DNC live updates: Former President Bill Clinton addresses the convention

Protests continued near the site of the convention. At least 55 people were arrested following violent clashes with police Tuesday night.

• What to know about Walz: Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will face a national audience that’s still getting to know him when he addresses the convention. Here’s a look at Walz as he prepares for his biggest speech of the campaign so far.

2 min ago

Clinton says Trump is fighting for ‘me, myself and I’

By ZEKE MILLER

He told the Democratic convention: “The next time you hear him, don’t count the lies — count the I’s.” Adding some corny humor, Clinton said, “He’s like one of those tenors opening up before he walks out on stage trying to get his lungs open by saying: me, me, me, me. When Kamala Harris is president, every day will begin with you, you, you.”

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and first daughter Chelsea Clinton watched from the arena was the former president spoke.

4 min ago

Clinton’s a fan of the golden arches

By ZEKE MILLER

Clinton is emphasizing Harris’ time working at McDonald’s to emphasize that she’s working to help people like them.

“When she was a student, she worked at McDonald’s,” Clinton said. “She greeted every person with that thousand-watt smile and said, ‘How can I help you?’ And now, she’s at the pinnacle of power, she’s still asking ‘How can I help you?’”

Clinton added: “I’ll be so happy when she actually enters the White House because, at last, she’ll break my record as the president who has spent the most time at McDonald’s.”

Former President Donald Trump is also a frequent consumer of the golden arches’ food.

12 min ago

Clinton jokes about his age

By ZEKE MILLER

Clinton, who left office more than 23 years ago, is cracking jokes about former President Donald Trump’s age — and his own.

“I actually turned 78 two days ago,” Clinton said. “The only personal vanity I want to assert is that I’m still younger than Donald Trump.”

He did not mention that Biden, 81, is older than both of them.

13 min ago

Bill Clinton praises Joe Biden

By ZEKE MILLER

Former President Bill Clinton says President Joe Biden has, like George Washington, enhanced his legacy by deciding to leave office. Praising Biden at the start of his Democratic National Convention speech, Clinton says of Biden, “He healed our sick and put the rest of us back to work.”

15 min ago

President Bill Clinton takes the stage

He walked out to “Fix You” by Coldplay.

20 min ago

Hakeem Jeffries casts Trump as ‘an old boyfriend’ who ‘won’t go away’

By FARNOUSH AMIRI

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries began his speech Wednesday night with a nod to President Biden, saying he would go down as one of the “most consequential presidents of all time.” But Jeffries, who if Democrats win back the House in November would become the first Black speaker, quickly pivoted to the new nominee, saying Harris is a “courageous leader, a compassionate leader and common-sense leader.”

Jeffries then spoke on Trump, saying the former president is like “an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away.”

“He has spent the last four years spinning around the block, trying to get back into a relationship with the American people,” the New York Democrat said. “Bro, we broke up with you for a reason.”

23 min ago

Mindy Kaling steps in to host as the DNC enters prime time

Mindy Kaling is the celebrity host of the prime-time hours of night three of the Democratic convention, and she touted her ties to Vice President Kamala Harris as she introduced herself.

“For those of you who don’t know me I am an incredibly famous Gen Z actress who you might recognize from “The Office,” “The Mindy Project” or as the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video,” Kaling said.

The actor, comedian and screenwriter from Massachusetts is the daughter of immigrants from India, and she and Harris made masala dosa together in a video four years ago.

25 min ago

Democrats keep hammering Republicans about Project 2025

By BRIAN SLODYSKO

Project 2025, the policy document that some conservatives had hoped would serve as a blueprint for a future Trump administration, keeps getting lots of camera time at the Democratic convention.

On Wednesday, it was comedian Kenan Thompson who toted the book on stage.

“Ever seen a document that can kill a small animal and democracy at the same time? Here it is,” said Thompson, a Saturday Night Live star, who got his start on the Nickelodeon kids comedy show “All That.”

Trump and his campaign have repeatedly sought to distance themselves from Project 2025. But the document, which is hundreds of pages long and written by Trump allies and officials in his administration, has continued to dog him.

And Democrats aren’t about to stop.

Among the proposals included in the document are far more stringent abortion restrictions. The authors also want to dramatically downsize the federal government and give the president the authority to replace tens of thousands of workers with loyalists.

“Everything we just talked about is very real. It is in this book,” Thompson said.

“You can stop it from ever happening by electing Kamala Harris,” he concluded.

30 min ago

Sorry, Matt!

