August 23, 2024, presidential campaign news

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate Nicole Shanahan speaks during a rally on May 13, in Austin, Texas.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate Nicole Shanahan praised the Independent presidential candidate following his decision to suspend his campaign, saying it was an honor to be on the ticket.

Shanahan, who was not in attendance at the Phoenix news conference where Kennedy announced the end of his campaign, thanked him for running.

Her statement comes after Kennedy said on Friday former President Donald Trump offered Kennedy a role in his administration and suggested the role would oversee a health care portfolio.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on August 22.

An online Democratic fundraising platform announced it raised $7.2 million during Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.

The platform, ActBlue, said money came in between 11 p.m. and midnight ET.

It also said it raised more than $100 million for Democratic-aligned campaigns in the past week throughout the convention.

Harris made her case to voters during the speech and accepted the party’s presidential nomination. She contrasted her agenda on the economy, immigration and reproductive rights with that of her rival, former President Donald Trump.

The vice president is the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead a major-party ticket.

Amara Ajagu watches as Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, speaks on the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, on August 22.

Vice President Kamala Harris, her Thursday night speech accepting the Democratic nomination marked one of the most high-profile moments of a rapid rise to become the first Black and Asian woman to lead a major party’s presidential ticket.  

One image, however, has captured what the moment could mean for young girls. 

Shot by New York Times staff photographer Todd Heisler, the photo features Amara Ajagu, one of the vice president’s young grandnieces, staring on as Harris delivered her address to the convention. More so than most little girls, Ajagu can say that Harris could be the first president who looks like her.

Harris’ potential to be the first has been an undercurrent of her presidential runs since her first campaign in 2020. Though she opted for a dark suit Thursday, instead of the suffragette white worn by an overwhelming number of Democratic women in the convention center, the historic nature of the moment was top of mind for many throughout the week. 

Several speakers talked about those who ran before her, from former New York Rep. Shirley Chisholm — who in 1972 became the first Black woman to run for a major party nomination — to 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. 

The photo is also a reminder of the role Harris’ family played in the convention. Prior to the vice president’s speech, Amara and her younger sister Leela led the crowd in a lesson on how to pronounce their great-aunt’s first name: “Comma,” like the punctuation mark, then “La,” like the sing-song la, la, la.

Former President Donald Trump spoke about tips during a campaign stop at a Las Vegas restaurant on Friday, promising workers would “keep 100% of your tip income” and saying Vice President Kamala Harris “copied us” on the proposal.

Both Trump and Harris are making the play for service and hospitality workers’ votes by promising to eliminate taxes on tips.

But the move likely wouldn’t help many tipped workers, largely because a sizable share don’t earn enough to pay federal income taxes, experts say.

Neither Trump, who announced the idea at a Las Vegas rally in June, nor Harris, who voiced her support for the policy in Las Vegas earlier this month, have released detailed proposals, which would have to go through Congress. Among the questions are how much tipped income would be free of taxes, whether any guardrails would be put in place to prevent fraud and abuse and whether both federal income and payroll taxes would be eliminated.

About 4 million people worked in tipped occupations in 2023, or about 2.5% of all employment, according to the Budget Lab at Yale University, a policy research center.

Nearly two-thirds of tipped restaurant workers would not benefit from the proposals since they don’t earn enough to pay federal income taxes, according to an analysis by One Fair Wage, an advocacy group.

The proposals wouldn’t do much for low- and moderate-income workers in general. Even among workers at the bottom of the income ladder making less than $17.66 an hour, only 5% are in tipped jobs, the Budget Lab found.

Read more about how eliminating taxes on tips could affect workers.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes an announcement on the future of his campaign in Phoenix, Arizona, on August 23.

For the better part of the past year, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. built and maintained a small but significant base of support for his quixotic White House bid, the two major parties wrestled with an increasingly pressing question: Whose presidential aspirations might be most damaged by an independent aligned with the conspiratorial right but bearing a famous Democratic name?

Now, with Kennedy having suspended his campaign, both parties will be closely watching who his followers gravitate toward in the closing months before Election Day.

He also said Friday that he would “throw (his) support to President Trump.”

Though his odds of victory were quickly diminishing – a recent CBS News poll measured his support at just 2% – Kennedy’s decision to bow out 74 days before the election nevertheless presents another twist to a race already unlike any other. And amid a momentum shift that has catapulted the newly installed Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, into close contention with Trump, there is hope within the former president’s operation that Kennedy’s exit could prove decisive if certain battlegrounds are decided by thousands of ballots, just as they were in 2020.

It’s hardly certain what Kennedy’s backers will do. Whether many of them ever intended to vote for him or at all is difficult to gauge, and some may choose to sit the election out without an alternative on the ballot.

Still, the Trump campaign has long worried that Kennedy’s campaign, built on conspiracies and anti-vaccine rhetoric, pulled directly from their side, especially in a handful of key states. Trump’s advisers now see an opening to court some of Kennedy’s voters, particularly those Americans who sit at the overlap between supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ past presidential campaigns and the GOP’s anti-establishment right wing.

There is a presumption among Trump’s team and his allies that conservative-leaning mothers — a demographic the Republican nominee has struggled to win over — could also be swayed. Women were more likely to support Kennedy than men, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey, though other polls haven’t shown a meaningful difference.

Some of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s siblings condemned his decision to support former President Donald Trump, calling it a “betrayal of the values that our father and family hold most dear,” in a statement on Friday.

