Democrats, protesters gather in Chicago to cheer, Kamala Harris to formally accept Democratic nomination

CHICAGO, Aug 19 (MBNEWS24) – Democrats converged in Chicago on Monday, marking the inception of Vice President Kamala Harris’ White House campaign, a bid against Republican Donald Trump, and celebrating President Joe Biden, whose withdrawal from the race has dramatically altered his party’s prospects.

The four-day Democratic National Convention commenced amidst a backdrop of anticipation and dissent, with tens of thousands expected to rally outside the event, many of whom oppose the Biden administration’s endorsement of Israel’s Gaza offensive. These demonstrators will march a mile-long route through the city, staying outside the security cordon.

Biden, at 81, ended his reelection bid a month ago, succumbing to pressure from key Democrats concerned about his age and capability to lead for another term. Despite his reluctant exit, Biden will deliver a prime-time speech at the convention on Monday night, advocating for Harris’ election and the defeat of former President Trump, now 78. As Democrats strive to maintain unity following this unprecedented candidate shift, Harris, 59, is anticipated to join Biden on stage, symbolically receiving his endorsement.

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Harris will formally accept her nomination on Thursday night in a much-anticipated address. Should she emerge victorious on November 5, Harris would break historical barriers as the first female president of the United States.

A coalition comprising approximately 200 social justice organizations, many with pro-Palestinian leanings, will assemble outside the convention. Among the delegates, some are advocating for a revision of the party’s platform to impose restrictions on arms sales to Israel.

Kamala Harris to formally accept Democratic nomination

Harris approaches the convention riding a wave of momentum: her campaign has shattered fundraising records, drawn massive crowds, and shifted public opinion in key battleground states to favour Democrats. Biden’s decision to bow out followed a disastrous debate with Trump on June 27, which led long-time allies, major donors, and party stalwarts to urge him to step aside.

Polling data from a month ago showed Trump with a comfortable lead over Biden, but Harris has since narrowed the gap, both nationally and in pivotal swing states like Pennsylvania, which will play a critical role in the election.

“I’ve attended every convention since I was eligible to vote, and I’ve never experienced this kind of energy and electricity at any convention, except maybe the one for Barack Obama,” said Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday.

BATTLEGROUND TOURS
On Sunday, Harris embarked on a bus tour across western Pennsylvania with her vice-presidential running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. During the tour, she insinuated that Trump was a coward whose political strategy revolves around undermining his opponents. Harris will remain in Chicago for most of the week, though she plans to make a brief trip to Milwaukee on Tuesday for a campaign event, returning to Chicago in time to hear her husband, Doug Emhoff, address the convention that night.

The Trump campaign, intent on overshadowing the convention, will crisscross key battleground states throughout the week, highlighting policy issues where Republicans maintain a polling advantage. In what promises to be the most intense stretch of his campaign, Trump will deliver a speech on 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 of Trump’s closest allies and donors have urged him to refrain from using racially or gender-charged language against Harris, advising him instead to focus on critiquing her policy record.

Trump’s Michigan rally will be held in Howell, a city grappling with its past association with racism, including Ku Klux Klan rallies in the 1970s and 1980s. Last month, about a dozen white supremacists chanted “Heil Hitler” and displayed signs reading “White Lives Matter” during a march through downtown. Another group of demonstrators shouted, “We love Hitler, we love Trump” from an overpass in a nearby town, according to local reports.

The Harris campaign lambasted Trump for failing to denounce what it described as a “flagrant display of racism and antisemitism in his name.” Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt responded by stating that Trump would emphasize in Howell that hate has no place in America should he return to the White House. She also pointed out that Biden had visited Howell in 2021.

A Trump campaign official mentioned on Sunday that the event is aimed at the Detroit media market and is being hosted by a local sheriff, a Trump supporter, whose office is based in Howell.

On Monday night, Democrats will also pay homage to their 2016 presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, who is scheduled to speak before Biden. Former President Barack Obama is set to speak on Tuesday, followed by former President Bill Clinton on Wednesday.