Democratic National Convention 2020: Day 1

Democrats kicked off their quadrennial convention on Monday evening, in a mostly virtual format, hoping to show that they have a broad coalition of backers in November — weaving together speeches that prosecuted the case against Trump, with stories from real people about the fatal toll of the pandemic and personal stories that were meant to provide a window into Biden’s personal side.

Former first lady Michelle Obama, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo were among headliners for the first night of programming, which was emceed by actress Eva Longoria.

In case you missed it, here are some highlights from the night’s biggest moments: 

Watch some of the night’s most memorable moments here.

Former first lady Michelle Obama wrote and practiced her speech to the Democratic National Committee over the last few weeks, said an Obama aide, who described the remarks as “immensely personal for her.”

A speechwriter helped Obama in writing the speech that capped off the first night of the convention, but the aide said that the former first lady knew clearly what she wanted to say, despite wishing to avoid dipping her toe back into politics.

“As she said, she hates politics so would and much rather not have had to do this, but she felt compelled by what’s at stake,” the aide added.

CNN’s Van Jones and other panelists react to Michelle Obama’s speech:

The gold-lettered VOTE necklace worn by Michelle Obama for her DNC speech was custom-commissioned by BYCHARI, a Black-owned, boutique jewelry business based on Los Angeles, a DNC source tells CNN.

The lettered necklace can be ordered via the company’s website. Depending on the size of the letters and length of the chain, similar necklaces by BYCHARI cost between $300-$400.

Denouncing the Trump administration, former first lady Michelle Obama said on Monday that America’s children “watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages.”

Facts First: The Trump administration did impose a policy of routinely separating migrant children from their parents at the border; separation happened far less frequently under President Barack Obama. However, Michelle Obama didn’t mention that “cages” were also used under her husband’s administration to house migrant children; some of the facilities controversially used to detain children in cages under President Trump were actually built under Barack Obama.

Former first lady Michelle Obama continued her remarks at the Democratic National Convention Monday night by suggesting that her message wouldn’t necessarily be accepted by everyone, but it is one of the utmost importance— and “if you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can.”

“We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic Convention. But enough of you know me by now. You know that I tell you exactly what I’m feeling. You know I hate politics. But you also know that I care about this nation,” Obama said.

“You know how much I care about all of our children. So if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can; and they will if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it,” she continued.

Watch:

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo boasted Monday of his state’s efforts to fight the coronavirus, contrasting his government’s approach with how the federal government has handled the pandemic.

Cuomo said that “as they proved their way failed, we proved that our way succeeded.” He added, “And for all the pain and all the tears, our way worked. And it was beautiful.”

Facts First: New York does currently have low levels of coronavirus infection, hospitalization and death compared with other big US cities. However, it is highly debatable whether Cuomo’s overall handling of the pandemic has been a success. He did not mention some important facts and statistics.

Though New York has dramatically flattened its coronavirus curve since its April peak, that initial peak was severe. As of Wednesday, New York still had had more than twice as many total coronavirus deaths as any other US state — more than 32,800, according to Johns Hopkins University data — and was second-highest, behind New Jersey, in deaths per 100,000 people, with 169.

While some of New York’s crisis was undoubtedly caused by bad fortune — as an international travel hub, New York City got hit with the virus before some other major US cities — Cuomo’s approach likely contributed not only to the current successes but also to the initial failures.

Cuomo was initially reluctant to order state residents to stay at home; he issued a stay-at-home order on March 20 (it went into effect on March 22) — four days after a group of California counties issued similar orders and a day after California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, issued such an order for the state. California had fewer confirmed cases than New York at the time.

Cuomo’s early communication about the virus has also been called into question. He said on March 19: “I’m as afraid of the fear and the panic as I am of the virus, and I think that the fear is more contagious than the virus right now. You take a place like New York City, we are at near panic levels, so what you say and how you communicate is very important. Should everybody stay home? Of course. Are we imprisoning people? No. Can you stay inside 24 hours a day? No.”

Seeking to free up hospital beds, Cuomo’s administration also issued a controversial March 25 directive prohibiting nursing homes from denying new or returning residents with the coronavirus. More than 6,400 New York nursing home residents have died from the virus. (The extent to which the March 25 order contributed to the death toll is not clear.)

Former first lady Michelle Obama said her message from her Democratic National Convention speech four years ago — “When they go low, we go high” — still stands. 

“Over the past four years, a lot of people have asked me: When others are going so low, does going high still really work? My answer: Going high is the only thing that works, because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that’s drowning out everything else,” Obama said. 

“We degrade ourselves, we degrade the very causes for which we fight. But let’s be clear: Going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty,” Obama said. 

Obama said, “Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountaintop. Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we are one nation under God, and if we want to survive, we’ve got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences.”

“And going high means unlocking the shackles of lies mistrust with the only thing that can truly set us free: The cold hard truth,” Obama said.

“So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”

Michelle Obama accused President Donald Trump of “a total and utter lack of empathy” in a blistering condemnation of his actions in office.

“Right now, kids in this country are seeing what happens when we stop requiring empathy of one another. They’re looking around wondering if we’ve been lying to them this whole time about who we are and what we truly value,” the former first lady said.