It was issued in the names of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Courtney Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Chris Kennedy, Rory Kennedy and reiterated their support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Asheboro, North Carolina, on August 21.

Former President Donald Trump thanked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his “very nice endorsement” and previewed that he will be traveling to Arizona, where Kennedy is expected to be.

Trump’s remarks at a Las Vegas restaurant came shortly after Kennedy suspended his campaign. The Independent candidate announced that he will withdraw his name from ballots in battleground states and threw his support behind the former president.

Following his endorsement of the former president today, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will campaign with and for Donald Trump, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.

Allies of both RFK Jr. and Trump have encouraged Kennedy to promote the former president on various platforms, including Tucker Carlson’s show and Joe Rogan’s podcast, with the hope that Kennedy can convince some of his staunchest supporters to back Trump in the election. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said former President Donald Trump asked to “enlist him in his administration” during his news conference in Phoenix on Friday. 

Kennedy said the offer came in two meetings with Trump, first in the days after the assassination attempt on Trump in July, and a second meeting weeks later.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he is throwing his support to former President Donald Trump in a news conference in Arizona.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at a press conference in Phoenix, on August 23.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that he is suspending his campaign — “not ending it.”

“I am not terminating my campaign I am simply suspending it and not ending it. My name will remain on the ballot in most states,” he said, speaking at an event on Friday in Arizona.

Kennedy said that while he would leave his name on some ballots, he is removing it from 10 battleground states. Still, he said, “I encourage you to vote for me.”

“I could conceivably still end up in the White House in a contingent election” if former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris receive the needed 270 electoral votes, he claimed.

He started his remarks by talking about why he left the Democratic Party and why he decided to run as an independent.

He also talked about the challenges his campaign faced to get on the ballot in states.

Trump, who is scheduled to be in Arizona tonight, teased a “special guest” at his rally later today. The former president has also showered Kennedy in overtures, telling CNN he might find a place for his onetime rival in a future Cabinet.

Kennedy’s odds of victory were quickly diminishing – a recent CBS News poll measured his support at just 2%.

Watch more:

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01:34 - Source: cnn

This post has been updated with more of Kennedy’s remarks.

An attorney who made a court filing saying Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was endorsing former President Donald Trump now says that he “misstated” Kennedy’s plans.

The lawyer, Paul Rossi, told CNN he is working to correct the mistake in a new court filing.

“We’re filing an amended notice in Pennsylvania,” Rossi said.

What the original filing said: The Pennsylvania court filing had stated that the independent presidential candidate was withdrawing from a ballot access challenge in the state “as a result of today’s endorsement” of Trump. 

But Kennedy’s team disputed the filing: In a statement, Kennedy campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear said the candidate has not endorsed Trump.

“The filing was made by an attorney and not reviewed by the campaign,” Spear said.

The filing was in response to a case recently brought by Clear Choice, the super PAC formed by Democratic operatives to press third-party candidates on ballot access and other issues.

In a statement to CNN on Friday, a person directly familiar with the thinking within Clear Choice said that Kennedy’s decision to drop out won’t stop the group from pursuing other legal action.

More context: The filing came shortly before an event in Phoenix on Friday, where Kennedy announced he is suspending his campaign.

Trump is also holding a rally in Arizona on Friday, where the campaign had teased the appearance of a “special guest.”

This post has been updated to reflect that the attorney says he made the court filing in error and to add a statement from Kennedy’s campaign.

Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is seen at a campaign stop in Brooklyn, New York on May 1.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is also an environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist, is expected to hold a news conference soon amid reports that he may drop out of the race.

Both parties will be closely watching this possible news — and who his followers gravitate toward in the closing months before Election Day.

The Kennedy family scion first entered the race in April 2023, challenging President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary. But that October, seeing his path to overtake Biden blocked, he switched to an independent run. 

Kennedy, along with running mate Nicole Shanahan, has sought to appeal to voters dissatisfied with both the Democratic and Republican parties. He frequently accuses Biden and former President Donald Trump of increasing government spending, prolonging US involvement in foreign conflicts and enacting policies beneficial to large corporations.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Kennedy drew national attention for spreading false information about the coronavirus, vaccines and public health measures.

He has promised to withdraw US support for Ukraine and has pledged to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. He’s vowed to end the “chronic disease epidemic.” He’s also said he would enact a five-year lobbying ban on former government officials. And Kennedy has pledged to sign on his first day in office an executive order stating that “any government official who lies” would lose their job.

He is the son of former New York senator, US attorney general and assassinated 1968 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy worked as an attorney for the environmental nonprofit Riverkeeper. He also was an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council and president of the Waterkeeper Alliance. He served as chairman of Children’s Health Defense, which is known for promoting anti-vaccination rhetoric.

Alaska’s Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom has announced that she is ending her congressional campaign Friday after finishing third in Alaska’s top-four, all-party primary. 

Dahlstrom was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and had the support of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the group responsible for maintaining the Republican House majority. 

“We know that Mary Peltola certainly isn’t up to the challenge. She has shown this,” Dahlstrom said in a statement, referring to the seat’s incumbent Democrat, who finished first in the primary. “At this time, the best thing I can do to see that goal realized is to withdraw my name from the general election ballot and end my campaign.”

