DNC 2024 Day 3 live updates: Democrats rail against Trump, Project 2025 and Jan. 6

(CHICAGO) — After the excitement sparked by the Obamas Tuesday night, Democrats will try to keep to momentum going when vice presidential nominee Tim Walz headlines the third night of speakers.

He’ll be joined earlier by another former president — Bill Clinton — as well as Nancy Pelosi and Pete Buttigieg.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Bill Clinton scrapped version of speech after watching 1st night of DNC: Sources

Former President Bill Clinton scrapped a version of his speech after the watching the first night of the convention, several people familiar with the speech told ABC News.

Clinton, who is speaking Wednesday night, revised his speech to make sure the “substance meets the moment” and wanted to strike a more “joyful” tone, after he was struck by the energy of the convention floor, one source said.

A senior adviser to Clinton told ABC News that “it was clear to him that, in the spirit of Mario Coumo, we needed more poetry, not prose.”

Cuomo gave the keynote address at the 1984 Democratic convention, saying, “We Democrats must unite so that the entire nation can unite, because surely the Republicans won’t bring this country together.”

-ABC News’ Rachel Scott and Katherine Faulders

Mindy Kaling hosts tonight

Actress Mindy Kaling is tonight’s celebrity host.

In 2019, she and Harris went viral for a video in which they prepared masala dosa, a South Indian dish.

In her introduction, Kaling referred to herself as “the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video.”

Democrats lean on celebrities to energize crowd on Wednesday

Democrats have already brought out multiple celebrities Wednesday, including musical legend Stevie Wonder and comedian Kenan Thompson. The crowd roared each tome in surprise.

John Legend will also perform later.

Both parties have used celebrities, including wrestler Hulk Hogan at the Republican National Convention.

Kenan Thompson of ‘SNL’ lampoons ‘Project 2025’

Veteran “SNL’ actor Kenan Thompson performed a bit of a stump speech and variety skit at the DNC that poked fun at “Project 2025.”

Thompson brought the prop “Project 2025” book and talked with people across the country about how the conservative policies would harm them drawing boos and laughs from the crowd.

Vulnerable House Democrat attending DNC tonight to support Walz

Many vulnerable Democrats have skipped the convention in Chicago — but not Marcy Kaptur.

The Ohio Democrat, the longest-serving woman in congressional history, now represents a much redder seat after redistricting.

A spokesperson said she traveled to Chicago today to hear Walz — her former House colleague — in person after calling for Harris to choose a running mate from the heartland.

Her presence underscores how the new Harris ticket has reenergized Democrats and given even threatened members of the party hope that they can defend their seats in November and retake the House of Representatives.

They see Walz as one of their own: While he served in Congress, he was one of the few House Democrats to win reelection in a district that supported Donald Trump. (Democrats lost the seat when he ran for governor in 2018.)

-ABC News’ Rachel Scott and Benjamin Siegel

Democratic Senate candidates are avoiding the DNC

Kim is the third Democratic Senate candidate to address the DNC, after Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester. All three are running in safely Democratic states. By contrast, vulnerable Democratic senators like Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Jacky Rosen of Nevada are staying away.

—538’s Nathaniel Rakich

Stevie Wonder performs ‘Higher Ground’

“This year I prayed very hard for peace to come to our worlds nations, but also to each one of our hearts.” he said in remarks before his performance.

“Even though our hearts have been beaten and broken beyond prayer, I know the important action and now is the time to understand where we are and what it will take to win. Win the broken hearts. Win the disenchanted, when the angry spirit. Now is the time,” he said.

Congressman in viral Jan. 6 photo

New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim, who just spoke, was captured in a viral photo kneeling to clean up litter-lined floors of the U.S. Capitol after the insurrection.

“What I learned on January 6 is that all of us, all of our, are caretakers for our great republic,” Kim told the crowd.

Jan. 6 video riles crowd up

The video showing scenes from the Jan. 6 attack sparked chants of “lock him up,” which only subsided once Thompson took the stage.

The crowd has gotten very animated whenever the riot is brought up, often chanting for Trump’s imprisonment.

