Democratic convention's third night to feature speeches from Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren

4 years ago 264

1 min ago

Trump on Obama's speech tonight: "I wouldn't be here" if he and Biden did "a good job"

From CNN's DJ Judd

President Trump was asked today to react to excerpts released ahead of former President Barack Obama's speech tonight at the Democratic National Convention.

Here's what Trump said:

“Now, President Obama did not do a good job. And the reason I'm here is because of President Obama and Joe Biden, because if they did a good job, I wouldn't be here, and probably if they did a good job, I wouldn't have even run, I would have been very happy, I enjoyed my previous life very much, but they did such a bad job that I stand before you as President.”

Trump took aim at the former president, telling reporters at an afternoon briefing, “when I look at what we have, and I look at how bad he was, how ineffective a president he was, he was so ineffective, so terrible, slowest growing recovery in the history, I guess since 1929, on the economy.”

23 min ago

Harris will criticize Trump's "failure of leadership," saying it has "cost lives and livelihoods"

In live remarks from Wilmington, Delaware, set to take place later this evening, presumptive vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris will sharply criticize President Trump, saying his administration has turned "our tragedies into political weapons," according to excerpts released by convention organizers.

"Donald Trump’s failure of leadership has cost lives and livelihoods," Harris will say in a portion of her speech.

"Joe will be a president who turns our challenges into purpose," Harris adds.

The California senator will also use her speech to paint a picture of the country she and Biden hope to build together if they are elected in November.

"[I am] committed to the values she [my mother] taught me, to the word that teaches me to walk by faith, and not by sight, and to a vision passed on through generations of Americans—one that Joe Biden shares," Harris will say. "A vision of our nation as a beloved community – where all are welcome, no matter what we look like, where we come from, or who we love."

"A country where we may not agree on every detail, but we are united by the fundamental belief that every human being is of infinite worth, deserving of compassion, dignity and respect. A country where we look out for one another, where we rise and fall as one, where we face our challenges, and celebrate our triumphs. Together," Harris continues.

Read more excerpts from her speech:

"We’re at an inflection point. The constant chaos leaves us adrift. The incompetence makes us feel afraid. The callousness makes us feel alone. It’s a lot.

And here’s the thing: We can do better and deserve so much more.

We must elect a president who will bring something different, something better, and do the important work. A president who will bring all of us together—Black, White, Latino, Asian, Indigenous—to achieve the future we collectively want.

We must elect Joe Biden."

Here is a portion of the video that will introduce Harris:

59 min ago

Obama will deliver DNC address from Philadelphia to underscore American Democracy

From CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Dan Merica

Former President Barack Obama speaks at the opening of the Bits & Pretzels meetup on September 29, 2019 in Munich, Germany. Hannes Magerstaedt/Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama will deliver his speech to the nation Wednesday night from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, a senior Democratic official tells CNN, with a location intended to underscore “our very democracy is at stake” in this election.

“He will make a pointed case that Democracy is on the line,” the senior Democratic official said, describing Obama’s speech to the Democratic National Convention as a “call to all Americans.”

The former president’s speech comes on the third night of the party’s gathering, which is being held virtually in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with speakers addressing the convention from key points across the country.

Obama plans to make an aspirational case for Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris, aides say, in a speech that will outline their “experience and character to lead us out of the ongoing economic and health care disasters that the current administration has blundered into.”

He also teased his speech in a fundraising appeal on Wednesday, calling for the country to return to a time of normalcy after four tumultuous years.

“Folks, sixteen years ago, the first time I spoke at a Democratic convention, I asked a simple question,” Obama wrote in a letter to Democratic supporters. “Do we participate in a politics of cynicism, or do we participate in a politics of hope?”

For Obama, it’s his fifth speech at a Democratic National Convention. His first appearance was in 2004, when he delivered the keynote address in Boston, during his bid for the US Senate.

That address marked the beginning of his national rise as an Illinois state senator. Four years later, he accepted the party’s presidential nomination at Mile High Stadium in Denver.