Key context: Peltola, who won the special election to replace the late GOP Rep. Don Young and then won a full two-year term in 2022, is one of five Democrats who represent a seat Trump won in 2020. She is a top target for congressional Republicans as they look to defend and expand their majority.

Two years ago, Peltola defeated former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Nick Begich, a Republican who comes from a prominent family of Alaska Democrats.

Begich, who’s running against Peltola again in November, is currently in second place in the top-four primary. Peltola, whose campaign motto is “Fish, Family, Freedom,” won a majority of the vote in the primary: 50.4%. 

How this election works: In Alaska, the top four vote-getters advance to the general election. In the general election, voters rank their preferences in order. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-place votes, then the ranked-choice system is used to determine who wins. 

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance said he believes Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will drop out and endorse former president Donald Trump, though he is unsure about how exactly an endorsement would land. 

Vance said he grew up in a family of “Blue Dogs,” socially conservative Democrats who voted for John F. Kennedy, who have become Trump Republicans because they feel “like the party has left them behind.”

As CNN reported, Kennedy is expected to formally announce Friday that he is suspending his presidential campaign, as speculation swirls about a potential endorsement for Trump. Vance said Kennedy Jr. voters could make an important difference in this tight election. 

“I’ve been making my pitch to RFK personally and to his voters, but in public,” Vance said. “I’ve never actually spoken to RFK about dropping out of the race or about getting behind the president.”

Vice President Kamala Harris waits to speak at a campaign rally at United Auto Workers Local 900 on August 8, in Wayne, Michigan.

Campaign officials and advisers celebrated what they believed to be a home-run address by Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday night to close out the Democratic National Convention.  

But while they plan to allow that to carry the day for now, they’re also keenly aware that their focus needs to turn to the September presidential debate, according to a source close to the campaign. 

Harris will keep up a cadence of travel over the next few weeks, but not at the same pace as the last couple weeks when she hit multiple battleground states, the source said, instead spending time in debate prep.  

CNN previously reported that Harris remains “clear-eyed” about what could come next, aware that the momentum and enthusiasm of the past few weeks could wane.  

The September 10 debate, which had been the subject of much back and forth, will provide the Democratic nominee another opportunity to speak to a large audience and draw a stark contrast with former President Donald Trump. ABC, the host network, said it would be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Harris already held her first formal debate training session earlier this month at Howard University, the historically Black college in Washington, DC, she attended nearly four decades ago. She’s working closely with Philippe Reines, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton, who is reprising his role playing Trump at the request of the Harris campaign, several people familiar with the planning told CNN.

Sen. Brian Schatz speaks with a reporter after a vote in the Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 20.

Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii said his party is flying high after this week’s Democratic National Convention and the launch of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.  

He said the debate “match-up is so odd” he doesn’t know what to expect and therefore doesn’t want to handicap it.  

Schatz said there is an appetite among Democrats on Capitol Hill to pass the bipartisan border bill that was negotiated earlier this year, something Harris said Thursday she would sign into law if she were president.  

Rep. Michael Waltz gestures on Day 3 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 17.

GOP Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida criticized Democrats at the party’s convention for not speaking about the chaotic and bloody withdrawal of Afghanistan in 2021, in which 13 US service members were killed.

Waltz — a retired National Guard colonel who served overseas — also knocked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military record as the vice presidential nominee has faced criticism and questions from those who claim he misrepresented his 24 years in the National Guard.

Walz reached the rank of command sergeant major before retiring in 2005, but he officially retired as a master sergeant — one rank below command sergeant major — because “he did not complete additional coursework at the US Army Sergeants Major Academy,” according to the Guard.

Halfway through the final night of the Democratic National Convention, actress and celebrity host Kerry Washington noted there are some who struggle – “or pretend to struggle” – with how to say Vice President Kamala Harris’ first name.

“Confusion is understandable,” Washington said. “Disrespect is not.”

In keeping with the convention themes of joy and an introduction to the Democratic nominee, Washington was joined onstage by Harris’ great-nieces Amara and Leela Ajagu, who led the crowd in a chant: “Comma,” like the punctuation mark, then “La,” like a sing-song la-la-la.

It was a lighthearted approach to a darker theme running through this election: the ways that race and gender have colored the attacks leveled at Harris since she launched her presidential campaign. For many women of color, particularly those who have run for office and been in the political spotlight, it’s a familiar challenge.

The end of the Democratic convention marks a new phase of the campaign, a 74-day sprint to Election Day and increased pressure on Harris to lay out her policies, including at next month’s debate. In interviews and convention speeches, Black women leaders said the Harris campaign should continue to avoid engaging directly with personal attacks.

Read more here about the personal attacks on Harris.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gives a speech in Nashville on July 26, 2024. 

For the better part of the past year, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. built a small but significant support base for his quixotic White House bid, the two major parties wrestled with a pressing question: Whose presidential aspirations might be most damaged by an independent aligned with the conspiratorial right, but bearing a famous Democratic name?

Now, with Kennedy on the cusp of exiting the race, both parties will closely watch who his followers gravitate toward.

Kennedy is expected to formally announce today that he is suspending his presidential campaign. Some are wondering whether he might endorse former President Donald Trump, an outcome that appears likely though not guaranteed. Both candidates are scheduled to appear in Arizona today, and Trump teased a “special guest” at his event.

Though his odds of victory were quickly diminishing, Kennedy’s decision to bow out 74 days before the election presents another twist to a race already unlike any other.

