DNC 2024 Day 4 live updates: ‘Central Park 5’ take on ‘hateful man’ Trump

(CHICAGO) — The final day of the Democratic National Convention wraps up with Kamala Harris’ big moment: her acceptance speech in which she gets to tell her story to the millions of Americans watching.

Her campaign says, in addition to describing her middle-class upbringing, she will continue to stress optimism and patriotism — the “politics of joy” — the overall themes we’ve heard throughout the gathering.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Human-trafficking survivor reflects on Harris’ fight for victims

Courtney Baldwin, a survivor of sex trafficking and now a youth organizer, spoke about how then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris shut down the illicit website that listed her and other victims for sale.

Baldwin said she yearned for hope during those dark moments when she was able to hold on to pursue her dreams.

“Vice President Harris is fearless, compassionate, and she still gives me hope. She’s protected people like me her whole life, and I know she’ll fight for us all as president,” she said.

Healey says she ‘can’t wait’ for September debate

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said she can’t wait to see Harris “prosecute the case against Donald Trump” during their ABC News debate on Sept. 10.

Democrats continue to lean into prosecutor v. felon theme

Tonight’s speakers include several prosecutors with ties to Harris or even Trump — including Tristan Snell, who spoke on stage about taking on Trump University fraud.

“Kamala Harris fought scammers like him. And as president, she will continue to fight for you, for us, for the people,” Snell said.

Democrats see the contrast between Harris the prosecutor and Trump the felon as a winning message.

“It’s a beautiful split screen,” Maria Cardona, a Democratic strategist and former senior adviser to Hillary Clinton and former communications director for the Democratic National Committee, previously told ABC News.

“She went after bad people who hurt the people that she was representing and that’s exactly what she’s doing now,” Cardona said.

Trump a ‘hateful man’: ‘Exonerated 5’

New York City Council member Yusef Salaam, one of the five men exonerated in the “Central Park Five” case, called Trump a “hateful man” during his DNC appearance.

“He wanted us dead,” Salaam said. “Today, we are exonerated because the actual perpetrator confessed. And DNA proved it.”

Korey Wise, another one of the men who was exonerated in the case, said they were “threatened” by people after Trump ran ads calling for the death penalty for violent crimes in New York in the wake of the attack.

He said Harris, by comparison, has “worked to make things fairer.”

“I know she will do the same as president and I approve that message,” Wise said.

Harris to promise to be ‘a president for all Americans’

In her acceptance speech tonight, Harris will deliver a message of unity as Democrats look to appeal to independent voters.

“With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past,” she will say. “A chance to chart a New Way Forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”

“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight. And I want you to know: I promise to be a president for all Americans,” Harris will say, according to released excerpts of her speech.

“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads — and listens. Who is realistic. Practical. And has common sense. And always fights for the American people. From the courthouse to the White House, that has been my life’s work.”

Trump’s tie to the ‘Central Park 5’ case

Four of the five men in the “Central Park Five” who were wrongfully convicted in the 1989 rape of a Central Park jogger appeared at the DNC.

The five Black and Latino men, who were teenagers at the time of their arrest, were taken into custody, hounded in police interrogations and ultimately gave false confessions in the brutal assault on jogger Trisha Meili.

While the five teenagers awaited their trial, former President Donald Trump bought newspaper ads calling for New York to adopt the death penalty for violent crimes.

“Bring back the death penalty. Bring back our police!” the ad stated in all caps.

The five men were exonerated in 2002 after convicted rapist Matias Reyes confessed to being Meili’s sole attacker, and Reyes’ DNA was matched to the crime scene. New York City settled with the Central Park Five in 2014 for $41 million in a civil rights lawsuit.

When asked in 2019, following the release of a Netflix series about the case, whether he would apologize for the ads to the men who were exonerated in the Central Park jogger case, Trump refused.

“Why do you bring that question up now? It’s an interesting time to bring it up. You have people on both sides of that,” he said. “They admitted their guilt. If you look at Linda Fairstein and you look at some of the prosecutors, they think that the city should never have settled that case, so we’ll leave it at that.”

Following Trump’s indictment in 2023 on 34 felony counts of falsified business records in the hush money case, some of the exonerated men called it “karma.”

Speakers make case for Harris as commander in chief

The DNC is highlighting national security, with recent speakers Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger; Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin and New York Rep. Pat Ryan, an Army veteran, making the case for Harris as the commander in chief.

“I’ll tell you what I think of Donald Trump. They told me I can’t say that word on TV,” Ryan said.

Slotkin leans in on patriotism

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., made it clear: Democrats are patriotic, too.

