Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

While the investigation by Chicago police and the FBI continues, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said clues point toward people putting mealworms on tables.

“I’m not sure that those were maggots,” Snelling said Thursday when asked about the possibility of insects dropped on various tables. “There was sawdust, so they were probably mealworms. They look the same. But that’s still under investigation.”

Mealworms are common insects that have wormlike, yellow-to-brown colored bodies. They are the larval form of the mealworm beetle. Maggots are similar in appearance, but soft-bodied with white to transparent color. They are the larval stage of flies.

According to DNC officials, “multiple female offenders” entered the building and began placing “unknown objects” onto tables containing food. They then left the area.

Multiple delegates told NBC Chicago the “objects” were believed to be maggots, and Chicago police and the FBI are coordinating on a response to the incident, according to the DNC.

One person who ingested the food was treated by medical personnel and released at the scene, according to Chicago police.

According to NBC Chicago’s Randy Gyllenhaal, pro-Palestinian activists performed a similar maggot dump at the hotel of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, D.C.

2024 DNC Aug 22

Sudden fame for Tim Walz's son focuses attention on challenges of people with learning disabilities

The Fairmont Hotel issued a statement confirming that individuals “caused a disruption” during a DNC-related breakfast on Wednesday morning.

“The safety, security, and well-being of our guests and staff are our top priorities,” the statement read. “Our team acted immediately to clean and sanitize the area, ensuring that the event could continue without further incident. We maintain the highest standards of food safety and cleanliness throughout our property and have strict protocols in place to handle any disruptions.”

Protests have been going on throughout the week, with individuals clashing with Chicago police near the Israeli consulate on Tuesday. More than four-dozen arrests were reported during that incident, with at least one person facing felony charges after officers were injured.

Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

Harris will be the first Black woman to serve as the presidential nominee for a major party in American history, with many female Democratic delegates marking the historic night with their attire.

There appeared to be a coordinated effort among female delegates and Democratic supporters as they arrived at the United Center on Thursday afternoon, with security lines and convention floor seats filling up with women clad in white suits, dresses and other attire.

So when Harris takes the stage to accept the Democratic presidential nomination — becoming the first Black woman, and only the second woman overall, to do so — she will be looking out across a sea filled with the color of women’s suffrage, the movement that culminated with American women securing the right to vote in 1920.

The homage is a couture callback to other momentous political events in which women wearing white have played a role, particularly for other glass ceiling moments.

But if you saw Oprah’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, you may have wondered: What did the cameraperson seemingly have against that one random woman in the crowd?

Tens of thousands of people seemed to agree with one user on X, who commented on the DNC “taking a page from Wendy Williams’ cameraman” when they cut to the crowd as Oprah cracked a joke about “childless cat ladies.”

It turns out the woman in the crowd wasn’t actually a random choice. But to fully understand why one Maryland delegate suddenly became the face of “childless cat ladies” at the DNC, we have to backtrack a bit.

During her surprise appearance, TV host Oprah called for unity regardless of background in the United States.

“Despite what some would have you think, we are not so different from our neighbors,” Oprah said. “When a house is on fire, we don’t ask about the homeowner’s race or religion. We don’t wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No, we just try to do the best we can to save them.”

She then continued with a quip at the expense of Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance.

“And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out, too.”

The use of the phrase “childless cat lady” was a reference to comments made by Vance in 2021 during an interview with Tucker Carlson. Vance stated in that interview that “childless cat ladies” have “no direct stake” in political decision-making.

Vance came under fire as those comments resurfaced, with celebrities and other politicians criticizing Vance for his take and for his stances on reproductive rights and healthcare.

But those watching the DNC on Wednesday raised eyebrows for a different reason, when just as Oprah made her joke, the camera cut to a woman standing with the Maryland delegation — implying she was a childless cat lady.

Had that been a random woman, it would have been a sticky moment.

But, as it turns out, that woman wasn’t just a delegate for the state of Maryland for the DNC — she is also Maryland State Del. Teresa S. Woorman, who called herself a childless cat lady when she was sworn into her seat in the state legislature.

Woorman took to social media as the clip of Oprah’s speech went viral, emphasizing her stance against the Republican ticket.

“Damn right this childless cat lady is 100% disgusted by J.D. Vance in general and 100% behind @KamalaHarris and @GovTimWalz!” Woorman said in a social media statement. “Also I may be childless but I do hope that’s not a permanent condition, thanks!”

Woorman went on to explain the context behind the video.

“Also- funny enough I recently got appointed to a legislative seat. And I got sworn in to the Maryland House of Delegates last week and I referred to myself as a childless cat lady during my remarks. But I’m in good company, @taylorswift13 @Oprah. 💙💪🏼🐱 #voteblue,” Woorman said.

The Maryland Democratic Party also took to social media to add context.

“That’s our amazing Delegate @Teresa_Saavedra!” the message said.

Woorman was sworn into the Maryland state legislature just over 10 days ago, on Aug. 12. She’s a Mexican immigrant, as her page in the House of Delegates directory states, and went to elementary through high school in Montgomery County before attending the University of Maryland in College Park.

She now represents District 16, part of the county where she grew up, and is a member of the Health and Government Operations Committee.

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Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

During a recent TikTok interview between Tom Miller, host of The Bulwark podcast, and Jon Favreau, a speechwriter for Obama, Miller and Favreau broke down Obama’s famous “crowd size” comment — and rousing audience reaction.

The moment seemed to be a nod to inauguration photos from 2017 when former President Donald Trump claimed he drew more people than Obama’s. Trump then said the media had misrepresented the number of people there.

“This is a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago,” Obama said. “It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala.”

“The childish nicknames and crazy conspiracy theories and weird obsession with crowd size,” Obama went on to say, making large and then small gestures with his hands.

As Obama glanced down at his hands, the crowd roared with laughter.

Miller and Favreau reacted to the clip, with Miller asking Favreau if that moment was originally in the speech — or if it was a “stunt.”

“I’ll give you a little of the back story,” Favreau said. “You know, we’d been going through the Trump section, what he’s gonna say about Trump, and most of that was led by him.”

Favreau went on to say that the speech originally had several different examples of “Trump’s whining,” but some were cut for time.

One kept making its way back into the speech — by the speaker himself.

“And the one thing that Obama kept adding back into the speech was the crowd size thing,” Favreau said. “In the last round of edits, he put it back in.”

By that time, Favreau figured it was just a “funny thing” Obama wanted to joke about.

“And then when I was watching the speech from the floor and saw him do that, I was like, ‘oh my gosh. Wow.’ Very unlike him,” Favreau said.

Favreau went on to laugh when talking about the hand gestures that accompanied Obama’s riffs.

“I will tell you that if it was a planned thing, it was planned only in his mind,” Favreau added. “…Whenever he’s, like, into a speech, and he’s like feeling the crowd, then he hams it up, right? Or he does something that he wasn’t expected to do. So I think that’s what happened.”

Below is the full text of Obama’s DNC speech from Tuesday. Thursday, the fourth and final night of the DNC in Chicago, Kamala Harris is expected to speak.

One thing is for certain: Donald Trump is not losing sleep over these questions. This is a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala. The childish nicknames and crazy conspiracy theories and weird obsession with crowd size. It just goes on and on. The other day, I heard someone compare Trump to the neighbor who keeps running his leaf blower outside your window every minute of every day. 

Hello, Chicago! It is good to be home.

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling fired up! I’m feeling ready to go – even if I’m the only person stupid enough to speak right after Michelle Obama… 

I’m feeling hopeful because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible. Because we have the chance to elect someone who’s spent her whole life trying to give people the same chances America gave her. Someone who sees you and hears you and will get up every single day and fight for you: the next President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris. 

It’s been sixteen years since I had the honor of accepting this party’s nomination for president. I know it’s hard to believe since I haven’t aged a bit, but it’s true. And looking back, I can say without question that my first big decision as your nominee turned out to be one of my best – and that was asking Joe Biden to serve by my side as Vice President. 

Other than some common Irish blood, Joe and I come from different backgrounds. But we became brothers. And as we worked together for eight years, what I came to admire most about Joe wasn’t just his smarts and experience, but his empathy and his decency; his hard-earned resiliency and his unshakable belief that everyone in this country deserves a fair shot.  

Over the last four years, those are the values America has needed most.

At a time when millions of our fellow citizens were sick and dying, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right. At a time when our economy was reeling, we needed a leader with the determination to drive what became the world’s strongest recovery – with 15 million jobs, higher wages, and lower health care costs. And at a time when the other party had turned into a cult of personality, we needed a leader who was steady, and brought people together, and was selfless enough to do the rarest thing there is in politics: putting his own ambition aside for the sake of the country.

History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger. I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend. 

Now the torch has been passed. Now it’s up to all of us to fight for the America we believe in. And make no mistake: it will be a fight. For all the incredible energy we’ve been able to generate over the last few weeks, this will still be a tight race in a closely divided country – a country where too many Americans are still struggling, and don’t believe government can help. 

And as we gather here tonight, the people who will decide this election are asking a very simple question: 

Who will fight for me? Who’s thinking about my future; about my children’s future – about our future together?

One thing is for certain: Donald Trump is not losing sleep over these questions. This is a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala. The childish nicknames and crazy conspiracy theories and weird obsession with crowd size. It just goes on and on. The other day, I heard someone compare Trump to the neighbor who keeps running his leaf blower outside your window every minute of every day. 

From a neighbor, that’s exhausting. From a president, it’s just dangerous. The truth is, Donald Trump sees power as nothing more than a means to his ends. He wants the middle class to pay the price for another huge tax cut that would mostly help him and his rich friends. He killed a bipartisan immigration deal that would’ve helped secure our southern border because he thought trying to actually solve the problem would hurt his campaign. He doesn’t seem to care if more women lose their reproductive freedoms since it won’t affect his life.