As Vice President Kamala Harris is catapulted into close contention with Trump, there is hope within the former president’s operation that Kennedy’s exit could prove decisive if certain battlegrounds are decided by thousands of ballots, just as they were in 2020.

It’s hardly certain what Kennedy’s backers will do. Whether many of them ever intended to vote for him, or at all, is difficult to gauge, and some may choose to sit the election out without an alternative on the ballot.

As it became clear that Kennedy’s days in the race were numbered, several of Trump’s top allies, including his son, Donald Trump Jr., have maneuvered behind the scenes to arrange for an endorsement. Meanwhile, the former president has showered Kennedy in overtures, telling CNN he might find a place for his onetime rival in a future Cabinet.

Read more about how Kennedy’s exit can impact the presidential race.

Former President Donald Trump on Friday said if reelected, his administration would be “great for women and their reproductive rights,” despite regularly touting his role in eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion that had been upheld for nearly half a century. 

“My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights,” Trump posted on Truth Social. 

Trump regularly takes credit for appointing conservative Supreme Court justices who overturned the landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade and rolled back abortion rights and protections across the country. Trump has said if reelected, he wants legislating abortion to be left to the states — many of which have implemented strict abortion bans and curtailed reproductive rights since the overturning of Roe. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, during her speech at the Democratic convention Thursday night, advocated for protecting access to reproductive health care and attacked Trump and his Republican allies over the issue. 

“Simply put, they are out of their minds,” Harris said. 

“One must ask, why exactly is it that they don’t trust women? Well, we trust women,” Harris said.

President Joe Biden speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19.

The Democratic National Convention, where Kamala Harris accepted the party’s presidential nomination, has wrapped.

Here’s what happened across four days:

Day 1: Passing the torch

President Joe Biden told America: “I gave my best to you,” summing up his decadeslong career. 

Notable speakers: Hillary Clinton cast Harris in the lineage of female political firsts as she praised the vice president’s leadership.

Abortion rights: Democrats lambasted Trump for appointing conservative Supreme Court justices who helped undo Roe v. Wade’s protections for abortion rights.

Spotlight on Project 2025: Democrats are eager to tie Trump to what Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow called “a Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.” Though the former president has disavowed Project 2025, Democrats have framed it as his agenda.

Former President Barack Obama walks off stage after speaking on August 20.

Day 2: Emhoff and the Obamas make their case

Former President Barack Obama made a forceful case for Harris as president. He followed former first lady Michelle Obama, who declared that “hope is making a comeback” and delivered perhaps her most frank and public comments about the racism her family faced during their time in the White House — often perpetuated by Trump.

Second gentleman: Doug Emhoff talked about his relationship with Harris as he praised her role as a stepmom to his children. Harris was not at the convention but symbolically accepted her historic presidential nomination in a video appearance from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she was campaigning. This came after a rollicking roll call in Chicago, in which DJ Cassidy played tracks for each state.

GOP speakers show up: Multiple former Republicans made the case for Independents and Trump critics to vote for Harris.

Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is joined by his wife Gwen and their children Hope and Gus after his speech on August 21.

Day 3: Walz in the spotlight

With plenty of football analogies, Walz highlighted his upbringing and his work in his address. He also talked about his wife’s fertility struggles. Walz outlined what a Harris presidency would look like, including cutting taxes for the middle class and making housing more affordable, and worked to tie the Republican ticket to Project 2025.

Notable speakers: Former President Bill Clinton vouched for Harris and levied pointed attacks at Trump, saying “he mostly talks about himself. Oprah Winfrey called on fellow Independent and undecided voters to “choose common sense over nonsense.”

Israel’s war in Gaza: The parents of an Israeli-American hostage spoke about their “anguish and misery.” Hours after their speech, the Uncommitted National Movement was told that their request for a speaking spot had been denied. In response, members staged a sit-in outside the United Center.

Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention on August 22.

Day 4: Harris’ historic moment

Harris accepted her party’s nomination and promised to “be a president for all Americans.” She presented herself as the underdog in the race and attacked Trump while outlining her policy proposals and telling voters about her background.

On immigration: Harris said she would “bring back the bipartisan border security bill” tanked by Trump and “sign it into law.” She said: “We can create an earned pathway to citizenship and secure our border.”

On foreign policy: She stood firm on Israel’s right to defend itself — but added the bloodshed in Gaza is “devastating.” She said “now is the time” for a ceasefire deal. She also reiterated her commitment to Ukraine.

On reproductive rights: Harris looked to pin Trump to unpopular reproductive rights issues, saying that Republicans are “out of their minds” to push for things like enacting a nationwide abortion ban or limited access to birth control.

Read up on more key lines from her speech here.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Democratic National Convention on August 22.

In her keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris said that, if elected, she would maintain the US alliance with Israel and support the Jewish state’s ability to defend itself. She also acknowledged the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza as Israel’s war destroys the enclave.

Why this stands out: Harris’ remarks are largely in line with the Biden administration’s position, though this was the most she has publicly said on the issue and her most fulsome comments in support of Palestinian self-determination since ascending to the top of the Democratic ticket. Both President Joe Biden and Harris have expressed support for a two-state solution.

A banner calling for an arms embargo against Israel is laid outside the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 22.

