DNC 2024 Day 2 live updates: Former Trump official Grisham speaks in favor of Harris

(CHICAGO) — After an emotional tribute to President Joe Biden Monday night, the scene at the Democrats’ gathering on Tuesday shifts to appearances by former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.

In their highly anticipated prime-time speeches, the Obamas are expected to help clearly “pass the torch” to Kamala Harris, who will be holding a rally in Milwaukee this evening ahead of her acceptance speech Thursday night.

Here’s how the news is developing.

Former Trump official Stephanie Grisham speaks in favor of Harris

The DNC is highlighting several former supporters of former President Donald Trump this week, including everyday Americans who previously voted for him who are now backing Harris.

But Grisham, a former White House press secretary, is the first of several former Trump officials slated to speak at the convention. She described herself not only as a former supporter of Trump but as a “true believer” who has since changed her tune.

“He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” she said of Trump.

“When I was press secretary, I got skewered for never holding a White House briefing,” Grisham added. “It’s because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie. Now, here I am behind a podium advocating for a Democrat. And that’s because I love my country more than my party.”

Common performs: ‘Be fortunate, y’all, for Kamala Harris’

Rapper Common and gospel musician Jonathan McReynolds took to the stage.

Common changed up the lyrics to his song “Fortunate” for the DNC, rapping, “Be fortunate, y’all, for Kamala Harris.”

Jason Carter says Harris ‘carries my grandfather’s legacy’

Jason Carter, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, was the first speaker of the night.

“Kamala Harris carries my grandfather’s legacy,” he said. “She knows what is right and she fights for it. She understands that leadership is about service, not selfishness.”

Jimmy Carter, who is in hospice care and is nearing his 100th birthday in October, told his family he wants to make it to vote for Harris in November, Jason Carter said.

“Papa is holding on. He is hopeful, and though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever,” Jason Carter said.

Patti LaBelle performs during in memoriam

Patti LaBelle, renowned as the “Godmother of Soul,” took to the stage to sing “You Are My Friend” while an in memoriam played behind her.

Those remembered included former first lady Rosalynn Carter and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Night 2 of the DNC kicks off

The second night of the DNC is officially underway in Chicago.

Tonight’s theme is “A bold vision for America’s future” and will feature a keynote address by former President Barack Obama.

The convention will also hold a ceremonial roll call for Harris, who became the official Democratic presidential nominee following a virtual roll call earlier this month.

Israeli American Council hosts ‘Hostage Square’ art exhibition just blocks from United Center

A group of Israeli and American artists showcased their work throughout the day Tuesday to draw attention to the more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

The Israeli American Council (IAC), a nonprofit organization that advocates for the Israeli American community, held the pop-up exhibition it called “Hostage Square” in an empty lot about five blocks east of the United Center, where the DNC is being held through Thursday.

All the art was created in response to the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, said Jeff Aeder, a Chicago-based real estate investor who put the exhibition together over the last four weeks.

The show “is a much more effective way at looking at a different narrative, opposed to two groups yelling at each other, to highlight the plight of the hostages and the trauma that has been felt by the Jewish world,” he said. “Art is a good way for people to tell these stories.”

Throughout the day Tuesday, about a thousand people visited the exhibition, according to Aeder, including Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the U.S., and families of several hostages.

Aeder said he is determining if the art will travel to different locations. He said he is realistic, knowing “it’s very hard” to summon change through artwork. But he hopes the exhibition is one of “a thousand different points of contact” with the public to create awareness about the plight of the hostages and their families.

“We need to continually do everything we can to bring attention to it, because we never know what’s going to touch somebody,” he said. “Being silent is not an option.”

-ABC News’ Mark Guarino

Bernie Sanders to discuss economy in prime-time speech

Sanders is slated to speak in the 9 p.m. ET hour tonight, and according to released excerpts of his speech, he will focus on the economy.

The independent senator worked with the Biden-Harris administration to achieve price negotiations with Medicare on commonly used prescription drugs. The administration announced last week that a deal was reached to lower the cost of 10 medications.

“When the political will is there, government can effectively deliver for the people of our country,” Sanders will say. “We need to summon that will again — because too many of our fellow Americans are struggling every day to just get by — to put food on the table, pay the rent, and get the health care they need.”

“These oligarchs tell us we shouldn’t tax the rich; we shouldn’t take on price gouging; we shouldn’t expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision; and we shouldn’t increase Social Security benefits for struggling seniors,” he’ll go on to say. “Well I’ve got some bad news for them. That is precisely what we are going to do, and we’re going to win this struggle because this is precisely what the American people want from their government.”

-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks

Emhoff, Schumer, Sanders and more will speak tonight

Before the Obamas take the stage Tuesday, the DNC will feature speeches from second gentlemen Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to the convention’s schedule.

Maryland Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks will deliver the keynote remarks.

