Close X
Friday, November 22, 2024
ADVT 
International

Democrats will honor Biden while pivoting to Harris on first day of convention

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 19 Aug, 2024 04:58 PM
  • Democrats will honor Biden while pivoting to Harris on first day of convention

CHICAGO (AP) — A refreshed Democratic Party gathered Monday night for a valedictory speech from President Joe Biden, whose decision to end his reelection bid released newfound energy with Vice President Kamala Harris ′ rise to the top of the ticket.

The Democratic National Convention that began Monday in Chicago holds particularly high stakes for the party one month after an unprecedented mid-campaign switch from Biden to Harris. The opening night was designed as a handoff from the incumbent to his hand-picked successor — albeit four years before he intended for her to follow him.

Democrats are looking to the weeklong event to slingshot Harris toward an faceoff with Republican Donald Trump, whose comeback bid for the White House is viewed by Democrats as an existential threat. Having taken over the ticket just one month ago, Harris must now win over a divided country that is viewing her more positively but still making up its mind about the election.

Beyond the convention’s pomp, the event comes as a pivotal moment for the party and its new nominee. A false step could hobble Harris at a moment when her candidacy has been enjoying a burst of money, momentum and even joy. And real questions loom about the depth of Harris’ newfound support, the breadth of her coalition and the strength of her movement.

Not even a month ago, Democrats were deeply divided over foreign policy, political strategy and Biden himself, who was holding on after a disastrous debate by claiming he had a better chance than any other Democrat — including Harris — of beating Trump.

At morning meetings prior to Monday’s prime-time programming, convention delegates were dressed head to toe in merchandise celebrating Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Some wore the vice president’s face on their scarves or her slogans on graphic tees.

Walz suggested at a meeting of the Hispanic Caucus that Harris had reset the race.

“People don’t just want to vote against something. They want to vote for something,” he said. “Kamala Harris has given you something to vote for.”

Part of introducing Harris and Walz will be first giving a graceful exit to the incumbent president, who is slated to deliver the main address Monday.

The Democratic Party would almost certainly have been in a far worse state if Biden had continued to cling to the nomination. He faced growing concerns about his mental and physical acuityafter struggling to complete sentences during his debate against Trump.

After deciding to step aside and endorse Harris, Biden will instead receive a hero’s welcome in his final turn in the spotlight 52 years after being elected to the Senate from Delaware.

Biden, aides said, was looking to use his speech to cast Harris as a key partner to his accomplishments in office and to make the case for why she must defeat Trump in November.

Biden told reporters during a walkthrough of the arena that “it’s a memorable moment" and that he was ready to pass the baton to Harris.

At a breakfast hosted by the Florida delegation, a party volunteer pulled out a suitcase and began to hand out replicas of Biden's famous aviator sunglasses.

“Joe Biden made a selfless, heroic decision, and it’ll be awesome to celebrate him tonight,” Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida told The Associated Press. “And then we’re going to look to the future and pivot.”

An early focus on the convention program was honoring the civil rights movement, with an appearance from Rev. Jesse Jackson, the founder of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition, who is ailing with Parkinson’s disease. There were several references to Fannie Lou Hamer, the late civil rights activist who gave a landmark speech at a Democratic convention in 1964.

Hamer was a former sharecropper and a leader of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, a racially integrated group that challenged the seating of an all-white Mississippi delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Hamer spoke on Aug. 22, 1964 — exactly 60 years before Harris is set to accept the Democratic nomination and become the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to be the presidential nominee of a major party.

A potential distraction during the convention will be thousands of protesters descending on Chicago to decry the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

A few thousand people marched toward the United Center, site of the DNC, on Monday afternoon. And a group that called itself the Abandon Biden movement held an event to rebrand itself as Abandon Harris. The group argued the vice president's inability to differentiate herself from Biden's handling of the war was not acceptable.

Harris’ allies hope the pro-Palestinian protesters will not overshadow the official program, which features a slate of current and former Democratic stars, plus what organizers describe as “everyday people.”

Among the speakers: United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain; Hillary Clinton; Reps. Grace Meng, Jamie Raskin and Jasmine Crockett; Sens. Chris Coons and Raphael Warnock; and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Also expected to perform are musicians James Taylor, Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton.

MORE International ARTICLES

Trump 'Big Risk' for 2024, say Haley and Ron DeSantis in unison at town halls in Iowa

Trump 'Big Risk' for 2024, say Haley and Ron DeSantis in unison at town halls in Iowa
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador and North Carolina Governor Nikki Haley were unanimous in saying ex-President Donald Trump was "a big risk for the GOP "in the 2024 Presidential race and prospects for "retaking the White House are doomed".

Trump 'Big Risk' for 2024, say Haley and Ron DeSantis in unison at town halls in Iowa

JN.1 represents 'very serious evolution' of Covid virus, say global experts

JN.1 represents 'very serious evolution' of Covid virus, say global experts
JN.1, the latest Covid-19 variant from the lineage of Omicron making a fresh surge around the globe, represents 'very serious evolution' of Covid virus, according to global experts. JN.1, classified as a variant of interest (VOI) by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its rapid spread, is currently present in about 41 countries. It was first detected in Luxembourg in August. The WHO expects JN.1 to increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries.

JN.1 represents 'very serious evolution' of Covid virus, say global experts

Japan begins probe into Tokyo airport collision

Japan begins probe into Tokyo airport collision
The crash forced the airport to shut down all runways for several hours on Tuesday evening, leading to cancellations of 226 flights to and from Haneda, affecting over 40,000 passengers. Despite the reopening of three runways on Wednesday, about 100 flights are still expected to be scrubbed on Wednesday, disrupting the travel plans of 19,000 passengers.  

Japan begins probe into Tokyo airport collision

Top Republican House leaders endorse Trump for President in 2024 polls

Top Republican House leaders endorse Trump for President in 2024 polls
With less than a fortnight to go for the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire meets, top Republicans have come out in the open endorsing former President Donald Trump for President in the 2024 White House race leaving Republican voters to make the final choice at the caucuses and ending uncertainty even as Trump is beleaguered with legal cases. Republican House Whip Tom Emmer announced on Wednesday that he is backing former President Donald Trump in his latest bid for the White House.  

Top Republican House leaders endorse Trump for President in 2024 polls

Iran says 'terrorist attacks' on Soleimani's burial site killed over 103

Iran says 'terrorist attacks' on Soleimani's burial site killed over 103
Two explosions near the burial site of Iran's slain general Qassem Soleimani killed at least 103 people and wounded over 170 others on Wednesday, reported the official IRNA news agency and the semi-official Fars news agency, calling it "terrorist" attacks. The blasts occurred as many people gathered at the cemetery in Iran's southeastern city of Kerman to mark the fourth anniversary of Soleimani's death in a U.S. drone strike, Xinhua news agency reported.

Iran says 'terrorist attacks' on Soleimani's burial site killed over 103

Indian-origin family's death in US ruled murder-suicide

Indian-origin family's death in US ruled murder-suicide
A recent tragedy that claimed the lives of an Indian-origin couple and their teenage daughter in the US state of Massachusetts has been ruled as a murder-suicide after the examination of autopsy results. Rakesh Kamal (57), his wife Teena Kamal (54) and their 18-year-old daughter Arianna were found dead in their $ 5 million mansion in Dover on December 28, 2023.  

Indian-origin family's death in US ruled murder-suicide