What the Uncommitted National Movement was doing: The group had led a sit-in outside the convention after the Harris campaign denied their request to address the gathering. On Thursday, the uncommitted delegates entered the venue for Harris’ speech, effectively ending the sit-in. The delegates issued another demand to the Harris campaign, though: Come to Michigan and other swing states and talk to Palestinian American families by September 15.

The group’s leaders criticized the DNC and the Harris campaign for rejecting what they perceived as a modest or symbolic request in denying a speaking slot for a Palestinian American at the convention. Still, Elabed said the delegates had no plans to disrupt the proceedings ahead of or during Harris’s acceptance speech.

The race to Election Day in November is on.

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have picked their running mates and held nominating conventions to rally their parties. They have limited time to convince the few undecided voters and make sure everyone in key battleground states gets to the polls.

While we don’t know specifically what will happen between now and Election Day — or what could come after, when the country’s unique Electoral College process gets going — but we do have some idea of what to expect:

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Democratic National Convention on August 22.

On the fourth and final day of the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination for president in a much-anticipated speech.

She presented herself as the underdog in the race and attacked former President Donald Trump while outlining her key policy proposals and telling voters about her background.

While accepting the nomination, she promised to “be a president for all Americans.”

Here are some of her key quotes:

Star-studded appearances: The Chicks performed the National Anthem and pop star Pink performed her hit “What About Us” with her daughter, Willow. Kerry Washington hosted part of the night and brought out her “Scandal” co-star Tony Goldwyn.

Democrats currently have more than twice as much ad time reserved as Republicans have for the final months of the presidential race, a potentially big advantage as each party fights to define the transformed campaign. 

Future ad reservations are subject to change and both parties are likely to continue adding to their bookings, so Republicans can cut into the gap. But currently, including campaigns and outside groups, Democrats have about $289.4 million worth of ad time booked from tomorrow through Election Day, while Republicans have about $127.8 million in future reservations. 

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and its top allied super PAC are the main drivers of that advantage. The Harris campaign — riding a surge of enthusiasm and fundraising since she rose to the top of the ticket — has nearly $107.9 million in ad time booked, about twice as much as Donald Trump’s campaign, $53.7 million.

In addition, FF PAC, the leading pro-Harris super PAC, has about $158.2 million in future ad reservations, nearly twice as much as the two leading pro-Trump super PACs, MAGA Inc. — with about $61.4 million booked — and Preserve America, with about $9.8 million in reservations.  

Battle for the battleground states: Seven states — Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Nevada — account for nearly all of the future ad time. Pennsylvania looms largest, drawing $144.1 million in total future bookings, more than twice as much as any other state.

Republicans have placed an especially heavy emphasis on Pennsylvania in their future bookings, buying $72.9 million worth of future ad time there.

Democrats, meanwhile, have spread money around every battleground state, though the party has also emphasized Pennsylvania, where the Harris campaign and its allies have $71.2 million in future reservations. 

Coming off primetime speeches at the Democratic National Convention, former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, former presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former first lady Michelle Obama will be on the campaign trail helping to make the case for Vice President Kamala Harris’ candidacy, according to Deputy Principal Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks.

When asked on MSNBC if these prominent Democrats would be stumping for Harris, Fulks said “absolutely,” calling them “some of the best surrogates in our party.” Fulks did not provide details about any specific upcoming events or where the Obamas or Clintons would be campaigning.

Fulks echoed Michelle Obama’s warning that Democrats cannot grow complacent after the convention saying, “we have to make sure we are doing everything we can together.”

With Donald Trump set to hold an event later today in Nevada, Kamala Harris’ campaign is out with a new ad airing in the Battle Born state that contrasts the vice president’s experience as a former prosecutor with Trump’s record on crime – and jabs at the former president for his efforts to undermine the bipartisan border deal.

The Trump campaign, meanwhile, has a new spot that promotes his proposals to end taxes on Social Security benefits and tipped wages for service industry workers. The former president’s event in Las Vegas today is set to focus on his “no tax on tips” proposal.

Secret Service agents and counter assault team react after shots were fired toward former president Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.

Several Secret Service personnel from the Pittsburgh Field Office and one member of former President Donald Trump’s security detail involved in the advance planning for Trump’s July 13 rally have been reassigned to administrative duties and ordered to work from home, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.

The move comes as the Secret Service continues to face criticism for the security failures that allowed a gunman to fire eight rounds at the former president, piercing Trump’s ear and leaving one rallygoer dead in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The Secret Service has been under immense pressure from lawmakers to discipline or fire those involved in the preparation for the rally. Acting Deputy Director Ronald Rowe had told lawmakers he intended to wait until after the investigation was complete before issuing any disciplinary action.

Read more about the reassignments and new details from a CNN investigation about communication failures before the rally.

CNN’s Zachary Cohen contributed reporting.

The liberal advocacy group MoveOn is circulating a mobile billboard in downtown Phoenix highlighting previous negative comments independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made about former president Donald Trump ahead of Kennedy’s expected departure from the presidential race, a spokesperson for the group told CNN. 

The billboard, which is circulating the area around the hotel where Kennedy’s announcement event will take place on Friday, features a series of slides with quotes from Kennedy about Trump in which he called the Republican nominee “barely human,” “a terrible human being,” and a “sociopath.” 

The billboard comes as the campaigns for Kennedy and Trump have engaged in high-level talks about the possibility of Kennedy endorsing Trump, who is holding a campaign rally of his own in Arizona today. 