Most of all, Donald Trump wants us to think that this country is hopelessly divided between us and them; between the real Americans who support him and the outsiders who don’t. And he wants you to think that you’ll be richer and safer if you just give him the power to put those “other” people back in their place.

It’s one of the oldest tricks in politics – from a guy whose act has gotten pretty stale. We don’t need four more years of bluster and chaos. We’ve seen that movie – and we all know that the sequel’s usually worse. 

America is ready for a new chapter. America’s ready for a better story. 

We are ready for a President Kamala Harris. 

And Kamala Harris is ready for the job. This is a person who has spent her life fighting on behalf of people who need a voice and a champion. As you heard from Michelle, Kamala wasn’t born into privilege. She had to work for what she’s got, and she actually cares about what other people are going through. She’s not the neighbor running the leaf blower – she’s the neighbor rushing over to help when you need a hand. 

As a prosecutor, Kamala stood up for children who had been victims of sexual abuse. As Attorney General of the most populous state in the country, she fought big banks and for-profit colleges, securing billions of dollars for the people they had scammed. After the home mortgage crisis, she pushed me and my administration hard to make sure homeowners got a fair settlement. Didn’t matter that I was a Democrat or that she had knocked on doors for my campaign in Iowa – she was going to fight to get as much relief as possible for the families who deserved it.  

As Vice President, she helped take on the drug companies to cap the cost of insulin, lower the cost of health care, and give families with kids a tax cut. And she’s running for president with real plans to lower costs even more, protect Medicare and Social Security, and sign a law to guarantee every woman’s right to make her own health care decisions. 

Kamala Harris won’t be focused on her problems – she’ll be focused on yours. As president, she won’t just cater to her own voters and punish those who refuse to bend the knee. She’ll work on behalf of every American.

That’s who Kamala is. And in the White House, she will have an outstanding partner in Governor Tim Walz. 

I love this guy. Tim’s the kind of person who should be in politics – somebody who was born in a small town, served his country, taught kids, coached football, and took care of his neighbors. He knows who he is and what’s important. You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some consultant, they come from his closet, and they’ve been through some stuff. 

Together, Kamala and Tim have kept faith with America’s central story – a story that says we’re all created equal, that everyone deserves a chance, and that, even when we don’t agree with each other, we can find a way to live with each other. 

That’s Kamala’s vision. That’s Tim’s vision. That’s the Democratic Party’s vision. And our job over the next eleven weeks is to convince as many people as possible to vote for that vision. 

It won’t be easy. The other side knows it’s easier to play on people’s fears and cynicism. They’ll tell you that government is corrupt; that sacrifice and generosity are for suckers; and that since the game is rigged, it’s ok to take what you want and look after your own. 

That’s the easy path. We have a different task. Our job is to convince people that democracy can actually deliver. And we can’t just point to what we’ve already accomplished or only rely on the ideas of the past. We need to chart a new way forward to meet the challenges of today. 

Kamala understands this. She knows, for example, that if we want to make it easier for more young people to buy a home, we need to build more units, and clear away some of the outdated laws and regulations that have made it harder to build homes for working people in this country. And she’s put out a bold new plan to do just that.  

On health care, we should all be proud of the enormous progress we’ve made through the Affordable Care Act – providing millions of people access to affordable coverage and protecting millions more from unscrupulous insurance practices. But Kamala knows we can’t stop there, which is why she’ll keep working to limit out of pocket costs.

Kamala knows that if we want to help people get ahead, we need to put a college degree within reach of more Americans. But college shouldn’t be the only ticket to the middle class. We need to follow the lead of governors like Tim Walz who’ve said that if you’ve got the skills and the drive, you shouldn’t need a degree to work for state government. And in this new economy, we need a president who actually cares about the millions of people all across this country who wake up every day to do the essential, often thankless work to care for our sick and clean our streets and deliver our packages – and stand up for their right to bargain for better wages and working conditions.

Kamala will be that president.

A Harris-Walz administration can help us move past some of the tired old debates that keep stifling progress, because at their core, Kamala and Tim understand that when everybody gets a fair shot, we’re all better off. They understand that when every child gets a good education, the whole economy gets stronger; that when women are paid the same as men, all families benefit. We can secure our border without tearing kids away from their parents, just like we can keep our streets safe while also building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Donald Trump and his well-heeled donors don’t see the world that way. For them, one group’s gain is another group’s loss. For them, freedom means that the powerful can do what they please, whether its fire workers trying to organize a union or poison our rivers or avoid paying taxes like everybody else has to do.

We have a broader idea of freedom. We believe in the freedom to provide for your family if you’re willing to work; the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water and send your kids to school without worrying if they’ll come home. We believe that true freedom gives each of us the right to make decisions about our own life – how we worship, what our family looks like, how many kids we have, who we marry. And we believe that freedom requires us to recognize that other people have the freedom to make choices that are different than ours.

That’s the America Kamala Harris and Tim Walz believe in. An America where “We the People” includes everyone. Because that’s the only way this American experiment works. And despite what our politics might suggest, I think most Americans understand that. Democracy isn’t just a bunch of abstract principles and dusty laws. It’s the values we live by, and the way we treat each other – including those who don’t look like us or pray like us or see the world exactly like we do.

That sense of mutual respect has to be part of our message. Our politics has become so polarized these days that all of us, across the political spectrum, seem quick to assume the worst in others unless they agree with us on every single issue. We start thinking that the only way to win is to scold and shame and out yell the other side. And after a while, regular folks just tune out, or don’t bother to vote at all.

That approach may work for the politicians who just want attention and thrive on division. But it won’t work for us. To make progress on the things we care about, the things that really affect people’s lives, we need to remember that we’ve all got our blind spots and contradictions and prejudices; and that if we want to win over those who aren’t yet ready to support our candidate, we need to listen to their concerns – and maybe learn something in the process.

After all, if a parent or grandparent occasionally says something that makes us cringe, we don’t automatically assume they’re bad people. We recognize the world is moving fast, and that they need time and maybe a little encouragement to catch up. Our fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they’ll extend to us. 

That’s how we can build a true Democratic majority. And by the way, that doesn’t just matter to people in this country. The rest of the world is watching to see if we can actually pull it off. 

No nation, no society, has ever tried to build a democracy as big and diverse as ours before – one where our allegiances and our community are defined not by race or blood, but by a common creed. That’s why when we uphold our values, the world’s a little brighter. When we don’t, the world’s a little dimmer, dictators and autocrats feel emboldened, and over time we become less safe. We shouldn’t be the world’s policeman, and we can’t eradicate every cruelty and injustice in the world. But America can be, must be, a force for good – discouraging conflict, fighting disease, promoting human rights, protecting the planet from climate change, defending freedom. That’s what Kamala Harris believes – and so do most Americans.

I know these ideas can feel pretty naïve right now. We live in a time of such confusion and rancor, with a culture that puts a premium on things that don’t last – money, fame, status, likes. We chase the approval of strangers on our phones; we build all manner of walls and fences around ourselves and then wonder why we feel so alone. We don’t trust each other as much because we don’t take the time know each other – and in that space between us, politicians and algorithms teach us to caricature each other and troll each other and fear each other.

But here’s the good news. All across America, in big cities and small towns, away from all the noise, the ties that bind us together are still there. We still coach Little League and look out for our elderly neighbors. We still feed the hungry, in churches and mosques and synagogues, and share the same pride when our Olympic athletes compete for the gold. Because the vast majority of us don’t want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided. We want something better. We want to be better. And the joy and excitement we’re seeing around this campaign tells us we’re not alone.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this these past few months because, as Michelle mentioned, this summer we lost her mom.

I don’t know that anybody has ever loved their mother-in-law any more than I loved mine. Mostly it’s because she was funny and wise and maybe the least pretentious person I knew. That and she always defended me with Michelle when I messed up.

But I also think one of the reasons we became so close was she reminded me of my grandmother, the woman who raised me as a child. On the surface, the two of them didn’t have a lot in common – one was a Black woman from Chicago, the other a white woman born in a tiny town called Peru, Kansas. And yet, they shared a basic outlook on life – strong, smart, resourceful women, full of common sense, who, regardless of the barriers they encountered, went about their business without fuss or complaint and provided an unshakable foundation of love for their children and grandchildren.

In that sense, they both represented an entire generation of working people who, through war and depression, discrimination and limited opportunity, helped build this country. Many of them toiled every day at jobs that were often too small for them and willingly went without just to give their children something better. But they knew what was true and what mattered. Things like honesty and integrity, kindness and hard work. They weren’t impressed with braggarts or bullies, and they didn’t spend a lot of time obsessing about what they didn’t have. Instead, they found pleasure in simple things – a card game with friends, a good meal and laughter around the kitchen table, helping others and seeing their children do things and go places that they would have never imagined for themselves.

Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican or somewhere in between, we’ve all had people like that in our lives. People like Kamala’s parents, who crossed oceans because they believed in the promise of America. People like Tim’s parents, who taught him about the importance of service. Good, hardworking people who weren’t famous or powerful, but who managed, in countless ways, to leave this country a little better than they found it.

As much as any policy or program, I believe that’s what we yearn for – a return to an America where we work together and look out for each other. A restoration of what Lincoln called, on the eve of civil war, “our bonds of affection.” An America that taps what he called “the better angels of our nature.” That’s what this election is about. And I believe that’s why, if we each do our part over the next 77 days – if we knock on doors and make phone calls and talk to our friends and listen to our neighbors – if we work like we’ve never worked before – we will elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States, and Tim Walz as the next Vice President of the United States. We’ll elect leaders up and down the ballot who will fight for the hopeful, forward-looking America we believe in. And together, we too will build a country that is more secure and more just, more equal and more free.

So let’s get to work. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

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In her poem, Gorman spoke about the American dream, echoing some themes of Obama’s 2006 “The Audacity of Hope” autobiography.

