In a speech lasting nearly an hour on the first night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), President Joe Biden defended his record as he passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris. And protesters took to the streets outside the DNC calling for an end to the war in Gaza. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Aug. 20, 2024.
Biden highlights his legacy, passes torch to Harris in DNC address
Former President Barack Obama is slated to be among the speakers on night two of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday, Aug. 20, as the party gears up for Vice President Kamala Harris to officially accept the nomination for president.
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, were in the building Monday night, Aug. 19 for the first night. The vice president gave a surprise speech on the stage thanking President Joe Biden for his “historic leadership.” She then spoke of unity within the party.
“People from every corner of our country and every walk of life are here, united by our shared vision for the future of our country, and this November, we will come together and declare with one voice, as one people, we are moving forward,” Harris said.
And while the convention is largely focused on Harris, the first night was centered on President Biden as the party paid tribute to his decades-long political career. The crowd chanted in support of the president, giving him a 4-minute standing ovation before his speech. Biden took a moment to thank his supporters before reiterating his endorsement of Harris.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you,” the president said. “For 50 years, like many of you, I have given my heart and soul to our nation … It’s been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president.”
First lady Dr. Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also spoke on the first night of the DNC.
“I wish my mother and Kamala’s mother could see us,” Clinton said. “This is our time, America. This is when we stand up. This is when we break through!”
Harris and Walz will both be back on the campaign trail in Wisconsin Tuesday, Aug. 20. That’s also where the Republican vice presidential pick Ohio Sen. JD Vance will be as former President Donald Trump continues his blitz across battleground states. Trump was in Pennsylvania Monday, Aug. 19, and will hold a rally in Michigan Tuesday afternoon.
Protesters attempt to breach barricade at DNC
While the Democratic Party rallied in unison inside Chicago’s United Center, it was a different story on the outside. Protesters broke through a fence set up by police near the site of the DNC as thousands took to the streets to protest the war in Gaza.
As the larger group marched, a few dozen broke away and tore down pieces of the security fence. They chanted “end the occupation now” and then “the whole world is watching!” just as anti-Vietnam war protesters did during the 1968 convention in Chicago when police clashed with protesters on live television.
On Monday, Aug. 19, police in riot gear formed a wall and arrested at least four people. Large protests are expected to continue over the next several days outside the DNC.
U.S. government says Iran was behind Trump campaign hack
The U.S. government has confirmed Iran was behind a recent hack on the Trump campaign, as well as an attempt to hack the Biden and Harris campaigns.
A joint statement on Monday from the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the breach was part of Iran’s plans to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.
Iran has denied that it was behind the hacking.
The FBI briefed former President Trump on their preliminary findings after news organizations reported receiving documents believed to have come from an account belonging to a senior Trump campaign official. Those turned out to be from a hacker.
Vice President Harris’ campaign said hackers were unsuccessful in their attempts against the Biden-Harris campaign.
Israel says bodies of 6 hostages retrieved in overnight operation
Israel said it has recovered the bodies of six hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 terror attack. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s security agency said in a joint statement Tuesday the bodies were retrieved during an overnight military operation in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “hearts are aching over the terrible loss” and thanked those involved in the recovery efforts.
This comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge differences that are preventing a temporary cease-fire and the release of an unknown number of hostages. Now the U.S. and other world leaders helping to mediate the negotiation talks are urging Hamas to accept the proposal.
On Tuesday, Aug. 20, Blinken will be leaving Israel and traveling to Egypt and Qatar, where Hamas has a political office.
It’s unclear if Hamas will sign off on the deal, as one of their stipulations has been a permanent truce, not just a temporary pause in fighting.
The high-stakes talks come as fears rise that the war could escalate into a bigger regional conflict, potentially by an attack on Israel led by Iran and its proxy groups.
Santos pleads guilty to federal charges, faces 6 years in prison
Former New York Congressman George Santos has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He’s agreed to pay more than $370,000 in restitution and could spend at least six years in prison for stealing from donors and using campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses.
The plea comes as his federal fraud case — which led to the Republican’s expulsion from Congress — was just weeks away from going to trial.
He’s now set to be sentenced in February.
Former head of Warner Music submits $4.3B bid for Paramount
Like any good TV show or movie, the saga of the sale of Paramount has a last-second plot twist. According to reports, billionaire media mogul Edgar Bronfman Jr., the former head of Warner Music Group, has submitted an offer of $4.3 billion to take control of Paramount Global — the parent company of CBS, MTV and Paramount Pictures.
Last month, Skydance Media entered a deal to purchase the conglomerate for $8 billion, but that deal came with a catch: a 45-day window where Paramount could field other offers. Bronfman entered the fray just as that deadline was about to expire on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
Now Paramount has the option to extend that period. If it does, that would be a sign Paramount is seriously thinking about Bronfman’s offer.
