Dems look to honor Biden, build momentum at night 1 of DNC

Editor’s note: The video player above features live interviews from the DNC Convention, as well as news updates and views from the United Center. Coverage will transition to the full slate of prime-time speeches this evening at 5 CT.

(NEXSTAR) – Following a hasty rebranding effort, Democrats open their 2024 Convention in Chicago on Monday riding a tide of momentum that has completely reshaped the party’s prospects for retaining the White House for the next four years.

Just one month ago, Republicans wrapped their convention in Milwaukee riding a wave of confidence based on a widespread polling advantage over President Biden Joe Biden. Surveys of key swing states showed former President Donald Trump with a small edge over Biden, and national polling painted a similar picture. With Biden’s exit from the race, that polling advantage has vanished, and Democrats gather at the United Center seeking a traditional convention bump to give Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate, a clear edge in the race.

Biden himself will seek to boost Harris’ campaign on Monday by delivering the keynote address to kick off four nights of rallies.

By deciding to step aside and endorse Harris, the 81-year-old president will likely receive a hero’s welcome in his final turn in the spotlight 52 years after being elected to the Senate from Delaware.

Biden is planning to give a lengthy endorsement of Harris and sharply criticize Trump before he leaves Chicago and makes way for the program to focus on the vice president he chose four years ago.

Far from the formality that many modern party conventions have become, this week’s event will bring many Americans their first extended look at Harris and Walz. How the Democrats present ticket will be critical, especially with Trump launching a weeklong effort to cut into their message.

A potential distraction will be thousands of protesters who have begun marching toward the United Center to decry the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Harris’ allies are hopeful that the pro-Palestinian protesters will not overshadow the official program, which features a slate of current and former Democratic stars.

“Democrats are walking into that convention enthused, excited and unified,” said one of those stars, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was a finalist to be Harris’ running mate. “And it’s critically important that we prosecute the case against Donald Trump and the chaos that he would bring — and leave that convention even more unified, even more excited, even more enthused for the final 75 or so days of this campaign.”

The convention will lean into the party’s potential to make history. Harris vies to be the first woman, the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office.

“I wasn’t sure I would see this particular moment in my lifetime, to see a Black woman who is now on the cusp of becoming our next president,” said Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, one of the nation’s highest-ranking Black women elected officials.

Harris will aim to use the convention to take a share of credit for what she and Biden accomplished while also trying to show that she recognizes voters want more. Heading into Chicago, she unveiled the initial planks of her policy platform focused on addressing the bite of inflation and the costs of food, housing and childcare.

Democrats are expected to keep abortion access front and center for voters, betting that the issue will propel them to success as it has in other key races since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.

Every living Democratic president and first lady will appear this week, except for the ailing Jimmy Carter, along with a long list of federal, state and local officials and activists.

The former president is not ceding this week to Democrats. He will go a different swing state each day — starting with Pennsylvania, followed by Michigan, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada by week’s end.

Trump’s campaign has also dispatched high-profile allies to Chicago to host daily news conferences. The lineup includes Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Florida Rep. Byron Donalds.

“We have four days of messaging that the country will get to look at Kamala Harris, get to look at Tim Walz. We’ll get to look at their agenda, what they stand for, who we are,” McAuliffe said. “It’s going to be a close election. That’s just where our country is today.”

Whatever happens this week, both sides will be watching with anticipation as Harris writes a new chapter in what has already been a precedent-breaking campaign.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.