Democratic national convention 2024

Subterms

    More stories

    • 163 Shares167 Views

      in US Politics

      The Guardian view on Kamala Harris’s speech: the Democrats have liftoff | Editorial

      by

      Little more than a month ago, what the Democratic party has achieved in Chicago this week would have seemed unthinkable. Yet, in a few short weeks, the party has dumped a stumbling Joe Biden as its nominee, seamlessly installed Kamala Harris as his unchallenged replacement, acclaimed Tim Walz as her running mate, reinvigorated its campaign and its finances, and made itself competitive against Donald Trump again. If that was not enough, Ms Harris’s acceptance speech on Thursday topped off a convention week that at times brimmed with commitment and enthusiasm.It all adds up to a textbook political transformation. It has had many in the party pinching themselves in disbelief. Though they all left it dangerously late, those who made this happen deserve the gratitude of millions, and not just in the US. The campaign has now achieved as powerful a liftoff as could have been hoped in the circumstances. Yet this is only the start. There is still an election to win, an election that will shape America and the world. The feelgood mood in Chicago will turn to ashes if Mr Trump is elected.Ms Harris had two particular tasks this week. The easier one, as it has turned out, was to unite the party and send it out into the campaign in an energised and winning mood. This was never really in doubt during the week, although it came at the price of a ruthless marginalisation of the party’s most pro‑Palestinian supporters. The harder task was for the vice‑president to use her primetime speech to demonstrate a personal evolution into someone whom Americans can see and hear as a potential president and commander in chief.She succeeded in this too, and with something to spare. There were obvious nerves at times, a useful reminder of the vertiginous remaking of her life that has taken place so suddenly, and which may make her the most powerful woman on the planet in a few months’ time. Nevertheless, by opting for seriousness, rather than rhetoric or knockabout, Ms Harris showed that she measures up to what matters most about the presidency. It also established one of many contrasts with Mr Trump – “an unserious man”, she called him.She described herself as realistic and practical, and she made a practical speech, not a dazzler. She focused on working- and middle-class voters, but without extolling trade unions, as Mr Biden would have done. She ticked boxes – the cost of living, housing, foreign policy (including Palestinian statehood) among them – rather than trying to touch the oratorical stars. Though she reflected on her own life story and her “unlikely journeys”, Ms Harris did not major on issues of identity. In its most powerful section the speech focused on the Republican threat to women’s reproductive rights. But the overriding tone was inclusive and unifying, another dramatic contrast with Mr Trump.Now, though, the Democrats must put the balloons and the Kamala merchandise aside, and kick on. Ms Harris must kick on too. This is her party now, not Mr Biden’s, the Obamas’ or the Clintons’. There has been an uptick in the polls, and the convention may generate another. The Democrats have had an often spectacular week. But there are another 10 weeks in the campaign to go, they face a brutal, unprincipled foe, and things could get tougher. So far, so good. But this is a very tight presidential contest indeed, and it is nowhere near over yet. More

    • 188 Shares177 Views

      in US Politics

      Harris wants to bring ‘joy, joy, joy’ to Americans. What about Palestinians? | Arwa Mahdawi