She pointed to “shouting in grocery stores” over wearing masks, the idea that “winning is everything,” emboldening white supremacists, immigrant children being torn from their families and pepper spray being used to disperse peaceful protesters.

“And I know that regardless of our race, age, religion, or politics, when we close out the noise and the fear and truly open our hearts, we know that what’s going on in this country is just not right. This is not who we want to be,” Obama added.

As Democrats criticized the Trump administration for its handling of the US Postal Service, Eva Longoria Bastón, the actress and activist who hosted Monday’s event, said, “Social Security beneficiaries count on the post office to get their checks.”

Facts First: Though some prominent conservatives have called her wrong, Longoria was right. While 99.1% of Social Security recipients now receive their money via direct deposit, that remaining 0.9% equals 549,818 people receiving checks, according to official data published by the Social Security Administration for this month.

“Nearly 850,000” paper checks go out from the Social Security Administration every month if you include the Supplemental Security Income program, said Social Security Administration spokesperson Mark Hinkle. (Supplemental Security Income provides money to elderly, blind or disabled people with low incomes and few resources.) Hinkle said that, if you consider both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, the breakdown is 98.8% direct deposit, 1.2% checks.

Longoria and other Democrats could certainly be clearer that they are talking about a distinct minority of Social Security recipients who get mailed checks. But that distinct minority is still a large number of recipients.

Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a poignant political speech, taking a swipe at Trump’s presidency and urging those who did not come out to vote in 2016 to make their vote count this upcoming election.

Obama said the country has been “living with the consequences” since the 2016 election results.

“As I’ve said before, being president doesn’t change who you are — it reveals who you are. Well, a presidential election can reveal who we are, too,” Obama said. “And four years ago, too many people chose to believe that their votes didn’t matter.”

“Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn’t be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep. Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes,” Obama continued.

“In one of the states that determined the outcome, the winning margin averaged out to just two votes per precinct—two votes. And we’ve all been living with the consequences,” Obama said.

Michelle Obama lambasted Donald Trump as the “wrong” president for the United States in her speech to the Democratic National Convention on Monday.

In the straight-to-camera, pre-taped remarks, the former first lady said the White House is failing to provide “steadiness” and instead is only delivering “chaos, division, and a total and utter lack of empathy.”

“So, let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” Obama said. “He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”

Obama, the final speaker of the first night of the convention, laid out a litany of criticism of Trump’s first four years of office, slamming the support the President receives from white supremacists, his immigration policies and how he has handled recent protest about racial injustice.

“As I’ve said before, being president doesn’t change who you are; it reveals who you are. Well, a presidential election can reveal who we are, too,” Obama said. “And four years ago, too many people chose to believe that their votes didn’t matter. Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn’t be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep. Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes.”

Event organizers hope that the former first lady would provide a soaring end to the first night of the convention, much like she did for Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Watch:

Bernie Sanders on Monday night offered his most forceful argument yet on behalf of former primary rival Joe Biden, beseeching his supporters to back the Democratic nominee in November or risk seeing “all the progress we have made” be thrown into doubt.

Sanders also took direct aim at Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the administration’s refusal to engage with Democrats seeking to extend ramped-up unemployment benefits and other aid to workers and hard-hit communities.

“Millions of working families are wondering how they will feed their kids, and they’re worried that they will be evicted from their homes,” Sanders said. “And how has Trump responded? Instead of maintaining the $600 a week unemployment supplement that workers were receiving and the $1,200 emergency checks that many of you received, instead of helping small businesses, Trump concocted fraudulent executive orders that do virtually nothing to address the crisis while threatening the very future of Social Security and Medicare.”

Sanders also sprinkled in an uncharacteristic zinger.

“Nero fiddled while Rome burned,” the Vermont senator said. “Trump golfs.”

As he’s done throughout the campaign, and during his own, Sanders also expressed concern that Trump’s rise mirrored those of authoritarian leaders from the past.

“I and my family and many of yours know the insidious way authoritarianism destroys democracy, decency and humanity,” Sanders said. “As long as I am here, I will work with progressives, with moderates and, yes, with conservatives to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat.”

And in a final appeal to voters, Sanders asked Americans to “come together” to elect Biden – then considered the alternative.

“The price of failure,” he said, “is just too great.”

Watch:

Alabama Democratic Sen. Doug Jones talked about overcoming deep divisions within the country, and argued that Joe Biden was the right presidential candidate to unite America. 

“Growing up in the South meant growing up in the midst of stark divisions,” Jones said. “But it was here in Alabama where Rosa Parks helped ignite a movement by refusing to give up her seat on the bus. Where Freedom Riders of different races came together in pursuit of equality. And it was here in Alabama where John Lewis marched across a bridge towards freedom.”

“From a young age, I knew the hope that comes from seeing good people work to heal our divisions. It’s what led me to become the United States attorney, where I convicted two Klansmen who murdered four young Black girls in a 1963 Birmingham church bombing and delivered long overdue justice,” Jones said. He stood in front of an exhibit dedicated to the girls’ memory as he gave his remarks. 

“Alabama has shown me that even our deepest divisions can be overcome, because each of us want the same thing: To be treated fairly and given the same opportunities, and the freedom to live with dignity and respect,” the senator said. 