Comedian Kenan Thompson brought back the huge “Project 2025" tome as he introduced a bit talking to various Americans who would be impacted by the book’s policies. “You ever see a document that can kill a small animal and democracy at the same time?” he said.

But as he began, tech issues prevented Thompson from going through with the bit with a Nevada delegate named Matt. After several seconds of trying to fix the problem, Thompson moved on to the next delegate, saying, “Sorry, Matt!” and the bit continued.

36 min ago

Stevie Wonder performs ‘Higher Ground’

Stevie Wonder used his keyboard as a podium on the stage of the Democratic convention, giving a brief speech before breaking into “Higher Ground.”

“We must choose courage over complacency, it is time to get UP! And go vote.”

He asked the audience, “Are y’all ready to reach a higher ground? Because you know we need Kamala Harris.”

The 74-year-old musical luminary then broke into his 1973 classic from the album “Innervisions,” accompanied by a DJ and dancers clad in white.

Wonder also sang at the 2008 convention in Denver that brought the nomination of Barack Obama.

45 min ago

New Jersey congressman recalls Jan. 6 riot

By FARNOUSH AMIRI

Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., talked about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack where he spent the hours after the mob was cleared out by police cleaning up the trash and destruction that was left by the rioters. “I did the only thing I could think to do: I grabbed a trash bag and started cleaning up,” Kim, who is running for Senate in New Jersey, said. “What I learned on Jan. 6 is that all of us, all of us, are caretakers of our great Republic.”

53 min ago

Former Jan. 6 committee chairman says Trump ‘would rather subvert democracy than submit to it’

By FARNOUSH AMIRI

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., spoke Wednesday night about the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The former chairman of the Jan. 6 committee warned at the convention “about going back to the dark history,” of political violence and racial segregation. “They wanted to stop the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in American history,” he said. “Thank God they failed.”

Thompson warned of what would happen if Trump would once again lose and refuse to accept the results of the election. “He would rather subvert democracy than submit to it. Now he’s plotting to do it again,” he added.

55 min ago

By ZEKE MILLER

The convention is chanting “Lock him up” after organizers played a video highlighting Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 2021, insurrection.

59 min ago

Georgia’s former lieutenant governor urges fellow Republicans to ‘dump Trump’

By ZEKE MILLER

Geoff Duncan, the former Republican lieutenant governor of Georgia, is eliciting a raucous response from Democrats in the convention hall as he lays into Donald Trump.

“Our party is not civil and conservative. It’s chaotic and crazy,” he said of Republicans before urging others to “dump Trump.”

Addressing his fellow Republicans, Duncan said, “If you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 you’re not a Democrat, you’re a patriot.”

12:35 AM UTC

Another former Trump White House official backs Harris

By ERIC TUCKER

A former Trump administration White House official said she made the right decision when she quit her job.

Olivia Troye told the Democratic National Convention that being in Trump’s White House was “terrifying” but what truly keeps her up at night is the possibility of the former president reclaiming the office.

Troye said the traditional values that she says made her a Republican growing up are the same values that have led her to support Harris for president.

Turning to her fellow Republicans, she said a vote for Harris is not a vote for a Democrat but rather a vote for democracy.

12:29 AM UTC

‘This is a vision for America that Donald Trump will never understand’

By FARNOUSH AMIRI

Rep. Pete Aguilar, the highest-ranking Latino in Congress, said that Trump is a threat to the values his immigrant family grew up with in Southern California.

“Only Kamala Harris and Tim Walls will protect the American dream so that every family can earn a living, own a home, and reach their full potential,” Aguilar said. “This is a vision for America that Donald Trump will never understand. All he knows is chaos and division.”

12:21 AM UTC

Walz honed his voice ahead of his DNC speech

By ZEKE MILLER

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz has been working on his DNC speech for about a week, according to a person familiar with the matter, and has made edits in recent days to make it sound more authentic to his voice.

Walz also practiced using a teleprompter for the first time since he was selected as Harris’ running mate as he looks to use the speech to introduce himself to the American people. Walz, the person said, is expected to draw a contrast between the Democratic and Republican tickets and will criticize Donald Trump and JD Vance. But the person said Walz, who has tried to campaign with “joy” was not expected to play the role of “attack dog” against the GOP side. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview Walz’s remarks.

12:19 AM UTC

Democrats turn their attention to the border

By FARNOUSH AMIRI

Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, who served as a surrogate to the then-Biden campaign, kicked off what will be a series of speeches Wednesday night focused on immigration and security at the U.S. border with Mexico.

