Kamala Harris delivers forceful speech to close out DNC, accept 2024 nomination

What to know about Kamala Harris' speech on the last night of the DNC

• Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in Chicago on Thursday, delivering a forceful speech that laid out her vision for the country while warning about the possibility of former President Donald Trump returning to the White House.
• Capping off the fourth and final day of the Democratic National Convention , Harris recited her life story and background before directly taking on Trump and laying out her position on several hot-button issues, including the war in Gaza, immigration, abortion and more.
  
• "I promise to be a president for all Americans. You can always trust me to put country above party and self, to hold sacred America's fundamental principles, from the rule of law, to free and fair elections, to the peaceful transfer of power," she said.
• Harris called Trump an "unserious man," but said "the consequences of putting [him] back in the White House are extremely serious."
• "Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails and how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States — not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security — but to serve the only client he has ever had: himself," she said.
  
• Other notable speakers included Gov. Gretchen Whitmer , Eva Longoria , Sen. Mark Kelly and former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger .
  
• Here's how the last night of the DNC played out:

Harris, Walz families on stage for traditional balloon drop

Harris was joined on stage by her family and Walz's family as red, white and blue balloons fell from the ceiling.

A convention official said more than 100,000 balloons were prepared for the moment.

The convention soon ended with a benediction, bringing the 2024 DNC to a close.

Harris wraps up speech, calling for "next great chapter"

Harris wrapped up her nomination speech, calling on Americans to "write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told."

"It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done," she said. "Guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish and to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth — the privilege and pride of being an American."

"So let's get out there," she said. "Let's fight for it."

Harris says she and Biden are working to end Israel-Hamas war, calls situation in Gaza "devastating"

Harris said she and Mr. Biden are "working around the clock" to get a hostage and cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.

"I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself," she said. "I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself."

But she said what has happened in Gaza during the 10-month war is "devastating."

"So many innocent lives lost," she said. "Desperate, hungry people, fleeing for safety, over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking."

Harris on Republicans and abortion: "Simply put, they are out of their minds"

Harris blamed Trump for the Supreme Court rolling back Roe v. Wade. Trump appointed three justices to the court, creating a conservative supermajority.

"Donald Trump hand-picked members of the United States Supreme Court to take away reproductive freedom, and now he brags about it," she said.

She said Americans have shared stories of miscarrying in a parking lot, getting sepsis and losing the ability to have children again.

"This is what is happening in our country because of Donald Trump," she said, warning "he is not done."

She said that he would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion, enact a nationwide ban on abortion and force states to report on women's miscarriages and abortions.

"Simply put, they are out of their minds," she said.

Harris vows to revive immigration bill that Trump opposed

Turning to immigration, Harris accused Trump of sabotaging a bipartisan immigration bill negotiated in the Senate that collapsed after Trump came out against it . The bill would have provided billions of dollars in new spending to bolster border security and reform key portions of the nation's asylum system.

"But Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign. So he ordered

his allies in Congress to kill the deal," she said. "Well, I refuse to play politics with our security."

As president, Harris said, she pledged to "bring back the bipartisan border security bill that he killed" and "sign it into law."

She continued: "I know we can live up to our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants and reform our broken immigration system. We can create an earned pathway to citizenship — and secure our border."

Harris goes after Trump

Harris attacked Trump, calling him "an unserious man" and urged Americans to consider the "extremely serious" consequences of putting him back in the White House.

"Consider the power he will have, especially after the United States Supreme Court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution," she said. "Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails and how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States, not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security, but to serve the only client he has ever had — himself."

Harris: "I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America"

Harris formally accepted the party's nomination: "My entire career, I've only had one client: the people. And so, on behalf of the people, on behalf of every American regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks, on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey, on behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with, people who work hard, chase their dreams, and look out for one another, on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on earth, I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America."

Harris thanks Biden and begins speech by recounting family history

Harris began her speech offering her thanks to President Biden, calling his character "inspiring," and predicted history would look favorably upon his record in office.

The vice president used her remarks to share her life story about being raised by a single mother in California, who immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 19.

"The path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected," she said. "But I'm no stranger to unlikely journeys."

She recalled moving often as a child, and eventually settling around San Francisco, where she was raised by a community of caretakers. Harris shared with the audience the lessons learned from her mother, including to "never do anything half-a**ed," which she said is a "direct quote."

Harris arrives on stage to begin address

Just after 10:30 p.m., Harris emerged to thunderous applause from the crowd to begin her acceptance speech.

Roy Cooper calls Harris "one hell of a fighter"

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he's "the last guy standing between you and the moment we're all waiting for."

Cooper called Harris "one hell of a fighter" who is ready to take on "a lot of big fights ahead of us."