      by

      Muslim Women for Harris is disbandingGot any spare brooms to hand? I think the folk at the Democratic national convention may need a few extra because they’ve been very busy this week trying to sweep the carnage in Gaza under the rug.Hope and joy have been the big themes of the convention. On Wednesday, Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, told the crowd that working to get Kamala Harris elected would mean “joy, joy, joy comes in the morning”. It is wonderful to see all this exuberance, all this optimism for a brighter future. But it is also impossible not to contrast the revelry in Chicago with the Biden administration-sponsored suffering coming out of Gaza.Well, it’s impossible for some of us, anyway. For plenty of delegates at the convention, the suffering of Palestinians, the harrowing images on social media of charred babies and toddlers in Gaza whose heads have been caved in from US-manufactured bombs, seem to be nothing more than an annoying distraction. Pro-Palestinian protesters at the convention haven’t just been met with stony faces, they’ve been met with jeers and violence. One delegate inside the convention was caught on camera repeatedly hitting a Muslim woman in the head with a “We Love Joe” sign. The woman’s crime was that she had peacefully unfurled a banner saying “Stop Arming Israel”. It’s not clear who the man assaulting this woman was but one imagines he will not face any consequences.To be fair, Gaza hasn’t been completely ignored. On Monday, there was a panel centered on Palestinian human rights, in which Dr Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric doctor who treated patients in Gaza, talked about the horrors she had witnessed. But the panel, while important, wasn’t on the main stage. It wasn’t given star billing like the parents of the Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who gave an emotional speech on Wednesday. It felt a lot like pro-Palestinian activists had just been tossed a few crumbs.For a brief moment, it did seem like a Palestinian might get a proper chance to speak. The Uncommitted National Movement, which launched an anti-war protest vote during the primaries, had been urging convention officials to include two Palestinian American speakers on the convention’s main stage. “We are learning that Israeli hostages’ families will be speaking from the main stage. We strongly support that decision and also strongly hope that we will also be hearing from Palestinians who’ve endured the largest civilian death toll since 1948,” the movement’s statement released on Tuesday read.By Wednesday evening, however, it seemed clear that the convention had rejected these requests. In response, a group of uncommitted delegates staged a sit-in in front of Chicago’s United Center. Ilhan Omar joined the demonstration, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called in via FaceTime.In light of the convention’s refusal to have a Palestinian American speaker, the group Muslim Women for Harris made the decision to disband and withdraw support for Harris. “The family of the Israeli hostage that was on the stage tonight, has shown more empathy towards Palestinian Americans and Palestinians, than our candidate or the DNC has,” Muslim Women for Harris’s statement read.For those of us who have been cautiously optimistic that Harris might break from Joe Biden’s disastrous policy of unconditional support for Israel, this week has been bitterly disappointing. Whoever wins this election, it seems clear joy, joy, joy will not be coming to Gaza anytime soon. Just more bombs, bombs, bombs.Dismiss ‘grannies’ as frail old biddies at your perilWhether it’s “Nans against Nazis” protesting in Liverpool or the Raging Nannies getting arrested at US army recruitment centers, older women are some of the toughest activists out there, writes Sally Feldman.Woman, 75, uses gardening tools to fill in potholes outside home in Scottish villageArmed with a bucket and spade, Jenny Paterson undertook the resurfacing work against her doctor’s orders. She’d had surgery and wasn’t supposed to lift things but said: “I’m fine and I’m not a person to sit around and do nothing anyway.” Which has given me some inspiration to pick up a rake and go tackle the raggedy roads of Philadelphia.The late Queen Elizabeth II thought Donald Trump was ‘very rude’Apparently, she also “believed Trump ‘must have some sort of arrangement’ with his wife, Melania, or else why would she have remained married to him?”skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionHow Tanya Smith stole $40m, evaded the FBI and broke out of prisonThe Guardian has a fascinating profile of Smith that touches on how the FBI couldn’t catch her for so long because they didn’t think a Black woman was capable of orchestrating her crimes. In Smith’s memoir, she recounts how one officer told her that “neeee-grroes murder, steal and rob, but they don’t have the brains to commit sophisticated crimes like this”.A clueless Alicia Silverstone eats poisonous fruit off a bushIf you’re wandering the streets of London and see a bush in someone’s front garden with mysterious fruit on it, should you a) admire it and move on? Or b) reach through the fence and film a TikTok of yourself munching the lil street snack while asking whether anyone knows what the heck it is? This week, Silverstone chose option b. The woman thinks vaccines are dodgy and yet she has no problem sticking an unknown fruit into her mouth. Turns out it was toxic but Silverstone has confirmed she’s OK, which means we can all laugh at her without feeling too bad about it.Women use ChatGPT 16%-20% less than their male peersThat’s according to two recent studies examined by the Economist. One explanation for this was that high-achieving women appeared to impose an AI ban on themselves. “It’s the ‘good girl’ thing,” one researcher said. “It’s this idea that ‘I have to go through this pain, I have to do it on my own and I shouldn’t cheat and take short-cuts.’” Very demure, very mindful.Patriarchal law cuts some South African women off from owning their homesBack in the 1990s, South Africa introduced a new land law (the Upgrading of Land Tenure Rights Act) that was supposed to fix the injustices of apartheid. It upgraded the property rights of Black long-term leaseholders so they could own their homes. But only a man could hold the property permit, effectively pushing women out of inheriting. Since the 1990s, there have been challenges and changes to the Upgrading Act, but experts say that women’s property rights are still not sufficiently recognized and “customary law has placed women outside the law”.The week in pawtriarchyThey stared into the void of an arcade game, and the void stared back. Punters at a Pennsylvania custard shop were startled when they realized that the cute little groundhog nestled among the stuffed animals in a mechanical-claw game was a real creature. Nobody knows exactly how he got into the game but he has since been rescued and named Colonel Custard. “It’s a good story that ended well,” the custard shop manager said. “He got set free. No one got bit.” More

    • 300 Shares98 Views

      in US Politics

      Kamala Harris’s speech was the test of her political life. She passed, but there will be others – not least Gaza | Arwa Mahdawi