MoveOn is one of several Democratic-aligned groups who have worked to combat Kennedy’s campaign. The group is partnering in launching the billboard with Progress Now Arizona, a progressive group focused on Arizona politics. 

Beyoncé performs onstage at SoFi Stadium on September 1, 2023 in Inglewood, California.

You may want to avoid the Beyhive today, as it is buzzing and ready to sting.

There was heightened excitement among many heading into the final night of the Democratic National Convention, not just because Vice President Kamala Harris was set to accept the party’s nomination, but because of hope the woman behind her campaign anthem would “rain on the thunder” and “wave through the waters” of Chicago’s United Center.

Like most pop culture fantasies, speculation that Beyoncé would make an appearance at the DNC started – and ended – on social media.

From the moment CNN reported in July that Beyoncé had granted the vice president permission to use her 2016 song “Freedom” for her presidential campaign, there were questions.

Would Queen Bey make a formal endorsement? Might a concert in support of Harris happen? And even more mind blowing, could Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, two of the biggest artists on the planet, join together in support of Harris in Chi-town?

Some people swore they saw signs pointing to an inevitable Beyoncé arrival at the convention – her private plane was rumored to have landed at O’Hare, the house band was practicing Beyoncé songs, there were “Cowboy Kamala” sashes in the Washington delegation. Surely, she would come.

Then the fever dream ended and the pop culture balloon popped.

The Hollywood Reporter was the first to have the news that the Grammy-winning singer would not be appearing at the DNC.

“She was never scheduled to be in Chicago,” Beyoncé’s representative Yvette Noel-Schure told CNN in a statement.

DJ Cassidy performs at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 20, 2024.

The Democratic National Convention’s decidedly unconventional roll call was a standout of the week — with a playlist including Chappell Roan for Missouri, the Chicago Bulls theme song for Illinois, and a performance from Lil Jon for Georgia — all emceed by DJ Cassidy on Tuesday night.

Cassidy told CNN’s Kate Bolduan how it all came together.

He first got a call from the convention producers about a month ago, right after President Joe Biden “passed the mic” to Vice President Kamala Harris, and he realized it would be an opportunity to create something different that could shape conventions to come.

Cassidy said he came up with a “master list” of songs for every state himself, but he collaborated with representatives of each state who would attend the event.

He said he was focused “not only that the songs had a connection to the state, but that the songs represented the night’s emotion and that the songs represented the diversity of the country.”

“Hours and hours of preparation” went into the song list, he said, adding that the 75 minutes of the roll call “went by so fast, in the blink of an eye.”

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., left, and Donald Trump.

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday said it was possible he would be meeting with independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. today — the same day Kennedy is expected to suspend his presidential bid. 

Trump is going to be joined by a “special guest” at his rally in Arizona, according to his campaign. Kennedy is expected to end his presidential bid earlier in the day at an event in Phoenix. 

CNN previously reported there were talks between Trump’s team and Kennedy’s orbit for the independent candidate to endorse the former president and appear at Trump’s Phoenix area rally that same night.

The dramatic change at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket unleashed a flood of donations to the campaign account Kamala Harris inherited from Joe Biden, swamping even Donald Trump’s strongest fundraising days, a CNN analysis of newly filed campaign reports shows.

Over the three-day period in July that covered Biden’s withdrawal from the White House race and the rapid consolidation of Democratic support for his vice president, Harris’ principal campaign committee took in more than double what Trump’s campaign account reported collecting in the three days surrounding his felony conviction in New York, according to the review of contributions that total more than $200 this cycle.

The donor enthusiasm for Harris’ surprise candidacy has quickly eroded the cash advantage Trump once held.

The Harris campaign had previously announced collecting a whopping $310 million in July through its joint fundraising efforts with aligned Democratic Party committees – far exceeding the nearly $139 million that the Trump political operation said it had brought in last month. A Harris campaign official said Tuesday the team expected to cross the $500 million mark in fundraising in the coming days.

Read more on the newly filed campaign reports here.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz speaks during Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, on August 21.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida said she was “so proud” of the way Vice President Kamala Harris talked about Israel, Palestinians and the suffering going on in the war during her acceptance speech Thursday night.

Wasserman Schultz said when she was walking out the convention hall last night, several pro-Israel attendees stopped her and said “she was strong on Israel.”

In her speech, Harris called for the Palestinian people to be able to “realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination” while reiterating her support for a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

Harris said that as president, she would maintain the US alliance with Israel and “ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself.” She condemned the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas but also acknowledged the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza amid Israel’s military operation in the enclave.

Some background: Wasserman Schultz set off an uproar in the House Democratic Caucus last year when she bluntly described her view of members who wouldn’t back a resolution affirming support for Israel in its war against Hamas.

“Someone who votes against this, I would think, doesn’t have a soul,” Wasserman Schultz, a prominent Jewish member, told CNN ahead of the vote.

Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost on Friday praised Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech at the Democratic National Convention last night, saying she spoke directly to the struggles Americans are facing.

“For the last over a year and a half as Donald Trump has been running for president, he’s been focused on ad hominems. He’s been focused on speaking on things that don’t speak to the everyday struggles of people,” Frost said on CNN News Central.

He went on to lay out the struggles that should be the focus, including housing, public safety and ensuring people have the resources they need to get ahead.

Frost praised Harris’ speech and highlighted the difference in presidential nominees, saying, “And last night during her speech, she spoke directly to the American people and directly to the struggles that people are facing.”