“Now, some politicians try to pit us against each other. But I believe Americas have more in common than what divides us. And in November we have a chance to let a president who believes that too,” Jones said. 

Jones said he has known Biden for 40 years and met the former vice president when he was a law student. 

He said, “The Joe I know is exactly the leader our country needs right now. He can bring people together to find common ground while standing up for what he believes is right. After years of bitter partisanship, he can unite the country and get things done for working families and everyone looking for a better future.” 

Watch:

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto lambasted President Donald Trump’s efforts to undermine by-mail voting – accusing Trump of hypocrisy over how he casts his own ballot in Florida.

“Even Donald Trump has requested an absentee ballot twice this year,” she said.

Trump has targeted Nevada over the state’s efforts to mail ballots to registered voters this year, as states adjust their election procedures amid the pandemic. Democrats in Congress have sought to increase funding for the US Postal Service, which has warned states it might not be able to process mail-in ballots in time in November.

“He is putting the lives of Nevada’s seniors at risk by trying to defund the post office. Here’s what that means: they won’t be able to get their prescriptions, because he wants to win an election,” Cortez Masto said. “Mr. President: Nevada is not intimidated by you. America is not intimidated by you.”

Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich and a trio of other former top Republicans made the case for members of their party breaking with Donald Trump and backing Joe Biden on Monday, arguing that the President has been a “disappointing” and “disturbing” failure.

Kasich headlined the section of the Democratic convention focused on convincing Republicans turned off by Trump to vote – even reluctantly – for a candidate that they may not wholeheartedly support.

Kasich said he was “proud” of his Republican heritage, but that Trump’s first term “belies those principles.”

“I’m sure there are Republicans and Independents who couldn’t imagine crossing over to support a Democrat,” Kasich said. “They fear Joe may turn sharp left and leave them behind. I don’t believe that because I know the measure of the man. It’s reasonable, faithful, respectful, and, you know, no one pushes Joe around.”

Three Republican women – Meg Whitman, who ran for governor of California as a Republican in 2010 but backed Hillary Clinton in 2016; Susan Molinari, a former Republican congresswoman from New York; and Christine Todd Whitman, former Republican governor of New Jersey and EPA chief under George W. Bush – joined Kasich in backing Biden.

“For me, the choice is simple. I’m with Joe,” said Meg Whitman.

Molinari said she had “known Donald Trump for most of my political career. So disappointing, and lately so disturbing.”

And Christine Todd Whitman encapsulated the segment with an honest question.

“What am I doing here,” she asked, adding later, “This isn’t about a Republican or Democrat. This is about a person.”

Watch:

In a speech from a United Auto Workers union hall, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer touted Joe Biden’s role in the passage of the automotive industry bailout in 2009, as former President Barack Obama’s administration navigated the Great Recession.

Obama and Biden, Whitmer said, “didn’t waste time blaming anyone else or shirking their responsibility. They got to work” — a line intended to contrast Biden with the health and economic crises facing President Donald Trump now.

The swing-state governor and co-chair of Biden’s campaign sought to connect those early Obama actions to the response to the coronavirus pandemic. She said factories saved by the auto bailout are now manufacturing protective equipment.

They “saved the autoworkers’ livelihood,” she said. “Then these workers did their part to save American lives. That’s the story of this great nation: Action begets action. Progress begets progress. And when we work together, we can accomplish anything.”

Kristin Urquiza gained national attention last month after she wrote an obituary decrying politicians for a “lack of leadership” following her father’s death as a result of Covid-19.  

Tonight, she shared the story of her father, Mark Urquiza, during a speech delivered before the Democratic National Convention. She also sent a poignant message to President Donald Trump.

“He had faith in Donald Trump. He voted for him, listened to him, believed him and his mouthpieces when they said that coronavirus was under control and going to disappear; that it was okay to end social distancing rules before it was safe; and that if you had no underlying health conditions, you’d probably be fine,” she said.

Urquiza explained that in late May, after the stay-at-home order was lifted in Arizona, her father went to a karaoke bar with his friends, and a few weeks later, was put on a ventilator. And after “five agonizing days,” Urquiza said her father died alone in the ICU with “a nurse holding his hand.”

“My dad was a healthy 65-year-old. His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that, he paid with his life,” she continued.

Urquiza slammed President Trump’s coronavirus response.

“The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two Americas: the America that Donald Trump lives in and the America that my father died in. Enough is enough. Donald Trump may not have caused the coronavirus, but his dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much worse,” Urquiza said.

“We need a leader who has a national, coordinated, data-driven response to stop this pandemic from claiming more lives and to safely reopen the country. We need a leader who will step in on Day One and do his job, to care,” she continued.

“One of the last things that my father said to me was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump. And so, when I cast my vote for Joe Biden, I will do it for my dad,” Urquiza said.

Watch:

Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser took aim at President Donald Trump on Monday, saying Trump was “plotting” while many Americans were protesting systemic racism and police brutality in America after the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Speaking in front of the massive yellow letters that spell out “Black Lives Matter” in Washington, DC, Bowser lambasted Trump for forcibly removing peaceful protesters in front of the White House so he could pose for a photo op in front of a church with a Bible in his hand. 