-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod

Former Capitol police officer attacked in Jan. 6 riot greeted with loud applause

Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, a former Capitol police officer who was attacked by rioters on Jan. 6, is now taking the stage to loud applause

Gonell told ABC News a year after the insurrection that he was reminded of the attack on the U.S. Capitol every day.

“From the way I sleep, eating breakfast, making sure I don’t hurt myself putting my shirt on. The way I walk, the way I play with my son. The phone calls from the Justice Department, from the FBI, from the department, asking ‘do I recognize this individual?’… It hasn’t been easy,” Gonell told ABC News’ “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir in an interview that aired in January 2022.

Oprah Winfrey to speak at DNC tonight: Sources

Oprah Winfrey will be on stage at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night, multiple sources familiar with the program confirmed to ABC News.

CNN first reported the development.

–ABC News’ Will Steakin and Katherine Faulders

Another Republican endorsement for Harris

Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, another Republican endorsement for Harris scheduled during the DNC this week, said Trump is a “direct threat to democracy.”

“The only thing left to do is dump Trump,” he said, as the crowd chanted “dump Trump.”

Olivia Troye says being in Trump’s White House was ‘terrifying’
Olivia Troye, a former Trump White House National Security official, told the crowd that “being inside Trump’s White House was terrifying.”

“But what keeps me up at night is what will happen if he gets back here,” she continued.

She said she is proud to support Harris because they agree on the most important issue — “protecting our freedom.”

Immigration has been a weakness for Democrats this cycle

Democrats are trying to make progress with voters when it comes to immigration and border security.

A recent ABC News poll found Donald Trump retains the upper hand on the issue, keeping the race a closely contested one.

Trump leads Harris by 10 points in trust to handle the immigration situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, though he had led by 14 points in July.

At the DNC, speakers are bashing Trump for encouraging congressional Republicans to kill the bipartisan border deal negotiated earlier this year.

“He is a self-serving man,” Javier Salazar, the sheriff of Bexar County, Texas, just said on stage. “Just like when he killed the border bill, he just made our jobs harder.”

Former Trump official touts Harris support

Olivia Troye, a former Trump White House National Security official, is on stage — one of several Republicans scheduled to speak during the DNC this week.

Booker once had his own presidential ambitions

In 2020, the New Jersey senator mounted a campaign for the Democratic nomination after decades on the rise within the party.

The theme of his campaign was unity and love. His optimistic messaging was on display again tonight as he spoke.

“We’re not going to lose our faith,” he said. “Look, I want everybody in here to let us all say it together: I believe in America.”

The crowd repeated the phrase back to him.

Trump not serious about the border: Texas congresswoman

As the programming shifts to border security, Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar said that former President Donald Trump and his imitators see the border as a “political opportunity to exploit instead of an issue to address.”

“They are not serious people. You know who is serious? Kamala Harris,” she said, talking about Harris’ visit to El Paso engaging with stakeholders.

“She recognized that the situation at the border is complicated — as filled with challenges as it is with opportunities,” Escobar said.

Maren Morris said she split with country music over Trump-era culture

Maren Morris is now performing at the DNC.

The singer had a public break with the country music industry last year over what she said was its inability to tackle racism and misogyny.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, she said the Trump-era exacerbated those issues.

“After the Trump years, people’s biases were on full display,” she said. “It just revealed who people really were and that they were proud to be misogynistic and racist and homophobic and transphobic. All these things were being celebrated, and it was weirdly dovetailing with this hyper-masculine branch of country music.”

Israeli American hostage’s parents push for cease-fire deal, send message to son

Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, told the crowd, many whom wore “bring them home bracelets,” that they are pushing for a cease-fire and the safe return of the hostages.

“The time is now,” he said.

Many in the crowd were in tears.

Goldberg ended the speech with a message to her son.

Michigan AG Nessel: ‘You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand’

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel had a message for Republicans and the Supreme Court tonight: “You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand.”

“And I’m retaining a lot of water, so good luck with that,” she added.

Taking an apparent jab at Trump, Nessel said: “Kamala knows you go from the courthouse to the White House, not the other way around.”

Crowd chants ‘bring them home’ as parents of Israeli hostage address crowd

Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin — one of the Israeli-American hostages, got emotional as they took the stage to a huge ovation.

“Bring them home,” the crowd chanted.

Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the American-Israeli hostages, got emotional as they took the stage to a huge ovation.