“Forget what you hear on the news, I’m from there,” Escobar, who represents a border district, said. “When it comes to the border, hear me when I say, you know nothing, Donald Trump.”

After a video played showing Republican opposition to a bipartisan border deal earlier this year, Sen. Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut took the stage. Murphy was the top Democrat negotiating the proposal with conservative senators.

“I just want to let you know that everything you just saw in that video, that’s exactly what happened,” Murphy said. “It would have had unanimous support if it weren’t for Donald Trump.”

12:12 AM UTC

WATCH: Protests outside DNC continue after violent clashes the previous night led to 56 arrests

12:08 AM UTC

Singer Maren Morris performs ‘Better Than We Found It’

Singer Maren Morris brought her plea for progress “Better Than We Found It” to the convention.

The Grammy winner from Arlington, Texas, has been leaning more toward pop recently but struck a decidedly country tone on the stage at the United Center.

“God save us all from ourselves and the hell that we’ve built for our kids,” she sang. “America, America, We’re better than this.” The song was released in 2020 in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and was viewed as an implicit rejection of former President Trump’s rhetoric.

Morris has been a vocal supporter of liberal causes and has publicly sparred with other country music figures on issues including trans rights.

She’s also set to be among the performers at a 100th birthday celebration for former President Jimmy Carter next month.

11:57 PM UTC

Polin family calls for a cease-fire and hostage release

By ZEKE MILLER, FARNOUSH AMIRI

Jon Polin thanked Biden and Harris for their work trying to secure a cease-fire and hostage release deal in Gaza. Acknowledging the “agony” of civilians in Gaza as well, he said, “In a competition of pain there are no winners” and called for a swift agreement to free the hostages and stop the fighting in Gaza.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, who has been a staunch critic of Israel as it has responded to the Oct. 7 attack, was seen at the convention clapping as the parents of the Israeli hostage spoke about the need to not only bring back hostages but to end the “civilian suffering” in Gaza.

Halie Soifer, the head of the Jewish Democratic Council of America and former national security advisor to Harris when she was senator, said in a statement Wednesday after the Polins’ speech that “Jewish Americans are proud to stand with Vice President Harris because she stands with us on every issue, including strong support of the US-Israel relationship.”

11:49 PM UTC

The parents of an American hostage in Gaza receive a standing ovation

By FARNOUSH AMIRI, ZEKE MILLER

Sen. Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey, introduced his constituents, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who has been held hostage in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

They were among the family members of six American hostages in attendance in Chicago to raise awareness about their family members’ plight.

Polin and Goldberg-Polin, wearing a notation that it’s been 320 days since their son was taken captive, received a standing ovation from conventiongoers, who chanted “Bring them home.”

While the Polins spoke, the camera cut to the various people in the room who were shedding tears for the parents.

It comes after Ronen and Orna Neutra, the parents of Omer Neutra, were given a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention last month.

11:42 PM UTC

A record number of DNC delegates identify as LGBTQ+

By ZEKE MILLER

According to the Human Rights Campaign, over 800 DNC delegates identify as LGBTQ+ — a record — and over 50 identify as trans or nonbinary.

11:41 PM UTC

‘Even their lawyers need lawyers’

By BRIAN SLODYSKO

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is contrasting Kamala Harris’ record as a prosecutor with Donald Trump’s allies, some of whom have been indicted and convicted of crimes in his service.

“In the Republican Party, everyone thinks they are above the law,” said Ellison “Even their lawyers need lawyers.”

Harris was San Francisco’s elected district attorney and California attorney general before her election to the Senate and elevation to vice president.

11:37 PM UTC

Don’t forget about Congress!

By ZEKE MILLER

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Suzan DelBene told party faithful it’s not enough to win the White House.

“A Democratic Congress is how we turn promises into progress,” she says, which would enable Harris and Walz to enact their policy agenda. Democrats only need to pick up a handful of seats to retake the majority in the House from Republicans.

11:35 PM UTC

Wasserman Schultz talks about the repercussions of the Dobbs decision

By ZEKE MILLER

Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was also bumped from the program on Monday, is getting a chance to address the convention Wednesday night.

The former DNC chair is using her remarks to highlight the story of a Florida woman who, because of the state’s restrictions on abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, was forced to carry to term a child with a fatal illness, only to watch the newborn die just hours after birth.

“This is Project 2025 in practice,” she says. “It’s what Donald Trump and JD Vance want for the whole country.”