“Tomorrow is not written by our odds of hardship but by the audacity of our hope, by the vitality of our vote,” Gorman recited. “Only now approaching this rare air are we aware that perhaps the American Dream is no dream at all, but instead a dare to dream together.”

The 26-year-old rose to the national stage in 2017 after she became the country’s first National Youth Poet Laureate. In 2021 she also became the youngest poet to write and recite her work at a presidential inauguration in 2021.

Here is the text of Gorman’s poem, “This Sacred Scene”, in full:

We gather at this hollowed place because we believe in the American dream.

We face a race that tests if this country we cherish shall perish from the Earth, and if our earth shall perish from this country.

It falls to us to ensure that we do not fall for a people that cannot stand together, cannot stand at all.

We are one family, regardless of religion, class or color. For what defines a patriot is not just our love of liberty, but our love for one another.

This is loud in our country’s call, because while we all love freedom, it is love that frees us all.

Empathy emancipates, making us greater than hate or vanity. That is the American promise, powerful and pure. Divided, we cannot endure but united, we can endeavor to humanize our democracy and endear democracy to humanity.

And make no mistake, cohering is the hardest task history ever wrote, but tomorrow is not written by our odds of hardship, but by the audacity of our hope, by the vitality of our vote.

Only now, approaching this rare air, are we aware that perhaps the American Dream is no dream at all, but instead a dare to dream together.

Like a million roots tethered, branching up humbly, making one tree, this is our country. From many, one; from battles won; our freedoms sung; our kingdom come has just begun.

We redeem this sacred scene. Ready for our journey. From it together, we must birth this early republic and achieve an unearthly summit. Let us not just believe in the American dream. Let us be worthy of it.

Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

Though the speech served as Walz’s first impression to many American voters, Walz’s family was prominently in attendance for his remarks.

Walz thanked his wife and two children during his remarks, singling out his loved ones and telling them he loves them. The touching moment in the speech brought his 17-year-old son Gus to tears.

Gus Walz, who has an anxiety disorder and a non-verbal learning disorder along with ADHD, was overcome by emotion in the moment, and was seen standing from his seat, appearing to say, “That’s my dad.”

Tim and his wife, Gwen Walz, both spoke of their experience in parenting Gus in an exclusive article published in People Magazine earlier this month, in which they deem their son’s neurodivergence “his super power.”

Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

Her speech heaped praise on Harris and Walz, saying, “Common sense tells you that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can give us decency and respect.”

But Winfrey also threw in a few digs at former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, with a reference to Vance’s 2021 remark about “childless cat ladies” running the Democratic Party.

“Despite what some would have you think, we are not so different from our neighbors. When a house is on fire, we don’t ask about the homeowner’s race or religion. We don’t wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No, we just try to do the best we can to save them,” she said, adding, “And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out, too.”

She went on to reflect on Harris’ life and her path to the Democratic nomination, telling a fired-up crowd, “At school and at home, somebody did a beautiful job showing this young girl how to challenge the people at the top and empower the people at the bottom.”

“Soon, and very soon,” Winfrey continued, “we’re going to be teaching our daughters and sons about how this child of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father … about how this child grew up to become the 47th president of the United States.”

Winfrey has been involved in Democratic politics for years, most recently backing Joe Biden and Harris in 2020 and endorsing Democrats like Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania in key Senate races in 2022.

In her address Wednesday, she also paid homage to leading Black women who came before her and Harris, telling the story of Tessie Prevost Williams, who died last month, and the rest of the “New Orleans Four” — children who integrated the New Orleans school system in 1960.

“Tessie passed away six weeks ago, and I tell the story to honor her tonight,” Winfrey said, before she linked Prevost Williams to Harris’ experience going to school in California.

“[The New Orleans Four] broke barriers, and they paid dearly for it,” she said. “But it was the grace and guts and courage of women like Tessie Prevost Williams that paved the way for another young girl who, nine years later, became part of the second class to integrate the public schools in Berkeley, California.”

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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Thank you, Vice President Kamala Harris, for putting your trust in me and for inviting me to be part of
this incredible campaign. Thank you to President Joe Biden for four years of strong, historic
leadership. And it is the honor of my life to accept your nomination for vice president of the United
States.

We’re all here tonight for one beautiful, simple reason—we love this country! So thanks to all of you
here in Chicago and watching at home tonight—for your passion, for your determination, for the joy
that you’re bringing to this fight.

I grew up in the small town of Butte, Nebraska, population 400. I had 24 kids in my high school class
and none of ’em went to Yale. Growing up in a small town like that, you learn to take care of each
other. The family down the road—they may not think like you do, they may not pray like you do, they
may not love like you do, but they’re your neighbors. And you look out for them, just like they do for
you.

Everybody belongs, and everybody has a responsibility to contribute. For me, it was serving in the
Army National Guard. I joined up two days after my 17th birthday and I proudly wore our country’s
uniform for 24 years. My dad, a Korean War-era veteran, died of lung cancer a couple years later and
left behind a mountain of medical debt. Thank God for Social Security survivor benefits. And thank
God for the GI Bill that allowed both my dad and me to go to college—just like it has for millions of
Americans.

Eventually, I fell in love with teaching, just like the rest of my family. Heck, three out of four of us even
married teachers. I wound up teaching social studies and coaching football at Mankato West High
School. Go Scarlets! We ran a 4-4 defense, played through the whistle every single down, and even
won a state championship. Never close that yearbook, people.

It was my students who first inspired me to run for Congress. They saw in me what I hoped to instill in
them—a commitment to the common good. An understanding that we’re all in this together. And a
true belief that one person can make a real difference for their neighbors.

So there I was, a 40-something high school teacher with young kids, zero political experience, no
money, and running in a deep-red district. But you know what? Never underestimate a public school
teacher.

I represented my neighbors in Congress for 12 years and I learned an awful lot. I learned how to work
across the aisle on issues like growing rural economies and taking care of our veterans. And I learned
how to compromise without compromising my values.

Then I came back home to serve as governor and we got right to work making a difference in our
neighbors’ lives. We cut taxes for middle-class families. We passed paid family and medical leave. We
invested in fighting crime and affordable housing. We cut the cost of prescription drugs and helped
people escape the kind of medical debt that nearly sank my family. And we made sure that every kid
in our state got breakfast and lunch at school. So while other states were banning books from their
schools, we were banishing hunger from ours.

We also protected reproductive freedom because, in Minnesota, we respect our neighbors and the
personal choices they make. And even if we wouldn’t make the same choices for ourselves, we’ve got
a Golden Rule—mind your own damn business.

That includes IVF and fertility treatments. This is personal for Gwen and me. Let me just say
this—even if you’ve never experienced the hell of infertility, I guarantee you know somebody who has. I
remember praying each night for a call with good news, the pit in my stomach when the phone would
ring, and the agony when we heard the treatments hadn’t worked. It took me and Gwen years.
But we had access to fertility treatments and when our daughter was finally born, we named her
Hope. Hope, Gus, Gwen—you are my whole world. I love you all so much.

I’m letting you in on how we started our family because that’s a big part of what this election is
about—freedom. When Republicans use that word, they mean that the government should be free to
invade your doctor’s office. Corporations free to pollute the air and water. Banks free to take
advantage of customers. But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean your freedom to
make a better life for yourself and the people you love. The freedom to make your own health care
decisions. And, yeah, your kids’ freedom to go to school without worrying they’ll be shot dead in the
halls.

Look, I know guns. I’m a veteran. I’m a hunter. I was a better shot than most Republicans in Congress
and I have the trophies to prove it. But I’m also a dad. I believe in the Second Amendment. But I also
believe that our first responsibility is to keep our kids safe. That’s what this is all about. The
responsibility we have to our kids, to each other, and to the future we’re building together—a future in
which everyone is free to build the kind of life they want.

But not everyone feels the same sense of responsibility. Some folks just don’t understand what it
means to be a good neighbor. Take Donald Trump and JD Vance—their Project 2025 will make things
much, much harder for people who are just trying to live their lives. They’ve spent a lot of time
pretending they know nothing about it. But look, I coached high school football long enough, I promise
you this—when somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they plan on using it.

We know what they’ll do if they get back in the White House. They’ll jack up costs on middle-class
families. They’ll repeal the Affordable Care Act. They’ll gut Social Security and Medicare. They’ll ban
abortion across America, with or without Congress.

It’s an agenda that nobody asked for. It’s an agenda that serves nobody but the richest people and the
most extreme voices in our country. An agenda that does nothing for our neighbors in need. Is it
weird? Absolutely. But it’s also wrong. And it’s dangerous. It’s not just me saying so. It’s Trump’s own people. They were with him for four years. And they’re warning us that the next four years would be
much, much worse.

When I was teaching, we would always elect a student body president. And you know what? Those
teenagers could teach Donald Trump a lesson about what it means to be a leader. Leaders don’t
spend all day insulting people and blaming people. Leaders do the work. I don’t know about you all,
but I’m ready to turn the page on these guys. So say it with me: “We’re not going back.”

We’ve got something better to offer the American people. It starts with our candidate, Kamala Harris.
From her first day as a prosecutor, as a district attorney, as an attorney general, as a U.S. senator, and
then, as our vice president, she’s fought on the side of the American people. She’s taken on predators
and fraudsters. She’s taken down transnational gangs. She’s stood up to powerful corporate interests.
She’s never hesitated to reach across the aisle if it meant improving lives. And she’s always done it
with energy, passion, and joy.

Folks, we have a chance to make Kamala Harris the next president of the United States. But I think we
owe it to the American people to tell them exactly what she’d do as president before we ask for their
votes. So here’s the part you clip and save and send to that undecided relative.