Harris and Walz are ‘listening’ to calls for cease-fire, Ellison says

To those calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and “an end to the loss of innocent lives in Gaza” and to bring the hostages home, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had a message.

“They’re listening, friends. They agree with us,” he said.

“They listen, they care, and everyone is included in their circle of compassion,” he told the crowd.

The comments come as pro-Palestinian demonstrators have been protesting outside the DNC this week to put pressure on Harris’ campaign for a cease-fire.

Ellison cashes in progressive capital for Harris

Ellison was one of the few Muslims to serve in the House before becoming Minnesota attorney general and was one of the chamber’s most vocal progressives. He’s likely one of the few Democrats with cache within the party who also has appeal to the pro-Palestinian protesters outside, making him a potent messenger for Harris on this issue.

Trump’s tried to distance himself from Project 2025. DNC not making it easy

The controversial conservative policy blueprint has become a flashpoint in the 2024 election.

As a result, Trump has tried to put space between his 2024 campaign and the project, despite some of his close advisers and former administration officials being involved in its creation.

“I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump has claimed on social media. “I have no idea who is behind it.”

Democrats, however, are intent on tying the policy wishlist to Trump. Speakers this week have decried its proposals on everything from reproductive rights and health care to agency regulation.

Minnesota AG plans to address DNC protesters
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, now taking the stage, indicated to ABC News earlier Wednesday that he would address the Gaza crisis directly — and protesters who have raised their voices at the DNC — during his speech.

“I don’t know how much disagreement there is. I think we all want to see the violence stop and civilians have safety and security, and to see Gaza restored. I think there’s general agreement on that,” he said.

‘Swiftie’ Gov. Jared Polis calls out Project 2025

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis brought back the Project 2025 prop book and continued the theme of slamming its conservative policy proposals.

Polis, a self-proclaimed “Swiftie,” cited one of the pop star’s famous lyrics in denouncing the ideology.

“These Project 2025 people like Trump and Vance are not just weird, they’re dangerous. They want to take us backwards. But we aren’t going back. Like ever, ever, ever,” he said to applause.

Booker jabs at Project 2025 as ‘Project 1825’

Sen. Cory Booker continued to criticize Project 2025 with a bit on how Democrats believe it will take the country backward.

“No matter where you live, so-called blue states or red states, if Donald Trump has his way, he’s going to push through their extreme agenda Project 1825,” Booker said.

“I mean, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I roll that back. I got that wrong. Project 1925. Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Project 2025. That poisonous agenda where every single state will be in a state of crisis.”

Abortion access advocates warn dangers of Trump-Vance policies

A few speakers who lead organizations focused on reproductive rights highlighted Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of reproductive rights and abortion access, saying that a Donald Trump and JD Vance administration would roll back access to abortion.

Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, spoke about South Carolina and Florida’s six-week ban on abortion and how it impacted a Planned Parenthood patient in Georgia, who tried to go to those states because Georgia also bans abortion after six weeks.

“I’m here to tell you, in no way are Donald J. Trump and JD Vance more qualified than doctors and women to make these decisions. We decide. We trust women. We trust doctors. And we trust Kamala Harris,” she said.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Campaign co-chair on DNC goals

Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, the co-chair of the Harris-Walz campaign, is now on stage.

She told ABC News earlier this week that the campaign wanted to focus on how Harris and Walz will uplift the middle class during the convention.

Speakers highlight impact of bipartisan infrastructure law

Local officials and workers are taking to the stage to speak about the impact of the bipartisan infrastructure law on their communities.

The law is one of the signature policy achievements of the Biden-Harris administration. When it passed in the Senate, Vice President Harris was there to preside over the final vote.

Milwaukee Mayor Chevy Johnson made headlines for Trump remarks

Milwaukee Mayor Chevy Johnson has taken to the stage.

He made headlines in June after former President Donald Trump reportedly called Milwaukee “horrible” in a closed-door meeting weeks before the city hosted the Republican National Convention.

“Donald Trump was talking about things that he thinks are horrible. All of us lived through his presidency. So, right back at you, buddy,” Johnson said in response during a news conference at the time.

