The NPR Network will be reporting live from Chicago all week and bringing you the latest from the Democratic National Convention.
Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention is over, and although the evening ended with Tim Walz accepting the party’s nomination for vice president, there were a few other unexpected twists along the way.
Oprah Winfrey made a surprise appearance and Stevie Wonder gave a speech before the performance of “Higher Ground.”
In addition to justice and the theme of “joy,” reproductive rights were once again the focus of the evening, while leading Democrats tried to paint a picture of unity under Kamala Harris and chaos under Donald Trump.
Stay tuned and watch the key speeches of the evening.
Tim Walz – Governor of Minnesota
Amid a standing ovation and a sea of “Coach Walz” banners in the arena, Tim Walz gave a personal and comparatively short address to the DNC.
He spoke of his progressive politics, his admiration for Vice President Harris and his love for his family.
At the end, he called out the chant from the crowd: “If we fight, we win!”
Bill Clinton – former president
Former President Bill Clinton thanked President Biden for his service, praised Harris and emphasized how much is at stake in the November election.
“Let’s get to the point. I’m too old to sugarcoat things any more,” said Clinton, who recently turned 78. “But I’m still younger than Donald Trump,” he added to thunderous applause.
“In 2024, we face a clear choice: ‘We the people’ versus ‘Me, myself, and I,'” Clinton continued. “We the people” was the Wednesday theme of the party convention.
Oprah Winfrey – Media Owner
Oprah Winfrey, media mogul and influential talk show host, gave a thunderous speech endorsing the Harris-Walz campaign.
“We are so motivated now, we can’t wait to get out of here and do something, and what we’re going to do is elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States,” she said.
Pete Buttigieg – Secretary of Transportation
Before a cheering crowd, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg focused on the theme of “joy,” which is at the heart of the Harris campaign.
“The composition of my kitchen table, the existence of my family, are just one example of something that was literally impossible just 25 years ago, when an anxious teenager growing up in Indiana wondered if he would ever belong in this world,” he said.
He called for “better politics” and an end to Trump’s “politics of darkness.”
Amanda Gorman – Poet
Alongside musical and comedic performances from artists such as Stevie Wonder and Kenan Thompson, Amanda Gorman recited a poem to rouse the audience in Harris’ honor. In keeping with the evening’s theme of freedom, Gorman spoke of the “boldness of hope” and the vitality of voting in this election.
Wes Moore – Governor of Maryland
Governor of Maryland, Wes Moore
medical postponement
“I joined the Army when I was 17. I was actually too young to sign the papers. I had to ask my mother to sign the papers for me because I don’t have bone spurs,” he said.
Trump’s Vietnam delay was reportedly due to bone spurs.
Stevie Wonder – Musician
Stevie Wonder was on the program, but also took the podium to cheer on the crowd and preach a message of peace.
“We must choose courage over complacency. It’s time to stand up and vote,” the singer-songwriter said. “Even though our hearts have been beaten and broken, I know that in addition to prayer, it’s also important to take action. And now is the time to understand where we stand and what we need to win.”
Geoff Duncan – former Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
Former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan joined a group of Republicans on Wednesday pledging their support for Harris and portraying Trump as a fundamental threat to American democracy.
“I’m a Republican, but tonight I stand here as an American,” Duncan told the cheering crowd. “An American who cares more about the future of this country than the future of Donald Trump.”
Duncan publicly distanced himself from the Republican Party in 2020 when he rejected Trump’s lie that the election was stolen from him.
Olivia Julianna – Content Creator
For the first time, hundreds of social media creators were invited to cover the DNC.
Among them is Olivia Julianna, who not only creates content but also spoke at the convention on Wednesday evening. She said All in all that she makes no claim to impartiality, but rather sees herself as an activist.
“My ultimate goal is to convince people to get involved in politics and help them understand how government works,” she said.
Alexis McGill Johnson – President of Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson took the stage after speeches from several prominent advocacy group leaders, including one of her predecessors at Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards.
“We cannot call ourselves a free nation if women are not free,” she said, speaking at length about the challenges faced by those seeking access to reproductive care and abortion in America.
Olivia Troye – former national security official in the Trump administration
Olivia Troye, a national security official in the Trump administration, said it was “terrifying” to be part of his White House.
Troye, a Latina and child of immigrants, said she is now proud to support Harris because she believes in “protecting our freedom.”
Troye served as an adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence on homeland security and counterterrorism, but left the White House in August 2020 after recognizing the risks she believed Trump’s leadership posed to the country.
Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg – parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who is being held hostage by Hamas
Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, excitedly took the podium and called for a ceasefire so that the 109 remaining Hamas hostages can return home.
For some time now, Polin and Goldberg have been wearing a piece of tape on their chests, on which is written in marker the number of days their son has been held captive. Today it reads: 320.
Goldberg could barely speak as the crowd chanted, “Take her home!”
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NPR’s Bruce Grant contributed to the production of this report.
