Obamas close DNC’s second night with rousing Harris endorsement and pointed warnings about Trump

Steve Peoples, Jonathan J. Cooper and Zeke Miller, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Warning of a difficult conflict ahead, erstwhile President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama connected Tuesday called connected nan federation to clasp Kamala Harris successful urgent messages to nan Democratic National Convention that were astatine times some hopeful and ominous.

“America, dream is making a comeback,” nan erstwhile first woman declared. She past tore into Republican Donald Trump, a crisp displacement from nan 2016 normal reside successful which she told her party, “When they spell low, we spell high.”

“His constricted and constrictive position of nan world made him consciousness threatened by nan beingness of 2 hardworking, highly educated, successful group who besides happened to beryllium Black,” Michelle Obama said of Trump.

Barack Obama, nan first Black president successful U.S. history, insisted nan federation is fresh to elite Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian practice and would beryllium nan nation’s first female president. He besides called Trump “a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining astir his problems since he rode down his aureate escalator 9 years ago.”

“It’s been a changeless watercourse of gripes and grievances that’s really gotten worse now that he’s acrophobic of losing to Kamala,” he said.

The fiery messages from 2 of nan Democratic Party’s biggest stars underscored nan urgency of nan infinitesimal arsenic Harris useful to stitch together a wide conjugation successful her bid to conclusion Trump this fall. The vice president is drafting connected stars for illustration nan Obamas and different celebrities, officials from nan acold near to nan middle, and moreover immoderate Republicans to boost her campaign.

And while nan taxable of nan nighttime was “a bold imagination for America’s future,” nan disparate factions of Harris’ evolving conjugation demonstrated, supra all, that they are connected by a heavy desire to forestall a 2nd Trump presidency.

In an quality possibly intended to needle Trump, his erstwhile property caput Stephanie Grisham — now a harsh professional of her erstwhile leader — besides took nan normal stage.

Trump “has nary empathy, nary morals and nary fidelity to nan truth,” Grisham said. “I emotion my state much than my party. Kamala Harris tells nan truth. She respects nan American people. And she has my vote.”

Sens. Chuck Schumer, nan Senate Democratic leader, and Bernie Sanders, nan Vermont independent beloved by progressives, some praised Harris.

Schumer called connected voters to elite different Democratic mostly to nan U.S. Senate. “She can’t do it alone,” he said of a prospective President Harris.

Sanders, a self-described antiauthoritarian socialist, said he was eager to activity pinch Harris successful nan White House arsenic well. Their argumentation goals, he said, are “not a extremist agenda.”

As Democrats addressed nan federation from Chicago, Harris faced an estimated 15,000 group successful battleground Wisconsin successful nan arena wherever Republicans held their normal past month. She said that she was moving “a people-powered campaign.”

“Together we will floor plan a caller measurement forward,” nan vice president said successful remarks that were partially broadcast to nan DNC. “A early for freedom, opportunity, of optimism and faith.”

Still, it was not each superior connected nan 2nd nighttime of nan four-day convention.

A symbolic rotation telephone successful which delegates from each authorities pledged their support for nan Democratic nominee turned into a statement atmosphere. A DJ played a operation of state-specific songs — and Atlanta autochthonal Lil Jon ran retired during Georgia’s move to his deed opus pinch DJ Snake, “Turn Down for What,” to nan delight of nan thousands wrong nan cavernous United Center.

And various speakers offered individual stories astir Harris, who has served arsenic a California legislator and vice president, but remains mostly chartless among galore voters.

Second man Doug Emhoff, who would go nan nation’s first man if his woman wins nan presidency, shared specifications astir his narration pinch nan vice president — their cooking habits, their first day and her laugh, which is often mocked by Republican critics.

“You cognize that laugh. I emotion that laugh!” Emhoff said arsenic nan crowd cheered. Later, he added, “Her empathy is her strength.”

Trump, meanwhile, was retired connected nan run way arsenic portion of his weeklong swing-state circuit during nan Democratic convention. He went to Howell, Michigan, connected Tuesday and stood speech sheriff’s deputies arsenic he branded Harris nan “ringleader” of a “Marxist onslaught connected rule enforcement” crossed nan country.

“Kamala Harris will present crime, chaos, demolition and death,” Trump said successful 1 of galore generalizations astir an America nether Harris.

Throughout their convention, Democrats person sought to equilibrium a connection of unity pinch an clasp of diversity.

Barack Obama’s reside Tuesday nighttime made possibly nan astir forceful lawsuit for that exemplary arsenic a logical measurement guardant for a bitterly divided nation. In opposition to nan party’s rhetoric successful nan caller past astir race, Obama framed nan Democrats’ attack arsenic “a caller measurement forward” for a modern nine successful opposition to a “divisive,” “old” and “tired” strategy of imagination offered by nan party’s main opponent, Trump.

Michelle Obama besides addressed title straight arsenic she jabbed Trump, referencing a remark he made successful a June debate.

“Who’s going to show him that nan occupation he’s presently seeking mightiness conscionable beryllium 1 of those ‘Black jobs’?” she said. ”It’s his aforesaid aged con: doubling down connected ugly, misogynistic, racist lies arsenic a substitute for existent ideas and solutions that will really make people’s lives better.”

Barack Obama returned to nan normal shape 20 years aft making his first quality astatine a nationalist convention, a 2004 quality successful Boston that propelled him into nan nationalist spotlight up of his successful statesmanlike run. And he praised President Joe Biden, who ended his reelection bid past period and endorsed Harris.

“History will retrieve Joe Biden arsenic a president who defended populist astatine a infinitesimal of awesome danger,” Obama said Tuesday arsenic nan crowd chanted, “Thank you, Joe.” “I americium proud to telephone him my president, but moreover prouder to telephone him my friend.”

Harris, meanwhile, formed nan predetermination successful dire, almost existential terms. She implored Americans not to get complacent successful ray of nan Supreme Court determination carving retired wide statesmanlike immunity, a powerfulness she said Trump would abuse.

She has besides seized connected Trump’s guidance to a nationally guaranteed correct to abortion.

“They seemingly don’t spot women,” she said of Trump and his Republican allies. “Well, we spot women.”

The vice president’s reside successful Milwaukee evoked immoderate of nan aforesaid themes that underlaid Biden’s lawsuit for reelection earlier he dropped out, casting Trump arsenic a threat to democracy. Harris based on that Trump threatens nan values and freedoms that Americans clasp dear.

Trump said he would beryllium a dictator only connected his first time successful office, a quip he later said was a joke, and has vowed arsenic president to asseverate much power complete national prosecutions, an area of authorities that has traditionally been near to nan Justice Department.

Someone pinch that grounds “should ne'er again person nan opportunity to guidelines down nan seal of nan president of nan United States,” Harris said. “Never again.”