Democratic convention 2024 live coverage: Tim Walz makes surprise Day 1 appearances

The Democratic National Convention is here.

Over the next four days, Democrats will make their pitch to voters across the country from their Chicago convention . The moment caps off a tumultuous few months for the party, stretching from President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump to his decision to not seek reelection, Vice President Kamala Harris' rise to the top of the ticket and her choosing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

But over the next week, Democrats will be focused on the future: Telling Americans how a potential Harris-Walz administration would address inflation, the southern border, abortion rights and other top debates facing the nation.

Follow along with the USA TODAY Network's live coverage from Chicago and across the country.

AOC, Bernie Sanders set to take the stage at the DNC

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., will speak on Monday night at the Democratic convention along with other Democratic rising stars, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Ocasio-Cortez will speak at 8 p.m. CT/9p.m. ET.

Her fellow progressive, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, is slated to address the convention on Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. CT/9:30 p.m. ET. Sanders’ is expected to focus his message on the economy and removing money from politics.

— Karissa Waddick

JD Vance doesn't want to talk about the polls (especially this week)

Donald Trump usually loves to talk about polls — at least the ones with good numbers for him — but running mate JD Vance is more reticent on the subject.

Especially now that Kamala Harris is moving up in a number of surveys.

During a campaign event Monday in Philadelphia, Vance demurred when asked about polls that show a statistical tie in the pivotal state of Pennsylvania, a month after surveys had given Trump leads of around 4.5 percentage points over President Joe Biden.

"Our job is to win the trust of the American voters, not public opinion polls," Vance said.

Many Trump officials believe Harris will get a bounce in the polls during her convention this week; they are doing what they can to minimize it.

— David Jackson

Protest groups hit Chicago streets for Democratic National Convention demonstration

A day of demonstrations and marches is underway as delegates to the Democratic National Convention formally begin meeting Monday, with organizers of one group saying they hoped to stage one of the largest anti-Gaza war marches seen nationally.

Hundreds of people began gathered at Union Park early Monday, a half mile from the convention hall, before planning to march several miles along nearby streets. They had not yet begun marching as of 11 a.m. Central Time. Demonstrators playing music and periodically chanted "free, free Palestine" as they assembled.

By noon local time, the crowd had swelled to about 1,000 people.

Read more on the Monday demonstrations.

— Trevor Hughes, Michael Loria and Tamia Fowlkes

Tim Walz surprises Democrats on first day of Democratic National Convention

A convention hall burst into gasps and cheers as vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz took the stage in a surprise visit to the Democratic National Committee’s Hispanic Caucus meeting Monday morning.

It was one of a series of unannounced appearances Walz made in an effort to rally attendees as the convention kicked off its first day of activities. He also stopped by a meeting of the Black Caucus and the Wisconsin and Pennsylvania delegation breakfasts meeting Monday.

Walz touted the positive energy and joy he’s feeling out on the campaign trail since he joined Harris on the party's presidential ticket and he pushed those in attendance to keep working to get Democrats elected this fall.

“This is challenging work. This is hard. There's a lot at stake,” he told the Hispanic Caucus as attendees swarmed closer to the stage to take pictures and video. “But that's no different than a lot of people live their lives. It can be challenging and hard, but you can do it with a sense of optimism and, what (Harris) is doing, with a sense of joy, with a sense of joy. To smile.”

“(Republicans) are on her because she laughs,” Walz scoffed. “My God, I'll take someone who laughs any damn day of the week.”

— Brianne Pfannenstiel

1968 Democratic National Convention protests in Chicago

In the lead up to this year's Democratic convention — particularly before President Joe Biden exited the race — 2024 felt a lot like 1968 .

Anti-war protests. A divided Democratic Party. An unpopular candidate.

Flashbacks of bloody clashes between police and anti- Vietnam War demonstrators outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago during that chaotic summer weighed heavily on the minds of Democrats earlier this year.

Read more on similarities and differences between 2024 and 1968.

— Michael Collins, David Jackson and Michael Loria

Shapiro says his Jewish faith didn’t factor into VP discussions

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro refuted former President Donald Trump’s claims that he was not chosen as the Democratic vice-presidential nominee because of his Jewish faith.

“Antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president,” Shapiro told the media after delivering remarks to the Pennsylvania Delegation at the Democratic convention Monday morning.

“He’s trying to use me and he’s trying to use other Jews to divide Americans further,” Shapiro said. “He is the least credible person when it comes to standing up against hatred and bigotry.”

— Karissa Waddick

Memories of talk show politics: Phil Donahue dies at 88

Followers of this week's Democratic convention may want to pause and reflect on the death of a fairly influential political figure: Television talk show host Phil Donahue.