Asked at the time what he meant by the reported “horrible city” comment, Trump told Fox News he was referring to crime in Milwaukee and the 2020 election.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval a history-making official

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval has taken the stage. He is Cincinnati’s first Asian American mayor and, like Harris, has a parent who immigrated to the U.S. from India.

Tom Suozzi vows better immigration policy under Dems

New York Rep. Tom Suozzi, who flipped a Long Island seat this winter, reiterated his message on the campaign trail about the need to solve the nation’s migrant issue.

“To be a nation of immigrants is hard sometimes, too. You have to work for it,” he said.

Democrats jump on ‘freedom’ theme

The DNC marks a culmination of decades of Democratic efforts to take back patriotism after years of Republicans owning messaging around “freedom” and the American flag.

The word “freedom” is seemingly on the lips of every attendee and speaker — and the name of Beyoncé’s hit song and now-campaign anthem. Audience chants of “USA!” puncture speakers’ remarks as they wave signs saying the same. Camo hats bearing the names of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pockmark the crowd. And musician Jason Isbell performed the country hit song “Something More Than Free.”

Read more here about how Democrats have been running on this message, which has long been a staple in GOP messaging.

-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod

Project 2025 in focus again

Project 2025, a playbook of controversial policy proposals intended to guide the next conservative administration, has been invoked again during the DNC, this time regarding reproductive rights.

Jessica Mackler, president of EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, called Project 2025 a “blueprint for banning abortion in all 50 states” that will give extremists “the power to monitor your pregnancy.”

“Make no mistake — the threat of Project 2025 is very real,” she told the crowd. “But so is our ability to stop it.”

Reproductive rights at the forefront

Day 3 of the DNC kicked off with a focus on reproductive rights — featuring a video of women talking about the importance of the issue this election and speeches so far by Mini Timmaraju, president of Reproductive Freedom for All, and Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood.

Cory Booker pays tribute to Bill Pascrell

The New Jersey senator took a moment to reflect on Rep. Bill Pascrell, who died Wednesday at the age of 87. Pascrell served in Congress for 14 terms.

“Today while we’re heartbroken, we’re all people who can hold loss and joy in our hearts because we are sad for his loss but we celebrate his life,” Booker said. “Let’s give him a round of applause.”

Chicago police investigating DNC breakfast incident

Chicago police and the FBI are investigating an incident at a DNC breakfast Wednesday morning, according to ABC Chicago station WLS.

One victim was treated and released at the scene, police said.

The Fairmont Chicago hotel, the site of the incident, released a statement confirming that “a group of individuals caused a disruption at a DNC-related breakfast event at our hotel this morning.” The hotel thanked law enforcement for its “swift response.”

-ABC News’ Ben Stein

Bill Clinton speech to be hopeful with jabs aimed at Trump: Source

Former President Clinton’s address at the DNC will be hopeful and aspirational, according to a source familiar with its contents.

The source also said it will include fiery, newsworthy jabs aimed at former President Donald Trump and will highlight the qualities that make for a responsible, qualified commander in chief in the nation’s highest office.

The speech is expected to highlight the striking differences in vision, experience and temperament between Harris and Trump, underscoring the vice president’s story and what her candidacy means for the nation.

-ABC News’ Gabrielle Abdul-Hakim

Night 3 of the DNC kicks off

The third night of the DNC is officially underway, with New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker calling the convention to order.

The theme is “A fight for our freedoms” and will feature speeches from former President Bill Clinton and Walz, as he accepts the party’s nomination for vice president.

Wes Moore, rising party star, gets prime-time spot
Conventions are also about parties identifying those they view as future leaders.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s coveted speaking spot tonight will not go unnoticed.

His team said this night is about the future, forward momentum, and he is grateful to be a part of that.

He knows Democrats need to show they are delivering actual results, and he thinks he has a story to tell there. A senior staffer to the governor told ABC News he will focus on the Key Bridge collapse and talk about what Biden and Harris did to support his state.

Moore also has a personal relationship with Walz, who reached out to him when he first won and has acted as a sounding board for the governor.

-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks

The original ‘smoke-filled room’

As I reported on Monday, political conventions in Chicago have a long and storied history. And some of that history can still be found today.