When discussing Harris addressing the Israel-Hamas war and pro-Palestinian protests, Frost said, “As it relates to what she said on stage, I think that the vice president has the position most Americans have that there should be self-determination, safety, freedom for Palestinians, that we need a ceasefire to see all the hostages return home.”

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, on August 22.

Kamala Harris promised Americans a future that neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden could deliver, showing how profoundly she has changed the 2024 election.

The first Black woman to claim a major party nomination on Thursday styled her “unlikely journey” to the Democratic nod as the springboard to lift the country to a new place after years of being torn apart by its bitter divides.

The vice president offered voters a clear choice in a steady and patriotic Democratic National Convention address.

Americans can take the road of “chaos and calamity” in a new term under Trump, whom she called “an unserious man” who nevertheless poses a “serious threat” to democracy and basic American freedoms.

Or, Harris said, the country can recommit to values she evoked in detailing her upbringing as a daughter of immigrants nurtured by a loving California community of unofficial aunts, epitomized by “Freedom. Opportunity. Compassion. Dignity. Fairness. And endless possibilities.”

Instead of Trump’s American carnage and threats of retribution, Harris is presenting herself as the catalyst for America’s quintessential capacity to renew itself. She leveraged her past as a prosecutor, pledging to always be “for the people” while accusing the Republican nominee of serving “the only client he has ever had: Himself.”

Read the full analysis.

Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump speaks at the US-Mexico border on August 22.

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to publicly acknowledge he lost the 2020 election and said he came up “just a little bit short,” despite regularly lying about the last presidential election he lost and falsely claiming it was rigged. 

He still called the election “horrible” and said the US needed to “clean up” its elections. Trump regularly falsely claims there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election and spreads election conspiracy theories. 

Remember: The 2020 election was highly secure; Trump lost fair and square to Joe Biden by an Electoral College margin of 306 to 232; and there is no evidence of voter fraud even close to widespread enough to have changed the outcome in any state.

Vice President Kamala Harris made history Thursday night as she formally accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.

Harris announced her candidacy last month after President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection bid and endorsed her to succeed him. The party has moved quickly to coalesce behind Harris following Biden’s unprecedented exit.

Harris’ speech closed out the fourth and final day of the convention, which was held at the United Center in Chicago.

“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight,” she said in her speech. “And I want you to know: I promise to be a president for all Americans. You can always trust me to put country above party and self.”

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention on August 22.

Balloons fall from the ceiling of Chicago's United Center at the end of the convention on Thursday. 

Actor Kerry Washington, center, alongside Vice President Kamala Harris’s grandnieces Leila, left, and Amara, right, lead the audience in a call-and-response chant.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, second from right, speaks to media inside the United Center on Thursday. Shapiro was on the short list to be Harris' running mate.

Convention attendees cast shadows on the upper level of the United Center on Thursday. 

Attendee Mevlüt Hilmi Cinar prays inside the arena on Thursday. 

Photographers work during Harris' speech on Thursday.  

People inside the United Center watch US Sen. Elizabeth Warren speak on Thursday. 

Harris kisses her husband, Doug Emhoff, after her speech. Thursday was also their 10th wedding anniversary. 

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are joined by their spouses, Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, after Harris' speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday. 

See more pictures from the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 22.

The past four days have been a jubilant celebration for Democrats in Chicago, culminating in Kamala Harris’ acceptance tonight of her party’s nomination for president.

But even as confetti and balloons showered down inside the United Center, the vice president remains “clear-eyed” about what could come next, a top Democrat who spoke with Harris in recent days told CNN. 

This person said they’ve not heard the vice president or senior Harris campaign officials use the word “honeymoon” to describe the period between President Joe Biden dropping out of the race and now. 

But, they said, the vice president herself and others on down have made clear that they anticipate the momentum and enthusiasm of the past few weeks could wane — for reasons that may or may not be under Harris’ control. 

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event on August 20, in Howell, Michigan.

Donald Trump said Kamala Harris is “not having success, I’m having success” in an interview Thursday night following Harris’ speech at the Democratic convention.

“She’s got four and a half or five months left. She can go there right now and do all of the things, many of the things that she’s talking about and complaining about,” Trump said.  

Fox News host Martha McCallum said: “There’s been a huge appeal and momentum for women voters. She’s trying to pull that, the youth vote, the Hispanic vote, the Black vote back in her direction. Polls show that she’s having some success in that at this point, so what are you going to do? What’s your strategy to rebuild the momentum that you had with those voters?”

“No she’s not having success, I’m having success,” Trump said.

Trump later added, “No, it’s only in your eyes that they have that, Martha.”

Eight undecided voters from Allentown, Pennsylvania speak with CNN following the end of the Democratic National Convention.

Eight residents of Allentown, Pennsylvania, all previously undecided voters, told CNN’s Gary Tuchman how they felt Kamala Harris performed at the Democratic National Convention.

Six of the eight said they were now ready to vote for Harris. One resident will vote for Donald Trump, and one is not planning to vote.

Harris’ speech, during which she accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, received three As, three B+’s, one B and one C, from the group.

Multiple group members said they wanted Harris to go more “in depth” during her speech.

Scott, who gave her a B+, said she looked “very confident” and liked her message of unity. He didn’t give her an A because “she needed to go into a little more detail” about her plans.