11:32 PM UTC

The big book is back

By ZEKE MILLER

Prop-politics is back as Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is taking a page from an oversized printed copy of the conservative Project 2025, saying he wants to share it with undecided voters. Polis says the plan would jeopardize IVF and only values heterosexual couples where the man holds a job. Project 2025 was developed by Trump supporters but has been formally disavowed by the GOP nominee.

11:29 PM UTC

By ZEKE MILLER

Rep. Grace Meng, who got cut from the convention’s program on Monday because it was running very behind schedule, was given a make-up speaking slot on Wednesday night.

11:23 PM UTC

By ZEKE MILLER

Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who is running for Senate in Delaware, told the Democratic National Convention that facing the prospects of Trump’s election, “We’ve got to turn our biggest challenges into the brightest of hope.”

She added: “Bright hope is four words: Madam. President. Kamala. Harris.”

11:19 PM UTC

Minnesota connections abound ahead of Walz’s DNC speech

By MEG KINNARD

It’s Walz’s night at the DNC, and there are lots of touchstones to the Minnesota governor sprinkled throughout the programming.

Harris-Walz campaign officials note that elementary students from Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School in St. Paul, Minnesota, were tasked with leading the Pledge of Allegiance. According to the campaign, those students benefited from the free breakfast and lunch program that Walz signed into law as Minnesota governor.

Also, the campaign says the national anthem was sung by Jess Davis, a mathematics teacher selected as Minnesota’s teacher of the year in 2019.

11:15 PM UTC

‘To be a nation of immigrants is hard’

By BRIAN SLODYSKO

New York Rep. Tom Suozzi is implicitly contrasting Democrats’ stance on immigration with Republicans.

The Republican convention last month was dominated by calls to shut down the southern border and ratchet down admissions to the U.S. And though Republicans say they don’t oppose immigration — only those who enter the country illegally — Trump also tightly limited immigration during his presidency.

Souzzi pointed out that the U.S. has long been a nation of immigrants, including his own relatives who came from Italy.

“To be a nation of immigrants is hard,” he said. “You have to work for it.”

11:08 PM UTC

Democrats appeal to former Trump voters

By MEG KINNARD

There are more videos of former Trump supporters no longer backing the GOP nominee being played at the DNC.

It’s a theme to which convention programming has been returning throughout the week, perhaps aimed at other former Trump backers now looking for a new political home.

Harris’ campaign, and Biden’s before that, has been angling to attract Republican support heading into what’s anticipated to be a tight general election campaign.

11:07 PM UTC

Tonight’s special guests

By ZEKE MILLER

Country music star Maren Morris and poet Amanda Gorman will be performing at the Democratic National Convention’s third night on Wednesday.

Comedian Kenan Thompson will be joined by “guests,” the convention said, as he discusses the conservative Project 2025 on stage during the program. Other famous faces include musician John Legend and actor Mindy Kaling.

10:59 PM UTC

Abortion-rights advocates praise Harris

Reproductive justice leaders took the DNC stage to applaud Harris’ long history as an abortion rights advocate.

Mini Timmaraju, president of the national reproductive rights group Reproductive Freedom for All, highlighted states where abortion rights will be on the ballot this year, including Arizona and Montana — the latest states where voters will be able to decide in November whether they want to protect the right to an abortion in their state constitutions.

“The people will get to have their say this November,” she said.

Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood, told the stories of a Georgia woman who drove to South Carolina for abortion care but arrived the day the state’s six-week ban went into effect, of Texas doctors who have sent patients “to wait in hospital parking lots rather than provide the emergency care they need,” and of Idaho hospitals airlifting patients to other states.

“We cannot call ourselves a free nation when women are not free,” she said.

10:40 PM UTC

Oprah Winfrey will make DNC apperance

By NOMAAN MERCHANT

Talk show legend Oprah Winfrey will appear at the DNC on Wednesday night, according to a person familiar with the schedule who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans.

Winfrey delivered a famous endorsement to then-Sen. Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign. It’s not yet clear whether she will endorse Harris, who is vying to become the first Black woman elected president.

10:38 PM UTC

And we’re off

By NOMAAN MERCHANT

The third night of the DNC is now underway.

10:31 PM UTC

Throwing the book: Democrats enlarge a copy of the ‘Project 2025' blueprint as an anti-GOP prop

Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic allies have turned Project 2025 into one of their most consistent tools against the campaign of former President Donald Trump. Now, they’ve taken the fight over the conservative-written handbook to a bigger new scale.

