump voter

Remarks
The Honorable Robert Garcia
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, California

Remarks
Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya
Health care advocates and founders of I Am ALS

Remarks
The Honorable Dick Durbin
United States Senator, Illinois

Remarks from Arizona 
Dutch Martinez and Ryan Ahern
The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA) 

Remarks
The Honorable Joyce Beatty
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ohio

Joint Remarks
Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
April Verrett, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Brent Booker, General President of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA)
Kenneth W. Cooper, International President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Claude Cummings Jr., President of the Communications Workers of America (CWA)
Elizabeth H. Shuler, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)

Remarks
The Honorable Karen Bass
Mayor of Los Angeles, California

Performance
Mickey Guyton
American musical artist

Joint Remarks on “Investing in the Future”
The Honorable Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California
The Honorable Austin A. Davis, Lieutenant Governor of Texas
The Honorable Sara Rodriguez, MSN, MPH, RN, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
The Honorable Lina Hidalgo, County Judge of Harris County, Texas

7:00 PM

Remarks: “Project 2025—Chapter One: Introduction”
The Honorable Mallory McMorrow
Michigan State Senator

Remarks
The Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz 
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Florida

Remarks
The Honorable Laphonza Butler
United States Senator, California

Remarks
Linda Haskins
Senior from New Hampshire

Remarks
Lieutenant Jeremy Warmkessel
President of Local 302 IAFF Allentown Firefighters, Pennsylvania

Remarks
Maria-Isabel Ballivian
Executive Director of the Annandale Christian Community for Action Childhood Development Center, Virginia

Remarks
Deja Foxx
Reproductive rights activist and content creator 

Performance
Jason Isbell
American singer and songwriter

Remarks
The Honorable Gina M. Raimondo 

Remarks
The Honorable Kathy Hochul
Governor of New York

Remarks
Rochelle Adjei-Abasa
Regional Organizing Director for Delaware County, Pennsylvania

8:00 PM

Hosted by Tony Goldwyn, American actor and singer

Remarks
Steve Kerr
Team USA Men’s Basketball coach and Golden State Warriors coach

Remarks
Shawn Fain
President of the United Automobile Workers

Remarks
The Honorable Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York

Remarks
Stacey Johnson-Batiste and Doris Johnson
Childhood friends of Kamala Harris 

Remarks
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Former United States Secretary of State

Remarks
The Honorable James E. Clyburn
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, South Carolina

Remarks
The Honorable Jamie Raskin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Maryland

Remarks
The Honorable Jasmine Crockett
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas

Remarks
The Honorable Grace Meng
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York

9:00 PM 

Joint Remarks
Amanda and Josh Zurawski, Texas
Kaitlyn Joshua, Louisiana
Hadley Duvall, Kentucky

Remarks
The Honorable Andy Beshear
Governor of Kentucky

Remarks
The Honorable Reverend Raphael G. Warnock
United States Senator, Georgia

Remarks
The Honorable Chris Coons
United States Senator, Delaware

Remarks
Dr. Jill Biden
First Lady of the United States

Performance
James Taylor
American singer and songwriter

Introduction
Ashley Biden

Remarks
The Honorable Joe Biden
President of the United States

Benediction
Rabbi Michael S. Beals
Temple Beth El of Newark, Delaware
Pastor Cindy Rudolph
African Methodist Episcopal Church of Oak Grove, Delaware

Gavel Out
The Honorable Peggy Flanagan
Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota

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Democratic National Committee
August 19, 2024

Democrats Feature Everyday Americans in Marquee Moments of Night One of the 2024 Democratic National Convention: “For the People”

CHICAGO — Today, the Democratic National Convention is featuring everyday Americans from across the country marquee moments of Night One. These Americans come from different backgrounds, different communities, and different experiences, but they all believe that Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz are the leaders America needs to protect our democracy and fight for our freedoms.

Below are the Americans who are participating in marquee moments of tonight’s Democratic National Convention program.

Invocation
Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich, Archdiocese of Chicago

Presentation of Colors
Illinois State Police Honor Guard

Pledge of Allegiance
William and Charles Harrison, ages 9 and 5

National Anthem
Soul Children of Chicago – A Grammy Award-winning choir, the Soul Children of Chicago empowers children through education, career guidance, international cultural experiences, and music.

Benediction
Rabbi Michael S. Beals – Temple Beth El, Newark, DE
Pastor Cindy Rudolph – Oak Grove African Methodist Episcopal Church, Detroit, MI

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Democratic National Committee
August 19, 2024

Night One of Democratic National Convention Highlights the Deep Bench of Democratic Leadership

CHICAGO – On night one of the Democratic National Convention, Democrats featured four lieutenant governors and some of the party’s most prominent rising stars — all of whom are state executives on the front lines of implementing the Biden-Harris administration’s historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure.

Tonight’s program featured:

• The Honorable Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota and Democratic National Convention (DNCC) Co-Chair
• The Honorable Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California
• The Honorable Austin A. Davis, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
• The Honorable Sara Rodriguez, MSN, MPH, RN, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin

These leaders have partnered with the Biden-Harris administration to deliver for the American people, shepherding billions of dollars of investment to strengthen communities across the country. These state leaders know when the unexpected happens, whether a bridge collapses or a natural disaster strikes, we need leaders who will be there to answer the call.

From Minnesota to Texas to California to Wisconsin, our Democratic lieutenant governors represent the breadth and diversity of the expanding bench of talent in the Democratic Party. They have worked hand-in-hand with the Biden-Harris administration to deliver for their communities, and they are fighting to elect the Harris-Walz ticket because they know that Vice President Harris and Governor Walz will continue building a stronger future for all of us.

