(CHICAGO) — The final day of the Democratic National Convention ends with Kamala Harris’ big moment: her acceptance speech, in which she tells her story to the millions of watching Americans.
Her campaign team says that in addition to describing her middle-class upbringing, she will continue to emphasize optimism and patriotism – the “politics of joy” – the common themes we heard throughout the convention.
This is how the news develops:
Harris and Emhoff wish each other a happy 10th anniversary
Vice President Kamala Harris wished her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, a happy anniversary on Thursday before her acceptance speech at the DNC. The couple is celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.
“To the best partner I could ask for: Happy anniversary, Dougie,” Harris posted on social media, along with a photo of the two of them visiting campaign headquarters in Wilmington, a day after she announced her candidacy.
The previous Thursday, Emhoff had done 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.”
-Fritz Farrow of ABC News
Meet the oldest DNC delegate, Angie Gialloreto
Angie Gialloreto, 95, has attended every Democratic Party convention since 1976, when Jimmy Carter was on the ballot.
Because the 99-year-old former president was unable to attend the DNC this year due to health reasons, Gialloreto is the oldest delegate traveling to Chicago, where she will watch Harris accept her party’s nomination.
The Pennsylvania native told ABC News that it had long been possible that Harris could become the first woman president because women “have been sidelined for many years and now we will have a female leader.”
When asked how she would celebrate if Harris were victorious against Donald Trump in November’s general election, Gialloreto said she would focus on “preparing for the next local candidate election.”
-Morgan Gstalter of ABC News
Walz meets former students in Chicago
The morning after accepting his party’s nomination for vice president, Walz met in Chicago with former staff members, family, friends and former students – including some of the football players who appeared on stage at the United Center on Wednesday night.
ABC News spotted Walz at a Chicago hotel on Thursday morning.
During that meeting, he mingled with several of his former students from Mankato West High School at an informal breakfast, according to a source familiar with Walz’s activities. Some of those who met Walz at the hotel were observed by ABC News wearing T-shirts that read “Harris-Walz Alumni.”
Walz had previously posted a video on X in which he hugs and greets the students backstage at the congress.
– Lucien Bruggeman, Allison Pecorin and MaryAlice Parks of ABC News
How Harris prepares for big speeches
Former campaign managers and senior staffers who have worked with Harris over the years shed light on how she prepares for big speeches.
They said that she is a trial lawyer at heart and that both preparation and consideration of audience reactions are crucial.
When writing a speech, she would start with themes, outline them, and then focus on what she wanted to say well in advance. She was closely involved in each speech, making changes and collaborating with the people around her.
They said that like most people, she gets nervous but then relaxes, thinks through the comments, saves her voice, conserves energy and rests.
-Zohreen Shah of ABC News
What some young Chicago voters think about the 2024 election
Three young voters – a liberal, a moderate and a conservative – discussed their thoughts on the 2024 election while in Chicago for the DNC.
-538’s Nathaniel Rakich
Trump comments on Harris’ speech on Truth Social live
Former President Donald Trump said he will broadcast Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech at the DNC on Thursday night “LIVE PLAY BY PLAY on TRUTH Social.”
“We will begin at 10 p.m. Eastern time and cover and comment on some of the speeches given before her,” Trump posted on his social media platform before sharply criticizing President Joe Biden’s exit and saying he would “expose” Harris’ policies.
-ABC News Lalee Ibssa
Harris campaign avoids question of why DNC has no Palestinian spokesperson
The Harris team dodged a question from ABC News at a briefing Thursday morning about why there was no Palestinian speaker at the convention and why the team was not taking Arab votes for granted by simply saying that former President Donald Trump would be worse for Arab Americans.
“No, we absolutely do not take their votes for granted,” said campaign spokesman Michael Tyler. “I think as far as the uncommitted delegates at this convention go, we are proud and happy that they are here. We have worked throughout the convention to engage them.”
Tyler mentioned a panel discussion with members of the unaffiliated movement and said Harris recently met with the movement’s leadership in Michigan. He also stressed that the vice president is working toward a resolution to the Israel-Hamas conflict “with a permanent ceasefire that allows Israel to fully defend itself, that is fully maintained, that ensures that we receive full humanitarian assistance, but also that Gazans can live peacefully and prosperously in Gaza.”
Read more here
-Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie of ABC News
12:58 PM EDT
Gun control is discussed ahead of Harris’s remarks
Before Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage Thursday night, survivors of gun violence and advocates for safe gun use will address the DNC, said Michael Tyler, spokesman for the Harris-Walz campaign.
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 that Governors Gretchen Whitmer and Roy Cooper, Senators Mark Kelly and Elizabeth Warren, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a member of the Jan. 6 select committee, will also deliver remarks.
-Will McDuffie of ABC News
10:11 a.m. EDT
Kamala Harris tells her personal story in acceptance speech
The fourth and final day of the Democratic Party Convention is heading towards a dramatic finale: Kamala Harris will give her acceptance speech and tell her personal story in her own words to an audience of millions.
She is expected to speak about raising a middle-class mother and working mother. She will continue to emphasize the themes we have heard from speakers throughout the convention: optimism and patriotism – the “politics of joy” – while contrasting, her campaign team says, with the “gloomy” vision of Donald Trump.
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