Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is set to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday night, taking the stage at 3:45 p.m. PT. Her speech will likely touch on her close relationship with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. Bass, who made history as Los Angeles’ first female mayor in 2022, was sworn in by Harris, and their partnership in supporting children and families in California is expected to be a focal point of her remarks.
The opening night theme, “For the People,” will also feature a keynote address by President Joe Biden and remarks from First Lady Jill Biden. Bass will return to Los Angeles on Tuesday, while the convention continues through Thursday.
Other prominent Los Angeles officials attending include City Council members Bob Blumenfield, Monica Rodriguez, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren Price, and Heather Hutt. Blumenfield, a super delegate and vice president of the Democratic Municipal Officials, will play a key role in the proceedings. U.S. House member and former Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia is also scheduled to speak on Monday.
Vice President Harris will be in attendance, alongside former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will deliver a speech. Later in the week, former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton will take the stage. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, is set to speak on Wednesday, with Harris officially accepting the party’s presidential nomination on Thursday.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois, with the United Center, home to the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, serving as the main venue. Chicago has a long history of hosting the Democratic Convention, with 2024 marking the 12th time, the most recent being in 1996 when President Bill Clinton was nominated for his second term.
For those looking to watch the 2024 DNC, live coverage will be available on the convention’s website, broadcasting from the United Center. The event will air from 6:15 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) on Monday, and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) on the remaining days. Additionally, USA TODAY will offer livestream coverage on YouTube each night, from Monday through Thursday.
The DNC has also revealed the nightly themes for the convention, with the overarching title being “For the People, For Our Future.”
The themes for each night are as follow:
- Monday: “For the People”
- Tuesday: “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”
- Wednesday: “A Fight for our Freedoms”
- Thursday: “For our Future”
According to Britannica, “the Democratic Party held its first national convention in May 1832 in Baltimore, Maryland. The party, which had been known since 1798 as the Democratic-Republican Party, nominated Pres. Andrew Jackson for a second term. (The party formally adopted its current name in 1844.) Delegates (representatives of state constituencies) attending the convention declined to nominate John C. Calhoun for a second term as vice president under Jackson (Calhoun had earlier served as vice president under John Quincy Adams [1825–29])—partly because of Calhoun’s support for the doctrine of nullification, which Jackson opposed—and selected Martin Van Buren instead. The convention adopted a rule requiring the party’s nominees to receive the votes of at least two-thirds of all delegates. It also established the “unit rule,” which allowed a majority of a state’s delegates to require that all of the delegation’s votes be cast for a single nominee.”