      by

      On 22 August 1964, a Black activist called Fannie Lou Hamer gave an iconic speech at the Democratic national convention (DNC), taking the party to task for its failure to support equal voting rights. Hamer did not get what she wanted that particular night in Atlantic City, but she helped pave the way for a new generation of American leaders.On the 60th anniversary of that historic address, Kamala Harris stood centre stage at the DNC in Chicago as the Democratic party’s candidate for president and gave the most important speech of her life. The buildup to Thursday night was intense; Harris had been prepping furiously for this pivotal moment, reportedly workshopping her speech “nearly line by line”.If the weight of history, and the pressure of the present, hung heavy on Harris’s shoulders she did not let it show. Ever since Joe Biden passed her the baton a month ago Harris has been a changed woman. Gone is the uncertain vice-president who didn’t seem quite at ease in her role. Gone is the often-awkward orator. Harris is in her element now and it shows. She’s spent the last month radiating joy. Electric and effervescent, she did not so much speak last night as sing.While joy has been a major theme of the DNC, Harris’s speech made clear she wasn’t just about good vibes, she was ready to get to work. “OK, let’s get to business,” she said repeatedly as an exuberant crowd greeted her entrance with seemingly endless applause and chants of “USA”.A key point of business? Unity. “I know there are people of various political views watching tonight,” she said looking directly at the camera. “And I want you to know: I promise to be a president for all Americans.”To underscore this promise, Harris presented herself as a regular American whose modest upbringing, unlike Donald-silver-spoon-Trump, many could relate to. She started by speaking about her early life and her brilliant, trailblazing, immigrant mother, who “taught us to never complain about injustice, but do something about it”. She talked about growing up in the Bay Area of California in a “a beautiful working-class neighbourhood of firefighters, nurses, and construction workers”. And she spoke about how she decided to become a prosecutor to fight for the vulnerable after a high-school friend told her she was being sexually abused by her stepfather.These stories weren’t just supposed to make Harris seem relatable, they were there to help her seem authentic. One of Harris’s biggest weaknesses when she unsuccessfully ran for the 2020 nomination was her inability to really define herself. Some critics called her a “cop” and a “bully”, others called her dangerously liberal. Back then, Harris didn’t seem entirely sure of what she stood for. Standing on the stage in Chicago on Thursday, however, Harris opened herself up. She owned her story.While Harris may have begun by speaking about her past, the real focus of her acceptance speech was the US’s future. She thanked Biden gracefully but also signalled that he was now in the rear-view mirror. “We are not going back, and we are charting a new way forward, forward to a future with a strong and growing middle class … building that middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency,” she said.Harris’s campaign hasn’t been very heavy on policy so far and this speech also stayed fairly surface-level. However this focus on the middle class echoed the populist economic policy agenda she previewed at a speech in North Carolina last week. In that speech she talked about bringing down the price of groceries, prescription drugs, and housing. Whether a Harris administration would actually be able to do all of this is up for debate, but it is certainly a message that resonates across all party lines.The substance of Harris’s vision for the future, however, wasn’t so much about a cheaper loaf of bread as a safer democracy. The vice-president spoke bluntly about the threat a second Trump term holds. “In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man. But the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious,” she said. “Consider the power he will have, especially after the United States supreme court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution.”It was difficult not to consider, also, how much closer the US was to that terrifying possibility a month ago. With Biden at the helm, the Democratic party seemed on a course towards almost certain defeat. Now, while the race is still excruciatingly tight, the polls have turned in Harris’s favour. She has incredible momentum and, as her speech made very clear, she has what Biden sorely lacked: the energy to fight.Nowhere was the contrast with Biden more apparent than when Harris spoke about reproductive rights. The nominee spoke stirringly about how she’d travelled across the US and heard stories of “women miscarrying in a parking lot, developing sepsis, losing the ability to ever again have children, all because doctors are afraid they may go to jail for caring for their patients”. God was it refreshing to hear her talk about abortion like she really cares. One of Biden’s many weaknesses was that he could never seem to stop his personal distaste for abortion from coming to the fore; he always seemed half-hearted. He could not channel the visceral anger emanating from American women.“We’re not going back! We’re not going back!” That phrase, spoken by Harris, chanted by the crowd, rang through her speech. But despite the joy and the optimism it was difficult not to think back to Hamer’s speech. The activist, who was name-checked by the likes of Maxine Waters, member of the US House of Representatives for California, at the DNC, is celebrated by the establishment now, but when she was fighting for equality, she was reviled. During her testimony in 1964, then-president Lyndon B Johnson even called a news conference to try to divert attention from her; he was worried her speech would alienate white voters in the south from voting for Democrats. Today it’s clear that Palestinian-Americans, and people fighting for Palestinian rights, are similarly inconvenient to the Democratic party and its message of unity.While Harris paid lip service to the crisis in Gaza and called for a ceasefire, what she said about the issue in her speech wasn’t as important as who was not given a speaking slot at the DNC. Despite pleas from pro-Palestinian members of the party, the Democrats failed to give a Palestinian-American a slot on the main stage. “No one should be made to fight alone,” Harris said in her speech. “We are all in this together.” They were stirring words – but it is hard to feel that we really are all in this together. Harris has laid out an invigorating vision for America’s future. It is a shame the DNC chose to leave Palestinian-Americans behind.

      Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist More

    • 188 Shares128 Views

      in US Politics

      Harris urges America to choose ‘freedom and fairness’ over Trump extremism – as it happened

