The Democratic National Convention will conclude Thursday night with what is, by any measure, the marquee event of the week: when Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage to formally accept her party’s nomination to be president.
The acceptance speech is historically a high-profile (and high-stakes) moment that provides candidates an opportunity to speak directly to the nation and offer a vision for their presidency. That’s particularly so this time.
It has been barely a month since President Biden dropped out of the race and Ms. Harris began her own campaign. She is still something of a mystery to these delegates, who are eager to see how — in tone and substance — she intends to take the fight to Donald J. Trump.
Here are five things to watch for on the convention’s final night:
-
Framing the case against Trump: There has been no shortage of how-to-run-against-Trump game plans laid out this week. President Biden branded the former president a threat to democracy. Hillary Clinton reminded voters that he is a felon. Michelle and Barack Obama presented him as a billionaire businessman who only cares about himself, promoting division and hate to advance his career. Ms. Harris will have the chance, before the biggest audience of her career, to signal which of these roads she might take, or set out her own agenda for the campaign ahead.
-
Running late: Republican convention planners had to worry about only one main star. Their Democratic counterparts have had to juggle a large and jostling cast of politicians, labor and business leaders, and celebrities. But even granting these difficulties, logistics have been a challenge for Democrats this week. Mr. Biden didn’t finish his speech until well past midnight Eastern time on Monday, and Mr. Obama didn’t even get started until a few minutes after 11 p.m. on Tuesday. There have been last-minute alterations to speed up the program as it droned on. James Taylor, who was cut at the last minute on Monday night, still has not performed. So the challenge for Democrats on Night 4: Can they get Ms. Harris onstage in prime time?
-
Clearing the Obama bar: Ms. Harris is an accomplished public speaker. But she has the unenviable role of being the closing act at a convention that included some of the most powerful speakers in memory, including Mrs. Obama on Tuesday. “I am the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama,” her husband said as he took the lectern, only to deliver his own memorable speech. For a hall of Democrats eager to see just how strong Ms. Harris will be against Mr. Trump, her ability to play on this field is crucial. The comparison to the Obamas is perhaps not a fair yardstick. But that is what is going to be on the delegates’ minds.
-
The past vs. the future: How much of Ms. Harris’s remarks will be devoted to Mr. Trump? The convention has been designed as a four-day generational handoff: Mr. Biden, who focused on the past, was relegated to the first night. The Obamas took over the second night, presenting themselves as a bridge to a Harris administration. Wednesday night was for the past and potential future, too, featuring former President Bill Clinton ahead of Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Ms. Harris’s running mate. Those boxes are now checked. And with Ms. Harris eager to make this campaign about the future, we’ll see how much she chooses to talk about herself…..
…
Former president Donald Trump said he will respond in real time to Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention, where she will formally accept the party’s nomination for president.
Trump, who has a lengthy history of spreading false statements and personal attacks, said he will provide “LIVE PLAY BY PLAY,” on Truth Social starting at 10 p.m. Eastern time….
image….NY Times
Jed Vance wants the Democrats to tone the rhetoric down.
Sometimes I wonder if this guy is really looking for a later career as a comedian.
When he inquired about Swiss Cheese on a Philly Cheese Steak I knew he wasn’t ready for prime time.
How ya doing there Keith?
Looked jammed!
If you want a cringe laugh Google “JD Vance donut shop”.
It makes anything Dan Quayle or even Sarah Palin did seem Kennedyesque.
How bad do you have to be at being a normal human being to fuck up a donut order?
BAD…..
“I just don’t understand a person in American politics in 2024 who’s whining about what happened to them instead of using their leadership…to make the lives of American citizens better.”
JD Vance
Running mate of “ Whining” Donald Trump
CNN
JD?
YOUR BOSS OWNS the whinnying Award of the Century
Lots of talk about a high-profile surprise guest tonight.
Speculation is centering on:
George W. Bush
Taylor Swift
Beyonce
Anthony Hopkins (as the late, great Hannibal Lecter)
JD must have been making a 20 year old John Kerry joke. He was the one that asked for Swiss cheese on the Philly cheesecake. Ironic, considering JD Vance’s economic and foreign policy sound exactly like the Kerry-Edwards ticket.
Give us specifics, or that last statement is mindless bluster the likes of which I’d expect from two or three other commenters.
Vance can say what he wants, but at the end of the day, a Trump/Vance victory is the same tired shit from 50-60 years ago metastasized to its final stage.
Vance came out for his convention speech to an anti-GWB song, and left to Bill Clinton’s convention song. You can either watch his speech or read the transcript. He sounded exactly like John Edwards on those matters.
