Former presidents and political stars are among the names likely to appear at next week’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago that will celebrate the nomination of the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz ticket in this fall’s presidential election.
2024 Democratic National Convention: The 2024 Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday in Milwaukee and runs through Thursday. The event comes with Harris showing a lead over Donald Trump in many election polls.
Chicago will serve as host to the 2024 DNC with events taking place at the United Center, home of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.
While there will be some day programming, the main evening programming that includes the keynote speeches will take place from 6 p.m. CDT to 10 p.m. CDT Monday through Thursday.
The full DNC event schedule will stream on YouTube and social media outlets with primetime coverage coming from several media outlets.
“Democrats will rally around Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, our Democratic nominees for President and Vice President of the United States. The 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago will show America what Democrats stand for and tell the story of our proven track record of delivering progress for all Americans,” the DNC website reads.
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Speakers: While the DNC serves as an important step in the process of electing the Democratic nomination, the event will also use big names to help boost the presence of Harris in the party.
Harris replaced Joe Biden, who stepped down from the 2024 election amid struggling ratings and a poor performance in the first presidential debate.
The White House confirmed that Biden will speak at the 2024 DNC, with a speech expected as the Monday headliner according to a Newsweek report.
“He’s looking forward to, as he tends to do, speak directly to the American people,” the White House said.
Other expected keynote speakers include Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton. Newsweek said Bill Clinton is expected to introduce Walz on Wednesday ahead of his keynote.
A report said Jason Carter, former President Jimmy Carter’s grandson, could also speak at the convention representing his grandpa.
Michelle Obama is also listed as a potential speaker in the Newsweek report.
Biden’s speech and presence could become a key point of contention, with a report that he will only attend Monday and not be around for Barack Obama’s expected Tuesday speech.
Several female Democratic governors including Gretchen Whitmer and Katie Hobbs of swing states Michigan and Arizona respectively will be part of a panel that is hosted by actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
George Clooney is another celebrity mentioned in the report as a potential speaker. Clooney publicly called for Biden to exit the race shortly before Biden did so under intense party pressure.
While many are speculating what celebrities will attend or speak at the 2024 DNC, the topic of musical performances and surprise guests has also centered on the potential of an appearance from Beyonce or Taylor Swift.
Beyonce has come just shy of endorsing Harris, granting the vice president use of her music for her campaign and also reported to be nearing an official endorsement and donation.
Swift has not endorsed anyone, but previously backed Biden and Harris in the 2020 election.
Trump had celebrities present at the 2024 Republican National Convention, including musical performances from Lee Greenwood and Kid Rock.
Harris could significantly one-up Trump if she can get Beyonce and/or Swift on stage.
Why It’s Important: Several former presidents showing up to support Harris will make a top storyline ahead of the 2024 election in a show of unity. Biden’s potential one-day presence could become a distraction.
The DNC comes as Harris is seeing strong support in election polls and the event could swing more undecided voters her way depending on what is said and who speaks.
Another potential item to watch will be protests in Chicago with a group showing support for Palestine during the Middle East conflict planning a parade and several events. The protest group is currently fighting with the city over rules that were imposed on its requests, according to a CBS report.
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