      by

      Kamala Harris then accepted the Democratic presidential nomination:
      So, on behalf of the people, on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks, on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey on behalf of Americans, like the people I grew up with, people who work hard, chase their dreams and look out for one another, on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth. I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America.
      The room erupted into applause.This blog is closing now, thanks for following along. Here is Joan E Greve’s piece on the last night of the DNC:It was not a political address for the ages. It was not even the best of the convention (no one can compete with the Obamas). But Kamala Harris did enough in her speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday to put an exclamation mark on one of the most dramatic turnarounds in modern political history.And she made you reflect that you would not want to be Donald Trump facing her in next month’s televised debate. A speech that was short on policy and poetry was nevertheless devastating in skewering the menace from Mar-a-Lago. Trump can expect the same kind of interrogation when the two go head to head that would make most mortals tremble.Just over a month after Joe Biden exited the race and passed her the baton, this was the most important speech of Harris’s career as she sought to build on the momentum of huge crowds, record fundraising and viral phenomena on social media. Long in Biden’s shadow as vice-president, the primary objective was to make the American public comfortable with the notion of a President Harris regularly appearing on their screens.Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday with a sweeping, pointed speech in which she vowed to prosecute the case against Donald Trump and carry the country to a brighter and fairer future.In an address that balanced optimism with scathing criticism of her opponent, Harris acknowledged her “unlikely” path to the nomination and extended her hand to voters of all political ideologies who believe in America’s promise. Harris would make history if elected – as the first woman, first Black woman and first Asian American woman to serve as president – but she instead focused on the history that the country could change in November.“Our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way forward – not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans,” Harris told thousands of Democrats in Chicago.She then said to roaring applause: “On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America.”The speech came just one month after Harris launched her campaign, following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race. With the president’s endorsement, Harris was able to quickly consolidate Democrats’ support and secure the nomination. Harris has enjoyed a wave of enthusiasm since entering the race, as most polls now show her pulling slightly ahead of Trump in the key battleground states that will determine the outcome of the election.This photograph is of Kamala Harris’ great-niece, Amara, watching Harris make her speech. It was taken by Kevin Wurm, for Reuters:Civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton brought out four of the exonerated Central Park Five, including Yusef Salaam, who was recently elected to the New York City council. The survivors of wrongful incarceration spoke about the impact of Trump’s vicious attacks, which included his calls for execution of the group of innocent young men.Salaam said Trump “wanted us un-alive. He wanted us dead. Today we are exonerated because the actual perpetrator confessed and DNA proved it.” He noted that the former president refuses to recant his accusations against them, saying: “He dismisses the scientific evidence rather than admit he was wrong … He has never changed, and he never will.”In one of the most emotional moments of the four-day convention, survivors of gun violence took the stage to call for gun safety. The Georgia congresswoman Lucy McBath, who lost her son to gun violence, led the group, saying: “Our losses do not weaken us. They strengthen our resolve. We will secure safer futures … We will organize. We will advocate. We will run for office.” Kim Rubio, the mother of 10-year-old Lexi, who was killed in Uvalde, Texas, talked about her child she “will never hold again”. And Abbey Clements, a teacher and survivor of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, recounted in detail the terror of the shooting, saying: “I carry that horrific day with me.”Former congresswoman Gabby Giffords recounted her recovery from the assassination attempt she survived, adding: “Kamala will be a great president. She is tough. She has grit. Kamala can beat the gun lobby. She can fight gun trafficking.”After days of sustained pro-Palestinian protests calling for an arms embargo on Israel, Harris’s final address offered both a defense of Israel and a call for Palestinian self-determination. She said: “I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself, and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror … Hamas caused on October 7.”“What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again, the scale of suffering is heartbreaking,” Harris continued. “Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”And the story you’ve all been waiting for:As Kamala Harris prepared to deliver the biggest speech of her career, one of the year’s biggest rumours snowballed online and in the media about a potential surprise guest.In an election campaign in which anything has seemed possible, a Democratic National Convention appearance by Beyoncé, whose song Freedom is the Harris campaign’s official song, seemed for a brief moment like it could be on the cards.On Thursday, TMZ published a story with the headline “Beyoncé Performing at DNC final night!!!”, reporting “multiple sources in the know” had said she would “be the big surprise performer”.The Hill posted a story headlined Beyoncé to perform at Democratic convention: Sources and also reported that Nick Hutchins, who works for the progressive firm Swing Left, had posted on social media saying he heard a band at the convention rehearsing Beyoncé songs, including “Cuff It”.Florida Representative Frentrice Driskell also posted video of the band performing a Beyoncé song.The convention ended without a Palestinian American speaker on the main stage, a key demand of the uncommitted movement. The Harris campaign and Democratic party faced increasing pressure throughout the week to include a Palestinian voice, particularly after parents of a Hamas hostage were given a speaking slot and delivered emotional testimony on Wednesday. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other high-profile Democrats and activists had called on the convention to find a way to accommodate the uncommitted delegates’ request, but officials did not change the schedule.Ruwa Romman, a Georgia state representative who wrote a speech for the convention to consider, read her prepared remarks to a crowd gathered outside, instead. Abbas Alawieh, a leader of the uncommitted movement, told supporters: “The scandal is that there are forces within Democratic party leadership who do not want us to talk about Palestinian human rights.”More from a second post-speech gathering gathering, where, per the pool report, the crowd sang “Happy Anniversary” to Harris and Emhoff to the tune of Happy Birthday. Harris said the campaign has been “gruelling” and “uplifting.” She said the next days are going to be “rough and tough.”“Tonight we’re partying, tomorrow lets get back to work. Please wish me and my husband a happy anniversary.” Walz spoke, and said that he had lost his voice. He thanked the convention staff, saying the “country saw the best of America.”The second gentleman’s remarks were almost parallel to his remarks at the first party talking about their first dance 10 years ago.If you’re just joining us, here is a look at Harris’s speech at the DNC:The vice-president’s final speech offered a forceful rebuke of Donald Trump and laid out the stakes of the election: “Consider not only the chaos and calamity when he was in office, but also the gravity of what has happened since he lost … Trump tried to throw away your votes. When he failed, he sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol, where they assaulted law enforcement … For an entirely different set of crimes, he was found guilty of fraud by a jury of everyday Americans and separately, found liable for committing sexual abuse … Consider the power he will have, especially after the United States supreme court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution. Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.”She ended with a message of hope and optimism that has been a theme all week: “Let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness and endless possibilities. We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world and … we must be worthy of this moment. It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish.”Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, made brief remarks at a gathering after the DNC closing speech.Today is their tenth wedding anniversary, and Emhoff, the first second gentleman, raised a toast to his wife.Harris said:
      So thank you for sharing this important day with us, but truly, thank you all so very much. I know who’s in this room. I know what you do every day and what you have done to support everything that we care about, everything that we believe is possible. We are truly invested in the future of our country. Our fight is truly and deeply worn out. Love country, and I know we’re gonna get this done. We’re gonna win!”“But only if we understand you can party tonight and you need to work for the next 75 days or so. “its been a wonderful convention, and so much of it is about everyone who is here who dedicates so much of your time and love to our country. We’re gonna get this done!”
      Then Emhoff spoke, saying:
      It is hard to imagine, like, literally 10 years ago right now, we had just taken our vows, gotten married, and we’re probably likely no that’s just literally, like probably having our first dance. And then to think about, literally, 10 years later, to the night she gave one of, if not the greatest speeches. But like she said, we haven’t won anything yet, right? So it’s just 70 odd days left. Let’s I think tonight we can’t have some fun. And unlike my great friend, Governor Walz, he’s gonna he said he sleep when he’s dead. That’s extreme. I want to see her be president, so I’m gonna sleep on November 6, celebrating you becoming our next president.So join me in toasting my wife, the love of the love of my life, on our 10th anniversary. But we’re not looking back. We’re not going back. We’re looking into the future with you as our next president. Kamala Harris, we love you.”
      This is Helen Sullivan taking over our live US politics and post-DNC coverage. More

