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      Parents of Gaza Hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Plead for Peace at DNC

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      It was a remarkably somber moment inside the arena as Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg spoke of their son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a hostage in Gaza for more than 10 months — 320 days, as the tape on their shirts said.While the Israeli-Hamas war has been one of the only divisive undercurrents of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, delegates stood in rapt attention as Ms. Goldberg and Mr. Polin took the stage.The crowd chanted, “Bring them home,” and Ms. Goldberg doubled over in tears.“This is a political convention,” Mr. Polin said, “but needing our only son and all of the cherished hostages home is not a political issue.”Mr. Goldberg-Polin, 23, is one of eight U.S. citizens in captivity in Gaza. Part of his left arm was blown off by a Hamas grenade as he was abducted on Oct. 7.Ms. Goldberg emphasized the diversity of the more than 100 hostages still in Gaza.“They are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists,” she said. “They are from 23 different countries. The youngest hostage is a 1-year-old redheaded baby boy, and the oldest is an 86-year-old mustachioed grandfather.”Mr. Polin ended with a plea for peace.“There is a surplus of agony on all sides of the tragic conflict in the Middle East,” he said. “In a competition of pain, there are no winners.”Citing Jewish texts, he added: “Every person is an entire universe. We must save all these universes.” More

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      Mindy Kaling, Actress and Comedian, Hosts DNC Day 3

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      In late November 2019, as her once promising 2020 presidential campaign was faltering, Kamala Harris appeared in a cooking video with the actress and comedian Mindy Kaling. A week later, Ms. Harris quit the race.On Wednesday, Ms. Kaling will trade a kitchen for a stage as she hosts the third night of Ms. Harris’s nominating convention in Chicago.Ms. Kaling is the third of four boldfaced names to fill the role, which entails delivering remarks and introducing speakers. The actor Tony Goldwyn was Monday night’s host; Ana Navarro, a Republican commentator, was the emcee on Tuesday; and the actress Kerry Washington will do the job on Thursday.Ms. Kaling is best known for her roles as Kelly Kapoor, a vain and ditsy employee on “The Office,” and Mindy Lahiri, a gynecologist, on “The Mindy Project,” which Ms. Kaling wrote and produced.One of the most prominent Indian women in Hollywood, Ms. Kaling often writes and plays characters who contend with what it’s like to be Indian American and the daughter of immigrants, a heritage and background she shares with Ms. Harris.Ms. Kaling’s parents hail from the same region in the south of India as Ms. Harris’s mother, who moved to the United States to attend college at 19. In the 2019 YouTube video supporting Ms. Harris’s presidential campaign, Ms. Kaling and Ms. Harris prepare masala dosa, a South Indian dish of flatbread and potato curry, and discuss growing up in Indian American households.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Los Obama y el humor: qué pasó en el día 2 de la convención demócrata

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      Barack y Michelle Obama electrizaron a la multitud, mientras que Doug Emhoff, marido de la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris, compartió anécdotas de la primera cita con su esposa.[Estamos en WhatsApp. Empieza a seguirnos ahora]El martes, los demócratas recurrieron a sus líderes más carismáticos y viraron hacia el futuro, mientras el expresidente Barack Obama y Michelle Obama, la ex primera dama, defendían que la candidatura de su partido representaba lo mejor de los valores estadounidenses.Mientras la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris y su compañero de fórmula, Tim Walz, participaban en un mitin en Milwaukee, los asistentes a la convención completaban una estruendosa votación presencial de los estados mientras abarrotaban el United Center de Chicago. Con el presidente Joe Biden fuera del escenario y de vacaciones en California, parecía que una energía optimista se apoderó de los actos.Estos son algunos de los momentos más destacados de la segunda noche de la convención:Michelle Obama presentó a su marido tras un discurso propio que cautivó al público de la convención.Todd Heisler/The New York TimesLos Obama demostraron que siguen teniendo un singular poder de estrellasLos demócratas tienen sus estrellas, nuevas y viejas: Gretchen Whitmer y Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez y Andy Beshear, Bill y Hillary Clinton.Pero el martes, los Obama demostraron una vez más que pueden inspirar al partido como nadie. La multitud reunida en Chicago ha mostrado un entusiasmo renovado desde que comenzó la convención, pero sus discursos consecutivos fueron un momento importante.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Tim Walz’s Unexpected Rise Has Minnesota DNC Attendees Overjoyed

