Yahoo News Staff
Updated
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz officially accepted the Democratic party's nomination for vice president on night three of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday night.
Walz's acceptance speech followed appearances by Oprah Winfrey, former President Bill Clinton, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Night three also saw performances by Stevie Wonder and Maren Morris, and a Prince tribute by John Legend and Sheila E.
Each night of the DNC, which will run through Thursday, will be streamed on YouTube, and you can watch it on cable or streamers like Hulu, Paramount+, Peaco*ck and Max.
Yahoo News will live-blog primetime speeches and provide analysis and key takeaways afterward. Our extensive partner network will also provide breaking news and analysis. Stick with us for full coverage.
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Katie Mather
3rd night of DNC wraps up
The third night of the DNC ended with Tim Walz accepting the VP nomination.
In anticipation of tomorrow night, when Harris will accept the presidential nomination, Walz concluded his speech praising Harris.
“No matter who you are, Kamala Harris is going to stand up and fight for your freedom to live the life that you want to lead," he said. "Because that is what we want for ourselves and it is what we want for our neighbors."
David Knowles
Walz outlines 'clip and save it' policy proposals
In his speech at the DNC on Wednesday, Walz began outlining the Harris campaign's priorities should they defeat Trump in the November election.
"I think we owe it to the American people to tell them exactly what she'd do as president before we ask them for their votes. So this is the part, clip and save it and send it to your undecided relatives so that they know," Walz said, before listing a series of proposals, none of which were particularly fleshed out:
"If you're a middle class family or a family trying to get into the middle class, Kamala Harris is going to cut your taxes."
"If you're getting squeezed by prescription drug prices, Kamala Harris is going to take on Big Pharma."
"If you're hoping to buy a home, Kamala Harris is going to help make it more affordable."
"And, no matter who you are, Kamala Harris is going to stand up and fight for your freedom to live the life that you want to lead."
Katie Mather
Walz: 'While other states were banning books from their schools, we were banishing hunger from ours.'
During his remarks on freedom, Walz said, "While other states were banning books from their schools, we were banishing hunger from ours."
He's referencing the Free School Meals for Kids bill that he signed that went into effect in July 2023. The legislation gives state reimbursem*nt funds to provide free breakfast and lunches to all students at schools that opt into the program.
David Knowles
Walz: 'It's the honor of my life to accept your nomination for vice president'
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president on Wednesday and thanked Vice President Kamala Harris "for putting your trust in me."
"It's the honor of my life to accept your nomination for vice president of the United States," Walz said, before hitting on one of the night's rhetorical themes: "Thank you for bringing the joy to this fight."
Walz used his speech to introduce himself to a country that has just begun to get familiar with his background as a teacher, coach, military veteran and governor.
"Never underestimate a public school teacher," Walz said.
Neia Balao
John Legend and Sheila E. perform Prince tribute
Joined by percussionist Sheila E., John Legend closed out the performances for night three of the DNC with a tribute to Prince. The EGOT-winning artist brought the crowd to their feet with a rendition of "Let's Go Crazy" from the late "Purple Rain" rocker's sixth studio album.
Earlier on Wednesday, Legend spoke of Harris on CBS Mornings, saying: "She is eminently qualified to be president. And then she also has the right character traits I think to be a great president, which means she cares about people's lives, wants government to work for people and improve their lives."
Katie Mather
Pete Buttigieg describes a future with 'a better kind of politics'
Pete Buttigieg, the secretary of transportation, took a moment at the beginning of his speech to slam JD Vance, the Republican nominee for vice president.
"Don't even get me started on his running mate. At least Mike Pence was polite. JD Vance is one of those guys who thinks if you don't live the life he has in mind for you, you don't count," he said. “Choosing a guy like JD Vance to be America’s next vice president sends a message, and the message is that they are doubling down on negativity and grievance, committing to a concept of campaigning best summed up in one word: darkness."
Buttigieg's speech attempted to dismantle this perception that politics is "dark" and instead talked about a "better kind of politics" that's possible with the Harris-Walz ticket.