    • 150 Shares197 Views

      in US Politics

      Friday briefing: Five key takeaways as Harris closes the Democratic national convention

      by

      Good morning. For today’s newsletter, we’re bringing you coverage of Kamala Harris’s speech accepting the Democratic nomination for president courtesy of Rachel Leingang, in a preview of our newsletter covering the US election, The Stakes. You can sign up here.Hello from Chicago, where it’s like the Oscars, but for people with slightly less charisma.The last day of the Democratic national convention brought out A-list actors, iconic music artists, swing-state politicians and Harris family members – a better lineup, to be sure, than Hulk Hogan and Kid Rock, the stars at the Republican convention.But the real star of the show was Kamala Harris, who shared her personal biography, the threats Trump poses to the country and some of the policy ideas she wants to enact if she wins.Harris’s moment in the spotlight capped off a four-day convention that went as well as Democrats needed it to, leaving most of the party faithful energized to carry out the full-court press needed for the short timeframe from now until November.Today’s newsletter brings you five takeaways from the last day of the convention. Here are the headlines.Five big stories

      Education | The aftermath of the Covid pandemic has been squeezed out of GCSE results as students received grades more similar to pre-pandemic levels. But there were wide regional variations, with students in London powering ahead of pre-pandemic grades, while top grades in Wales and Northern Ireland came down with a bump compared with last year.

      Politics | Rachel Reeves has insisted there will be “no blank cheques” for public sector unions amid Conservative claims that the government’s attempt to end long-running strikes has made it a soft touch. Reeves said that the cost of not increasing pay for police officers, the armed forces and teachers would have been “very damaging”.

      Italy | The British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been confirmed dead by search and rescue authorities after his yacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a violent storm. A spokesperson for the Italian fire brigade said it could take days before the last missing person was found.

      Health | The UK’s health regulator has rejected a drug that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, saying its benefits are too small to justify the costs of the therapy. The drug is not a cure, but in clinical trials slowed cognitive decline by 27% in early Alzheimer’s patients.

      Media | Jermaine Jenas, a presenter on The One Show and pundit on Match of the Day, has been sacked by the BBC after complaints about his workplace conduct, allegedly involving text messages and other digital communication. The former footballer said he was seeking legal advice.
      In depth: ‘A precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the divisive battles of the past’View image in fullscreen1. The climax of Kamala Harris’s whirlwind monthHarris officially accepted the Democratic presidential nomination by nodding to the “for the people” oath she took, which has entered into speeches about her multiple times this week. Her only client, she said, has been “the people”, and those people come from all political backgrounds and walks of life.She said: “So, on behalf of the people, on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks, on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey on behalf of Americans, like the people I grew up with, people who work hard, chase their dreams and look out for one another, on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America.”“Our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way forward – not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans,” Harris said.In the last few weeks of a whirlwind campaign, Harris has perfected the way she tells her own story and how she contrasts with Trump. She started with the lessons she learned from her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a breast cancer researcher who immigrated to the United States from India at the age of 19, and wove her mother’s teachings throughout her speech.Her family members – her sister Maya Harris; niece Meena Harris; stepdaughter Ella Emhoff and goddaughter Helena Hudlin – all had some stage time to take about the Kamala they know.She then drew a clearer picture of her vision than she has to date: giving broad policy ideas on affordable housing, abortion protections, foreign policy and middle-class tax relief.She called Trump “an unserious man” but also a dangerous person who should not return to the White House. “Consider the power he will have, especially after the United States supreme court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution. Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.”Trump responded to Harris’s speech in post after post on Truth Social, one of which said simply: “IS SHE TALKING ABOUT ME?”2. Gun violence survivors call for changePeople who survived mass shootings or lost loved ones to gun violence spoke about the devastation they have faced – reiterating a theme throughout the convention of those who have survived horrible situations and think Harris will help address the causes of these problems.To emphasise the need for policy changes, the convention program brought out those most affected by draconian abortion bans or loose gun control laws.Four of the Central Park Five, the group of Black and Latino boys falsely convicted over the rape of a jogger in New York, whose prosecution Donald Trump promoted, spoke about the danger Trump poses.Gabby Giffords, the former congresswoman from Arizona who was shot in an assassination attempt and now fights for gun control, spoke about her recovery, her husband Mark Kelly standing beside her.“Thank you. Joe Biden, thank you for everything. Joe is a great president,” Giffords said. “My friend Kamala will be a great president. She is tough. She has grit. Kamala can beat the gun lobby. She can fight gun trafficking.”3. Gaza protests end with no voice on stageI’ve spent most of the week following the uncommitted delegation, the anti-war movement that’s working to pressure Biden and Harris to end the war in Gaza. On Thursday, the DNC did not relent on the decision not to allow the group a speaking slot for a Palestinian American speaker on the main stage.The group was not asking for much – a couple of minutes for a swing-state Democrat to talk about their background and the call for a ceasefire. Ruwa Romman, a state representative from Georgia, gave the speech she would have given on stage outside the arena instead.The final denial came after months of activism and days of negotiations at the convention to amplify a call for a ceasefire and arms embargo in Gaza. And outside the convention perimeter, other activists held another protest, marching near the United Center with more militant messages.4. Celebrities on celebrities on celebrities …View image in fullscreenSwing-state governors and senators got key spots in the lead-up to Harris’s speech – several of whom were in the running to be the vice-presidential nominee – in a nod to the places Harris needs to win in November to keep Democrats in the White House.But those swing staters are only really celebrities in a place like this. The real celebrities showed up here, though, too.The Chicks were the third country artist to sing at the DNC despite the common belief that Republicans are the party of country music. Pink (above) sang alongside her daughter.Kerry Washington interviewed Harris’s nieces about how to pronounce Kamala, and Washington was joined by Tony Goldwyn, her Scandal co-star, on stage at one point.Basketball star Steph Curry said in a video that “the Oval Office suits her well”. And Eva Longoria, the actor and activist, praised Harris’s background: “She worked at McDonald’s, I worked at Wendy’s, and look at us now.”skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotion5. … and one who didn’t make itThe persistent rumour all day Thursday was that Beyoncé, whose song Freedom is used by the Harris campaign in its ads, would show up at the convention.Just before Harris went on stage, Beyoncé’s team told media Queen Bey would not be in Chicago to perform. When you’re expecting Beyoncé to introduce the potential next president of the United States, North Carolina governor Roy Cooper is a rough consolation prize.What else we’ve been readingView image in fullscreen