“While we were protesting, Donald Trump was plotting. He stood in front of one of our most treasured houses of worship and held a Bible for a photo op. He sent troops in camouflage into our streets, he sent tear gas into the air and federal helicopters too,” the mayor said. 

“I knew if he did this to DC, he would do it to your city or your town. And that’s when I said enough. I said enough for every Black and Brown American who has experienced injustice. Enough for every American who believes in justice,” Bowser said. 

Bowser said she wanted her 2-year-old daughter to grow up in an America “where she’s not scared to walk to the store. An America where she’s safe behind the doors of her own home. An America where the President doesn’t fan the flames of racism and looks out for all of us.”

“So I created Black Lives Matter Plaza, right behind me, as a place where we could come together to say enough,” Bowser said. 

“And by coming together this November to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, we will say next. Because we can’t just paint those words, we can’t just say those words, we have to live those words, we have to undo the laws and systems that have codified racism for far too long. But we have to do something too. Each and every one of us, challenge our own biases. If we see something, do something. Together we can turn this reckoning into a reimagining of a nation where we the people means all the people,” Bowser said.

Bowser introduced members of George Floyd’s family as the next speakers at the convention. 

Gwen Carr, mother of the late Eric Garner, who died after being placed in a chokehold by a New York police officer in 2014, is calling on former Vice President Joe Biden to continue the fight against police brutality if he wins the presidency.

“When my son was murdered, there was a big uprising, but then it settled down,” Carr said at a roundtable on criminal justice reform. “We can’t let things settle down. We have to go to the politicians. We have to hold their feet to the fire. Otherwise, the big uprising is not going to mean a lot.”

“I’m just asking that if you become the president, that you make sure that we get national law as well as state and local law, especially when it comes to police brutality. Because that has been an age-old problem,” she continued.

The roundtable, hosted by Biden, was held via video conference with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, NAACP CEO and President Derrick Johnson, Houston police chief Art Acevedo and activist Jamira Burley.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, one of Biden’s earliest supporters, said on Monday night that the country’s failure to contain the coronavirus pandemic is a “symptom” of a deeper rot in government and society.

Those troubles didn’t begin with President Donald Trump’s rise, Cuomo said, but they have become worse during his time in office.

“Only a strong body can fight off the virus,” he said, “and America’s divisions weakened it.”

Following on a theme of the first night of the convention, Cuomo argued that electing Biden in November would be a first step toward healing the country’s wounds – and described the former vice president as a unique figure who is “tough in the best way.”

“We need a leader as good as our people, a leader who appeals to the best within us, not the worst, a leader who can unify, not divide, a leader who can bring us up, not tear us down,” Cuomo said. “I know that man. I’ve worked with that man. I’ve seen his talent. I’ve seen his strength. I’ve seen his pain and I’ve seen his heart. That man is Joe Biden.”

Watch:

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn touted Joe Biden as the right leader for this moment because of both his ability to understand loss and his decency.

“Joe Biden is as good a man as he is a leader,” Clyburn said in a speech that focused on racial justice, adding that the country needs “a president who understands both profound loss; and what it takes to bounce back.”

Clyburn endorsed Biden on the eve of the South Carolina primary in February. The endorsement put Biden over the edge in the state that proved determinative in the Democratic primary, earning Clyburn significant influence on the Biden campaign.

Speaking from Charleston, South Carolina, Clyburn noted the city’s history with slavery, but also focused on its future combatting racism.

“The ground beneath our feet is seeded with pain that is both old and new,” Clyburn said. “But from that soil we always find a way to grow together.”

He added: “I have said before and wish to reiterate tonight; we know Joe — but more importantly, Joe knows us.”

Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, held a moment of silence in honor of his brother and the “many other souls we’ve lost to hate and injustice.”

“Please join me in a moment of silence, to honor George and the many other souls we’ve lost to hate and injustice. And when this moment ends, let’s make sure we never stop saying their names,” Floyd said.

Watch the moment:

Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, addressed the Democratic National Convention and recalled the movement that the death of his brother began around the world.

“George was selfless. He always made sacrifices for his family, friends, and even complete strangers. George had a giving spirit. A spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation, and around the world—people of all races, all ages, all genders, all backgrounds—peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity.”

“It’s a fitting legacy for our brother. But George should be alive today. Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. Eric Garner should be alive today. Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland—they should all be alive today,” he continued.

“So it’s up to us to carry on the fight for justice. Our actions will be their legacies. We must always find ourselves in what John Lewis called ‘good trouble.’ For the names we do not know, the faces we will never see, those we can’t mourn because their murders didn’t go viral,” Floyd said.

Speaking at the Democratic National Convention Monday night, Rep. Gwen Moore said she was honored to open the festivities in her home state, even if the delegates and supporters weren’t physically gathered in Milwaukee.

“We gather virtually, however we gather unified in spirit, unified in our values and purpose to heal divisions and together move the nation confidently into a prosperous, inclusive future,” Rep. Moore said.

“What better way to gather than all across America to nominate my beloved friend, Joe Biden to be the 46th President of the United States of America, with my VIP, VP nominee, sister Kamala Harris by his side,” she added.

Democrats have kicked off their quadrennial convention in a mostly virtual format as they try to look to stir excitement about the newly minted ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at a time when Americans are rightly distracted by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic turmoil it has created.