If you’re a middle-class family or a family trying to get into the middle class, Kamala Harris is gonna
cut your taxes. If you’re getting squeezed by the price of your prescription drugs, Kamala Harris is
gonna take on Big Pharma. If you’re hoping to buy a home, Kamala Harris is gonna help make it more
affordable. And no matter who you are, Kamala Harris is gonna stand up and fight for your freedom to
live the life you want to lead. Because that’s what we want for ourselves. And that’s what we want for
our neighbors.

You know, I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this one in my life. But I’ve given a lot of pep talks.
So let me finish with this, team. It’s the fourth quarter. We’re down a field goal. But we’re on offense.
We’re driving down the field. And, boy, do we have the right team to win this. Kamala Harris is tough.
She’s experienced. And she’s ready. Our job is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling.
One inch at a time, one yard at a time, one phone call at a time, one door knock at a time, one $5
donation at a time. We’ve only got 76 days to go. That’s nothing. We’ll sleep when we’re dead. And
we’re gonna leave it all on the field.

That’s how we’ll keep moving forward. That’s how we’ll turn the page on Donald Trump. That’s how
we’ll build a country where workers come first, health care and housing are human rights, and the
government stays the hell out of our bedrooms. That’s how we make America a place where no child
is left hungry. Where no community is left behind. Where nobody gets told they don’t belong.

That’s how we’re gonna fight. And as the next president of the United States says, “When we fight, we
win!” When we fight, we win! When we fight, we win! Thank you, and God bless America!

Follow below for live updates on the third night of the 2024 DNC in Chicago and watch live coverage in the player above.

In her brief speech, Grisham said that she used to be not just a Trump supporter but also a “true believer” who became part of Trump’s family and spent major holidays with him.

“I saw him when the cameras were off, behind closed doors. Trump mocks his supporters. He calls them basement dwellers,” she said.

Grisham shared a few anecdotes about her experience working with Trump, including a story about a hospital visit he made during the Covid pandemic and she said people were dying in the intensive care unit.

“He was mad that the cameras were not watching him. He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” she said. “He used to tell me, ‘It doesn’t matter what you say, Stephanie — say it enough and people will believe you.’ But it does matter — what you say matters, and what you don’t say matters.”

Representatives for Trump’s campaign did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Grisham said that on Jan. 6, 2021, she asked first lady Melania Trump whether they could tweet out that while peaceful protest is the right of every American, “there’s no place for lawlessness or violence.”

“She replied with one word: ‘No,'” she said. “I became the first senior staffer to resign that day. I couldn’t be part of the insanity any longer.”

Grisham said she was criticized when she was press secretary because she never held a White House briefing in that role.

“It’s because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie,” she said. “Now here I am behind a podium advocating for a Democrat, and that’s because I love my country more than my party. Kamala Harris tells the truth. She respects the American people, and she has my vote.”

Grisham was Trump’s White House communications director and press secretary from July 2019 to April 2020 and went on to be Melania Trump’s press secretary and chief of staff.

In an interview on MSNBC after her remarks, Grisham said that if she can reach any undecided voters, she wants to convey that she understands what it’s like to believe in Trump. But she praised Democrats for pushing a message of unity and said that people may not agree on policies but that it’s important to “talk to each other like humans again.”

She said that the Harris campaign has been “brilliant” at communicating that people’s freedoms are being taken away — that it’s not just abortion rights, but also access to birth control.

“I really believe, a lot of people — especially Republican women — are going to vote for Kamala but maybe not tell their husbands,” said Grisham, who called Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, of Ohio, “short-sighted” and “misogynistic.”

Soon after Jan. 6, Grisham distanced herself from Trump world, and she eventually cooperated with the House committee that investigated the insurrection. In October 2021, she said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that she tried to resign from the White House “a couple of times” but that Melania Trump persuaded her to stay.

“In fact, I had a resignation letter written out with some very specific points in it that I was ready to hand over at any moment,” she said. “Jan. 6, of course, was my breaking point. And I was really proud that I was, well, the first in the administration to resign.”

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

Tuesday night’s protest was organized by Behind Enemy Lines, a leftist group with militant leanings. Another group behind the protest was Samidoun, which Germany and Israel have banned over allegations that it has ties to terrorist groups. (The U.S. has not declared Samidoun a terrorist group.)

“Dozens of people were brutally arrested outside the Israeli consulate by Brandon Johnson’s thugs defending the genocidal criminals inside the DNC,” Behind Enemy Lines said on Instagram late Tuesday, referring to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. The Chicago Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the number of arrests.

Police Superintendent Larry Snelling praised his officers for “showing restraint when no one else did,” saying they “did an excellent job responding to violence and vandalism.”

Some groups had come to the city with “hostility,” and “that’s exactly what we saw tonight,” he told reporters. “People got too close to officers.”

The demonstration began in front of the Israeli Consulate in downtown Chicago just after 7 p.m. local time, with protesters chanting pro-Palestinian slogans. The consulate itself was barricaded and heavily protected by police on bicycles.

But the scene on the street outside the consulate quickly grew unruly. After a round of speeches, the group marched rapidly down the block, toward where police officers in riot gear had lined up. It marched right into the line of police, who quickly moved on the group and called for it to disperse.

The calls went unheeded. Some protesters threw their signs at police, while others physically clashed with officers.

Police appeared to make arrests at that point, but the remaining protesters flooded back onto the street in front of the consulate.

“These are the enemy of the people, and we must move on these m—–f—–s,” said the leader of the protest, wearing a black mask and sunglasses.

At the opposite end of the street, a group of several dozen pro-Israel protesters behind a police barricade had emerged, heightening tensions further.

After several moments, pro-Palestinian protesters again confronted the riot police line, where officers gave another order to disperse.

Police officers then tried to funnel protesters away from the consulate down narrow paths, created by walls of officers on bicycles, onto other streets.

It did not work: Protesters re-formed their cohort and began marching on an improvised route through downtown Chicago.

They marched on some streets where traffic had not been blocked, at one point engulfing a taxicab with passengers inside it.

After several blocks, police officers in riot gear began to incrementally corral the group of protesters at various intersections.

Several times, police in riot gear would halt the forward progress of the protest, escort media members from the crowd, make a handful of arrests and order remaining protesters to leave before they allowed the dwindling crowd to continue forward.

That ended at the corner of Monroe and Canal streets, where police definitively halted the protest, ordering people to disperse for the final time before appearing to arrest many of the remaining protesters.

The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest said late Tuesday that it was “appalled to see violence during the protest in front of our offices.”

“This is anything but peaceful and completely contradictory to the spirit of the DNC,” it said in a statement. “This vocal minority does not represent the vast bipartisan majority of Americans who stand strong in support of Israel.”

The consulate said it was “beyond disappointed with the ongoing support the mayor has been giving to the anti-Israel protests in Chicago, particularly during the DNC, and his continued disregard for the large pro-Israel and Jewish community in the city.”

It also said it was grateful for law enforcement officers who were protecting the city during the convention.

It was the second day in a row that protesters clashed with police. On Monday, 3,000 to 6,000 protesters showed up for the Coalition to March on the DNC’s kickoff march. That protest was largely peaceful, except for an incident when dozens of protesters breached a barricade at the point that was closest to the arena where the convention is taking place. More than 10 people were arrested, the DNC 2024 Joint Information Center said in a statement.

Earlier Tuesday, Snelling said the police were “up to the challenge” of policing the protests.

Those who took part in the breach Monday were not representative of the march as a whole, he said.

“Within that protest, we had people who simply wanted to exercise their First Amendment rights,” he said.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

“When they go low,” Obama told the 2016 Democratic National Convention crowd in Philadelphia, “we go high.”

That was then.

On the second night of this year’s Democratic convention Tuesday, here in her native Windy City, the former first lady pivoted to a more direct confrontation with the Republican nominee that better aligns with Vice President Kamala Harris’ slogan: “When we fight, we win.”

“His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black,” Obama said of Trump’s treatment of her and her husband, former President Barack Obama.

Alluding to her hope that Harris will win — and Trump’s repeated use of the term “Black jobs” — she chided him. “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those “Black jobs?” she said. 

As she attacked Trump, she accused him of “going small,” which she deemed “unpresidential.”

“Why would we accept this from anyone seeking our highest office?” Obama asked.

Her evolution tracks with a Democratic Party that demonstrated a heightened taste for political bloodsport last month, when party elites successfully pressured President Joe Biden to abandon his re-election bid following a terrible debate performance against Trump. With Biden’s endorsement, and no competition, Harris easily ascended to the top of the ticket.

Jim Messina, who ran Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign and who viewed Michelle Obama’s Tuesday speech before it was delivered, said earlier Tuesday that the former first lady would take the new tack “to remind everyone how close we are” in the Harris-Trump battle.

If Harris is elected, she will become the nation’s first woman — and first woman of color — to win the presidency. Obama, the wife of the country’s first Black president, predicted that Trump will reprise attacks on Harris’ race and gender that have already been a feature of their early weeks as direct opponents.

“It’s his same old con: doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better,” Obama said.

In an interview earlier Tuesday, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., who also grew up in Chicago, said there’s no conflict between taking the high road and fighting hard.

“I think we still go high,” Pressley said. “Still, we’re not afraid to mix it up.”

The Massachusetts congresswoman said Democrats can offer an aspirational policy agenda to the public and parry attacks at the same time.

“We will lob a response, but we’re not distracted or derailed by it,” she said.

In addition to delivering broadsides to Trump, Obama offered praise for Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. She admonished Democrats to redouble their efforts on behalf of the ticket on tough days between now and the Nov. 5 election.

“If we start feeling tired, if we start feeling that dread creeping back in,” Obama said, “we’ve got to pick ourselves up, throw water on our faces, and do something!” 

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said Tuesday that the former first lady is good at motivating Democrats to go to the polls.

“When she tells people to go out and vote,” Klobuchar said, “they listen.”

At the start of her remarks, Obama intertwined Harris’ bid to make history with her own husband’s 2008 campaign, which turned him into an embodiment of its “hope and change” slogan. Many Democrats have drawn the same parallel between his first bid for the presidency and the energy they have felt in the first few weeks of Harris’ campaign.

“Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it?” Obama said. “Not just here in this arena, but spreading all across this country we love — a familiar feeling that’s been buried too deep for too long. You know what I’m talking about? It’s the contagious power of hope!” 

What Democrats really hope is that it ends with the familiar feeling of victory in November.

NBC News’ Natasha Korecki contributed.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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Hello, Chicago! It is good to be home.

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling fired up! I’m feeling ready to go – even if I’m the only person stupid enough to speak right after Michelle Obama… 

I’m feeling hopeful because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible. Because we have the chance to elect someone who’s spent her whole life trying to give people the same chances America gave her. Someone who sees you and hears you and will get up every single day and fight for you: the next President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris. 

It’s been sixteen years since I had the honor of accepting this party’s nomination for president. I know it’s hard to believe since I haven’t aged a bit, but it’s true. And looking back, I can say without question that my first big decision as your nominee turned out to be one of my best – and that was asking Joe Biden to serve by my side as Vice President. 

Other than some common Irish blood, Joe and I come from different backgrounds. But we became brothers. And as we worked together for eight years, what I came to admire most about Joe wasn’t just his smarts and experience, but his empathy and his decency; his hard-earned resiliency and his unshakable belief that everyone in this country deserves a fair shot.  

Over the last four years, those are the values America has needed most.

At a time when millions of our fellow citizens were sick and dying, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right. At a time when our economy was reeling, we needed a leader with the determination to drive what became the world’s strongest recovery – with 15 million jobs, higher wages, and lower health care costs. And at a time when the other party had turned into a cult of personality, we needed a leader who was steady, and brought people together, and was selfless enough to do the rarest thing there is in politics: putting his own ambition aside for the sake of the country.

History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger. I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend. 

Now the torch has been passed. Now it’s up to all of us to fight for the America we believe in. And make no mistake: it will be a fight. For all the incredible energy we’ve been able to generate over the last few weeks, this will still be a tight race in a closely divided country – a country where too many Americans are still struggling, and don’t believe government can help. 

And as we gather here tonight, the people who will decide this election are asking a very simple question: 

Who will fight for me? Who’s thinking about my future; about my children’s future – about our future together?

One thing is for certain: Donald Trump is not losing sleep over these questions. This is a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala. The childish nicknames and crazy conspiracy theories and weird obsession with crowd size. It just goes on and on. The other day, I heard someone compare Trump to the neighbor who keeps running his leaf blower outside your window every minute of every day. 

From a neighbor, that’s exhausting. From a president, it’s just dangerous. The truth is, Donald Trump sees power as nothing more than a means to his ends. He wants the middle class to pay the price for another huge tax cut that would mostly help himand his rich friends. He killed a bipartisan immigration deal that would’ve helped secure our southern border because he thought trying to actually solve the problem would hurt his campaign. He doesn’t seem to care if more women lose their reproductive freedoms since it won’t affect his life.

Most of all, Donald Trump wants us to think that this country is hopelessly divided between us and them; between the real Americans who support him and the outsiders who don’t. And he wants you to think that you’ll be richer and safer if you just give him the power to put those “other” people back in their place.

It’s one of the oldest tricks in politics – from a guy whose act has gotten pretty stale. We don’t need four more years of bluster and chaos. We’ve seen that movie – and we all know that the sequel’s usually worse. 

America is ready for a new chapter. America’s ready for a better story. 

We are ready for a President Kamala Harris. 

And Kamala Harris is ready for the job. This is a person who has spent her life fighting on behalf of people who need a voice and a champion. As you heard from Michelle, Kamala wasn’t born into privilege. She had to work for what she’s got, and she actually cares about what other people are going through. She’s not the neighbor running the leaf blower – she’s the neighbor rushing over to help when you need a hand. 

As a prosecutor, Kamala stood up for children who had been victims of sexual abuse. As Attorney General of the most populous state in the country, she fought big banks and for-profit colleges, securing billions of dollars for the people they had scammed. After the home mortgage crisis, she pushed me and my administration hard to make sure homeowners got a fair settlement. Didn’t matter that I was a Democrat or that she had knocked on doors for my campaign in Iowa – she was going to fight to get as much relief as possible for the families who deserved it.  

As Vice President, she helped take on the drug companies to cap the cost of insulin, lower the cost of health care, and give families with kids a tax cut. And she’s running for president with real plans to lower costs even more, protect Medicare and Social Security, and sign a law to guarantee every woman’s right to make her own health care decisions. 

Kamala Harris won’t be focused on her problems – she’ll be focused on yours. As president, she won’t just cater to her own voters and punish those who refuse to bend the knee. She’ll work on behalf of every American.

That’s who Kamala is. And in the White House, she will have an outstanding partner in Governor Tim Walz. 

I love this guy. Tim’s the kind of person who should be in politics – somebody who was born in a small town, served his country, taught kids, coached football, and took care of his neighbors. He knows who he is and what’s important. You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some consultant, they come from his closet, and they’ve been through some stuff. 

Together, Kamala and Tim have kept faith with America’s central story – a story that says we’re all created equal, that everyone deserves a chance, and that, even when we don’t agree with each other, we can find a way to live with each other. 

That’s Kamala’s vision. That’s Tim’s vision. That’s the Democratic Party’s vision. And our job over the next eleven weeks is to convince as many people as possible to vote for that vision. 

It won’t be easy. The other side knows it’s easier to play on people’s fears and cynicism. They’ll tell you that government is corrupt; that sacrifice and generosity are for suckers; and that since the game is rigged, it’s ok to take what you want and look after your own. 

That’s the easy path. We have a different task. Our job is to convince people that democracy can actually deliver. And we can’t just point to what we’ve already accomplished or only rely on the ideas of the past. We need to chart a new way forward to meet the challenges of today. 

Kamala understands this. She knows, for example, that if we want to make it easier for more young people to buy a home, we need to build more units, and clear away some of the outdated laws and regulations that have made it harder to build homes for working people in this country. And she’s put out a bold new plan to do just that.  

On health care, we should all be proud of the enormous progress we’ve made through the Affordable Care Act – providing millions of people access to affordable coverage and protecting millions more from unscrupulous insurance practices. But Kamala knows we can’t stop there, which is why she’ll keep working to limit out of pocket costs.

Kamala knows that if we want to help people get ahead, we need to put a college degree within reach of more Americans. But college shouldn’t be the only ticket to the middle class. We need to follow the lead of governors like Tim Walz who’ve said that if you’ve got the skills and the drive, you shouldn’t need a degree to work for state government. And in this new economy, we need a president who actually cares about the millions of people all across this country who wake up every day to do the essential, often thankless work to care for our sick and clean our streets and deliver our packages – and stand up for their right to bargain for better wages and working conditions.

Kamala will be that president.

A Harris-Walz administration can help us move past some of the tired old debates that keep stifling progress, because at their core, Kamala and Tim understand that when everybody gets a fair shot, we’re all better off. They understand that when every child gets a good education, the whole economy gets stronger; that when women are paid the same as men, all families benefit. We can secure our border without tearing kids away from their parents, just like we can keep our streets safe while also building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Donald Trump and his well-heeled donors don’t see the world that way. For them, one group’s gain is another group’s loss. For them, freedom means that the powerful can do what they please, whether its fire workers trying to organize a union or poison our rivers or avoid paying taxes like everybody else has to do.

We have a broader idea of freedom. We believe in the freedom to provide for your family if you’re willing to work; the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water and send your kids to school without worrying if they’ll come home. We believe that true freedom gives each of us the right to make decisions about our own life – how we worship, what our family looks like, how many kids we have, who we marry. And we believe that freedom requires us to recognize that other people have the freedom to make choices that are different than ours.

That’s the America Kamala Harris and Tim Walz believe in. An America where “We the People” includes everyone. Because that’s the only way this American experiment works. And despite what our politics might suggest, I think most Americans understand that. Democracy isn’t just a bunch of abstract principles and dusty laws. It’s the values we live by, and the way we treat each other – including those who don’t look like us or pray like us or see the world exactly like we do.

That sense of mutual respect has to be part of our message. Our politics has become so polarized these days that all of us, across the political spectrum, seem quick to assume the worst in others unless they agree with us on every single issue. We start thinking that the only way to win is to scold and shame and out yell the other side. And after a while, regular folks just tune out, or don’t bother to vote at all.

That approach may work for the politicians who just want attention and thrive on division. But it won’t work for us. To make progress on the things we care about, the things that really affect people’s lives, we need to remember that we’ve all got our blind spots and contradictions and prejudices; and that if we want to win over those who aren’t yet ready to support our candidate, we need to listen to their concerns – and maybe learn something in the process.

After all, if a parent or grandparent occasionally says something that makes us cringe, we don’t automatically assume they’re bad people. We recognize the world is moving fast, and that they need time and maybe a little encouragement to catch up. Our fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they’ll extend to us. 

That’s how we can build a true Democratic majority. And by the way, that doesn’t just matter to people in this country. The rest of the world is watching to see if we can actually pull it off. 

No nation, no society, has ever tried to build a democracy as big and diverse as ours before – one where our allegiances and our community are defined not by race or blood, but by a common creed. That’s why when we uphold our values, the world’s a little brighter. When we don’t, the world’s a little dimmer, dictators and autocrats feel emboldened, and over time we become less safe. We shouldn’t be the world’s policeman, and we can’t eradicate every cruelty and injustice in the world. But America can be, must be, a force for good – discouraging conflict, fighting disease, promoting human rights, protecting the planet from climate change, defending freedom. That’s what Kamala Harris believes – and so do most Americans.