      Forget Ocado vans or an endorsement from Kirstie and Phil: your proximity to a Gail’s is now a sure-fire way to check whether you’re in the heart of middle England. Heather Stewart has looked at how the increasingly prevalent bakery chain became England’s most unlikely political bellwether. Hannah J Davies, deputy editor, newsletters

      Diyora Shadijanova writes charmingly on how getting an allotment – acquired in a fit of lockdown envy – has led to a radical rethink of her relationship with food, and a new sense of “how fragile the natural systems that sustain us really are”. Charlie Lindlar, newsletters team

      Shaad D’Souza meets Sabrina Carpenter, the Disney star turned Espresso hitmaker who says that her newfound chart success is just “the sprinkles on top of the sundae” for her. Hannah

      The Guardian newsletters team’s own Hannah J Davies met Tanya Smith, who stole $40m, evaded the FBI and broke out of prison, to talk about the release of her (surely action-packed) memoir. Charlie

      From the “Swedish lake district” to the Beacons Way in Wales (above), Guardian readers have recommended their favourite locations for active holidays in Europe. Hannah
      SportView image in fullscreenAthletics | Keely Hodgkinson’s season has been ended by injury less than three weeks after she became the Olympic 800m champion. The 22-year-old Briton, pictured above, whose victory in Paris was the most-watched event of the Games on terrestrial television in the UK, had been due to compete in September’s Diamond League meetings.Cricket | A fine unbeaten 72 from wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith meant England ended day two with a first innings lead of 23 runs and four wickets remaining. Asitha Fernando was the pick of the bowlers, asking questions throughout for figures of three for 68.Football | Substitute Noni Madueke sealed Enzo Maresca’s first win as Chelsea manager in the Blues’ 2-0 Conference League playoff first-leg win against Servette. A tense atmosphere at Stamford Bridge after controversy over Raheem Sterling’s future was lifted when Christopher Nkunku opened the scoring with a penalty.The front pagesView image in fullscreenOur Guardian print edition leads with “Concern over ‘attainment gap’ as GCSEs return to pre-Covid levels”. The Times has “Don’t lock up criminals till next month, courts urged”. “Fury as dementia drug denied to patients on NHS” – that’s the Daily Mail, while the Daily Express asks “Why is it only rich can get Alzheimer’s wonder drug?”. The same story is also the Daily Telegraph’s splash: “Alzheimer’s drug is blocked for use on NHS”. “Sacked” – the Daily Mirror reports on the “Jermaine Jenas shock” at the BBC, while the Sun leads with the same story. Top story in the i is “UK trade union chiefs split over how to get best pay deals out of chancellor” while at the other end of town in the Financial Times it’s “AstraZeneca threatens vaccine plant shift to US after Reeves weighs aid cut”. Today’s Metro brings us “Jab hope in fight against lung cancer”. A jab for the lungs certainly sounds better than a poke in the ribs.Something for the weekendOur critics’ roundup of the best things to watch, read and listen to right nowView image in fullscreenMusicNick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Wild God
      Joy, a song seemingly about Cave’s late son, Arthur, feels like Wild God’s mood in miniature: the album doesn’t stint on darkness, but suggests that life can still provide transcendent euphoria despite it all. Elsewhere, O Wow O Wow (How Wonderful She Is) – about the passing of Cave’s former collaborator and partner, the late Anita Lane – is gorgeously melodic, decorated with a telephone recording of Lane giggling as she recalls their dissolute past. Alexis PetridisTVPachinko (Apple TV+)
      A historical epic, filmed in Korean and Japanese and following several generations of a family along two separate timelines? It sounds like a time investment you might never get around to making, but season two of Pachinko confirms that this show is worth the effort. An excellent drama powered by a rare emotional intelligence, a series as deft and heartfelt as this can never be a chore. Jack SealeFilmKneecap
      Irish-language hip-hop trio Kneecap caused much spluttering from the DUP in 2019 when, one day after William and Kate’s royal visit to Belfast’s Empire Music Hall, they showed up there raucously shouting “Brits out” on stage. A blazingly fierce presence, they’re now playing versions of themselves in this hyperactive, slightly Guy Ritchie-esque biopic, whose musical sequences have originality, comedy and freedom. Peter BradshawToday in FocusView image in fullscreenThe sex lives of strangers: creating ‘This is how we do it’A look at some of the brave couples who shared the joys and challenges of their sex lives in the Guardian columnCartoon of the day | Ella BaronView image in fullscreenThe UpsideA bit of good news to remind you that the world’s not all badView image in fullscreenSphen and Magic’s heart-lifting same-sex love story first made headlines in 2018 when they got “engaged” and became foster parents. The fact that they were penguins and their child was an egg just added to the cuteness of their tale.The gay penguin power couple raised two chicks and became a universal symbol for LGBTQ+ equality. When Sphen died on Thursday, Magic cried out and the other gentoo penguins in the colony joined in, filling their aquarium in Sydney with song, in what staff called a “one in a million” moment. “It was a very beautiful moment, the air was just filled with their singing,” said penguin keeper Renee Howell. “It showed the impact [Sphen] had on his partner”.Bored at work?And finally, the Guardian’s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until Monday.

