The Obamas stepped back into the spotlight in their first public address in years on night two of the DNC to mark their full fledged support of Vice President Kamala Harris. Here’s what happened on Tuesday night of the convention.
Harris appeared for the second night in a row on a live video from a packed rally in Milwaukee, WI, speaking at the same venue where Former President Donald Trump spoke at the Republican National Convention in July. She thanked her party for nominating her and Minnesota Governor Walz and emphasized her supporters as key in her battle ahead.
“I thank everyone there and here for believing in what we can do together,” Harris said. “We are so honored to be your nominees. This is a people-powered campaign, and together, we will chart a new way forward.”
Unlike the first night, the second night of the DNC featured the roll call, a decades-old tradition where delegates officially cast their votes in-person for their chosen presidential candidate. This year, Harris had already been declared the party’s nominee, but to stick with tradition, the 57 delegations took turns declaring their votes for Harris.
The roll call also featured a performance by Lil Jon who energized the crowd whilst delegates took turns giving speeches about their respective values and histories before celebrating Harris as their nominee.
Other surrogates — notable figures who endorse political campaigns — that attended the convention included film director Spike Lee and actor Sean Astin, along with political figures such as New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Delaware Senator Chris Coons.
Following the roll call, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders made his appearance. In his remarks, he said the government needs to take “big money” out of the political process, guarantee medical coverage, strengthen public education and more.
In the Keynote Remarks of the evening, Democratic Candidate for Senate in Maryland Angela Alsobrooks spoke about Harris’ past as attorney general of California and her “Back on Track” program for the state, which decreased crime rates through anti-recidivism measures. She also said these measures differentiate Harris from Trump, and that America will “not go back” to the Trump administration.
“Kamala has reminded us that we don’t need to fear anything. Not the future, and certainly not that man,” Alsobrooks said. “This is our moment to leave Donald Trump where he belongs: in America’s past.”
Towards the end of the night, Michelle Obama took to the stage. She acknowledged the criticism she said the Harris/Walz campaign will inevitably experience, but urged voters to not lose hope.
“If they lie about her, and they will, we’ve got to do something,” Michelle Obama said. “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.”
Barack Obama followed Michelle, and said the Harris/Walz campaign represents American values of freedom and democracy. Additionally, he said they would fulfill those values through policies that strengthen affordable health care, reproductive rights and climate change measures.
He ended his speech by giving the listening Americans a call to action:
“If we each do our part over the next 77 days, if we knock on doors, if we make phone calls, if we talk to our friends, if we listen to our neighbors, if we work like we’ve never worked before, if we hold firm to our convictions, 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.”