"Even if you don't agree with her on everything, Kamala Harris will fight for you to the very end," he said.

He said she will fight for families who need better heath care or safer places to live, for parents who want better schools, for workers worried about retirement and will have the backs of U.S. allies.

"And when she fights, we win," he said. "Kamala is ready. The question is, are we? Are we going to stand up and fight for Kamala like she'll stand up and fight for us?"

Maya Harris says her sister's leadership is needed in "this historic moment"

Maya Harris, the vice president's sister, spoke about their mother, who immigrated to the U.S. from India and was a breast cancer scientist.

"Mommy understood the power and the possibility that come with knowing and showing who you truly are. She knew we could be the authors of our own stories, just as she'd been the author of her own," she said.

Harris said while Americans may differ in their struggles, histories and perspectives, "what binds us together is the fervent desire to be free, to fulfill our God-given potential."

Harris said her sister knows what it is like to be the underdog but will fight for and bring together the country.

"It is why we need her leadership in this historic moment," she said.

Harris accused Republicans of wanting to take the nation backward, but her sister is seeking unity and progress.

"My sister says hold up now, we are not going back," she said. "Because Kamala understands we have so much more important than what separates us."

Harris said the nation needs to "elect a leader who sees the potential in each of us, a leader who cares for all of us, a leader who fights for every one of us. Our Democratic nominee, my big sister, the next president of the United States, Kamala Harris."

Kinzinger: "Trump is a weak man pretending to be strong"

Former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger lambasted Trump and said the Republican Party has lost its way under him.

"Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party," he said. "His fundamental weakness has coursed through my party like an illness."

He said the Republican Party has "switched its allegiance" to "a man whose only purpose is himself."

"Donald Trump is a weak man pretending to be strong. A small man pretending to be big. A faithless man pretending to be righteous. A perpetrator who can't stop playing the victim. He puts on quite a show. But there's no real strength there."

Kinzinger is among the handful of Republicans who have spoken at the convention against Trump. He said he's still a Republican, but he had to put country first and is voting for Harris.

"I never thought I'd be here. And, listen, you never thought you'd see me here, did you?" he said.

"But I've learned something about the Democratic Party. And I want to let my fellow Republicans in on the secret. The Democrats are as patriotic as us," he said to loud applause. "They love this country just as much as we do. And they are as eager to defend American values at home and abroad as we conservatives have ever been. I was relieved to discover that."

He said Harris shares his commitment to the rule of law, the Constitution and democracy.

"To my fellow Republicans, if you still pledge allegiance to those principles, I suspect you belong here too," he said.

Actress Eva Longoria rallies crowd to "she se puede"

Actress Eva Longoria led the crowd in a chant that puts a twist on the phrase "Sí se puede," or "yes we can."

"Tonight, I'm here to tell you: Yes, she can. She se puede," she said. "Our voices, our vote, we're going to decide this election."

Longoria appeared at the convention earlier in the week with the delegation from Texas as it cast its votes for Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee.

"Kamala's success is our success, and she supports us to dream big too," she said.

Whitmer tells convention Harris "gets us. She sees us. She is us."

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer likened Harris' upbringing to millions of Americans, but said Trump cannot relate to those experiences.

"She's lived a life like ours. She knows us," she said. "Donald Trump doesn't know you at all. You think he understands that when your car breaks down you can't get to work? No. His first word was probably 'chauffeur.' You think he's ever had to take items out of the cart before checking out? Hell, you think he's ever been to a grocery store? That's what the chauffeur is for. But Kamala Harris, she gets us. She sees us. She is us."

Whitmer painted a picture of the next four years, receiving a news alert amid the chaos of daily life when "something hit the fan."

"You'll ask, 'Is my family gonna be OK?' And then you'll ask, 'Who the hell is in charge?' What if it's him? What if it's 'that man from Mar-a-Lago?'" she said, a reference to Trump calling Whitmer "that woman from Michigan."

The governor said that the nation has the chance to choose who will lead it in the next crisis.

"Why wouldn't we choose the leader who's tough, tested, and a total badass? I know who I want as our commander in chief," Whitmer said. "America, let's choose Kamala Harris."

Gallego appears alongside Democratic veterans, telling Trump to "show some respect"

Rep. Ruben Gallego, who's running for Senate in Arizona, highlighted his military background, and brought out dozens of other Democratic veterans as he spoke.

We stand united — veterans, Democrats and patriots — to fight for everyone who served our country. But politicians like Donald Trump — they don't stand with us. They call patriots like Senator McCain losers. John McCain was an American hero. Show some respect. Trump's Project 2025 will slash veteran benefits and force VA hospitals to close across the nation," Gallego said.

"Show some respect."