      Quick crossword

      Cryptic crossword

      Wordiply More

    • 163 Shares157 Views

      in US Politics

      Kamala Harris pledges to ‘chart a new way forward’ as she accepts nomination

      by

      Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday with a sweeping, pointed speech in which she vowed to prosecute the case against Donald Trump and carry the country to a brighter and fairer future.In an address that balanced optimism with scathing criticism of her opponent, Harris acknowledged her “unlikely” path to the nomination and extended her hand to voters of all political ideologies who believe in America’s promise. Harris would make history if elected – as the first woman, first Black woman and first Asian American woman to serve as president – but she instead focused on the history that the country could change in November.“Our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way forward – not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans,” Harris told thousands of Democrats in Chicago.She then said to roaring applause: “On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America.”The speech came just one month after Harris launched her campaign, following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race. With the president’s endorsement, Harris was able to quickly consolidate Democrats’ support and secure the nomination. Harris has enjoyed a wave of enthusiasm since entering the race, as most polls now show her pulling slightly ahead of Trump in the key battleground states that will determine the outcome of the election.Throughout the speech, Harris implicitly and explicitly contrasted herself with her opponent, warning that Trump’s return to the White House would resurrect the “chaos and calamity” of his first presidential term. She condemned Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, blaming him for the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, and reminded voters of his many legal battles since leaving office.“Consider the power he will have, especially after the United States supreme court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution,” Harris said. “Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails and how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States – not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security, but to serve the only client he has ever had: himself.”Harris then led the crowd, packed to full capacity in Chicago’s United Center, in a chant of “We’re not going back!” The chant has become a recurring feature of Harris’ campaign rallies in the past month.The speech represented Harris’ most significant opportunity yet to define herself in the eyes of voters. Although Harris served as vice-president under Biden for four years and as a US senator from California before that, polls suggest voters’ opinions of the new nominee are not set in stone. Trump has already tried to define Harris as a “radical” Democrat, mocking her as “Comrade Kamala,” but he has struggled to land successful attack lines against his new opponent.Addressing a national audience, Harris presented herself as a “realistic” and “practical” leader who would lean on her background as a prosecutor to govern based on common sense and equality. She credited her sense of justice to her mother, Shyamala Harris, a scientist who emigrated to the US from India when she was 19.“She was tough, courageous, a trailblazer in the fight for women’s health, and she taught Maya and me a lesson that Michelle [Obama] mentioned the other night,” Harris said. “She taught us to never complain about injustice, but do something about it.”In an election that has often been characterized as personality versus policy, Harris attempted to intertwine the two. After discussing her record as a prosecutor fighting for “women and children against predators who abused them,” she turned her attention to the women whose lives have been jeopardized due to a lack of abortion access.She shared stories of pregnant women getting sepsis and miscarrying in parking lots, and placed the blame for their pain squarely on Trump’s shoulders, as he nominated three of the justices who ruled to overturn Roe v Wade.“This is what’s happening in our country because of Donald Trump,” Harris said. “And understand he is not done as a part of his agenda. He and his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion, and enact a nationwide abortion ban, with or without Congress … Simply put, they are out of their minds.”View image in fullscreenHarris was at times light on the details when it came to policy, as when she pledged to build “an opportunity economy” and “end America’s housing shortage”. She was arguably most forceful when it came to discussing foreign policy, as she promised to “stand strong with Ukraine” and accused Trump of aligning himself with autocrats.“I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong-un, who are rooting for Trump because they know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors,” Harris said. “As president, I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals – because, in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and where the United States of America belongs.”In one of the most highly anticipated portions of her speech, Harris outlined her stance on the war in Gaza. Harris condemned the Hamas attacks against Israel on 7 October and mourned the “many innocent lives lost” in Gaza since the start of the war, but she vowed to “always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself,” in an apparent rejection of recent calls for an arms embargo.“President Biden and I are working around the clock because now is the time to get a hostage deal and ceasefire done,” Harris said. “President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”The call for Palestinian self-determination was met with robust applause in the convention center, but it is unclear whether that rhetoric will appease ceasefire supporters, thousands of whom took to the streets of Chicago to protest the war this week.Harris will likely need those voters’ support in November, as the presidential race remains a toss-up despite her recent gains. The coming days will show if and how Harris’ speech might expand her lead. More