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      The Georgia delegates danced with the rapper Lil Jon at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday. The Wisconsin delegates cheered in their Cheesehead hats.But across a party gathering where the word “joy” has become an unofficial mantra, perhaps no one exudes it more than the Minnesotans.After nearly four decades without representation on a presidential ticket, the sudden, stunning elevation of Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen, has prompted a surge of excitement among the state’s Democrats. Minnesota attendees are celebrating Mr. Walz as a beloved state export on par with Prince or Bob Dylan.“The Minnesota delegation is, like, buzzing,” Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat from the state, enthused in an interview on Tuesday. “It’s like they can’t even complete a sentence because they’re so excited about what this means for their friends Tim and Gwen, and also what it means for the country.”Mr. Walz, whom Vice President Kamala Harris chose as her running mate, is set to address the convention on Wednesday. It will be his most prominent appearance yet as he continues to introduce himself to a nation that was overwhelmingly unfamiliar with him until this month.But Minnesota Democrats have long known Mr. Walz as a folksy former football coach who speaks a neighborly language of moderate Midwestern pragmatism even as he pushes a sweeping agenda of liberal priorities.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Lil Jon Performs ‘Turn Down for What’ at DNC, Representing Georgia

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      The rapper Lil Jon burst onto the floor of the Democratic convention on Tuesday night, singing a few bars of his iconic song “Turn Down for What” as delegates roared in excitement.Then he sang: “V.P. Harris … Governor Walz” to the tune of “To the window … to the wall!” from another hit, “Get Low.”His surprise appearance on the convention floor was part of an effort by Democrats to turn the staid tradition of the roll-call vote that nominated Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota into something of a party. Hosted by D.J. Cassidy, delegates were instructed to “pass the mic around the nation” as each state cast a symbolic vote for Ms. Harris accompanied by a meaningful tune. Some featured a surprise celebrity guest.(Ms. Harris is already the party’s nominee, having been chosen via a virtual vote two weeks ago. But delegates on the floor saw no need to spoil the fun.)Alabama kicked off the proceedings with “Sweet Home Alabama” rocking in the background. Colorado played a few beats from “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire — one of the band’s lead singers is from Denver.“We know how to climb mountains, and we’re going to make sure Kamala Harris and Tim Walz reach the summit,” the state’s chosen delegate said as he cast Colorado’s votes for the Democratic ticket.The opening lines of “Sirius,” the song used to introduce the legendary 1990s Chicago Bulls teams, played as Illinois cast its votes, but it was not Michael Jordan in front of the microphone: It was the state’s governor, JB Pritzker. Sean Astin, the actor from “Rudy” who played the title character, who tries to make the University of Notre Dame football team, had a cameo for the Indiana delegation.California and its governor, Gavin Newsom, closed the boisterous session, with Mr. Newsom proclaiming that he was from “the great state of Nancy Pelosi” as the San Francisco politician and former speaker of the House stood beside him.A succession of California rap songs, including “California Love” by Tupac and “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar, played in the background. Ms. Harris, who is from the state, accepted the nomination as she rallied supporters in Milwaukee.But if there was any question that Georgia Democrats lacked enthusiasm — or a taste for the spotlight — Lil Jon had the scene-stealing answer.“We’re not going back,” he sang, leading the crowd in a chant of what has become Ms. Harris’s rallying cry.Nick Corasaniti More

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      Harris Holds Rally in Milwaukee, 80 Miles From DNC, in Show of Force