Mallory McMorrow, a 37-year-old state senator from Michigan, brought out a giant copy of the roughly 900-page “Mandate for Leadership” on Monday night, the first evening of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She slammed it on the lectern, then made an expression to signal how heavy it was as she opened to start reading.

“They went ahead and wrote down all the extreme things that Donald Trump wants to do in the next four years,” McMorrow said from the stage. “We read it.”

The prop has returned each subsequent day of the convention. On Tuesday, Malcolm Kenyatta, a Pennsylvania state representative and rising Democratic star, totted the book out onto the convention stage, and on Wednesday actor Kenan Thompson appeared on stage with it during a mic check.

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10:19 PM UTC

Julia Louis-Dreyfus joined female Democratic governors to talk about electing women

Gathered in Chicago for the DNC, the eight Democratic female governors discussed electing women in downballot races with comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Discussing female leadership up and down the ballot, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said, “We need women elected up and down the ballot.”

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said that downballot races lead female candidates to higher office, pointing to her own start in the statehouse and Harris’ beginnings as a district attorney.

“All the women listening, run, just run,” Louis-Dreyfus said to the audience.

The “Seinfeld” comedian has gained renewed attention for her famed role as Vice President Selina Meyers in HBO’s “Veep.” In the show, Meyers becomes the first female president when the sitting president resigns.

Louis-Dreyfus also asked the panelists how they work together with a common goal of expanding abortion access. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly spoke of a ballot measure’s success that protected reproductive rights in 2022.

“I think we set the stage for other states then to follow suit,” Kelly said.

10:03 PM UTC

Fairmont Hotel confirms DNC breakfast ‘disruption’

Chicago police and the FBI are investigating allegations that food was reported to have been intentionally contaminated Wednesday morning at a DNC breakfast at a downtown hotel.

The Fairmont Hotel confirmed the “disruption,” adding in a statement that staff “acted immediately to clean and sanitize the area, ensuring that the event could continue without further incident.”

Earlier this year, activists released hundreds of mealworms, maggots and crickets at the Washington, D.C. hotel of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to protest the war in Gaza.

9:37 PM UTC

Trump’s post of fake Taylor Swift endorsement is his latest embrace of AI-generated images

Former President Donald Trump has been active on his social accounts as Democrats gather for their convention in Chicago, but some of his posts don’t have much to do with reality.

Ahead of the Democratic National Convention, he posted a fake image of someone who looks like Vice President Kamala Harris addressing what appears to be a communist rally in Chicago with a depiction of a red banner with a communist symbol. That followed his repost of a phony video of himself dancing next to billionaire Elon Musk, one of his most vocal supporters.

Just before the convention kicked off, he reposted an image of Taylor Swift in an Uncle Sam outfit and accepted her endorsement for his campaign, which she had never given.

They’re the latest examples of how Trump is promoting images produced by artificial intelligence tools to attack his opponents or create illusions of support around his own campaign. It’s in keeping with a long-standing strategy in which Trump amplifies messages — from QAnon adherents to those who deny the results of fair elections — to score political points and satisfy his base by promoting alternate realities.

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9:20 PM UTC

Allegations of food contamination are being investigated by Chicago police and FBI

Chicago police and the FBI are investigating food that was reported to have been intentionally contaminated Wednesday morning at a DNC breakfast at a downtown hotel.

Multiple female suspects entered the Fairmont Chicago, which was hosting a breakfast for delegates at the DNC and began placing “unknown objects” onto tables with food before leaving the area at around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, police said.

One person who ingested the food was treated by medical personnel and released at the scene, according to Chicago police.

8:57 PM UTC

56 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested by police on DNC Night 2

By SCOTT BAUER

Chicago police said Wednesday that 56 protesters were arrested following violent clashes with police on the second night of the Democratic National Convention.

The confrontation happened outside of the Israeli Consulate about two miles from the United Center where Democrats are meeting.

One person was charged with a felony for resisting an officer, according to Chicago police. Nine people were charged with misdemeanors including disorderly conduct, resisting a police officer, battery, assault and criminal damage to property, police said. Thirty of the people detained by police were issued citations for disorderly conduct, police said.

Hatem Abudayyeh, co-founder of the U.S. Palestinian Community network put the onus on police to keep the peace when asked about the clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and police.

The police “only have one responsibility here,” he said. “They have the responsibility of not infringing on our First Amendment rights.”

Abudayyeh led a separate march on Monday but was not an organizer of Tuesday night’s demonstration outside of the Israeli Consulate.

