EVENT ENDED

DNC 2024 highlights: Tim Walz gives keynote speech to cap third night of convention

Vice President Kamala Harris will accept the Democratic nomination for president tomorrow, the final night of the convention.

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What to know about the Democratic National Convention so far

  • Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, gave the keynote speech to accept the Democratic nomination for vice president on the third night of the convention.
  • Former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke earlier this evening. They were followed by Oprah Winfrey, who made a surprise appearance and electrified the crowd with a rousing speech.
  • The uncommitted delegates to the Democratic convention announced tonight that they were denied their chief request from Harris' campaign — to have a Palestinian American speak onstage this week.
  • Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, appeared together in Asheboro, North Carolina, to give remarks about national security.
  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. intends to end his independent presidential campaign and endorse Trump, two sources familiar with the plans told NBC News.

Coverage of this live blog event has ended. For the latest news, click here.

33w ago / 12:38 AM EDT

Vance responds to Democrats' criticism tonight

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Hallie Jackson
Tom Llamas
Annemarie Bonner
Hallie Jackson, Tom Llamas and Annemarie Bonner

In an interview with NBC News, Vance responded to criticism from Walz and Buttigieg, including about his past comments about people without children. Vance once again insisted that he just wants the country to be more “pro-family.”

"Everybody has worth, and certainly you have a lot of people who just haven’t had families," he said.

Vance also claimed that Trump wants not a federal abortion ban but rather for each state to make their own laws.

"What Donald Trump is really trying to do is be pro-family and articulate a solution to some of these culture war topics that allows the country to come together and solve some of these disputes at the state level, where voters can make these decisions, not the national government," he said.

33w ago / 12:28 AM EDT

Trump attacks Josh Shapiro as a 'highly overrated Jewish Governor'

Trump blasted Josh Shapiro tonight as a "highly overrated Jewish Governor," the latest of his recent attacks on Jewish Democrats.

"The highly overrated Jewish Governor of the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, made a really bad and poorly delivered speech," Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social.

"Shapiro has done nothing for Israel, and never will," he added.

33w ago / 12:16 AM EDT

Rep. Omar addresses protesters outside United Center: 'I am in this with you for as long as it takes'

Annemarie Bonner

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., appeared at the sit-in protest for Gaza outside the United Center, where she spoke to protesters and pledged her support. She entered the crowd, hugged one of the leaders and began crying.

"I hate that we have to beg for our humanity to be recognized," she said as she wiped her tears. "As those who came before us never lost hope, we are not going to lose hope. And I am in this with you all for as long as it takes."

As she walked away, someone in the crowd shouted, "That's our congresswoman." Omar, one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress, has been an outspoken critic of Israel's handling of the war against Hamas.

33w ago / 11:59 PM EDT

Watch Gov. Tim Walz’s full acceptance speech at DNC

Reporting from Chicago

Walz introduced himself to his largest audience yet tonight as he capped off the third day of his party’s convention, touting his vision of “freedom” and excoriating the GOP.

“When Republicans use the word ‘freedom,’ they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office, corporations free to pollute your air and water and banks free to take advantage of customers,” Walz told the crowd. “But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean ... freedom to make your own health care decisions, your kids’ freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot.”

33w ago / 11:57 PM EDT

AOC calls on convention to honor loss of Palestinians amid war

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., posted on X tonight about the Israel-Hamas war and urged the Democratic convention to honor the loss of Palestinians killed.

"Just as we must honor the humanity of hostages, so too must we center the humanity of the 40,000 Palestinians killed under Israeli bombardment," Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "To deny that story is to participate in the dehumanization of Palestinians. The @DNC must change course and affirm our shared humanity."

Ocasio-Cortez included a post referring to a Vanity Fair article by Ta-Nehisi Coates that said "no Palestinian American is scheduled to address the convention from the main stage. I suspect this is because of what such a speaker might feel compelled to say.”

33w ago / 11:53 PM EDT

In photos: The third day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago

Supporters at the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday.Sebastián Hidalgo for NBC News
A general view of the third day of the convention.Sebastián Hidalgo for NBC News
33w ago / 11:53 PM EDT

Chicago alderman closes out Night 3 with reference to 'peace for Palestinians' and 'peace for Israelis'

In his benediction to close out the third night of the convention, Chicago Alderman William Hall, who represents over 50,000 people, called for peace in the Middle East.

"Let there be peace tonight, peace in Palestine, peace for Palestinians, peace for Israelis. When we come together, we win," he said.

33w ago / 11:53 PM EDT

Night 3 of the Democratic convention comes to a close

The third night of the Democratic National Convention is over.

The last night of the event is tomorrow, when Harris will deliver her speech accepting the presidential nomination.

33w ago / 11:53 PM EDT

Walz gets Neil Young's permission to use 'Rockin' in the Free World'

Walz walked off to Neil Young’s "Rockin’ in the Free World."

Young does not blanket-license his music. Instead, Young had to approve the campaign’s use of the song himself, which he did.  

Walz's walk-off song is particularly noteworthy because, in 2015, Young sued to stop Trump from using it.  

Walz selected the song himself, and it’s among his favorites, according to people familiar with the planning.  

33w ago / 11:52 PM EDT

Walz gives shortest VP acceptance speech in decades

Katie Primm
Katie Primm and Zoë Richards

Walz spoke for 15½ minutes tonight in accepting the nomination for vice president.

It was the shortest speech by a VP nominee since at least 1984.

In 2020, Harris spoke for 18½ minutes in her acceptance speech.