Former first lady Michelle Obama, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo are among the headliners for the first night of programming that will be emceed by actress Eva Longoria.

In an effort to broaden the party’s appeal at a time when a new CNN poll shows the race between Biden and President Donald Trump tightening, Democrats added three Republican women to Monday night’s lineup, which was already slated to include former Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich.

Party officials have said that Monday’s theme will be “We the People” — with remarks focused on how the country can unite and move forward. The party also released a video excerpt of the remarks that Michelle Obama will deliver in a taped address, where she clearly plans to serve as a character witness for Biden, who she will call “a profoundly decent man guided by his faith” and someone who served as a “terrific vice president” to her husband

Joe Biden speaks out about family tragedy in new CNN doc:

Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said for President Trump to warn of a “rigged election” if he loses the presidential election is “not surprising” and “extremely disturbing.”

“He’s losing the election right now,” Buttigieg told CNN’s Jake Tapper ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off Monday night. “Donald Trump is historically unpopular president. He’s losing to Joe Biden. That doesn’t mean that he’ll automatically lose. We got to do the work. We got to earn this victory. But that’s the state of play.”

“For him to try to preemptively attack the legitimacy of the election by definition if he loses it on one hand not surprising and something we need to prepare for as a country and on the other hand, extremely disturbing because it strikes at the heart of our system.”

More context: President Trump on Monday used some of his starkest language yet in falsely warning of fraudulent election results during remarks in Wisconsin.

“The only way we’re going to lose this election is if this election is rigged,” President Trump said during a stop in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the second of several battleground events he is using this week to counterprogram the Democrats’ virtual convention.

“I’ve won elections and I’ve lost elections and losing elections is no fun, but when you do, you stand aside,” Buttigieg said. “Because there is something so much more important than your own political success and that’s this democracy, this country and listening to the will of voters. That the president of the united States is not committed to that, that’s bad news for democracy itself and of course, it’s bad news for America.”

The number of “Republicans for Biden” groups have been steadily growing, with high-profile organizations like the Lincoln Project and others gaining significant attention in their fight against President Trump.

The Biden campaign decided against including the Lincoln Project in its convention, a senior Democratic official said, but instead chose former Ohio Gov. John Kasich and three prominent Republican women in the lineup tonight. 

The speech from Kasich is designed to move Republicans concerned with Trump, but it’s also intended to combat the argument from the Trump campaign that the Biden-Harris ticket is a radical, liberal one. 

It’s aimed at independents — men and women — to give yet another permission slip to vote against Trump and for Biden.

The blowback from progressive groups is predictable, but a senior Biden adviser said these speeches were intentionally placed tonight — on the same evening as Bernie Sanders, to show the Biden big tent.

Democratic officials say Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto will use her speech to emphasize the need to protect mail-in voting and issue a “rebuke” of President Donald Trump as a legal battle plays out in her state over vote by mail.

She’ll call out the president for requesting absentee ballots for himself and say, “Mr. President, Nevada is not intimidated by you.”

This comes as Democrats are increasingly concerned about the President’s efforts to cast doubt upon mail-in voting heading into the fall election.

A moment of silence will be held at the virtual Democratic National Convention for George Floyd, with his brother speaking from Texas tonight in support of Joe Biden as the country continues its reckoning on racial justice and police reform.

A senior Democratic official tells CNN that Philonise Floyd will address the convention.

It is not a deeply political speech, but rather a nod to the man whose death sparked a summer of protests and demands for real acknowledgement and change to systemic racism.

Four months after he bowed out of the presidential race, Bernie Sanders speaks tonight with the goal of uniting Democrats behind Joe Biden.

Over the course of 8 minutes from Vermont, an aide to Sanders says the progressive Vermont senator will urge the country to come together to “remove the most dangerous president in history and elect Joe Biden.”

Biden and Sanders have not seen each other in person since their one-on-one primary debate in March, but the two speak regularly, the aide said, as their teams have worked closely since April on policy and efforts to unite the party. It’s a different approach for Sanders after a drawn out fight with Hillary Clinton in 2016. 

Tonight, he’s expected to rally progressives and all Democrats around Biden’s candidacy, sending a message to those who backed other candidates in the primary and voted for Trump in 2016, arguing the future of democracy and the economy is at stake and warning ”the price of failure is just too great to imagine.”

The Democratic National Convention kicks off this evening with a two-hour virtual event built on a theme of unity.

It will be a convention unlike any other: The coronavirus pandemic forced Democrats to scrap their planned in-person Milwaukee convention.

Instead, speakers will deliver speeches from locations across the country and without the large in-person crowds that are traditionally seen at these events. All eyes will be on how smoothly the transition to a virtual convention works.

The four-night event begins as former Vice President Joe Biden’s lead is showing signs of narrowing. In a CNN poll released Sunday night, 50% of registered voters backed Biden to Trump’s 46%, which is right at the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Top speakers of the night include former first lady Michelle Obama, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and a Republican — former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Obama and Sanders are two of the most popular figures in Democratic politics. Kasich, a former presidential candidate, is emblematic of the kind of anti-Trump Republican who Biden is hoping to win over in November.

