Democratic National Convention 2020: Day 1

The most out-of-place figure on the first night of the DNC will be John Kasich, the Republican former governor of Ohio.

Kasich was a candidate for the GOP nomination in 2016, and has turned into a prominent voice of the party's "Never Trump" movement. And while his selection for a speaking slot at the convention angered progressives, handing the spotlight to such a well-known Republican could help Biden's campaign strike chords of unity.

Kasich won't be alone among the Democrats.

Former New Jersey Republican Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, former Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman, who ran for governor as a Republican in California in 2010 but backed Hillary Clinton in 2016, and former New York Republican Rep. Susan Molinari will speak in the run-up to Kasich's address.

There is a history of political parties inviting a former political rival into their convention lineup. In 2008, then-Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman — just eight years after being the Democratic vice presidential nominee — spoke at the Republican National Convention in favor of then-Arizona Sen. John McCain. In 2012, Charlie Crist, who had previously served as the Republican governor of Florida (and is now a Democratic congressman), backed former President Barack Obama's re-election at that year's DNC.

What we know: Kasich's message is likely to be oriented toward the need for a functioning government. As a 2016 presidential contender, he often touted his role as a one-time House budget chairman who negotiated spending plans with a surplus with former President Bill Clinton.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic party's presumptive nominee, is set to accept the party's nomination and deliver his acceptance speech this Thursday during the Democratic National Convention held in a virtual setting. His running mate Kamala Harris will do the same a night earlier.

“You got to unite this country. The only way it's going to work, I think we can do it,” he continued.

A scaled-back event: The convention was originally going to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but due to the pandemic and safety concerns, Biden and keynote speakers will not be traveling to the city and speeches will be streamed from multiple locations on video. Biden and Harris will deliver their convention speeches from the Chase Center in Biden's hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, spokesperson Michael Gwin confirmed to CNN.

The convention will feature just two hours of prime time programming on each of the four nights. The decision to limit the programming, which will be streamed online and aired by TV networks, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET each night is one of the starkest signs yet of how unconventional this year's gathering will be in the age of coronavirus compared to previous conventions, typically filled with various events and speakers for many hours each day.

The Democratic National Convention has announced "Uniting America" as the theme for its four-night convention that will seek to argue why Democrats believe Biden is the candidate to lead the US out of a global crisis, contrasting his leadership style with that of President Trump.  

The Democratic National Convention Committee announced several artists that will perform during the convention, including Leon Bridges, The Chicks, Common, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Billy Porter, Maggie Rogers, Prince Royce, and Stephen Stills. 

According to a news release, the performances will range from renditions of the national anthem, to American classics, to new songs.

Additionally, 57 youth choir members representing each of the 57 states and territories will perform the National Anthem Monday evening. 

Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker said Monday that he’s excited about the Democratic National Convention this week, acknowledging that the all-virtual format will not look quite the same as years past but will be no less important.

“I know this is going to be different. But i think it's actually going to be a little more intimate,” Booker told CNN’s John Berman on new day.

Booker said he was very happy when it was announced that Joe Biden had chosen Kamala Harris as his running mate. 

“I was so happy, not just because I love her dearly, but because I knew what this would mean for America, for generations yet unborn that will look to her and now in the pantheon of great Black women, great women, great Americans of history,” Booker said. “You haven't seen anything yet. when America gets to know her better, they are going to continuously be inspired by the kind of heart, grit, guts and love that she has and has for this nation.”

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's presidential campaign is forging a new path, gathering a nationwide audience of supporters over Zoom to make up for a Democratic National Convention devoid of its usual live audience of thousands due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The campaign announced Friday that virtual watch parties will take place in all 50 states throughout next week's convention, with elected officials like Pete Buttigieg and celebrities like Alyssa Milano acting as hosts, according to a news release shared first with CNN.

The watch parties offer a glimpse into how the campaign is making do with the challenges of hosting a virtual convention — a fanfare celebration that typically sees tens of thousands of supporters gathering together in person — almost entirely in the virtual realm due to restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

For the evenings that presumptive Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Biden deliver their speeches — Wednesday and Thursday, respectively — the campaign has recruited an array of high-profile guests to host watch parties in different states across the nation.

Biden's former Democratic rivals from the presidential primary, including Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Buttigieg, are among the hosts.

Other high-profile hosts include New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, L.A. Mayor and Biden campaign co-chair Eric Garcetti, actors Connie Britton, Milano and BD Wong, Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez and Biden's sister, Valerie Biden Owens.

President Trump downplayed his debate preparation Monday, contradicting reports that he’s working with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and lambasting former Vice President Joe Biden’s debate skills.

Asked how he was preparing, he said, “By working very hard. You know what? By working very hard, not on debates, but running the country.” 

“Honestly what I’m doing is I’m doing my job… I guess I’ll do some preparation, but I didn’t do much last time, because I understand what’s happening,” he said, citing law and order as one area where he didn’t need to prepare.

Despite reporting that he was working with Christie to prepare, Trump said, “I’m not using Chris. Chris is a friend of mine… I get along with Chris, he’s good and I used him last time.”

Trump reiterated that one of the debates should be moved up and predicted that if Biden “makes it through the debate,” the media will say Biden won. He again questioned Biden’s mental faculties.

The Democratic National Convention is this week, and it won't look like any other in history. Democrats have moved their convention online because of health concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Joe Biden will accept the Democratic nomination for president in a virtual address.

The four nights of programming will feature speeches from politicians, music performances from stars, and will allow Democrats to make their pitch to the American people before ballots are cast this fall.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch this year's Democratic convention:

When is the convention? The convention is scheduled to take place Monday through Thursday this week, and each night of programming will air from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.

There will be big speakers:

These musical acts are performing: Leon Bridges, The Chicks, Common, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Billy Porter, Maggie Rogers, Prince Royce, Stephen Stills and others will be performing throughout the four nights, according to the Democratic National Convention Committee. Youth choir members representing each of the 57 states and territories will also perform the National Anthem Monday night, according to the DNCC.

Where Joe Biden will accept the nomination: Biden will not accept the Democratic presidential nomination in Milwaukee, the original site of the convention, because of concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, Biden and Harris will deliver their convention speeches from the Chase Center in Biden's hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, spokesperson Michael Gwin confirmed to CNN.

Where the rest of the convention will take place: The Democratic gathering will be far different than any in American history, with organizers calling it a "Convention Across America," with speeches and music and other appearances from locations and major landmarks across the country.

Will convention delegates be in Milwaukee? No, the DNCC advised state delegations, including members of Congress, not to travel to Milwaukee because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Jason Rae, the secretary of the Democratic National Committee, informed all certified delegates that virtual voting on convention business would take place from August 3-15.