"This November, we get to choose," Buttigieg said. "Choose our president, choose our policies and, most of all, choose a better politics — a politics that calls us to our better selves and offers us a better everything. That is what Kamala Harris and Tim Walz represent."
Buttigieg was also said to be a finalist for Kamala Harris’s VP pick. The former South Bend, Ind., mayor is a military veteran, a Rhodes Scholar and the openly gay, married father of two adopted children. As a abinet member in the Biden administration, he has regularly appeared as a guest on Fox News, articulating Democratic policy positions.
David Knowles
Night 3 so far
If you're just tuning in, the third night of the Democratic National Convention has been filled with notable moments, from Stevie Wonder's rousing performance of "Higher Ground," to what could be Bill Clinton's final DNC address, to Oprah Winfrey's mic-drop speech, to national youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman's debut of a new work. A recurrent theme on Wednesday was that a Harris administration would protect American freedoms, working to keep the government from banning books and from politicians who seek to restrict access to reproductive health care. Still to come, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's acceptance of the party's vice presidential nomination.
Colin Campbell
Oprah: Freedom 'requires standing up to life's bullies'
Talk show host and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey made an unscheduled appearance at the Democratic Convention, where she delivered something of a sermon for the cheering crowd.
"I am so honored to have been asked to speak on tonight's theme about what matters most to me, to you, and to all of us Americans: freedom," she said,
"There are people who want you to see our country as a nation of us against them. People who want to scare you. People who want to rule you. People who'd have you believe that books are dangerous and assault rifles are safe. That there's a right way to worship and a wrong way to love. People who seek first to divide and then to conquer. But here's the thing: When we stand together, it's impossible to conquer us."
She added: "Freedom isn't free. America is an ongoing project. It requires commitment. It requires being open to the hard work and the heart work of democracy. And every now and then it requires standing up to life's bullies."
Winfrey later took a dig at Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance's infamous quip about "childless cat ladies" supposedly leading the Democratic Party.
Despite what some would have you think, we are not so different from our neighbors. When a house is on fire, we don't ask about the homeowner's race or religion. We don't wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No! We just try to do the best we can to save them. And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out too," she said to laughter.
Neia Balao
Amanda Gorman debuts new poem 'This Sacred Scene'
Amanda Gorman, the first National Youth Poet Laureate, debuted her new poem "This Sacred Scene" at the DNC on Wednesday night.
"Only now, approaching this rare air, are we aware that perhaps the American dream is no dream at all, but instead a dare to dream together," she recited. "Like a million roots tethered, branching up humbly, making one tree, this is our country for many, one from battles won, our freedoms sung, our kingdom come has just begun. We redeem this sacred scene, ready for our journey from it."
Gorman continued, "Together we must birth this early republic and achieve an unearthly summit. Let us not just believe in the American dream, let us be worthy of it."
Ahead of her performance, the Los Angeles native told Vanity Fair that the poem had evolved from "celebrating an incumbent to expressing hope for what could be, especially at the idea of having a Black-Indian woman be president."
The Harvard graduate was catapulted into the spotlight when she recited her poem "The Hill We Climb" at President Biden's 2021 inauguration.
Katie Mather
Shapiro outlines his definition of 'real freedom'
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro took the stage Wednesday night a little later than originally expected.
"We are the party of real freedom," Shapiro said. "Freedom" has been a big theme throughout tonight's speeches.
"What [Trump] is offering isn't freedom at all," he said. "We are the party of real freedom. The kind of real freedom that comes when that child has a great public school and an awesome teacher, because we believe in her future. Real freedom that comes when we invest in the police and in the community so that child can walk to and from school and get home safely."
Shapiro was said to be a finalist to be Kamala Harris’s running mate. Shapiro, who is the governor of a crucial battleground state and is Jewish, denied claims made by Trump that he was not selected due to antisemitism.
"Antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president. Absolutely none,” Shapiro said this week. “It is also true that antisemitism is present in our commonwealth, in our country and in some areas within our party, and we have to stand up and speak out against that.”