Here’s what to watch starting at 9 p.m. ET Monday, on the first of four nights of the DNC:

Actress and activist Eva Longoria to kick off tonight’s events: Longoria, known for her role on Desperate Housewives, will lead this evening’s programming. The actress co-founded Latino Victory Fund, the first national Latino organization to endorse Joe Biden for president.

Michelle Obama’s speech: Obama is one of the nation’s most popular public figures — known for saying in her 2016 DNC speech, “when they go low, we go high.” But her speech Monday will come at a different moment in time — one that sees Trump running for reelection amid a global pandemic and protests against racism. On an evening devoted to a message of unity, how Obama injects optimism into the anxiety Democrats have felt about Trump’s tenure — and November’s election — could bring Monday’s most significant moment.

Bernie Sanders in the spotlight: Since he dropped out of the race in the spring, Sanders has worked to tamp down any potential insurrection against Biden from the party’s left. Tonight, Sanders will be offered his largest platform since his final debate with Biden. This time, though, he will be walking a thin line — simultaneously trying to appeal to his young base on Biden’s behalf, while also using the spotlight to make the case for his own policy agenda.

Read more about tonight’s events here.

Tonight marks Michelle Obama’s fourth speech to a Democratic National Convention, but her words tonight are unlike any other.

The former first lady will deliver the sharpest and most overtly political message of her time in public life tonight, an adviser tells CNN, in an unvarnished speech where she says what she’s been thinking for four years.

“It’s very strong, tough and personal,” the adviser said. “Tonight, she doesn’t hold back.”

Since Obama last took the stage at a Democratic convention so much has changed – with the Trump presidency, but also with her. Her popularity has soared with “Becoming” and she is no longer constrained with what she can say – as she has felt since that debut speech at the Democratic convention in 2008 in Denver.

Tonight, in a speech she had a heavy role in crafting herself, she will speak to the nation as “a mom, daughter and worried American.”

She will also pick up where former President Obama left off at the John Lewis funeral by taking about the critical importance of voting. She will address racial injustice, systemic racism and police killings – but she will use all of that to urge young Americans to vote.

Just hours before the Democratic National Convention is set to kick off, organizers published an excerpt on YouTube of former first lady Michelle Obama’s speech tonight where she praises presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

The first night of the convention begins tonight at 9 p.m. ET.

Watch the full excerpt here:

Sen. Bernie Sanders is set to be one of the major speakers tonight as the Democratic Convention begins virtually. 

In excerpts released by organizers, the former presidential candidate will call the 2020 election the “most important in the modern history of this country” and call on the country to unite to “defeat Donald Trump.” 

Read more of the excerpts here:

John Kasich, the Republican former governor of Ohio, will be delivering remarks tonight at the Democratic National Convention.

According to excerpts released by organizers, Kasich will use his speech to support presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden and say his attachment to the Republican party “holds second place to my responsibility to my country.”

Kasich was a candidate for the GOP nomination in 2016, and has turned into a prominent voice of the party’s “Never Trump” movement.

And while his selection for a speaking slot at the convention angered progressives, handing the spotlight to such a well-known Republican could help Biden’s campaign strike chords of unity.

Read excerpts of his speech here:

As Democrats prepare to launch their convention tonight with a speaker line-up that includes former Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said the party seeks to use the event as a platform to welcome Americans no matter their politics. 

“This is not simply a convention for Democrats,” Perez said, speaking with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Monday. “This is a convention for everyone in America who wants a president who is truly inclusive, a president who will fight for everyone.”

Perez went on to suggest that the need to defeat President Trump supersedes both party lines and his many policy disagreements with Kasich, who was a rival of Trump for the GOP nomination in 2016.

“I disagree with Gov. Kasich on so many issues of importance such as the right to form a union and women’s reproductive health, but I agree with him wholeheartedly on the issue at hand, which is that our democracy is on fire,” he said.

“This is a moment for people to put country over party,” he added. “…We are indeed… a convention for everyone.”

Hours ahead of a historic — and unconventional — Democratic National Convention, CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf previewed the week ahead, fact-checked some of the misinformation around the campaign and took viewers’ questions.

Watch:

Read more about why the US still has political conventions and what will happen in 2020 here.

Actresses and activists Eva Longoria, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington and Julia Louis-Dreyfus will each emcee one night of the Democratic National Convention, the convention committee announced Monday.

The celebrities will weave together the two hours of live and pre-recorded material each night during the almost entirely virtual program.

“This week, Americans will hear from people from all walks of life who are coming together to support Joe Biden’s vision for a more just, more democratic nation,” ​ convention program executive Stephanie Cutter said in a statement. ​”The voices we’re including are the perfect messengers to lift up our theme of unity and help us engage with more Americans than ever before.”

Longoria, known for her role on Desperate Housewives, will lead Monday evening’s programming. The actress co-founded Latino Victory Fund, the first national Latino organization to endorse Joe Biden for president.

Ross will participate in Tuesday night’s programming dedicated to the theme, “Leadership Matters.” Stacey Abrams and 16 other rising stars of the Democratic Party will deliver a joint keynote address that evening, offering a “diversity of different ideas” and “perspectives on how to move America forward.”

Washington, who received four Emmy nominations this year, will emcee Wednesday evening’s programming, when former President Barack Obama and presumptive vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris are slated to speak.