Her speech was the most vocal example of how Democrats are taking back words like “freedom” and symbols like the flag, leaning on her time in the CIA and accusing Republicans of betraying the values they represent.

“We’re the damn United States of America. We lead,” she thundered in conclusion.

Warren makes couch joke when talking about Trump, Vance

Warren, a policy wonk, said she trusted Harris to handle the economy, abortion, climate change and more.

“Trust Donald Trump and JD Vance?” she said. “To look out for your family? Shoot, I wouldn’t let those guys — I wouldn’t trust them to move my couch.”

Elizabeth Warren gets teary-eyed during long ovation

The Massachusetts senator was seen wiping her eyes as she got emotional during a rapturous welcome from attendees at the United Center.

Vulnerable senators finally make an appearance

Last night, I commented on how few Democratic Senate candidates had addressed the DNC thus far — including zero in competitive races. Well, that ends tonight. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin spoke earlier, and Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania was just on stage. Both are in competitive races in swing states this fall.

-538’s Nathaniel Rakich

Early speakers breeze through speeches

The beginning of the fourth night has been moving briskly, with shorter speeches.

Although there have been a few musical interludes from DJ Metro, they also did not last long. The previous three nights of the DNC have ended after 11 p.m. ET.

Harris’ plan for middle-class families

Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark focused on the burden of child care costs, saying Harris and Walz “know that when everyone can find and afford child care, our kids and our communities will thrive.”

The Harris campaign said it aims to keep some money in middle-class consumers’ pockets by reducing their tax burden.

The plans include a restoration of the expanded child tax credit of $3,600 per child that expired in 2022. Harris also proposed an additional, new $6,000 child tax credit for families with a child in the first year of life.

What Harris has proposed to help homeowners

Former HUD secretary Marcia Fudge and Congressman Ted Lieu just touted Harris’ housing proposals, which she unveiled last week.

Harris has vowed to provide up to $25,000 in down-payment support for first-time homeowners and called for the construction of 3 million new housing units to ease the housing supply shortage.

Read more about what economists had to say about Harris’ plan.

Sen. Padilla: ‘I knew that I had some big Chuck Taylors to fill’

Sen. Alex Padilla, the first Latino to represent California and Vice President Kamala Harris’ Senate successor, told the crowd “I knew that I had some big Chuck Taylors to fill.”

Harris for years has often sported the popular shoe.

White outfits fill convention arena

White outfits peppered the convention hall here in an ode to suffragists and Harris’ historic candidacy.

The outfit motif has been a hallmark of House Democrats, who have used the color to send a signal at major events, such as past state of the union addresses, including this year’s, when Democrats sought to make a point about abortion.

-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod

DJ gets crowd moving to ‘Lil Boo Thang’

Chicago’s DJ Metro got the crowd to its feet, dancing to “Lil Boo Thang” by Paul Russell, at the start of the night.

100,000 balloons ready to end the night: Source

Convention organizers have 100,000 balloons ready to drop at the end of the evening, according to a source with knowledge.

-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd

4th night of the DNC underway

The fourth and final night of the DNC is officially underway.

The theme of the night is “For our future” and will feature a keynote address from Vice President Kamala Harris as she accepts the party’s nominee for president.

Emhoff says Harris remains focused on issues ahead of ‘her big moment’

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff said Vice President Kamala Harris remains focused on the issues even “while she is preparing for her big moment tonight.”

“She has been in the Oval Office with the president on all of these major issues. She’s been in the Situation Room on all these major issues, just with what’s happening now,” he said Thursday at an event about combating antisemitism hosted by the Jewish Democratic Council of America.

“She’s still working on these issues while she is preparing for her big moment tonight. That’s what leaders do,” he continued.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Harris still tweaking speech, source says

Harris has spent the day continuing to review her speech and tweaking it by hand as she prepares to deliver what will be the most important remarks of her political life, a personal familiar with the preparation told ABC News.

-ABC News’ Mary Bruce

Harris, Emhoff wish each other happy 10th anniversary

Vice President Kamala Harris wished her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff a happy anniversary on Thursday ahead of her acceptance speech at the DNC. The couple are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.

“To the best partner I could ask for: Happy anniversary, Dougie,” Harris posted on social media, with a picture of the two visiting campaign headquarters in Wilmington the day after she announced her candidacy.

Earlier Thursday, Emhoff did the same, posting a slideshow of photos of himself and Harris.

“Ten years of marriage, forever to go,” Emhoff wrote. “Happy anniversary, @WRQ11HGNB. I love you.”