I know these ideas can feel pretty naïve right now. We live in a time of such confusion and rancor, with a culture that puts a premium on things that don’t last – money, fame, status, likes. We chase the approval of strangers on our phones; we build all manner of walls and fences around ourselves and then wonder why we feel so alone. We don’t trust each other as much because we don’t take the time know each other – and in that space between us, politicians and algorithms teach us to caricature each other and troll each other and fear each other.

But here’s the good news. All across America, in big cities and small towns, away from all the noise, the ties that bind us together are still there. We still coach Little League and look out for our elderly neighbors. We still feed the hungry, in churches and mosques and synagogues, and share the same pride when our Olympic athletes compete for the gold. Because the vast majority of us don’t want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided. We want something better. We want to be better. And the joy and excitement we’re seeing around this campaign tells us we’re not alone.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this these past few months because, as Michelle mentioned, this summer we lost her mom.

I don’t know that anybody has ever loved their mother-in-law any more than I loved mine. Mostly it’s because she was funny and wise and maybe the least pretentious person I knew. That and she always defended me with Michelle when I messed up.

But I also think one of the reasons we became so close was she reminded me of my grandmother, the woman who raised me as a child. On the surface, the two of them didn’t have a lot in common – one was a Black woman from Chicago, the other a white woman born in a tiny town called Peru, Kansas. And yet, they shared a basic outlook on life – strong, smart, resourceful women, full of common sense, who, regardless of the barriers they encountered, went about their business without fuss or complaint and provided an unshakable foundation of love for their children and grandchildren.

In that sense, they both represented an entire generation of working people who, through war and depression, discrimination and limited opportunity, helped build this country. Many of them toiled every day at jobs that were often too small for them and willingly went without just to give their children something better. But they knew what was true and what mattered. Things like honesty and integrity, kindness and hard work. They weren’t impressed with braggarts or bullies, and they didn’t spend a lot of time obsessing about what they didn’t have. Instead, they found pleasure in simple things – a card game with friends, a good meal and laughter around the kitchen table, helping others and seeing their children do things and go places that they would have never imagined for themselves.

Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican or somewhere in between, we’ve all had people like that in our lives. People like Kamala’s parents, who crossed oceans because they believed in the promise of America. People like Tim’s parents, who taught him about the importance of service. Good, hardworking people who weren’t famous or powerful, but who managed, in countless ways, to leave this country a little better than they found it.

As much as any policy or program, I believe that’s what we yearn for – a return to an America where we work together and look out for each other. A restoration of what Lincoln called, on the eve of civil war, “our bonds of affection.” An America that taps what he called “the better angels of our nature.” That’s what this election is about. And I believe that’s why, if we each do our part over the next 77 days – if we knock on doors and make phone calls and talk to our friends and listen to our neighbors – if we work like we’ve never worked before – we will elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States, and Tim Walz as the next Vice President of the United States. We’ll elect leaders up and down the ballot who will fight for the hopeful, forward-looking America we believe in. And together, we too will build a country that is more secure and more just, more equal and more free.

So let’s get to work. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

Hello Chicago! 

Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it? 

Not just here in this arena… but spreading all across this country we love… a familiar feeling that’s been buried too deep for too long. 

You know what I’m talking about? 

It’s the contagious power of hope! 

The anticipation… the energy… the exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day. 

The chance to vanquish the demons of fear, division, and hate that have consumed us… and continue pursuing the unfinished promise of this great nation—the dream that our parents and grandparents fought and died and sacrificed for. 

America, hope is making a comeback!

To be honest, I’m realizing that until recently, I have mourned the dimming of that hope. 

Maybe you’ve experienced the same feelings… a deep pit in my stomach… a palpable sense of dread about the future. 

And for me, that mourning has been mixed with my own personal grief. 

The last time I was in Chicago was to memorialize my mother—the woman who showed me the meaning of hard work, humility, and decency… who set my moral compass high and showed me the power of my voice. 

I still feel her loss so profoundly… I wasn’t even sure I’d be steady enough to stand before you tonight. 

But my heart compelled me to be here because of the sense of duty I feel to honor her memory… and to remind us all not to squander the sacrifices our elders made to give us a better future. 

You see, my mom, in her steady, quiet way, lived out that striving sense of hope every day of her life. 

She believed that all children — all people — have value… that anyone can succeed if given the opportunity. 

She and my father didn’t aspire to be wealthy… in fact, they were suspicious of those who took more than they needed. 

They understood that it wasn’t enough for their kids to thrive if everyone else around us was drowning. 

So my mother volunteered at the local school… she always looked out for the other kids on our block. 

She was glad to do the thankless, unglamorous work that for generations, has strengthened the fabric of this nation. 

The belief that if you do unto others… if you love thy neighbor… if you work and scrape and sacrifice, it will pay off—if not for you, then maybe for your children or your grandchildren… those values have been passed on through family farms and factory towns… through tree-lined suburbs and crowded tenements… through prayer groups and National Guard units and social studies classrooms. 

Those were the values my mother poured into me until her very last breath. 

Kamala Harris and I built our lives on those same foundational values. 

Even though our mothers grew up an ocean apart, they shared the same belief in the promise of this country. 

That’s why her mother moved here from India at 19. 

It’s why she taught Kamala about justice… about our obligation to lift others up… about our responsibility to give more than we take. 

She’d often tell her daughter, “Don’t sit around and complain about things—do something!”

So with that voice in her head, Kamala went out and worked hard in school, graduating from an HBCU… earning her law degree at a state school… and then she went on to work for the people. 

Fighting to hold lawbreakers accountable and strengthen the rule of law… fighting to get folks better wages… cheaper prescription drugs… a good education… decent health care, childcare, and elder care. 

From a middle-class household, she worked her way up to become Vice President of the United States of America. 

Kamala Harris is more than ready for this moment. 

She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency… and she is one of the most dignified—a tribute to her mother, to my mother, and probably to your mother too… the embodiment of the stories we tell ourselves about this country. 

Her story is your story… it’s my story… it’s the story of the vast majority of Americans trying to build a better life. 

Kamala knows, like we do, that regardless of where you come from, what you look like, who you love, how you worship, or what’s in your bank account… we all deserve the opportunity to build a decent life… all of our contributions deserve to be accepted and valued. 

Because no one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American… no one!

Kamala has shown her allegiance to this nation, not by spewing anger and bitterness, but by living a life of service and always pushing the doors of opportunity open for others. 

She understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward… we will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth. 

If we bankrupt a business… or choke in a crisis, we don’t get a second, third, or fourth chance. 

If things don’t go our way, we don’t have the luxury of whining or cheating others to get further ahead… we don’t get to change the rules so we always win. 

If we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top. 

No, we put our heads down. We get to work. In America, we do something. 

And throughout her entire life, that’s exactly what we’ve seen from Kamala Harris: the steel of her spine… the steadiness of her upbringing… the honesty of her example… and yes, the joy of her laughter and her light. 

It couldn’t be more obvious… of the two major candidates in this race, only Kamala Harris truly understands the unseen labor and unwavering commitment that has always made America great.

Unfortunately, we know what comes next… we know folks are going to do everything they can to distort her truth. 

My husband and I, sadly, know a little something about this. 

For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. 

His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black. 

Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those “Black jobs”?  

It’s his same old con: doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better. 

You see, gutting our health care… taking away our freedom to control our bodies… the freedom to become a mother through IVF, like I did—those things are not going to improve the health outcomes of our wives, mothers, and daughters. 

Shutting down the Department of Education… banning our books—none of that will prepare our kids for the future. 

Demonizing our children for being who they are and loving who they love—that doesn’t make anybody’s life better. 

Instead, it only makes us small. 

And let me tell you… going small is never the answer. 

Going small is the opposite of what we teach our children. 

Going small is petty… it’s unhealthy… and quite frankly, it’s unpresidential. 

Why would we accept this from anyone seeking our highest office? 

Why would we normalize this type of backward leadership? 

Doing so only demeans and cheapens our politics… it only serves to further discourage good, big-hearted people from wanting to get involved at all. 

America, our parents taught us better than that… and we deserve so much better than that. 

That’s why we must do everything in our power to elect two of those good, big-hearted people… there is no other choice than Kamala Harris and Tim Walz!

But as we embrace this renewed sense of hope, let us not forget the despair we have felt…let us not forget what we are up against.

Yes, Kamala and Tim are doing great right now… they’re packing arenas across the country… folks are energized… we’re feeling good. 

But there are still so many people who are desperate for a different outcome… who are ready to question and criticize every move Kamala makes… who are eager to spread those lies… who don’t want to vote for a woman… who will continue to prioritize building their wealth over ensuring everyone has enough.

No matter how good we feel tonight or tomorrow or the next day, this is still going to be an uphill battle… so we cannot be our own worst enemies. 

No, the minute something goes wrong… the minute a lie takes hold, we cannot start wringing our hands. 

We cannot get a Goldilocks complex about whether everything is just right. 

We cannot indulge our anxieties about whether this country will elect someone like Kamala instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected.

Kamala and Tim have lived amazing lives… I am confident they will lead with compassion, inclusion, and grace. 

But they are still only human. They are not perfect. And like all of us, they will make mistakes. 

But luckily, this is not just on them. 

No, this is up to us—all of us—to be the solution we seek… it is up to all of us to be the antidote to all the darkness and division. 

I don’t care how you identify politically… whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, independent, or none of the above… this is our time to stand up for what we know in our hearts is right. 

To stand up not just for our basic freedoms but for decency and humanity… for basic respect, dignity, and empathy… for the values at the very foundation of this democracy. 

It’s up to us to remember what Kamala’s mother told her: Don’t just sit around and complain — do something! 

So if they lie about her, and they will, we’ve got to do something! 

If we see a bad poll, and we will, we’ve got to put down that phone and do something! 

If we start feeling tired… if we start feeling that dread creeping back in… we’ve got to pick ourselves up, throw water on our faces, and do something!  

We have only two and a half months to get this done… only 11 weeks to make sure every single person we know is registered and has a voting plan. 

