Politics: 2024Talks - August 20, 2024
Politics and views in the United States.
President Biden gets a standing ovation on an emotional first night of the Democratic National Convention. In the streets, protests call for ending the Gaza war and an Arizona delegate calls a win for Harris and Walz a victory for all.
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to 2024 Talks.
We're live from the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, and are tracking the 2024 election process.
It's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president.
I love the job, but I love my country more.
I love my country more, and we need to preserve our democracy.
President Joe Biden received an emotional reception speaking to the first night of the DNC.
He described a long list of his policy wins, but also shared confidence in Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.
Biden also says he holds no resentment towards those who pushed him to drop out of the race a month ago.
Many delegates, like Sylvia Lagos from Texas, say the Democratic Party is grateful to Biden for putting America above his own ambition.
I think he sacrificed what he really wanted for the betterment of the country, and because of that, we love him even more.
But in the streets outside, the intense emotions are different.
Thousands of protesters are angrily calling for a ceasefire and an Israel arms blockade.
The White House says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to ceasefire terms, but neither Netanyahu nor Hamas have confirmed the deal.
New York progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says Harris should get some credit.
She is working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bringing hostages home.
More than 40,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis have died since the war started.
The DNC crowd chanted "Lock him up" about former President Donald Trump during former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's speech, a reference to the "lock her up" chants of 2016 Trump rallies.
Clinton says Trump has made his own kind of history.
The first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.
New polling shows Harris is leading Trump by four points among registered voters and six points among likely voters.
But Harris says she's still the underdog, and will run like one.
California Democratic Party chairman Rusty Hicks says it's going to be close, up and down the ballot.
In swing states, it will be decided by a handful of votes.
In order to retake the House of Representatives, we've got to win seats in California.
Those seats will be won by a handful of votes.
Arizona's Mayor Koppa County continues to be the heart of many election conspiracy theories.
Coral Gentles is a Democratic delegate from the county.
He says it's good for democracy to see Harris getting Republican support.
We see people on the Republican side reaching across the scene.
We know and we want to support Vice President Harris.
It's because they realize that she's in it for everybody.
She's in it for Democrats, Republicans, and independents.
I'm Alex Gonzalez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.
We'll be back tomorrow for day two of the DNC.
Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.