8:47 PM UTC

Harris’ campaign chair warns against ‘complacency’

By ZEKE MILLER

Harris campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said “complacency” keeps her up at night. Speaking to Politico, she said it’s easy for Democrats to look at the energy in the party and believe they’ll win in November.

“We don’t have it,” she said. “We don’t have it. This is going to be an extraordinarily close race.” She encouraged her party to work like they are underdogs in the race against former President Trump.

8:46 PM UTC

Trump wants to get personal

By JILL COLVIN

Speaking at a rally in North Carolina, Donald Trump blasted former President Barack Obama as “nasty” for comments his predecessor made about him at the Democratic National Convention.

“He was very nasty last night,” Trump said. “I try and be nice to people, you know. But it’s a little tough when they get personal.”

Trump said his advisers had urged him to stop personally attacking Harris and focus on issues like the economy, crime and immigration.

“You know, they always say, ‘Sir, please stick to policy. Don’t get personal.’ And yet they’re getting personal all night long, these people,” he said, asking: “Do I still have to stick to policy?”

Later, he polled the crowd: “Should I get personal or should I not get personal?” he asked. The crowd overwhelmingly chose the former.

Trump also mocked the convention, calling it a “charade.”

8:43 PM UTC

Gov. Tim Walz will introduce himself to the nation during his prime-time address

By ZEKE MILLER

During his DNC speech on Wednesday, the Democratic vice presidential nominee’s campaign said Walz will talk about his time growing up in Nebraska, his service in the National Guard, his work as a teacher and football coach and his time in Congress before he was elected governor of Minnesota.

The campaign released a video narrated by his wife, Gwen, that will play during the convention. Ahead of Walz’s appearance on stage, John Legend will perform a Prince tribute, the campaign said.

8:34 PM UTC

Democratic Senate campaigns see increased support since Harris launched her presidential bid

By FARNOUSH AMIRI

Riding on the high that’s come from Harris’ ascent to the top of the ticket, Senate Democrats have become bullish about their chances not only to maintain control of the Senate but to even expand it beyond the key battleground states where they were facing rough races just a few weeks ago.

Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan, Catherine Cortez-Masto of Nevada and Raphael Warnock of Georgia talked Wednesday about the massive shift that has happened in their key battleground states in the last few weeks and how that has changed the electoral map for the party ahead of November.

“The energy that we see is through the roof, in terms of volunteers,” Cortez-Masto said.

Peters added that in Michigan, an important part of the “blue wall” of swing states key to Democratic victory, the number of volunteers doubled in the week after Harris became the presumptive nominee. For many volunteers, it was their first time ever working with a political campaign, Peters said.

8:22 PM UTC

Harris campaign says if Kennedy were to drop his presidential bid, it would not interfere ‘too much’

By ZEKE MILLER

Reacting to reports that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. may drop his third party bid on Friday, Harris campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon told Politico Wednesday, “I don’t think it’s really going to interfere with the race too much.”

O’Malley Dillon said the campaign is “confident” Harris will win whether against Trump alone or if there are also third party challengers.

8:15 PM UTC

IN PHOTOS: Stevie Wonder spotted during DNC mic checks

7:56 PM UTC

DNC roll call vote: the soundtrack

For anyone who wants to relive the excitement of the DNC’s roll call vote, Democrats have put together a collection of songs from Tuesday’s event.

The eclectic Spotify playlist includes “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge, “Lose Yourself” by Eminem and “Shake if Off” by Taylor Swift.

Roll call votes are typically dry productions, with each delegation announcing its support for the party’s nominee. But this year, Democrats cranked up the volume and turned the obligatory process into a high-energy rave.

Each of the 57 delegations — which represented all 50 states, several territories and Washington, D.C. — had their own song that provided a soundtrack to their announcement.

But only Georgia featured a live performance, with Lil John making a surprise appearance with a modified version of “Turn Down for What” to support Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

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7:23 PM UTC

Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

By AAMER MADHANI

President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday as the United States presses Israel and Hamas to agree to a “bridging proposal” that could lead to a cease-fire in the war in Gaza.

The call comes as Hamas and Israel have signaled that challenges remain to sealing a deal amid significant differences over the presence of Israeli troops in two strategic corridors in Gaza and other issues, fading Biden’s hopes that a deal can soon be reached.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who’s in Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, also joined the call.

The president spoke with the Israeli prime minister from Santa Ynez, California, where he’s vacationing with his family at the 8,000-acre property of the medical technology mogul and Democratic donor Joe Kiani.