So we cannot afford for anyone to sit on their hands and wait to be called upon… don’t complain if no one from the campaign has specifically reached out to ask for your support… there is simply no time for that kind of foolishness.

You know what we need to do.

So consider this to be your official ask: Michelle Obama is asking you to do something!

Because this is going to be close. 

In some states, just a handful of votes in every precinct could decide the winner. 

So we need to vote in numbers that erase any doubt… we need to overwhelm any effort to suppress us. 

Our fate is in our hands. 

In 77 days, we have the power to turn our country away from the fear, division, and smallness of the past. 

We have the power to marry our hope with our action. 

We have the power to pay forward the love, sweat, and sacrifice of our mothers and fathers and all those who came before us. 

We did it before and we sure can do it again. 

Let us work like our lives depend on it… 

Let us keep moving our country forward and go higher — yes, higher — than we’ve ever gone before… 

As we elect the next President and Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz!

Harris, born in California in 1964, owes her Illinois connection to her parents’ careers in academia.

After a stint in Urbana-Champaign while both parents worked at the University of Illinois, the Harris family moved to Northwestern University in Evanston.

There, Harris’ father, Donald Harris, was an assistant professor of economics during the 1967-68 school year. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, was a staff member in the Biological Sciences Department, according to Northwestern archives.

In Evanston, they lived in a house at 620 Library Place, just west of Sheridan Road along the edge of campus.

Now, nearly 60 years after the family lived there, Harris hopes to become the first woman — and first Black woman and first Asian American— elected president.

And her former residence?

It’s now home to the university’s Program of African Studies.

The front of the house appears unchanged, though an addition in the back has room for classes, lecture halls and student gatherings.

Kelly Coffey, a business administrator in the African Studies program, works in the building.

She knew that before the program moved into the house it had been used as housing for professors and their families. But she said that until recently, the staff had no idea of the Harris connection.

“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a surprise,’” Coffey said. “How neat.”

All U.S. states and territories were given the floor to formally announce how their state’s delegates voted, with each state receiving a special “walk-up song” prior to the announcement of their votes.

Here’s how each U.S. state and territory was introduced by the convention’s DJ, DJ Cassidy:

Alabama – Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Alaska – Feel It Still, Portugal. The Man

Arizona – Edge of Seventeen, Stevie Nicks

Arkansas – Don’t Stop, Fleetwood Mac

California – The Next Episode, Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg; California Love, 2Pac and Dr. Dre; Alright, Kendrick Lamar; Not Like Us, Kendrick Lamar

Colorado – September, Earth, Wind & Fire

Connecticut – Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Stevie Wonder

Democrats Abroad – Love Train, The O’Jays

Washington D.C. – Let me Clear my Throat, DJ Kool

Delaware – Higher Love, Whitney Houston and Kygo

Florida – Won’t Back Down, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Georgia – Turn Down for What, Lil’ Jon

Guam – Espresso, Sabrina Carpenter

Hawaii – 24K Magic, Bruno Mars

Idaho – Private Idaho, The B-52s

Illinois – Sirius, Alan Parsons Project

Indiana – Don’t Stop til You Get Enough, Michael Jackson

Iowa – Celebration, Kool & the Gang

Kansas – Carry on Wayward Son, Kansas

Kentucky – First Class, Jack Harlow

Louisiana – All I Do Is Win, DJ Khaled

Maine – Shut Up and Dance, Walk the Moon

Maryland – Respect, Aretha Franklin

Massachusetts – I’m Shipping Up to Boston, Dropkick Murphys

Michigan – Lose Yourself, Eminem

Minnesota – Kiss and 1999, Prince

Mississippi – Twistin the Night Away, Sam Cooke

Missouri – Good Luck, Babe, Chappell Roan

Montana – American Woman, Lenny Kravitz

Nebraska – Firework, Katy Perry

Nevada – Mr. Brightside, The Killers

New Hampshire – Don’t Stop Believin’, Journey

New Jersey – Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen

New Mexico – Confident, Demi Lovato

New York – Empire State of Mind, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys

North Carolina – Raise Up, Petey Pablo

North Dakota – Fight Song, Rachel Platten

Northern Mariana Islands – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

Ohio – Green Light, John Legend

Oklahoma – Ain’t Goin Down (Til The Sun Comes Up), Garth Brooks

Oregon – Float On, Modest Mouse

Pennsylvania – Motownphilly, Boyz II Men; Black & Yellow, Wiz Khalifa

Puerto Rico – Despacito, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee

Rhode Island – Shake it Off, Taylor Swift

South Carolina – Get On Up, James Brown

South Dakota – What I Like About You, The Romantics

Tennessee – 9 to 5, Dolly Parton

Texas – TEXAS HOLD ‘EM, Beyonce

Utah – Animal, Neon Trees

Vermont – Stick Season, Noah Kahan

U.S. Virgin Islands – VI to the Bone, Mic Love

Virginia – The Way I Are, Timbaland

Washington – Can’t Hold Us, Macklemore

West Virginia – Take Me Home (Country Roads), John Denver

Wisconsin – Jump Around, House of Pain

Wyoming – I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas

Here’s everything else you need to know about Tuesday’s roll call.

What’s different about this year’s roll call?

Rather than being an official tally of the delegates needed to nominate the members of the presidential ticket, this year’s roll call was to be ceremonial in nature.

That’s because Democrats moved to nominate Harris and Walz prior to Aug. 7, the original deadline for Ohio officials to secure spots on the November ballot.

While the Ohio legislature passed a bill to change that deadline, Democrats sought to avoid any legal challenges to their ticket being on the ballot and opted for a virtual roll call instead, with delegates casting their ballots for Harris.

So while this year’s roll call had the traditional element of going state-by-state and declaring support for Harris and Walz, it was only be ceremonial in nature.

How did the roll call work?

The event largely proceeded with states going in alphabetical order to pledge their delegates to the Harris-Walz ticket, with a few exceptions.

All 57 delegations from the 50 states and U.S. territories participated in the voice vote.

Did any states have special spots in the order?

While traditional roll calls have a home state provide the final votes needed to secure a majority, this year’s count proceeded a bit differently. President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware received a special slot, as did Walz’s Minnesota delegation and Harris’ California delegation.

Follow below for live updates on the second night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and watch live coverage in the player above.

Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

Follow below for live updates on night one of the 2024 Democratic National Convention and watch live coverage in the player above.

On Monday night, now very accustomed to that spotlight, the first lady will stand before the Democratic National Convention to do her part to highlight her husband’s 50 years of public service as his presidency begins to draw to a close.

Her words will mark the beginning of an end for her, too.

Before the president walks across the stage at the United Center to deliver the keynote speech on the convention’s opening night, the first lady will use her address to speak to his character and reiterate her support for Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a person familiar with the first lady’s remarks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a speech not yet delivered.

Jill Biden will urge Americans to unite with “faith in each other, hope for a brighter future, and love for our country,” said the person, quoting from the first lady’s prepared remarks.

President Biden endorsed Harris shortly after he dropped out of the presidential race in July, and she has succeeded him as the Democratic Party’s nominee.

In the weeks before Biden decided to leave the race, the first lady had declared that she was “all in” on her husband’s reelection plan, even as Democrats began calling on him to drop out following his disastrous performance in a debate against Republican Donald Trump on June 27.

2024 DNC Aug 18

Democrats unveil theme and featured speakers for 2024 Democratic National Convention

2024 DNC Aug 18

‘Project 2025 HQ' projected onto Trump Tower in Chicago ahead of DNC

Biden himself had brushed aside those calls, repeatedly insisting that he was staying in the race. His wife, one of his fiercest supporters and defenders, backed him up.

“For all the talk out there about this race, Joe has made it clear that he’s all in,” the first lady told a crowd in Wilmington, North Carolina, on July 8. “That’s the decision that he’s made, and just as he has always supported my career, I am all in, too.”

Biden pulled the plug on his campaign on July 21.

The first night of the four-day Democratic convention was rearranged after Biden bowed out. Now it will honor his record of public service, including six terms as a U.S. senator from Delaware, eight years as vice president and one four-year term as president.

Jill Biden was with her husband through it all and now both are figuring out what they want to accomplish in the time they have left in the White House.

During the remaining months of the administration, which ends in mid-January, aides say Jill Biden will continue work on her favored causes: supporting military families through her Joining Forces initiative, reducing cancer’s toll through the Biden Cancer Moonshot, advancing research into women’s health under an effort launched in November 2023, and increasing opportunities for education.

She is also expected to campaign for Harris this fall.

The first lady charted a new path for presidential spouses when she became the first to hold a paying job outside the White House. She is an English and writing professor at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has taught since 2009, and has been working on her lesson plans for the coming fall semester, aides said.

As first lady, Jill Biden traveled to over 40 states, over 200 towns and cities, and 19 countries, most recently leading a delegation to support Team USA at the Olympic Games in France.

She spent the first year of the administration traveling around the United States encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

In 2022, she traveled to Ukraine after Russia’s military invasion to show U.S. support for Ukrainians.

The convention also comes with a slew of road closures on the West Side and along Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago, several planned protests and military helicopters expected to fly overhead.

Here’s what to expect for day one of the convention, along with how to watch and more.

How long is the DNC in Chicago?

The 2024 DNC in Chicago begins Monday, Aug. 19. It continues through Thursday, Aug. 22, with speeches expected for four consecutive nights.

Where is the convention?

The convention takes place in two locations.

The primary location for the convention, where speeches will be delivered and votes will be taken, will be at the United Center, located on the city’s West Side. The building is the home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, and also hosted the Democratic National Convention in 1996.

MORE: Images taking aim at Trump-Vance campaign projected onto Trump Tower ahead of DNC

There will also be caucus and council meetings throughout the week taking place at McCormick Place, the city’s largest convention center. The building is located near Lake Michigan, just south of Soldier Field and the city’s Museum Campus.