John Edwards may have turned out to he a scumbag but when was he ever an anti union scab like JD Vance?
It’s just rehashing the glory days of the last time Republicans won the national popular vote for President. And all he can come up with is song choices. Paul Ryan is a noted fan of Rage Against the Machine, and they are further left than Fleetwood Mac. This is not new.
Politics in action is JD Vance talking about child tax credits and purposefully missing the Senate vote on them. They may lean in to the word salad, but it’s just that. Word salad designed to dupe the masses.
Still, Kerry should have put someone else on the ticket.
The Reverend Al Sharpton just brought out tonight’s surprise guests, the exonerated Central Park Five.
WTF would think that s COP from Michigan would be a FEATURED speaker…..
Walz a gun owner…..
NO Palestinian on the dais….
Quietly?
Harris & Company HAS moved towards the MIDDLE…..
Smart Gun Control as a Persanal issue…..
Defining REPUBLICAN Policy…..
Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly
Pink signs
‘What about Us’……
Has her daughter helping
Mark Kelly back on stage…..
Leon Panetta
jbf196@gmail.com
100.38.238.248 In reply to jamesb.
Kelly was NOT the choice to make….
He’s SOLID….
But too solid for the campaign……
Gallego…..
The next US Senator for Arizona who will beat Kari Lake making her 0-2……(Gov and Sen)
He brings out Vets that are lawmakers…..
‘Show some Respect’…..
(aimed at Trump he seems to have NO Respect for the US Military)
Whitmer…..
Eva Langora
Adam Kinzinger…..
I am proud to be in the trenches with you…..
I was a republican for 12 years in Congress
You never thought u’d see me here
Secret.
The Democrat are just a patriotic as us….
The Republican has switched to a weak man pretending to be strong…..
A perp who can’t stop playing the victim
Kinzinger IS gonna be the target of a TON of MAGA social media dings
Democracy knows no party…..
Wow must all stand together to strengthen it…
Mya Harris…..
Fronts her mother…..
Roy Cooper……
Kamala Harris on point 10:32 PM East Coiast time to Crazy assed applause….
It isn’t stopping….
She…..
We gotta get to Business….Thank You everyone……
Thanks her man….
Joe Biden….
Props to him….
We love U and Jill….
And to choach Tim walz…..
And to the delegates …Ur support is humbling …
Read out of her upbringing….
Family of a broken home with support from others…
Her mother a brillant brown woman….5 foot tall…
Do something about in justice….
‘Never do anythinh half assed’
Grew up with a promise on civil rights…
A freind wanda abuswed by her step father who she took in…
I framed her life as a prosocutor….
Charges from the Government
‘The People vs’
‘Kamala Harris for the People’
Has been her….
I accept your Nomination in the greatest country on the planet…
A cahnce to chart a new way forward…
As Americans
I promise to the President of ALL America
A peaceful transition….
Pratical with common sense….
She enforced the Law….
Stood up students, Vets , worksers , seniors, drug lords, bad immigrants….
It has NOT been easy….
We never gave up…
The future is always what we fight for….
The election is one the most important in the life of th3e nation
Trump is unserious man….
The gravity of what he has done since leaving office….
His own party begged him to call off the protests….
He was convictdee of fruad and sexual abuse….
He wants to set free those used violence Jan. 6
To jail opponents…
M ilitary against his opponents….
Image Trump with NO) guard rails….
Used the power of office to serve HUMSELF….
Project 2025 to the past…
BUT….
We are NOT going back….
Cuts to Soc Sec, Ed Dept, Childcare,
A new way forward….
Strong Middle Class…
And opprtunity Economy to be made….
Brinbg together workers, labor and business lower prices…
End the housing shortage
Trump doesn’t fight for the Middle class…
Just make tax cuts for the rich…
Pass a national sales tax….
She… a tax cut….
American should be able to make their own decsions on theo own
Trump had picked those took away reproductive freedom….
People telling her about horror stories about lost access to abortion because of Donald Trump…
Without Congress going hardcore against Abortion….
Simply put….
They are out of their minds’
They don’t trust women…
WE trust women…
Ishe would sign a reverasl of state abortion limits…
Freedom….
Bring back and pass John Lewis voting rights act…
Addresses border
Trump order his allies to kill negotiated bypartisan border enforcement bill
She will bring it back and sign…
Foreign Policy …
She has dealt with other countries….
She will back American Defense stregth and the troops service a nd sacrifice …
USA…USA….USA chants….
Trump….Russia can do whatever they want…
She has worked to stand strong with Ukraine and NATO allies
Gaza….