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

Meet the oldest DNC delegate, Angie Gialloreto

Angie Gialloreto, 95, has attended every Democratic National Convention since 1976, when Jimmy Carter was on the ticket.

Since the 99-year-old former president could not attend this year’s DNC due to his health issues, Gialloreto is the oldest delegate to travel to Chicago, where she will watch Harris accept her party’s nomination.

The Pennsylvania native told ABC News the possibility that Harris could become the first woman to serve as president was a long time coming because women “have taken a back seat many years and now we’ll have a leader.”

When asked how she would celebrate if Harris ends up victorious during the November general election against Donald Trump, Gialloreto said she will focus on “getting ready for the next election of local candidates.”

-ABC News’ Morgan Gstalter

Walz meets with former students in Chicago

The morning after accepting his party’s nomination for vice president, Walz gathered in Chicago with former staff, family, friends and former students — including some of the football players who appeared on-stage Wednesday night at the United Center.

ABC News spotted Walz at a Chicago hotel on Thursday morning.

During that meeting, he mingled with several of his former Mankato West High School students over an informal breakfast, according to a source familiar with Walz’s movements. Some of those who met with Walz at the hotel were observed by ABC News donning “Harris-Walz Alumni” T-shirts.

Earlier in the day, Walz posted a video on X showing him hug and greet the students backstage at the convention.

-ABC News’ Lucien Bruggeman, Allison Pecorin and MaryAlice Parks

How Harris prepares for big speeches

Former campaign managers and senior staffers who worked Harris through the years shed light on how she prepares for big speeches.

They said she’s a trial lawyer at her core, and so preparation was key as well as being ready for audience reactions.

In crafting a speech, she would start with themes, outline and then focus in on what she wanted to say well in advance. She would be intimately involved in every speech, making edits and collaborating with those around her.

They said like most people she gets nervous, but would relax, review the remarks, save her voice, conserve energy and rest up.

-ABC News’ Zohreen Shah

What some of Chicago’s young voters think about the 2024 election

Three young voters — one liberal, one moderate and one conservative — discussed their thoughts on the 2024 election while in Chicago for the DNC.

-538’s Nathaniel Rakich

Trump to do live play-by-play of Harris’ speech on Truth Social

Former President Donald Trump said he will do a “LIVE PLAY BY PLAY on TRUTH Social” of Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech at the DNC Thursday night.

“We will start at 10 P.M., Eastern, and be covering and commenting on some of the earlier Speeches made, prior to hers,” Trump posted on his social media platform before going on to slam the dropout of President Joe Biden and saying he was going to “expose” Harris’ policies.

-ABC News Lalee Ibssa

Harris campaign dodges question on why there isn’t a Palestinian speaker at DNC

The Harris campaign at a briefing Thursday morning dodged a question from ABC News on why there isn’t a Palestinian speaker at the convention and why simply saying former President Donald Trump would be worse for Arab-Americans is not the campaign taking their votes for granted.

“No, we’re absolutely not taking their votes for granted,” campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said. “I think, as it relates to uncommitted delegates at this convention, we’re proud, glad that they are here. We’ve worked to engage them throughout the convention.”

Tyler noted a panel conversation that was held with members of the uncommitted movement and said Harris recently engaged with the movement’s leadership in Michigan. He also emphasized that the vice president is working toward a resolution to the Israel-Hamas conflict “with a permanent cease-fire that allows Israel to fully secure itself, that fully continues and make sure that we have full humanitarian aid, but also make sure that Gazans are able to peacefully live and prosper in Gaza.”

Read more here

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

12:58 PM EDT
Gun control to be featured ahead of Harris’ remarks

Before Vice President Kamala Harris takes center stage Thursday night, gun violence survivors and gun safety advocates will address the DNC, according to Harris-Walz campaign spokesman Michael Tyler.

Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, Rep. Maxwell Frost and the “Tennessee Three” — state Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, are also expected to speak.

Tyler told reporters Govs. Gretchen Whitmer and Roy Cooper, Sens. Mark Kelly and Elizabeth Warren, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger — a member of Jan 6. select committee — will give remarks too.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie

10:11 AM EDT
Kamala Harris to tell her personal story in acceptance speech

The fourth and final day of the Democratic National Convention is leading up to a dramatic finale: Kamala Harris giving her acceptance speech and getting to tell her personal story — in her own words — to an audience of millions.

She’s expected talk about a middle-class upbringing with a working mother. She will continue to stress the themes we’ve heard from speakers throughout the convention: optimism and patriotism — the “politics of joy” — drawing a contrast, her campaign says, with the “dark” vision of Donald Trump.

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