Louis-Dreyfus, who played Vice President Selina Meyer on the HBO series ‘Veep,’ will appear on Thursday, the night Biden is set to accept the Democratic presidential nomination. The ‘Veep’ star has spoken at virtual events and fundraisers for the former vice president on the campaign trail, especially making a case for his empathy and stance on healthcare.

Dreyfus shared in June that Biden, whose son Beau died of brain cancer, was one of the first people to reach out to her after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She noted that his “genuine kindness and concern” made her cry.

“Joe Biden actually understands that care is part of health care,” she said during the Women for Biden event.

The quadrennial national US political conventions are scheduled, even in this time of Covid, to formally nominate each party’s presidential candidate and settle on official party platforms for the general election.

Democrats will meet, mostly virtually, August 17-20 to nominate former Vice President Joe Biden. Republicans will meet August 24-27 in Charlotte, North Carolina, to nominate President Trump for a second term — a nomination he’s said he’ll accept somewhere else, possibly at the White House.

CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf talked to Adam Levy, who oversees CNN’s political research team, about what’s different this year — how things might play out, and whether these things are still important.

Part of their email conversation is below:

Read more here.

Hear more:

Former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg signaled today he was open to serving in a Biden-Harris administration should an offer be extended.

“I would love a chance to return to public service if that’s what the new president decides,” Buttigieg said Monday on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe.’ “Public service is the most rewarding experience of my life. It may or may not make sense in the near future, but I know I’ll do everything I can to support this incoming administration.”

When asked about the President’s “assault” on various American institutions, Buttigieg said the public needs to be prepared for the President to attack the election and the results.

“The President seems to have a project of undermining the confidence of the American people in our own institutions in a way that undercuts democracy itself. And at this point, you know, the President is losing. If nothing changes, he will lose big in November. We the public need to be prepared for the President to attack the democratic system itself and, after the fact, to attack the legitimacy of the election that will have unseated him,” Buttigieg said. “We have to be ready on the backend to resist any effort to undermine democracy itself.”

Buttigieg said while he will continue working to elect Biden-Harris to the White House, “we must not make the mistake of treating the presidency like the only office that matters.”

“Republicans were smart about this, starting a generation ago building up majorities, building up power in our American system that puts so much power in those local and state offices. We have to make sure we are paying attention to that too,” Buttigieg said.

The most out-of-place figure on the first night of the DNC will be John Kasich, the Republican former governor of Ohio.

Kasich was a candidate for the GOP nomination in 2016, and has turned into a prominent voice of the party’s “Never Trump” movement. And while his selection for a speaking slot at the convention angered progressives, handing the spotlight to such a well-known Republican could help Biden’s campaign strike chords of unity.

Kasich won’t be alone among the Democrats.

Former New Jersey Republican Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, former Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman, who ran for governor as a Republican in California in 2010 but backed Hillary Clinton in 2016, and former New York Republican Rep. Susan Molinari will speak in the run-up to Kasich’s address.

There is a history of political parties inviting a former political rival into their convention lineup. In 2008, then-Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman — just eight years after being the Democratic vice presidential nominee — spoke at the Republican National Convention in favor of then-Arizona Sen. John McCain. In 2012, Charlie Crist, who had previously served as the Republican governor of Florida (and is now a Democratic congressman), backed former President Barack Obama’s re-election at that year’s DNC.

What we know: Kasich’s message is likely to be oriented toward the need for a functioning government. As a 2016 presidential contender, he often touted his role as a one-time House budget chairman who negotiated spending plans with a surplus with former President Bill Clinton.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic party’s presumptive nominee, is set to accept the party’s nomination and deliver his acceptance speech this Thursday during the Democratic National Convention held in a virtual setting. His running mate Kamala Harris will do the same a night earlier.

“I’m gonna be accepting the nomination, God willing, the end of the week, of the Democratic Party, and I’m proud to be a Democrat my whole life,” Biden said today during a virtual fundraiser with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “But when I win—if we win—we’re going to be in a position where I’m going to represent everyone, even those people didn’t vote for me.”

“You got to unite this country. The only way it’s going to work, I think we can do it,” he continued.

A scaled-back event: The convention was originally going to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but due to the pandemic and safety concerns, Biden and keynote speakers will not be traveling to the city and speeches will be streamed from multiple locations on video. Biden and Harris will deliver their convention speeches from the Chase Center in Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, spokesperson Michael Gwin confirmed to CNN.

The convention will feature just two hours of prime time programming on each of the four nights. The decision to limit the programming, which will be streamed online and aired by TV networks, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET each night is one of the starkest signs yet of how unconventional this year’s gathering will be in the age of coronavirus compared to previous conventions, typically filled with various events and speakers for many hours each day.

The Democratic National Convention has announced “Uniting America” as the theme for its four-night convention that will seek to argue why Democrats believe Biden is the candidate to lead the US out of a global crisis, contrasting his leadership style with that of President Trump.  

The Democratic National Convention Committee announced several artists that will perform during the convention, including Leon Bridges, The Chicks, Common, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Billy Porter, Maggie Rogers, Prince Royce, and Stephen Stills. 

According to a news release, the performances will range from renditions of the national anthem, to American classics, to new songs.