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      Democrats managed to be in two places at once on Tuesday night, holding a ceremonial roll-call vote at their Chicago convention to celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris as their party’s nominee, while she herself rallied supporters roughly 80 miles north in Milwaukee.Ms. Harris’s choice to appear in Milwaukee, the largest city in a crucial battleground state, was intentional and pointed: She stood onstage in the same arena where former President Donald J. Trump accepted the Republican nomination last month.For much of the evening in Milwaukee, the Harris campaign used the arena’s Jumbotron to pipe in the events taking place in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention. But after Gov. Gavin Newsom of California announced his state’s votes for Ms. Harris, ending the roll call of 57 states and territories, Ms. Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, marched onto the stage in Milwaukee.For a moment, she was speaking to two packed arenas at the same time, celebrating the roll-call vote in front of tens of thousands of people, with millions more watching on screens. The two-city rally represented a significant flexing of Democratic muscle with the presidential election just 76 days away.“We are so honored to be your nominees,” Ms. Harris said. “Together, we will chart a new way forward.”The Milwaukee rally was just the latest event at which the Harris campaign filled a major arena with Democrats. For more than a year, they had largely stayed away from events featuring President Biden, who drew crowds only in the low thousands.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Grandchildren of John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter Help Open DNC Night 2

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      Grandchildren of two Democratic presidents — John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter — helped to open the second night of the Democratic convention on Tuesday by presenting Vice President Kamala Harris as a natural heir to the legacy of both of these former leaders.“Today, J.F.K.’s call for action is now ours to answer,” said Jack Schlossberg, 31. He is the only grandson of Mr. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. “Because once again, the torch has been passed to a new generation.”Jason Carter, a 49-year-old lawyer and politician, said that his grandfather, who is 99 and in hospice care, “can’t wait to vote for Kamala Harris.”“Kamala Harris carries my grandfather’s legacy,” he said. “She knows what is right, and she fights for it.”Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are attending the party’s convention in Chicago. Mr. Carter could not. His grandson said that Mr. Carter was “holding on” and that although the former president’s body was weakening, “his spirit is as strong as ever.”Jason Carter said that Vice President Kamala Harris carried the legacy of his grandfather, Jimmy Carter. “She knows what is right,” he said, “and she fights for it.”Haiyun Jiang for The New York TimesThe remarks by Mr. Schlossberg and the younger Mr. Carter reflected the effort by Democrats to wrap the party’s legacy around Ms. Harris, who is 59 years old. Mr. Obama was expected to speak later on Tuesday night, and Mr. Clinton on Wednesday.Mr. Schlossberg portrayed Ms. Harris as a leader who reflected the spirit of his grandfather’s call to the American people.“She believes in America, like my grandfather did,” he said, “that we do things not because they are easy but because they are hard.” More

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      Minyon Moore Helped Kamala Harris Rise. Now She’s Leading the D.N.C.

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      When Vice President Kamala Harris takes the convention stage to formally accept the Democratic nomination on Thursday, it will mark the culmination of decades of public and behind-the-scenes work to make the party more reflective of its multiracial base.Off the convention stage, the moment is particularly meaningful for a group of Black women in Democratic politics who have long championed Ms. Harris’s political rise. And in a serendipitous intertwining of events, one of them is running the whole show.Those who know Minyon Moore, the veteran Democratic strategist and chair of this year’s Democratic National Convention, say she is accustomed to operating behind the scenes. She helped lobby President Biden to select Ms. Harris to be his running mate in 2020. She later left a job in the private sector to help coordinate the effort to support Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination.“You could probably take a bag of rocks and throw it in the air at the D.N.C. convention and they’re going to fall on somebody who’s going to tell you a story about the time that Minyon Moore quietly helped them, quietly pushed them, quietly accelerated them to a place where they now are now yielding influence in a very powerful way,” Jotaka Eaddy, a veteran Democratic organizer, said.Ms. Moore’s role overseeing the convention has required her to depart from the private meetings and side phone calls that have been features of her professional career. It may also test the coalition-building skills she has spent nearly four decades honing. Thousands of demonstrators are expected in Chicago this week to protest the convention and Democrats’ handling of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the war between Israel and Hamas.Some of those tensions are on display within the event itself. A group of delegates representing the Uncommitted movement, which has protested the Biden administration’s Israel policy, have joined some of the demonstrations and are hosting separate programming.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More