But the speech on Wednesday night is the first of his post-presidency, with his own legacy on the line as he implores Americans to elect Biden and defeat President Trump.

The site of his address, which will be broadcast live directly before Harris’ speech, underscores the gravity of the election, the official said.

1 hr 20 min ago

Hillary Clinton's convention message: Don't take anything for granted with this president

From CNN's Dan Merica

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivers a keynote speech during the American Federation of Teachers Shanker Institute Defense of Democracy Forum at George Washington University on September 17, 2019 in Washington, DC. Zach Gibson/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton, the only other Democrat to face President Trump in an election, will make a case on Wednesday that only she can personally make: Don’t take anything for granted with this president.

Clinton, appearing from her living room, will say that the country “deserves a better president” and argue that person is Joe Biden, a source familiar with the remarks tells CNN.

But, the overarching message in her speech will be that this election cannot be close and that Democrats must overwhelm Republicans in November because what Trump will do to win cannot be underestimated.

It’s a message that Clinton is uniquely positioned to make. Democrats believed four years ago that the former secretary of state was on a path towards the presidency. But Clinton lost her bid for the presidency, crushing the party. The former secretary of state and Democratic nominee will argue that this election is too important to let that happen again.

In addition to policy, Clinton will speak about both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ human side.

“She talks a lot about the many levels on which she knows Joe,” the source said, including their work together in the Obama administration but also how they have been there for each other when family members have died, including Beau Biden in 2015.

Clinton will look to enlighten Harris' humanity, as well, the source said. While Clinton will talk about Harris’ “grit,” she will also look to tout her compassion by mentioning Tyrone Gayle, a Democratic spokesperson who worked for both Clinton and Harris before dying of colon cancer in 2018 at age 30.

Clinton, the source said, will mention how Harris flew to New York to be with Gayle shortly before he died. Both the former secretary of state and California senator eulogized Gayle in 2018.

Clinton will speak live for roughly 5-7 minutes, the source concluded.

1 hr 20 min ago

Obama takes direct aim at Trump in excerpts released of DNC address

Former President Barack Obama address a townhall talk to discuss, among others, the future of Europe with young people on April 6, 2019 in Berlin. John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images

The Democratic National Convention has released text excerpts of remarks coming tonight from former President Barack Obama.

In his remarks, Obama takes direct shots at President Trump, who he says has "shown no interest in putting in the work; no interest in finding common ground; no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends; no interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves."

"I have sat in the Oval Office with both of the men who are running for president. I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or continue my policies. I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously; that he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care," Obama added.

Read more excerpts from Obama's speech tonight:

"Donald Trump hasn’t grown into the job because he can’t. And the consequences of that failure are severe. 170,000 Americans dead. Millions of jobs gone. Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before.""I’m well aware that in times as polarized as these, most of you have already made up your mind. But maybe you’re still not sure which candidate you’ll vote for – or whether you’ll vote at all. Maybe you’re tired of the direction we’re headed, but you can’t yet see a better path, or you just don’t know enough about the person who wants to lead us there.""So let me tell you about my friend Joe Biden. Twelve years ago, when I began my search for a vice president, I didn’t know I’d end up finding a brother. Joe and I came from different places and different generations. But what I quickly came to admire about him is his resilience, born of too much struggle; his empathy, born of too much grief. Joe’s a man who learned early on to treat every person he meets with respect and dignity, living by the words his parents taught him: 'No one’s better than you, but you’re better than nobody.'""Over eight years, Joe was the last one in the room whenever I faced a big decision. He made me a better president. He’s got the character and the experience to make us a better country.""Tonight, I am asking you to believe in Joe and Kamala’s ability to lead this country out of dark times and build it back better. But here’s the thing: no single American can fix this country alone. Democracy was never meant to be transactional – you give me your vote; I make everything better. So I am also asking you to believe in your own ability – to embrace your own responsibility as citizens – to make sure that the basic tenets of our democracy endure."

