2020 Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention kicks off today. The completely virtual event will happen on four stages setup in New York City, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Wilmington, Delaware, and will end with the formal nomination of former Vice President Joe Biden and his vice-presidential running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris.
According to the DNC's website, the convention is an opportunity to show the American people what democrats stand for as a party and unite people around shared values. In addition to fulfilling their nominating duties, Democratic Party members from across the country will also work together during the convention to adopt the official 2020 Democratic Party platform.
The Democratic National Convention will take place virtually August 17-20, with keynote speakers from 9-11 p.m. ET each night. Joe Biden will formally accept the nomination for president on Thursday night and Kamala Harris will accept the nomination for vice president on Wednesday.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo will headline the first night of the Democratic National Convention, with a speaking slot in prime time tonight!
Cuomo has been governor of NY for nine years, and took the national spotlight this spring, when he conducted daily televised briefings during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York.
The DNC will only air two hours of prime-time programming a day. The official program for the opening night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, happening Monday, August 17 from 9:00-11:00 PM Eastern.
The list of speakers includes Michelle Obama on Monday, Jill Biden on Tuesday and former President Obama on Wednesday. Biden will accept the nomination virtually from his home state of Delaware, rather than traveling to Milwaukee.
Here is who is slated to speak each day of the Democratic National Convention:
Monday
- Senator Bernie Sanders
- Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
- Governor Andrew Cuomo
- Governor Gretchen Whitmer
- Congressman Jim Clyburn
- Congressman Bennie Thompson
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore
- Former Governor John Kasich
- Senator Doug Jones
- Senator Amy Klobuchar
- Former first lady Michelle Obama
Tuesday
- Former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
- Former Secretary of State John Kerry
- Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester
- Former President Bill Clinton
- Former second lady Jill Biden
Wednesday
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
- Senator Elizabeth Warren
- Governor Tony Evers
- Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
- Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
- Senator Kamala Harris
- Former President Barack Obama
Thursday
- Senator Cory Booker
- Governor Gavin Newsom
- Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
- Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg
- Senator Tammy Baldwin
- Senator Tammy Duckworth
- Senator Chris Coons
- The Biden family
- Former Vice President Joe Biden
How to watch the Democratic National Convention
- What: Democratic National Convention
- Date: Monday, August 17 to Thursday, August 20, 2020
- The official livestream will be here. It will also be available on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.
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ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News will carry the convention from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. each night. C-SPAN, CNN, MSNBC and PBS will cover the full two hours each night.
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Streams will be available on Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV by searching “Democratic National Convention” or “2020 DNC,” and on Amazon Prime Video by searching “DNC.”
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The convention will air on AT&T U-verse (channels 212 and 1212) and AT&T DirectTV (channel 201). It will also air on Comcast Xfinity Flex and Comcast X1 (say “DNC” into your voice remote).
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You can watch on a PlayStation 4 or PSVR through the Littlstar app.
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If you have an Alexa device, you can say “Alexa, play the Democratic National Convention.”
Click here for more information in Spanish.
MONDAY'S PROGRAMMING
Monday Night’s Theme is “We the People”
The official program for the opening night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, happening Monday, August 17 from 9:00-11:00 PM Eastern.
The theme of Monday’s program is “We the People.” America is facing a series of monumental challenges—as the COVID-19 pandemic continues its rampage, tens of millions of people are out of work, and our nation confronts a legacy of racial injustice that has marginalized too many. But as we have learned throughout our history, when we stand united, we can overcome anything.
Highlights from tonight’s program are listed below, with additional special guests slated to join throughout the evening:
WE THE PEOPLE
Introduction
Eva Longoria
American actress
“We the People” Gavel In
Everyday Americans will read the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, before Convention Chair and The Honorable Bennie Thompson officially gavels in the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Call to Order
The Honorable Bennie Thompson
Permanent Chair of the 2020 Democratic National Convention
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mississippi
Pledge of Allegiance
National Anthem
A multicultural choir performing virtually with singers representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Cheyenne Nation and five territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Invocation
Reverend Gabriel Salguero
President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Co-lead pastor of The Lamb’s Church in New York, New York
Remarks
The Honorable Gwen Moore
Sergeant-at-Arms of the 2020 Democratic National Convention
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin
WE THE PEOPLE DEMANDING RACIAL JUSTICE
Remarks
The Honorable Muriel Bowser
Mayor of Washington, D.C.
Performance
Leon Bridges
American singer
“The Path Forward”: A Conversation with Vice President Biden on Racial Justice
Vice President Biden engages with, and listens to, social justice activist Jamira Burley, Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, and author Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner, about how America can move forward towards equality, fairness, and justice for all.
Remarks
The Honorable James Clyburn
House Democratic Whip
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, South Carolina
WE THE PEOPLE HELPING EACH OTHER THROUGH COVID-19
Remarks
The Honorable Andrew Cuomo
Governor of the State of New York
Remarks
Kristin Urquiza
A woman whose father lost his life to COVID-19.
A Conversation with Healthcare Workers on the Front Lines
A conversation with a doctor, paramedic, and two nurses on the front lines of this pandemic about what they’ve endured, and what’s at stake in this election for America’s essential medical workers.
Introduction of Performer
The Honorable Sara Gideon
Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives
Performance
Maggie Rogers
American singer-songwriter
Remarks
The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer
Governor of the State of Michigan
WE THE PEOPLE PUTTING COUNTRY OVER PARTY
Remarks
The Honorable Christine Whitman
Former Governor of New Jersey
Meg Whitman
Former CEO of Hewlett Packard
The Honorable Susan Molinari
Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York
Remarks
The Honorable John Kasich
Former Governor of the State of Ohio
Remarks
The Honorable Doug Jones
United States Senator, Alabama
Remarks
The Honorable Catherine Cortez Masto
United States Senator, Nevada
Remarks
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
United States Senator, Minnesota
“United We Stand”
Former 2020 Democratic candidates for president of the United States will come together once again to talk about why they ran, what they’re fighting for, and why they believe Joe Biden will bring the nation together, move the nation out of crisis and chaos, and move us forward —featuring Vice Presidential Nominee and Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Cory Booker, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Governor Jay Inslee, Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Representative Seth Moulton, Former U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke, Tom Steyer, and Andrew Yang.
WE THE PEOPLE RECOVERING
Remarks
The Honorable Cedric Richmond
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Louisiana
Remarks
The Honorable Bernie Sanders
United States Senator, Vermont
WE THE PEOPLE RISE
Keynote Remarks
Michelle Obama
Former First Lady of the United States
Performance
Billy Porter and Steven Stills
American singer-songwriters
Benediction
Reverend Dr. Jerry Young
18th President of the National Baptist Convention, USA