Remarks are also expected from former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, as well as Jason Carter and Jack Schlossberg, the grandsons of former Presidents Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy, respectively.

Rep. Frost on Gen Z’s excitement for Harris

Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, spoke with ABC News Live anchor Kyra Phillips about the enthusiasm Gen Z has for Kamala Harris.

“Young people are excited about Kamala Harris and I think it’s for many different reasons,” he said. “No. 1, it’s her authenticity. She’s been going viral on TikTok, online, Twitter and a lot of it has to do with her as a human, her as a person, the things she loves, who she is, and the things she says.”

Frost added that young people like Harris because “they hear her message, and then they see themselves represented in her and what she’s fighting for and all the amazing people that we have here today.”

Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first member of Generation Z in Congress, talks about the importance of Kamala Harris and the role of young Americans in politics.

-ABC News’ Isabella Meneses

Trump’s former press secretary Stephanie Grisham to speak tonight

Stephanie Grisham, former President Trump’s third White House press secretary, will speak tonight at the DNC, ABC News can report.

Protesters interrupt Tim Walz’s women’s caucus remarks

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s remarks Tuesday to the women’s caucus at the DNC were interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.

Walz was recognizing the role women had in aiding him as governor, and was praising former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris before demonstrators started chanting, “Stop killing women in Gaza! Stop killing women in Gaza!”

They unfurled banners in the middle of the room as the audience tried to drown out their protest.

Walz briefly paused his remarks and looked at the protesters before continuing his speech, without acknowledging them.

The protesters were escorted out of the ballroom where they continued their calls for a cease-fire in Gaza and for the end of arms transfers to Israel.

A delegate, who only identified herself as Michelle and a New York delegate, fiercely countered the protesters, accusing them of helping Donald Trump by protesting.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

10 arrests made during Monday’s DNC fencing breach

There were 10 arrests made during Monday’s fencing breach at the DNC, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters on Tuesday.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how Chicago Police Department responded under those circumstances,” Snelling said. “We put on display the trainings and the preparation that we’ve been engaged in for over a year now. That being said, moving forward, we do expect to see, or protest or demonstrate tactics again. We’re up to the challenge.”

Snelling said there were 13 arrests total on Monday, which ranged from criminal trespass to battery on a police officer.

On reports that protesters were “assaulted” by police, the superintendent pushed back hard.

“Those police officers responded perfectly, and we got body cam footage to prove it. They were not hospitalized for injuries.”

-ABC News’ Luke Barr

Flashback: Obama calls Harris attractive

On Tuesday night, former President Barack Obama gives a highly anticipated speech in which he is expected to make a forceful case for electing Harris. It won’t be the first time that Obama spoke glowingly of Harris — in fact, he has gotten in trouble for it before. Back in 2013, he spoke at a fundraiser in California that Harris attended and said of the then-California attorney general, “She is brilliant and she is dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you’d want in anybody who is administering the law, and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake. She also happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country.” The comment on Harris’s looks sparked a backlash for being sexist and inappropriate, and he apologized the next day.

—538’s Nathaniel Rakich

Obamas to share details of friendship, support for Harris

When former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama speak at the DNC on Tuesday, they will highlight their friendship with Harris that they say goes back 20 years, according to a source familiar.

The Obamas have been in regular touch with Harris over the years, providing counsel and being a sounding board, too, the source said. Over the last few months in particular, the Obamas have been in close contact with the vice president and supported her campaign in any way they are able, the source said.

Their remarks on Tuesday will turn the page from the Biden administration and focus on how Harris and Walz are the leaders the country needs right out, the source said.

The source highlighted how the Obamas have campaigned for Harris and worked to energize young voters.

-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks

DNC will start half an hour earlier on Tuesday

The DNC will start its programming half an hour earlier than originally planned on Tuesday after Monday’s program had a delayed start that pushed President Joe Biden’s speech past prime time and cut short his farewell.

“We had so much energy and enthusiasm for our president, our ticket, from our speakers and the audience reaction that I recognize that did put us a little bit behind schedule, but we are working with — we made some real-time adjustments last night to ensure we could get to what the delegates and the viewers really came for, which, of course, is President Biden,” Alex Hornsbrook, the executive director of the convention, told reporters this morning.

“And we’re working with our speakers and making some other adjustments for this evening, including beginning at 5:30 to make sure that we stay on track for that tonight,” he added.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

Obamas to make prime-time speeches

The attention on Day 2 of the Democrats’ gathering shifts from celebrating President Joe Biden to prime-time speeches from former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. They’ll help pass the party torch to Kamala Harris.

The convention will also hold a ceremonial roll call to nominate Harris, which follows the party’s virtual process doing so earlier this month. Harris officially had the vast majority of delegate votes needed to secure her nomination when that process ended on Aug. 6.

It’s expected that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Harris’ home state delegation will cast the vote putting her over the top.

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