1 hr 48 min ago

Harris' sister, niece, and stepdaughter will nominate her in virtual speeches

From CNN’s Jasmine Wright and Chris Boyette

Sen. Kamala Harris will be officially nominated by her sister Maya, niece Meena, and stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, tonight in virtual speeches, the Biden campaign announced via Twitter.

The Biden campaign’s deputy press secretary Matt Hill wrote, “Maya Harris, Meena Harris, and Ella Emhoff will deliver speeches tonight at the Democratic National Convention to officially nominate Kamala Harris as Vice President of the United States.“

CNN reported Tuesday that Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, will be the only relative physically present during her acceptance speech in Wilmington, Delaware.

Maya, Meena, and Ella are expected to speak after former President Barack Obama and before Harris, according to highlights of Wednesday evening’s agenda sent from the DNC.

1 hr 58 min ago

Harris wants "people to see themselves in her speech," aide says

From CNN’s MJ Lee, Arlette Saenz and Jasmine Wright

Democratic vice presidential running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, speaks during the first press conference with Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, on August 12. Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images

As she’s set to deliver her acceptance speech as the first woman of color on a major party ticket this evening, Kamala Harris “hopes for people to see themselves in her speech,” a Biden-Harris campaign aide says, as she will talk about not just her own personal story but also the experiences of others.

Harris, a daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, has often spoken about both their experience in America and her own as a biracial woman. She’s often drawn upon the lessons she learned from her mother as well as her time at historically black college Howard University to explain her worldview.

The aide says Harris “will set out a vision for a more inclusive nation in which everyone is welcome and given equal opportunity and protection under the law.”

She will also speak to the need to elect Joe Biden, the aide says, showcasing her running mate as “uniquely the leader for this moment” while “drawing a clear contrast with the failed leadership of Donald Trump.”

During her presidential primary campaign, Harris often repeated the refrain she would “prosecute the case” against Trump and his administration.

2 hr 26 min ago

Pelosi to slam Trump's "disrespect for facts, for working families, and for women in particular"

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is among tonight's primetime speakers, and is expected to deliver remarks following former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Read excerpts from her speech:

“We come together again, not to decry the darkness, but to light a way forward for our country. That is the guiding purpose of House Democrats. We are fighting For The People.”“As Speaker, I’ve seen firsthand Donald Trump’s disrespect for facts, for working families, and for women in particular – disrespect written into his policies toward our health and our rights, not just his conduct. But we know what he doesn’t: that when women succeed, America succeeds.”

2 hr 26 min ago

Read excerpts from Hillary Clinton's speech tonight

The Democratic National Convention has released text excerpts of remarks coming tonight from former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

"There’s a lot of heartbreak in America right now – and the truth is, many things were broken before the pandemic," Clinton will say in a portion of her speech. "But, as the saying goes, the world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places. Joe Biden knows how to heal, unify, and lead, because he’s done all of that for his family and his country.”

Read more excerpts from her speech tonight:

“I wish Donald Trump had been a better president. But, sadly, he is who he is. America needs a president who shows the same compassion, determination, and leadership in the White House that we see in our communities. Throughout this crisis, Americans have kept going – checking on neighbors, showing up to jobs as first responders and in hospitals, grocery stores, and nursing homes. Because it still takes a village.”“For four years, people have said to me, 'I didn’t realize how dangerous he was.' 'I wish I could go back and do it over.' Or worst, 'I should have voted.' Well, this can’t be another woulda coulda shoulda election. If you vote by mail, request your ballot now, and send it back as soon as you can. If you vote in person, do it early. Bring a friend and wear a mask. Become a poll worker. Most of all, no matter what, vote. Vote like our lives and livelihoods are on the line, because they are.”“100 years ago yesterday, the 19th Amendment was ratified. It took seven decades of suffragists marching, picketing, and going to jail to push us closer to a more perfect union. 55 years ago, John Lewis marched and bled in Selma because that work was unfinished.”

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