At the 1920 Republican National Convention, the GOP couldn’t decide on a presidential candidate to save their life. After four rounds of balloting on June 11, no candidate had come close to clinching a majority of delegates. That night, a group of party leaders convened in Room 915 of the Blackstone Hotel and decided that Ohio Sen. Warren G. Harding would be an acceptable compromise choice. The following day, after a few more deadlocked votes, delegates decided to follow their lead and switched their votes to Harding, who won the nomination on the 10th ballot.

Those party leaders didn’t technically have the power to nominate Harding themselves, but a popular image soon emerged of Republican elites secretly pulling the strings to get their preferred candidate elected. As an AP reporter put it (probably exaggeratedly), “Harding of Ohio was chosen by a group of men in a smoke-filled room early today as Republican candidate for president.” The phrase “smoke-filled room” captured the public’s imagination and quickly became shorthand for when party leaders coordinate behind the scenes to anoint a candidate.

History buffs will be pleased to learn that the “smoke-filled room” still exists today! Although the room (along with the whole hotel) has been completely renovated, the original fireplace is still there, and the room is decorated with political paraphernalia. If you have the coin, you can even stay there yourself! When I visited on Monday, the room was vacant, but it was booked for Tuesday through Saturday. But it isn’t a political bigwig who’s staying there this week — it’s apparently a musician!

—538’s Nathaniel Rakich

John Legend to perform at DNC Wednesday night

Singer John Legend and percussionist Sheila E. will perform at the DNC Wednesday night. They were photographed in the United Center rehearsing ahead of the convention’s third night.

Vance says DNC ‘vibes’ are not reaching voters

In an interview on “Fox and Friends” on Wednesday morning, GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance said the DNC’s “vibes” weren’t working and reaching people, and suggested there is division within the Democratic Party.

“I don’t think it’s working very well, Ainsley, obviously, I’m not the target audience here, but when you have Barack Obama, the former democratic president of the United States, sitting there and making his big speech, and Kamala Harris is 90 miles away, I think it suggests that their party is not especially unified,” he said.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Video shows Harris reacting to roll call Tuesday night from backstage at rally

From backstage at her Milwaukee rally Tuesday night, Vice President Kamala Harris watched California Gov. Gavin Newsom cast his state’s votes during Tuesday night’s ceremonial roll call.

“California, we proudly cast our 482 votes for the next president, Kamala Harris,” Newsom can be heard saying in the video, posted by the Harris campaign.

Harris appeared overcome with emotion watching the moment.

“Congratulations,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was standing next to Harris, told the vice president before exchanging a hug.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

Booker, Moore, Shapiro and more expected to speak Wednesday night

Sen. Cory Booker, and Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania are expected to take the stage Wednesday night before Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s Wednesday prime-time address, according to DNC Executive Director Alex Hornbrook.

Former Trump staffer Olivia Troye will also give remarks, Hornbrook told reporters.

-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd

Harris’ campaign has raised around $500M since becoming Democratic candidate: Source

Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has raised about $500 million since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, according to a source familiar.

New campaign disclosure filings once again show the Harris campaign and the DNC’s cash on hand advantage over the Trump campaign and the RNC following a major fundraising boost the Democrats saw after Vice President Kamala Harris took over the top of the Democratic ticket last month.

The Harris campaign and the DNC together raised $248 million in July, out-raising The Trump campaign and the RNC, which raised $78 million, disclosures show.

The Harris campaign and the DNC entered August with $285 million in cash on hand, compared to the Trump campaign and the RNC having $250 million in cash on hand entering August.

Harris and the DNC’s latest money advantage comes after Trump and the RNC showed fundraising prowess the past few months and quickly eclipsed the cash on hand edge that Biden and the DNC previously had going into the general election.

The latest filings only show partial figures released by the campaigns and the national party committees’ figures – with full figures from the joint fundraising committees scheduled to be released in October.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Tim Walz takes the convention stage

Amid lingering buzz generated by passionate speeches from Michelle and Barack Obama – vice presidential nominee Tim Walz will be the keynote speaker tonight.

The man Kamala Harris calls “Coach” will likely stress what he calls the politics of “joy” while also taking swipes at Donald Trump.

The theme tonight is “A Fight for our Freedoms.”

Other notable speakers tonight include figures beloved by Democrats – former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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