"I have never been more hopeful," Shapiro told the crowd. "I see it in all of you, the enduring promise of America."
Colin Campbell
'I have no idea how many more of these I'll be able to come to'
Former President Bill Clinton has been addressing Democratic National Conventions since the 1970s, a fact he acknowledged as he wrapped up his speech Wednesday night. He has delivered at least a dozen speeches at the party events.
"I want to say this from the bottom of my heart: I have no idea how many more of these I'll be able to come to. I started in '76 and I've been to every one since. But no — '72! Lord, I'm getting old," Clinton, 78, said. "But here's what I want you to know: If you vote for this team, if you can get them elected, and let them bring in this breath of fresh air, you'll be proud of it for the rest of your life."
Clinton also closed his speech by asking Democrats to talk to their neighbors, including those who disagree with them politically, and have civil discussions about the election.
"I urge you to talk to all your neighbors. I urge you to meet people where they are. I urge you to not to demean them, but not to pretend you don't disagree with them if you do. Treat them with respect, just the way you'd like them to treat you," he said.
Neia Balao
Maren Morris kicks off performances for DNC night three
Country-pop singer-songwriter Maren Morris kicked off the musical performances during the third night of the DNC. The Grammy winner performed her 2020 track “Better Than We Found It,” in which she addresses police brutality in America.
Having publicly endorsed Biden and Harris and denounced Trump in 2020, Morris has long been forthright about her political leanings. In 2023, the Texas-born singer told the Los Angeles Times that she’d be leaving country music due to the genre’s racist and misogynist history.
“I am honored to be performing at the Democratic National Convention for the first time ever,” Morris told the Tennessean ahead of Wednesday night's performance. “It’s a moment where we, as a country, can come together and hear rational plans for the future of women’s and LGBTQ rights. We can be inspired by people’s stories and navigate a safe path forward for our children.”
David Knowles
Clinton's claim that Democrats create more jobs than Republicans is 'mostly true,' according to Politifact
At the DNC on Wednesday, former President Bill Clinton made a startling claim about job growth.
"You're going to have a hard time believing this, but so help me, I triple-checked it. Since the end of the Cold War in 1989, America has created about 51 million new jobs. What's the score? Democrats 50. Republicans 1." he said.
In their fact check of similar claims made by Democrats, Politifact wrote the following:
"The official source of employment numbers, tabulated by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows the number of jobs created since 1989 — under Republican Presidents George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump, and Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden — is 50.6 million.
"Of that number, 97.4% were created under Clinton, Obama and Biden."
Their final ruling: The claim is "mostly true."
Colin Campbell
Bill Clinton calls election 'greatest job interview,' mentions Trump's age
Former President Bill Clinton called presidential elections the "greatest job interview for the greatest job in the world." He added: "The Constitution says 'we the people' get to do the hiring."
Clinton suggested how voters might think about the so-called interview:
"Here's what I'm thinking, because I try to apply this in every election: Will this president take us backward or forward. Will this president give our kids a brighter future? ... Will this president bring us together or tear us apart? Will the president increase the peace, the security, the stability and freedom that we enjoy and extend it to others as we can? We the people, we have to make a decision about these kinds of questions. And every four years it's a little different."
Clinton also drew some applause by mentioning his recent birthday.
"Two days ago I turned 78," he said. "And the only personal vanity I want to assert is that I am still younger than Donald Trump."(Bill Clinton was born Aug. 19, 1946. Trump was born about two months earlier: June 14, 1946.)
David Knowles
Bill Clinton praises Biden's decision to drop out of race
Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, addressed the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, his 12th-straight appearance at his party's nomination convention.
"Let me ask you something: After the past two days, aren't you proud to be a Democrat?" Clinton, 78, began.
"I do want to say one word about President Biden," he continued. "Remember, he had an improbable turn that made him president and we were in the middle of a pandemic and an economic crash. He healed our sick and put the rest of us back to work."
Noting more of Biden's accomplishments, he added that "then he did something that's really hard for a politician to do; he voluntarily gave up political power."