Additionally, 57 youth choir members representing each of the 57 states and territories will perform the National Anthem Monday evening. 

“It will truly be a convention across America, and these incredible artists will help us tell the story of where we are as a country today under Donald Trump’s failed leadership, and the promise of what we can and should be with Joe Biden as president,” Stephanie Cutter, 2020 Democratic National Convention program executive, said in the statement. “These artists are committed to engaging with, registering and mobilizing voters to get us over the finish line in November.”  

Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker said Monday that he’s excited about the Democratic National Convention this week, acknowledging that the all-virtual format will not look quite the same as years past but will be no less important.

“I know this is going to be different. But i think it’s actually going to be a little more intimate,” Booker told CNN’s John Berman on new day.

“I think people are going to really enjoy it. It’s going to be tight and really informative that we’re going to make our case very plainly, not simply what we’re against — we know the catastrophic leadership of this President, especially in this time of pandemic, economic decline — but, really, here are two candidates that are going to talk about what we’re for, not just the policies, but what i think is one of the most important calls that we have as a society right now, which is for revival of civic grace, for us bringing decency and kindness and honor back, not just to the oval office but inspiring it throughout our nation.”

Booker said he was very happy when it was announced that Joe Biden had chosen Kamala Harris as his running mate. 

“I was so happy, not just because I love her dearly, but because I knew what this would mean for America, for generations yet unborn that will look to her and now in the pantheon of great Black women, great women, great Americans of history,” Booker said. “You haven’t seen anything yet. when America gets to know her better, they are going to continuously be inspired by the kind of heart, grit, guts and love that she has and has for this nation.”

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s presidential campaign is forging a new path, gathering a nationwide audience of supporters over Zoom to make up for a Democratic National Convention devoid of its usual live audience of thousands due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The campaign announced Friday that virtual watch parties will take place in all 50 states throughout next week’s convention, with elected officials like Pete Buttigieg and celebrities like Alyssa Milano acting as hosts, according to a news release shared first with CNN.

The watch parties offer a glimpse into how the campaign is making do with the challenges of hosting a virtual convention — a fanfare celebration that typically sees tens of thousands of supporters gathering together in person — almost entirely in the virtual realm due to restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

For the evenings that presumptive Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Biden deliver their speeches — Wednesday and Thursday, respectively — the campaign has recruited an array of high-profile guests to host watch parties in different states across the nation.

Biden’s former Democratic rivals from the presidential primary, including Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Buttigieg, are among the hosts.

Other high-profile hosts include New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, L.A. Mayor and Biden campaign co-chair Eric Garcetti, actors Connie Britton, Milano and BD Wong, Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez and Biden’s sister, Valerie Biden Owens.

“Americans across the country are fired up to vote for the Biden-Harris ticket in November and restore the soul of our nation,” Biden for President National Organizing Director Kurt Bagley said in a statement. “There are 81 days until Election Day and we are ready to harness the energy on the ground to ensure that Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Democrats up and down the ticket are elected on November 3rd.”

President Trump downplayed his debate preparation Monday, contradicting reports that he’s working with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and lambasting former Vice President Joe Biden’s debate skills.

Asked how he was preparing, he said, “By working very hard. You know what? By working very hard, not on debates, but running the country.” 

“Honestly what I’m doing is I’m doing my job… I guess I’ll do some preparation, but I didn’t do much last time, because I understand what’s happening,” he said, citing law and order as one area where he didn’t need to prepare.

Despite reporting that he was working with Christie to prepare, Trump said, “I’m not using Chris. Chris is a friend of mine… I get along with Chris, he’s good and I used him last time.”

Trump reiterated that one of the debates should be moved up and predicted that if Biden “makes it through the debate,” the media will say Biden won. He again questioned Biden’s mental faculties.

The Democratic National Convention is this week, and it won’t look like any other in history. Democrats have moved their convention online because of health concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Joe Biden will accept the Democratic nomination for president in a virtual address.

The four nights of programming will feature speeches from politicians, music performances from stars, and will allow Democrats to make their pitch to the American people before ballots are cast this fall.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch this year’s Democratic convention:

When is the convention? The convention is scheduled to take place Monday through Thursday this week, and each night of programming will air from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.

There will be big speakers:

These musical acts are performing: Leon Bridges, The Chicks, Common, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Billy Porter, Maggie Rogers, Prince Royce, Stephen Stills and others will be performing throughout the four nights, according to the Democratic National Convention Committee. Youth choir members representing each of the 57 states and territories will also perform the National Anthem Monday night, according to the DNCC.

Where Joe Biden will accept the nomination: Biden will not accept the Democratic presidential nomination in Milwaukee, the original site of the convention, because of concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, Biden and Harris will deliver their convention speeches from the Chase Center in Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, spokesperson Michael Gwin confirmed to CNN.

Where the rest of the convention will take place: The Democratic gathering will be far different than any in American history, with organizers calling it a “Convention Across America,” with speeches and music and other appearances from locations and major landmarks across the country.

Will convention delegates be in Milwaukee? No, the DNCC advised state delegations, including members of Congress, not to travel to Milwaukee because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Jason Rae, the secretary of the Democratic National Committee, informed all certified delegates that virtual voting on convention business would take place from August 3-15.