Biden and I are working around the clock to get a hostage deal…
I will defend Israel…
Against Hamas Oct. 7 action
But the actions in Gaza is heartbreaking..
We are working
The Plaesstian people can get freedom and self determination….
I wll Not let Iran getv away
Trump plays to favors and flattery…
I know where I stand and where the US belongs….
I love America with ALL my heart….
I see a country ready to make the next step….
11:08 PM…..
I n america any thing is possible….
We have more in common that what seperates us…
GOPer’s sell America is so bad….
her mother….
Show who we are…
Fremdonm, endless possibilities, fairness….
Optimism and Faith and fight for ….Being an American…
Get out there ..Vote for it…
Write the next chapter in the Greatest story EVER told,,,,,
God Bless America,,,,,,,
Whew!
Husband greets her on stage….
Walz and his wife on stage….
Freedom plays in background music….
around 11:10 PM ……
Ballons and BALLONS…..
Everyone on stage…..
After action post tomorrow…..
She covered a LOT …..
A LOT of promise…..
Family and Zings at Trump….
A Tribute to America as a Postive….
She is now in for the race for November 5…..
Donald Trump is in deep s&%t. Less than a month ago, a bunch of Democrats were insisting Biden would be the stronger candidate than her.
Indeed…..
Look for him to be throwing every vile and disrepecrtive thing he can at her….
His street fighter WILL come out….
We’ll see if the media stays with her ….
THAT WILL be of MAJOR consequence….
She’ll get a bounce ….
Biden did the right thing…
He could have NEVER raised himself to the fight marker she just laid down…
A bunch of Biden-onlyists got angry at me on Facebook for saying Harris would kick Trump’s ass in ways unseen since the 80’s.
Feel the pain, bigots.
Excellent speech by VP Harris. Trump is fuming on his Playskool Twitter that Walz was NOT a Coach, he was an ASSISTANT Coach.
Trump has called into Fox News and has literally been hyperventilating for the past 10 minutes. They are going to have to drag him away.
I’m NOT surprised AT ALL….
This is his worst nightmare….
Mixed/Black WOMAN throwing political haymakers AT HIM?????
Democrats HAVE stolen the American Flag and some issues from the GOPer’s on National TV….
Catch ya later…
Good job by Harris….
Trump is gonna need to be talked off the ledge tonight….
Ron Flipkowski
Fmr Fox & Newsmax host Eric Bolling w/an epic rant today: “We’re losing the race! We’re losing the presidency..The enthusiasm level on the Left is overwhelming..They’re trying to say Democrats are the patriots! They’re wearing camo hats with Harris’ name on it! Camo-that’s ours!”
They cut him off to go to Gutfeld.
.
I actually watched 5 minutes of Gutfekd and am infinitely dumber for it.
One of my coworkers called Gutfeld the “biggest show in the history of Late Night.” Like he’s the modern day Carson/Letterman or something.
I have never seen an iota of the appeal of Gutfeld as some sort of network star. He seems like he would be a waiter at TGI Friday’s who tells jokes to get larger tips. (no tax)
Trump called Gutfeld’s cell phone while that show was going on. He was ranting how Biden was deposed by a coup. Sort of ironic.
Isn’t he the one that tried to drop hints that he was sleeping with Nancy Mace and she called him out on his bold faced lie?
This will not be a landslide election and I would not expect any sort of huge post-convention “bounce.” That already happened three weeks or so ago and it was a significant development then. There is only so much bounce that can be had.
The dynamics of the race favor the anti-Trump candidate though just as they always did once the anti-Biden factor was taken away. Democrats should certainly not be cocky. They need to reach out to the middle and stress “normalcy.” if not for images of rioters looting and burning flags and screaming about defunding the police four years ago, Trump would have lost by a much bigger margin.. Based on tonight, it seems like they mostly get that.
487 electoral votes
56 Senators
324 House Seats
27 Governors
My prediction as of today. 2 1/2 months to go. If that isn’t a landslide, I don’t know what is.
My advice is don’t turn into a gambling man.
Political betting markets want my drivers license, which I’m not showing for that purpose. But there are some campaigns I want to donate to. Caroline Gleich in Utah, Elizabeth Anderson in Alabama, Megan Barry in Tennessee, Lexy Doherty in Georgia, the guy running against Garbarino in New York, the Democratic Congressional slate in Kansas, to name a few. That’s more worth my time.
He, he, he
SE?
You Funny!😆
In fact Democrats during the Convention did reach out to EVERYONE…..
I do expect a bounce
The question is can it last…