In the spring of 1992, as then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton marched toward the Democratic presidential nomination, he included afternoon television talk shows in his media strategy, including a contentious interview with Donahue.

The high-rated afternoon host peppered Clinton with questions about "character issues," drawing boos from his crowd and admonitions from the candidate.

Clinton — who is scheduled to address this week's convention in Chicago — made a complaint that current politicians still echo: “There are real problems in this country, and there are people who’d like to hear them discussed. I’ve done my best to do it, and it’s very difficult.”

Donahue, who always defended his questioning of public officials, died Sunday at age 88.

— David Jackson

Walz wades into swing state rivalry: Wawa or Sheetz?

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz found himself smack dab in the middle of one Pennsylvania’s mostly hotly contested debates on Monday morning: Wawa or Sheetz.

While telling the Pennsylvania delegation at the Democratic convention about his trip through the swing state on Sunday, Walz lauded the popular convenience store and gas station Sheetz. Some in the crowd responded by chanting the name of the rival chain, Wawa. He received some boos from the Wawa contingent in the delegation.

“Here’s my thing – Kwik Trip. In the Midwest it’s Kwik Trip,” Walz answered to laughs.

— Karissa Waddick

More: Tim Walz says he's 'a Kwik Trip guy' but the company has big ties to Trump

Why Jon Tester, Sherrod Brown and Jacky Rosen are skipping the Democratic convention

Montana Sen. Jon Tester is headed to a party this week. It's just going to be Pearl Jam's instead of Vice President Kamala Harris' in Chicago.

Tester joins vulnerable Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jacky Rosen of Nevada in skipping the Democratic National Convention to focus on their must-win races instead, their campaigns confirmed. At least a couple House Democrats facing similar political headwinds back home are skipping a trip to the Windy City, too.

Read more on the Democrats skipping the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week.

— Jessie Balmert

Pennsylvania campaign stop: Harris brings back Chuck Taylors as she makes 2024 campaign her own

What's on the Democratic convention's schedule for Monday?

The convention's first night will pay tribute to the 81-year-old Democratic president, and other Democratic heavyweights, such as Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton, are also expected to speak at the convention.

The convention speaker schedule is subject to change and a full list of speakers will be released at a later time. Here's a look at the Monday schedule for the Democratic National Convention.

Note: All times listed are in Central Daylight Time.

• 7 a.m.-9:30 a.m.: Delegation breakfasts
• 9 a.m.-10a.m.: Morning press briefing
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Black Caucus meeting
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Hispanic Caucus meeting
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: AAPI Caucus meeting
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Native American Caucus meeting
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Ethnic Council meeting
• 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: LGBTQ+ Caucus meeting
• 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: Small Business Council meeting
• 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: Labor Council meeting
• 1:45 p.m.-3:15 p.m.: Environmental & Climate Crisis Council meeting
• 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.: Main programming

— Gabe Hauari

Chicago braces for Democratic convention protests as Kamala Harris takes center stage

The city's 12,000 police officers say they're ready. The Secret Service says it's ready. Local leaders say they're ready. Residents? Maybe not so much.

An estimated 50,000 delegates, politicians and party activists are expected to attend this week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago, with possibly tens of thousands of demonstrators marching through the streets.

Fences, barricades and parked snow plows have already limited movement in key downtown areas, with helicopters buzzing overhead.

Read more on how Chicago is preparing for the convention.

— Trevor Hughes, Terry Collins and Michael Loria

Biden has changed course over his 50-year career. None of that compares to his 2024 choice.

Joe Biden wasn’t ready to go away.

He’d had his eyes on the presidency for years. Now it was his, and he wasn’t about to quit. So he raised campaign money, put together a campaign team and hit the campaign trail. He was running for another term and, he was convinced, he was going to win.

A bad night on a debate stage in Atlanta changed everything. Now, just seven weeks later, he will address the opening night of the Democratic National Convention on Monday, not as the party’s presidential nominee but as an outgoing president passing the torch to a potential successor and a new generation.

Read more on Biden's decision to withdraw from the race.

— Michael Collins

Some Trump voters are denying Harris' progress — but others say they're worried

Many supporters of former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, who attended a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Saturday expressed skepticism about Democratic nominee Kamala Harris' rise in the polls. They projected confidence that Trump has the race under control.

Others, though, were nervous.

The MAGA movement’s mood Saturday, a month into a changed race that has seen Harris surging nationally and in key swing states, percolated the arena with a mix of emotions.

Read more on the mood from Saturday's Trump rally.

— Zac Anderson and David Jackson

Wait, Kamala Harris is already the nominee?

Traditionally, delegates from all 50 states and the U.S. territories assemble at a convention and elect their chosen party's candidate for president. It's a time to trumpet achievements, criticize opponents' policies, and rally behind their leaders to build enthusiasm for Election Day.