Clinton said that decision would "enhance his political legacy."
"I want to thank him for his courage, compassion, his class, his service, his sacrifice," Clinton said.
Neia Balao
Mindy Kaling refers to herself as the woman who 'courageously outed' Harris as Indian
In introducing herself to the audience in Chicago, actress Mindy Kaling, the celebrity host for night three of the DNC, recalled the time Vice President Harris visited her Los Angeles home to cook dosas, a South Asian dish.
"It's not every day that a senator comes over and I was pretty nervous," Kaling said on Wednesday night. "But when she arrived we immediately hit it off. We talked about the love we had for our moms, who had both passed away from cancer. Both of our mothers were immigrants from India who came to America and committed their lives to serving others."
"The Mindy Project" actress went on to admit that what she remembers most about Harris is her ability to cook.
"Kamala Harris can cook. Guys, she was so much better than me," she said. "But she also knew that my family was watching. So, as she gently corrected my sloppy dosa-making, she was complimenting me every step of the way. Making sure that my daughter Kit heard how good of a cook I am. She had no desire to be seen as better than anyone else. She just wanted my kid to be impressed with her mom."
Earlier this month, Trump dragged Kaling into his racist attacks on Harris when he shared the aforementioned cooking video on Truth Social. Kaling briefly addressed this on stage at the DNC.
"For those of you who don't know me, I am an incredibly famous Gen Z actress who you might recognize from 'The Office,' 'The Mindy Project' or as the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video," she told the crowd.
Colin Campbell
Hakeem Jeffries to Trump: 'Bro, we broke up with you for a reason.'
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries compared former President Donald Trump to an "old boyfriend" during his address Wednesday night.
The road ahead will not be easy, which brings me to you know who. Donald Trump is like an old boyfriend who you broke up with but he just won't go away," the Brooklyn Democrat said.
"Bro, we broke up with you for a reason," he said, going on to attack Trump's record on the COVID pandemic, the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, abortion and other issues.
"There's no reason for us to ever, ever get back together," Jeffries continued. "Been there, done that, we're not going back."
Katie Mather
Kenan Thompson puts faces to Project 2025 policies
Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson injected the third night of the DNC with a little humor, and brought the oversized "Project 2025" book back to the stage.
“You ever seen a document that can kill a small animal and end democracy at the same time?” he asked. “Here it is.”
Thompson interacted with several Americans who would be directly affected by Project 2025's policies, putting real faces to the policy proposals outlined for the next Republican administration.
Neia Balao
Stevie Wonder urges DNC viewers to 'go vote' ahead of 'Higher Ground' performance
Before Stevie Wonder serenaded the DNC with a rendition of his 1973 single "Higher Ground," he urged viewers to "choose courage over complacency" and to "get up and go vote."
Wonder emphasized the importance of rising above anger and division and to "keep on keeping on" until the United States has reached a higher ground.
"You know we need Kamala Harris. Yes, we do," he said. "And we need a great man as a future vice president. You know that. I'm depending on you to do, as Spike Lee would say, 'the right thing.'"
The 25-time Grammy-winning artist, who was welcomed to the stage with roaring applause, also gave a shout-out to Vice President Harris during the funeral earlier this month for Motown singer Duke Fakir of the Four Tops.
Katie Mather
Miss. Rep. Bennie Thompson, Sergeant Aquilino Gonell recall Jan. 6 riot
Following a video presentation featuring body camera footage from the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson compared the violence to the racial violence his father faced as a Black man.
Thompson is the former chairman of the House Jan. 6 select committee that investigated Trump’s actions on the day and leading up to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that sought to block the Electoral College certification of Biden’s 2020 election win.
Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, a Capitol Police officer who was there during the Jan. 6 riot, said “I was assaulted with a pole attached to the American flag. President Trump summoned our attackers, incited them. He betrayed us."
In an op-ed he wrote for the New York Times, as an Army veteran, Gonell said, "I've never witnessed anything like the Jan. 6 attack — even in combat in Iraq."
Gonell had to get multiple surgeries on his foot and shoulder following the riot.