Brian, who gave her the C, said “she wasn’t clear enough on the policies” and said that while he liked that she shared more of her background, “I still don’t feel like she’s ready.”

Senate candidate Bernie Moreno speaks at a campaign rally in March in Vandalia, Ohio, as Former President Donald Trump looks on.

Late last year, former President Donald Trump announced his endorsement of car dealership owner Bernie Moreno for Ohio’s Senate seat – elevating an untested candidate who’d never held public office over several other more prominent Republicans.

Two days later, Moreno’s campaign spent about $17,000 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, and then followed up by spending an additional $79,000 the next month – making him one of the Florida club’s top political spenders.

He wasn’t alone. With glitzy Mar-a-Lago fundraisers, stays at Trump’s hotels, and flights on the former president’s private jet, Republican candidates and political groups are on track to spend more on Trump’s businesses this year than any year since 2016, according to a CNN analysis of federal campaign finance data.

Trump himself has been the biggest spender, both this year and over the last decade. Between his three presidential campaigns, Trump and associated political groups have funneled more than $28 million in campaign donations to his businesses – helping convert the enthusiasm of his political supporters into personal profit.

Other Republicans have followed suit, spending millions at Trump’s properties in an apparent attempt to curry favor with the former president and signal their allegiance to him to GOP voters.

Some of the candidates who’ve spent the most money on Trump businesses in recent years have been new politicians who won the former president’s endorsement despite a lack of past electoral experience or success, including Moreno, former Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker and Arizona Senate hopeful Kari Lake.

Read the full story.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Democratic National Convention on August 22.

Vice President Kamala Harris capped one of the most extraordinary months in modern political history Thursday night with a speech that rallied Democrats and cast Donald Trump as the enemy of classic American principles.

Harris went directly at her Republican rival, offering a clean break from the uncertainty and upheaval during his years in the White House. She laid out the former president’s legal troubles. She blamed him for the horrors some women have faced amid the implementation of strict state-level abortion laws.

Here are the takeaways from the fourth night of the DNC:

Fight for “freedom” and a question of government interference: Harris has talked at great length about “freedom,” seeking to reframe issues such as reproductive rights as a question of government interference.

Harris gets personal: The vice president didn’t explicitly compare her upbringing with the former president’s, but other speakers this week have made a more direct contrast between her childhood and Trump’s life as the son of a real estate mogul.

Allies back up Harris’ resume: Each night, speakers have highlighted her work fighting transnational gangs, sexual abusers and corporate bad actors.

Meet the Harris clan: Trump and many other Republicans for years have made a show out of mispronouncing Harris’ first name. On Thursday night, Harris’ two young grandnieces appeared onstage with actress Kerry Washington to send a message: It’s so easy that children can do it. Harris’ niece, Meena Harris, appeared with Harris’ stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff and her goddaughter, Helena Hudlin. Later, Maya Harris, the vice president’s sister, talked about their mother, who died in 2009.

Gun violence testimonies: The convention highlighted the personal stories of people affected by gun violence. Speakers shared their experiences of loss, including Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath whose son was murdered in 2012; mothers who lost their children in the mass shootings at the Sandy Hook and Uvalde school shootings; Melody McFadden, who lost her mother to domestic violence; and Edgar Vilchez, who lost a classmate. Former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, who survived a shooting at a campaign event in 2011, closed out the segment.

‘Central Park Five’ member: Trump has a long history of weaponizing racial resentments for political gain, but the first instance of Trump utilizing that brand of politics was when the “Central Park Five” — five Black and Latino teenage boys — were wrongfully arrested in 1989 and eventually convicted of raping and assaulting a woman jogging in New York City. Trump, then a New York real estate developer, took out and signed full-page newspaper ads calling for the boys to be executed. Those boys were later exonerated. On Thursday night, four of the five appeared on stage at the DNC.

Gaza war opponents denied speaking spot: The DNC denied speaking time to “Uncommitted” delegates elected by primary protest votes against the Biden administration’s Israel policy. Harris pledged to support and defend Israel and condemned the atrocities of Hamas’ October 7 attacks. She then said “what has happened in Gaza over the last 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost. Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety over and over again.”

Celebrities make their mark: The DNC has seen several stars this week, from Lil Jon’s surprise appearance during the star-studded roll call to Oprah Winfrey’s speech Wednesday. Mindy Kaling, Tony Goldwyn, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Sheila E. Pink, Mickey Guyton, Maren Morris and Jason Isbell also got stage time.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks in Nashville, Tennessee on July 26.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to suspend his campaign today at an event in Arizona, two sources familiar with the plans told CNN.

There are current talks between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s team and Kennedy’s orbit for the independent candidate to endorse the former president and appear at Trump’s Phoenix-area rally that same night, the source said.

Kennedy’s campaign announced earlier this week that he would make a speech in Phoenix, saying he would “address the nation” Friday morning, but it did not share details of what he will be speaking about.

Kennedy’s speech will come days after his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, said in a podcast interview on Tuesday that the campaign is considering whether to “join forces” with Trump to prevent the “risk” of Vice President Kamala Harris winning the election.

The Republican nominee on Tuesday expressed openness to Kennedy playing a role in a future administration should he drop out and offer his endorsement.

Discussions between Trump allies and advisers and Kennedy’s team began in the lead-up to the Republican National Convention in July, before a leaked phone call between the former president and Kennedy that same month, a source familiar with the conversations told CNN.