Schedule, speakers for day 1 of the DNC

Some of the Democratic Party’s biggest stars will be on-hand, including President Joe Biden, who will address the convention on Monday.

Monday will also see a video message from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, speeches from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, First Lady Jill Biden, U.S. Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and more. Here’s a full list.

NBC News reported Vice President Kamala Harris will be in attendance Monday. President Biden and Vice President Harris are expected to appear on stage together after Biden’s speech concludes.

Following their addresses Monday, the Bidens will depart Chicago, NBC News confirmed.

The theme for Monday, according to organizers, is “For The People.”

Who else will speak at the DNC?

Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are expected to address the convention later in the week, with Obama speaking Tuesday and Clinton speaking Wednesday.

Tuesday will also see speeches by former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was chosen as the vice-presidential nominee on the ticket, will speak to the convention on Wednesday. Vice President Kamala Harris will officially accept the party’s presidential nomination on Thursday.

How to watch the DNC

Planned protests

Permitted protests are scheduled throughout the week, with the first taking place Sunday. Authorized protests will be held at a pair of Chicago parks, with a marching route just to the north of the United Center, according to officials.

Monday, at least four different groups are expected to protest. Other groups could hold non-permitted protests. Here’s what to expect Monday, according to the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication:

• Permit applicant: United States Palestinian Community Network
• 8:00 a.m. Assembly | 9:00 a.m. Step-Off
• Route: Union Park to Park 578, via Washington to Hermitage, Hermitage to Maypole, Maypole to Park 578, exit Park 578 at Maypole, via Maypole to Damen, Damen to Lake, Lake to Union Park.

• Permit applicant: Students for a Democratic Society at UIC
• 11:00 a.m. Assembly | 12:00 p.m. Step-Off
• Route: Union Park to Park 578, following the same route as above.

• Permit applicant: Chicago Alliance against Racist and Political Repression
• 12:00 p.m. Assembly | 2:00 p.m. Step-Off
• Route: Union Park to Park 578, following the same route as above.

• Permit applicant: Poor People’s Human Rights Campaign
• 3:00 p.m. Assembly | 4:00 p.m. Step-Off
• Route: 3015 W Division St, eastbound on Division to Damen, southbound on Damen to Maypole, eastbound on Maypole to Park 578. Disband by 6:00 p.m. at Park 578.

Additional permitted protests are expected to take place Thursday afternoon and evening.

“In preparing to host the Democratic National Convention as mayor of the City of Chicago, I have remained committed to upholding the diverse, multi-generational movements that brought me by exercising the right to protest and First Amendment rights,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a release. “We are focused on collaborative solutions and have extended this approach to our convention preparation to balance the need for security with our commitment to free expression.

As Democrats descended on the city for the four-day convention, various taunts were visible on the side of the building, such as “Project 2025 HQ,” which referred to a conservative blueprint for the next Republican president – one that Trump has repeatedly distanced himself from.

Along with accompanying messages in Spanish, one taunt read, “Trump-Vance Weird as Hell.'” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who Vice President Kamala Harris’ chose as her running mate earlier this month, referred to Trump and Vance as “creepy” and “weird as hell” during a rally.

Other messages expressed support for the Democratic ticket, such as, “Harris, Walz, joy and hope.”

In a statement regarding the projections, the DNC said, in part, “..All eyes are on Chicago, and tonight, everyone is seeing a preview of the contrast that will take center stage this week throughout the Democratic National Convention.”

Monday marks the beginning of the convention, where Harris will accept the party’s presidential nomination on Thursday night.

Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

President Joe Biden, former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been confirmed as speakers at the convention. Obama and the Clintons delivered speeches during the 2020 DNC, which was largely held virtually to prevent the spread of Covid-19 amid the pandemic.

A source familiar said that former President Jimmy Carter’s grandson Jason Carter is also confirmed to be speaking as a representative for his grandfather.

The convention, which is scheduled for Aug. 19-22 in Chicago, takes place weeks after Biden announced his withdrawal from the race following widespread calls from Democrats to drop out after his disastrous June debate performance against former President Donald Trump. His campaign suffered major losses in donations and some backers withdrew their support for the president amid the fallout.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran unopposed for the Democratic presidential nomination after Biden dropped out of the race, secured the majority of delegate votes to win the nomination during the virtual voting process earlier this month. The Harris campaign last week announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

Harris, who is the first Black woman and first Indian American in U.S. history to secure a major party’s presidential nomination, will formally accept the Democratic Party’s nomination at the convention.

The momentum leading up to the convention has surged since Harris announced her presidential campaign last month, with a significant increase in requests for entry into the main event space at the United Center and other convention-related events in the city, people close to the convention and event planning told NBC News.

The Harris campaign raised a historic $310 million last month, and $36 million in the 24 hours after she announced Walz as her running mate.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

• Harris says she supports eliminating federal taxes on tips
• Kamala Harris may have a legal reason for shutting down ‘lock him up’ chants about Trump
• Harris softens Biden’s dark warnings about the state of democracy for a more ‘joyful’ message

Kerr took the stage on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, an arena he is familiar with from his time playing with the Bulls, and addressed a crowd of approximately 26,000-plus attendees and millions watching from home, endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election while channeling Steph Curry’s viral “night night” celebration in speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

The Warriors coach joined “The Dan Le Batard” show on Tuesday, where he was asked about the opportunity to speak at the convention and his nerves leading up to it.

“Yeah, that was an interesting experience,” Kerr said. “They asked me to do it a couple days before I went on and I really gave it a lot of thought because I knew I was going to take a lot of heat for it. But I wanted to make sure I got the right message across, what was most important to me. After thinking about it I realized ‘Hey, they asked me for a reason. They think it matters that I speak my mind.” And so I decided to do it and it was very nerve-wracking and I’m glad I did it. Met a lot of great people, there’s a lot of great energy in the building. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Kerr received some criticism for his appearance but the feedback overall for his speech was positive as he aimed to convey a message of unity in a divided political climate.

“I got some emails. But generally speaking, the vast majority of people who contacted me were very supportive,” Kerr shared. “I wanted to make sure my message was one of unity, especially coming off the Olympic gold medal performance by the team in Paris.

“I just think the political rhetoric, really the national rhetoric on a lot of platforms is just so ugly these days and divisive and I just wanted to make sure my message was a reminder to people that when we come together in a lot of different ways we can accomplish a lot. I think it applies to sports, it applies to our country too and we need to come together.”

Despite playing in numerous NBA Finals games, including Game 6 of the 1997 series where he hit the game-winning shot to deliver the Bulls their second of three consecutive titles, Kerr felt out of place in a different kind of arena.

“I just felt like a fish out of water because it was such a different realm for me,” Kerr explained. “I’m used to game nerves and those actually feel good. Competing in sports is so much fun because you have to lay it on the line and you do everything you can to win but you kind of know you’re going to lose your fair share.

“There’s going to be nights where you lose sleep because of decisions you made, backfired, all that kind of stuff … but the political spectrum is different, the setting was different. Having teleprompters on either side of me, addressing the crowd, knowing there were millions of people watching on TV. It was definitely nerve-wracking.”

Kerr cherished the opportunity and appreciated the chance to convey his message to such a large audience but certainly is looking forward to returning to the arena he is far more comfortable in.

Biden also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party’s nominee for the presidency, thrusting her into the spotlight with a little more than three months to go until the 2024 election on November 5.

Now all attention will turn toward the Democratic National Convention, which will take place Aug. 19-22 at the United Center in Chicago. The decision on whether Harris will be selected as nominee, and who will take the spot next to her on the ticket as her running mate, will be made official during that event in what will undoubtedly be one of the most closely watched conventions in recent memory.

Here’s what would happen along the way.

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How could the Chicago DNC play out?

According to NBC News, Democratic Party rules outline what happens as Biden steps aside before his nomination was made official.

“Note that if this unprecedented situation were to happen, it’s possible the party could vote to change any of the rules around candidate replacement. And if it comes to pass after the convention, it’s possible state laws could complicate efforts to replace Biden on specific ballots,” NBC News reported.

According to reports, 33 states abide by party rules by default when changing nominees, but that still could pose some legal challenges for the Democrats as they put together a new ticket.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has hinted that legal challenges could be brought in at least some of those states, according to Politico.

Biden’s decision to endorse Harris is not a binding one, as Democratic Party rules don’t allow him to simply select a successor in the role as nominee when delegates gather in Chicago.

According to NBC News, Biden won 3,900 delegates during the Democratic primaries, giving him a massive majority of committed delegates. Biden would have to release those delegates to allow for the nominating process to play out in Chicago.

“Number one is President Biden would have to release his delegates. They are bound on the first ballot no matter what, and that’s almost all 4,000 of the delegates are Biden delegates – they are pledged on the first ballot. The only way that works is if the Rules Committee, which the Biden campaign controls, or the president himself, frees those delegates up,” Pete Giangreco, a Democratic strategist, told NBC Chicago. “The next step in the process then is anyone who wants to put their name in, they need signatures from 300 of those delegates, among those 4,000, and then you begin a process. The most likely person to get 300 signatures would be VP Harris.”

Delegates released by Biden will be able to vote for whichever candidate they choose. A majority of the delegates will need to support one candidate on the first vote. If that does not occur, a second round of voting would occur, with superdelegates, who aren’t pledged to any candidate, also becoming involved in the process at that time.

Once a candidate secures a majority of the delegate votes, they will be the party’s nominee.

What about the vice presidential nominee?

That part of the story will also be fascinating, as there will likely be several candidates that will push for the role on the ticket should Harris secure the nomination.

It’s unclear whether Democrats have already planned out a nominee to run alongside Harris if she ends up heading the ticket, but many high-profile officials could be in the mix. That includes Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, to name a few.

The process would be the same for the vice-presidential spot on the ticket, as a majority of delegates will have to agree on a candidate.