DNC 2024 live: Harris hails ‘incredible’ Joe Biden; crowd cheers as AOC says Harris works ‘tirelessly’ for Gaza ceasefire | Democratic national convention 2024

Up next is Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state who was the first female presidential nominee of a major party, but lost in 2016 to Donald Trump.

She’s wearing a trademark pantsuit, in the color beige. The crowd is very happy that she’s here.

Joe Biden’s support for Israel has been one of the most divisive issues Democrats have confronted over the past four years, sparking resignations from his administration, and protests outside the Democratic convention.

As she listed her reason for supporting Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez noted that the vice-president “is working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring the hostages home”.

The line generated cheers and applause in the convention hall.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman and progressive celebrity, is speaking now.

The crowd began chanting “AOC! AOC!” when she came onstage.

Shawn Fain proceeded to lay into Donald Trump, calling him “a scab” – which is someone who crosses a picket line and works during a strike.

“This election comes down to one question: which side are you on?” said Fain.

“On one side we have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the working class. On the other side, we have Trump and Vance, two lap dogs for the billionaire class who only serve themselves. So for us in the labor movement, it’s real simple. Kamala Harris is one of us. She’s a fighter for the working class, and Donald Trump is a scab.”

And at that, the crowd began chanting: “Trump’s a scab! Trump’s a scab!”

A little bit later, Fain said: “It’s getting hot in here”, and then took off his jacket to reveal a red T-shirt that read “Trump is a scab.”

Watch the moment here:

Now onstage is Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers.

Last summer, he led the union in its biggest strike in years, and got Joe Biden to join their picket line, something no president had done before.

Here’s more about the union boss whose been seen as a leader of organized labor’s future in the United States:

The Democratic national convention has featured two musical performances so far.

Mickey Guyton, a country singer, first took to the stage to sing her song, All American. Guyton was the Grammys’ first Black solo female country nominee in 2021.

Next up was Jason Isbell, another country singer, who is from Alabama. He sang his song, Something More Than Free. Isbell has become a vocal advocate for Democrats. Asked by the New York Times why many southern, white working class voters like him don’t support Kamala Harris and the Democratic party, he responded:

I think the goals and the intentions of the party were sort of obfuscated by the fact that there was this big PR campaign that sort of made religious morals tie in with a conservative political ideology. And I think that’s kind of where we went wrong, and where a lot of people in the South just started voting against their own interests. And a lot of people like me went along with what their family did, and what their churches did, and became the kind of people who would vote for conservatives no matter what.

Ankita Rao

I was on the floor of the Democratic convention when, suddenly, Beyoncé’s Freedom started playing and Kamala Harris walked in.

Here’s the scene:

Kamala Harris is giving some introductory remarks to the crowded convention hall, telling them that tonight, they’ll pay tribute to departing president Joe Biden.

“This is going to be a great week, and I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible President Joe Biden, who will be speaking later tonight,” she said. “Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do, we are forever grateful to you. Thank you, Joe!”

Kamala Harris has just stepped onstage at the Democratic national convention.

She’s wearing a light brown suit. The crowd is going wild.

Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and first female presidential nominee of a major party, will defend Kamala Harris’s character in her remarks to the Democratic convention tonight.

“Kamala has the character, experience, and vision to lead us forward,” Clinton will say, according to excerpts of her speech.

She will tell the convention about the background she shares with Harris as “young lawyers helping children who were abused or neglected. That kind of work changes you. Those kids stay with you. Kamala carries with her the hopes of every child she protected, every family she helped, every community she served.”

“So as president, she will always have our backs,” Clinton will say. “She will fight to lower costs for hard-working families. Open the doors wide for good paying jobs. And, yes, she will restore abortion rights nationwide.”

Clinton lost the 2016 election to Donald Trump, who she will reserve some choice words for:

Just look at the candidates. Kamala cares about kids, families, and America. Donald only cares about himself.

On her first day in court, Kamala said five words that guide her still: ‘Kamala Harris, for the people.’

That’s something Donald Trump will never understand.

Without much fanfare, Kamala Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, has arrived at the Democratic national convention:

The Minnesota governor is expected to speak on Wednesday evening.

Nancy Pelosi, congresswoman and former House speaker, was asked on CNN about any “bad blood” or “resentment” remaining between her and Joe Biden, surrounding her efforts to get the president to withdraw his candidacy.

Earlier in the day, Anita Dunn, a former senior White House adviser for Biden, said: “Nobody wants to have a fight with Nancy Pelosi at this time.” When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Pelosi to respond to that remark, she said: “Sometimes you just have to take a punch for the children.”

Pelosi continued: “He made the decision for the country. My concern was not about the president, it was about his campaign. He has seen the exuberance, the excitement that has come forth in our country.”