Democrats are still going to lay out their vision for the country during the Democratic convention. But the actually nominating process looks different this year. That's because the DNC confirmed Harris/Walz during a virtual roll call on Aug. 5 due to ballot deadlines in some states, with 99% of the participating delegates supporting Harris.

Harris and Walz accepted the nomination a day later, but they will formally accept at the convention. Democrats are expected to have a ceremonial vote at the convention for the ticket, but their nominations are already final.

— Marina Pitofsky and C. A. Bridges

How to watch the Democratic convention

The convention will air live on its website , from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m Central) on Monday, and 7 p.m to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the other days.

The USA TODAY Network and news outlets will livestream the convention and most will broadcast the major speeches live.

— Joey Garrison

Democratic National Convention reveals theme for each night of Chicago event

The Democratic National Committee announced the nightly themes for this week's convention in Chicago, which will culminate with Kamala Harris accepting the party's nomination for president.

The title of the four-day convention is "For the People, For Our Future," with Democrats hoping to use the festivities to introduce Harris and Tim Walz to the nation.

The convention kicks off Monday with the theme "For the People." Tuesday's theme is "A Bold Vision for America’s Future," and Wednesday's convention theme is "A Fight for our Freedoms."

The convention will conclude Thursday night with the theme "For our Future."

— Joey Garrison

Biden, Obama, Clintons to headline Democratic National Convention speakers

President Joe Biden and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are among the headline speakers at next week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago, according to a source familiar with the plans. Former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is also slated to deliver a speech.

Biden will speak Monday night during an opening evening of the convention that will pay tribute to the 81-year-old Democratic president, who last month ended his reelection campaign . Hillary Clinton will also address the convention Monday.

Obama is expected to speak Tuesday night, while Bill Clinton will deliver remarks Wednesday night before Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz gives his address

— Joey Garrison and Rachel Barber

Is Michelle Obama speaking at the Democratic convention?

Former first lady Michelle Obama will address the Democratic National Convention in her native city of Chicago on Tuesday, multiple sources have confirmed with USA TODAY.

Michelle Obama, one of the most popular Democratic figures , joins an all-star lineup, including her husband, former President Barack Obama, who are rallying the party faithful in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, who is surging in polls ahead of the 2024 election.

The party's theme on Tuesday is slated to be "A Bold Vision for America’s Future."

— Joey Garrison and Phillip M. Bailey

When is DNC 2024?

The DNC is scheduled to take place August 19 through August 22.

— Maya Homan

Where is the DNC 2024?

The convention will be in Chicago, just 90 miles south of Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention was recently held.

The Democratic Party has held a national convention every four years since 1832 to nominate its chosen candidates, and Chicago has a storied history of hosting conventions on both sides of the political aisle dating back to 1860, with the nomination of Abraham Lincoln.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times , this will be the Windy City’s 26th political convention.

— Maya Homan

What happens at the DNC?

Unlike the RNC, the DNC decided to confirm their nominee during a virtual roll call on Aug. 5 to satisfy ballot deadlines in several states. According to a press release , 99% of participating delegates supported Kamala Harris in the virtual roll call, and Harris and Walz accepted the nomination a day later.

However, Harris has not yet formally accepted the nomination, which she will do at the convention in Chicago.

In the meantime, there is still plenty left to do for the Democratic delegates. The DNC offers them a chance to adopt and unify a comprehensive party platform, taking a stance on issues like reproductive rights, immigration and economic policy. They'll also have a kind-of ceremonial vote for Harris, but her position as Democratic nominee is already final

The Democratic Party will post updates on its convention website, which can be found at demconvention.com .

— Maya Homan

Donald Trump plans counterprogramming during the DNC

As Trump prepared to speak to voters in Wilkes-Barre over the weekend, he and aides finalized plans to counter this week's proceedings at the Democratic convention − and to play defense as Harris basks in the glow of her formal nomination to the presidency.

Trump aides said they believe Harris will gain in the polls in the wake of the convention that kicks off Monday – most major party nominees do − and they are working to counteract that as the election heads into the final two months.

Trump, vice presidential nominee JD Vance , and other campaign officials will conduct a series of anti-Harris events in key battlegrounds, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. The former president is expected to campaign every day of the week, Monday through Friday.

— Zac Anderson and David Jackson

When did Joe Biden drop out?

Joe Biden announced on Sunday, July 21 that he would not seek reelection amid intense pressure from Democratic leaders sounding the alarm that his path to beat Donald Trump in November had vanished.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a letter addressed to Americans. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term."

— USA TODAY Network

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democratic convention 2024 live coverage: Tim Walz makes surprise Day 1 appearances