Former President Barack Obama and Senator Kamala Harris are headlining the third night of the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, with Harris formally accepting the vice presidential nomination. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, currently the most powerful Democrat in the federal government, will also be addressing the convention.
According to excerpts of her speech released ahead of time, Harris will call for party unity in her speech before the convention and contrast Joe Biden’s governing style with Mr. Trump’s “failure of leadership.”
“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,” Harris will say. “A president who will bring all of us together—Black, White, Latino, Asian, Indigenous—to achieve the future we collectively want.”
Mr. Obama will praise Biden, who was his partner in the White House for eight years, and he also intends to use this major national address to press Americans to vote.
“He’ll make a pointed case that democracy itself is on the line – along with the chance to create a better version of it,” a spokeswoman said of Mr. Obama’s upcoming remarks. “And finally, he’ll echo his call to all Americans who believe in a more generous, more just nation: that this election is too important to sit out, and if everyone shows up, votes early, and makes sure their friends and family do the same, we can get back to work building a better, fairer America.”
The Democratic Party formally nominated Biden on Tuesday with delegates announcing their votes from their home states in locations ranging from a beach in American Samoa to a fire station in Connecticut to the new Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, tweeted a photo of her watching the roll call in a Howard University sweatshirt.
The first two nights of the DNC have featured a notable number of Republicans in prime-time speaking slots. Four prominent Republicans, including former Ohio Governor John Kasich, endorsed Biden on Monday and General Colin Powell, who served as Secretary of State in the Bush administration, gave a speech in support of Biden. Cindy McCain, the widow of John McCain, highlighted her husband’s friendship with Biden in a video.
How to watch the Democratic National Convention
- What: Democratic National Convention
- Date: Monday, August 17 through Thursday, August 20, 2020
- Convention coverage on CBSN: 5 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Convention speakers live on CBSN: 9-11 p.m. ET
- Convention coverage on CBS television stations: 10-11 p.m. ET
- Post-convention coverage on CBSN: 11 p.m. ET
- Live blog updates: Follow along on CBSNews.com
- Online stream: Live on CBSN — in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device.