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Democratic National Convention Committee
August 19, 2024

Democrats Honor President Biden’s Legacy on Night One of Democratic National Convention

CHICAGO – On the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Democrats honored President Biden’s legacy of delivering for the American people. Throughout the night, voices from across the coalition came together to uplift his historic record of accomplishments: lowering costs for the middle class, rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure, and defending our democracy at home and abroad – a record that Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz will continue to build on.

Speakers on night one included those who know President Biden best and some of his strongest allies who have been by his side in the fight for the soul of the nation. Senators Raphael Warnock and Chris Coons highlighted the President’s leadership and shared stories of how in public and in private, President Biden never backed down from his vision for a brighter America where everyone has a fair shot. Dr. Jill Biden and Ashley Biden discussed how President Biden has spent every day of his career with an unwavering dedication to the American people and spoke to the most important job of his life, his commitment to his family.

The successes of the Biden-Harris Administration will be front and center throughout all four days of the Democratic National Convention. The Harris-Walz ticket is running with a clear vision to build on those successes, providing a powerful contrast to Donald Trump, who only fights for himself. They know the measure of a leader is not who you beat down, it is who you lift up. Vice President Harris and Governor Walz have both spent their lives lifting people up and that is how they will lead this country as the next President and Vice President of the United States.

Democratic National Convention Committee
August 19, 2024

Democratic National Convention Topline Messaging

DAY ONE: MONDAY, AUGUST 19

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION: FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR OUR FUTURE

• Our convention is telling the story of how Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are fighting for the people, for our freedoms, and for our future — while Donald Trump is only fighting for himself.
• The convention is a renewed opportunity for Democrats to tell our story and further introduce Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz to the country.
• We are using our historic stage to lay out the stakes of the election, showcase the Biden-Harris administration’s accomplishments for the American people, and show how the Harris-Walz ticket is planning to build on that historic record.
• On the stage and the screen, we are hearing directly from everyday Americans — our friends, neighbors, and colleagues — about why they’re supporting the Harris-Walz ticket.
• The convention isn’t just a compelling program, it is a tool for organizing. We are tapping into the growing energy and coalition behind the Harris-Walz ticket, and using that momentum to send Vice President Harris and Governor Walz into the final stretch of the campaign, ready to win.

DNCC DAY ONE: FOR THE PEOPLE

• Tonight, voices from across the Democratic coalition came together on the stage of the United Center to honor President Biden’s record of delivering for all Americans.
• On the stage and on the screen, we heard directly from everyday Americans about the life-changing policies of the Biden-Harris administration and why they’re supporting the Harris-Walz ticket to continue building on that historic record.
• Throughout all four nights of the convention, the Biden-Harris administration’s accomplishments will be on full display, as will the Harris-Walz ticket’s commitment to fighting for the American people.
• While Donald Trump puts himself first, Democrats are fighting for the wellbeing of the American people – and that contrast will be on display during our convention.
• Democrats remain the People’s Party; Republicans have become the party of Trump.

DNCC DAY TWO: A BOLD VISION FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE

• The race isn’t just a choice between two candidates. It’s a fundamental choice between two very different visions of America.
• Unlike Donald Trump, who believes our best days are behind us, Vice President Harris and Governor Walz know our best days are ahead.
• The Harris-Walz ticket is charting a new way forward towards a brighter future for our country – one that stands in stark contrast with the extreme Trump-Vance Project 2025 agenda that would drag our country back.
• Tomorrow, Democrats will take to the convention stage to showcase how the Harris-Walz ticket is fighting for a future where every American has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead.

OUR NOMINEES

• Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz will build a brighter, more hopeful future where everyone will have a chance to not just get by, but to get ahead.
• Vice President Harris is a fighter for the people. From her days as a prosecutor to her work as Vice President, she has defended the rights of the American people by standing up to predators, scammers, and powerful interests.
• As Vice President, she’s helped deliver historic progress across the country, and in Governor Walz, she chose a running mate who shares her vision – and who will be a great governing partner as they deliver for working families. 
• Governor Walz is a lifelong Midwesterner who has delivered for the middle class: he signed the largest tax cut in state history, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, and has stood up for reproductive freedoms. Just like Vice President Harris, he will never stop fighting for working families.

A STARK CONTRAST WITH TRUMP’S GOP

• When the world turns its eyes on Chicago, they’ll see who we are as Democrats: fighting for people, for our freedoms, and for our future. 
• It will be a stark contrast to what Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are offering: An extreme and dangerous Project 2025 agenda that would roll back Americans’ rights and freedoms, hurt the middle class, and threaten our democracy.

PRESIDENT BIDEN SPEECH ON NIGHT ONE

• Tonight, President Biden delivered the keynote address for why his partner – Vice President Harris – should be the next President of the United States.
• After saving democracy in 2020, President Biden is determined to defeat the threat to democracy posed by Donald Trump, who says he would terminate the constitution and be a dictator on day one.
• He addressed how in the battle for the soul of America, we’ve ensured democracy prevailed, democracy delivered, and now with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, we must ensure democracy is preserved. We inherited a series of cascading crises, emerged stronger than when we entered them, and are poised for a future of endless possibilities.
• In addition to highlighting the Harris-Walz vision for the future and the stakes of this election, the successes of the Biden-Harris Administration will be front and center throughout the week: successfully overcoming a once in a century pandemic, transforming an economy that was flat on its back to the strongest economy in the world, defending democracy at home and abroad, and restoring decency and dignity to the White House. This record is at stake. The contrast will be clear.