    • 138 Shares178 Views

      in US Politics

      Democratic convention fails to meet uncommitted delegate deadline for Palestinian speaker

      by

      After a daylong sit-in, uncommitted delegates entered the United Center to take their seats among their state delegations on the Democratic national convention floor.The Democratic convention failed to make a 6pm CT deadline that the ceasefire delegates had set for a final decision on allowing a Palestinian American to speak from the main stage.At a press conference outside the convention, movement leaders said they do not plan to disrupt the events inside the convention Thursday. They did say they are calling for Kamala Harris or senior members of her team to meet with the uncommitted movement in Michigan to talk about a ceasefire and arms embargo. They set a 15 September deadline for a meeting.Abbas Alawieh, a leader of the uncommitted movement and an uncommitted delegate from Michigan, denounced the convention’s failure to listen to their demands.“The scandal is that there are forces within Democratic party leadership who do not want us to talk about Palestinian human rights,” he said. “They’re out of step with the majority of the Democratic base, the majority of Democratic voters who believe that Palestinian human rights are a priority.”Ruwa Romman, a Georgia state representative who wrote a speech for the convention to consider, read her speech to the crowd gathered outside. Earlier on Thursday, Mother Jones published the text, which began: “I’m honored to be the first Palestinian elected to public office in the great state of Georgia and the first Palestinian to ever speak at the Democratic national convention.”“Let’s commit to each other, to electing Vice-President Harris and defeating Donald Trump who uses my identity as a Palestinian as a slur,” she said in her speech. “Let’s fight for the policies long overdue – from restoring access to abortions to ensuring a living wage, to demanding an end to reckless war and a ceasefire in Gaza.”The group held an impromptu sit-in on Wednesday and Thursday after weeks of attempts to get a speaker on the main stage at the convention. The movement had first requested that Dr Tanya Haj-Hassan, a doctor who worked in Gaza, and a Palestinian American leader take the stage, and then streamlined the request to a Palestinian American leader.About a dozen of those in the movement stayed overnight on the pavement outside the United Center, catching whatever sleep they could. The police did not attempt to get them to leave.A group of delegates have fought using the Democratic party process to demand change internally, while protesters have also demonstrated across Chicago this week in separate actions.Outside the convention perimeter, anti-war protesters gathered for the second March on the Democratic convention after a week of demonstrations around the city that at times ended in arrests.Thousands of pro-Palestinian activists left Union Park in Chicago to march past the convention center, where Harris is expected to accept the Democratic nomination Thursday.Protesters holding flags and signs calling Harris “Killer Kamala” demanded an end to US military aid to Israel. Michael, who said his family was Palestinian and Irish, said that he was marching to “demand that the US stop funding genocide” and said that Harris “needs to listen to us and empathize with ordinary Palestinians”.“Right now, we’ve been locked out and exiled,” he said.The protesters chanted: “Antifada! Revolution!” “End the occupation!” “It is right to rebel! Democrats go to hell!” “Just like 1968! Nothing here to celebrate!”Hundreds of police officers, some in riot helmets, lined the protest route near the United Center.Protest organizers estimated Thursday’s March on the DNC drew about 11,000 demonstrators and that Monday’s march saw 20,000.“The final impression of this week is that a combined 30,000+ people from communities the Democrats claim to represent marched on the DNC to demand a stop to the genocide and an end to all US aid to Israel,” said Nadiah Alyafai, member of the US Palestinian Community Network.The Uncommitted National Movement launched in Michigan in the Democratic primaries as a way for voters who disapprove of the US policies on the Gaza war to register their discontent with the Biden administration. From Michigan, it spread across the states, with more than 700,000 people casting some version of an uncommitted vote.These voters won 30 uncommitted delegates to the convention. Those delegates have worked to build their power by convincing Harris delegates to sign on as “ceasefire delegates” who agree with demands of a ceasefire and arms embargo.Supporters, including members of Congress, union leaders and Democratic organizers, underscored the speaker request, saying the convention needed to change course.James Zogby, the founder and president of the Arab American Institute, was the last Arab American to speak from the main stage of the Democratic convention, in 1988. He told the Guardian the convention’s decision to deny a Palestinian American speaker an “an unforced error, a kind of a bonehead move that is going to cost them votes and didn’t need to”.“This is what’s called a real stupid, boneheaded mistake, to end up literally dumping on your own story that ought to be about the convention and Kamala Harris and hope and joy and all that. And instead, we’re talking about a dumb mistake made by consultants to exclude Palestinian voices,” Zogby said.According to Waleed Shahid, a progressive strategist and member of the uncommitted movement, the Harris campaign senior staff made “a lot of different offers to get this to end, none of which had to do with getting a Palestinian American on stage”.“They gave us mid-level staff, they gave us senior staff. They gave us random senators, random members of the House. They were like, this member of the House is inside. They’ll meet with you,” Shahid said.Democratic party officials said “tonight is going to be vice-president Harris’s biggest speech of her life, and it needs to be about her. But we have given them two months, and we had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. So we did not put them in this position,” Layla Elabed, a leader of the uncommitted movement, said. More