CHICAGO — Hillary Clinton and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are among the most anticipated speakers Monday night ahead of retiring President Biden’s appearance at the Democratic convention.
Clinton, the party’s failed 2016 nominee, and the left-wing New York congresswoman are expected to plead with voters to block Republican candidate Donald Trump from retaking the White House — speaking as anti-Israel protesters rally outside the convention’s gates.
The speaker lineup begins around 5:15 p.m. local time with a call to order by influential Democratic adviser Minyon Moore and concludes with Biden’s farewell speech, which is scheduled for 9:50 p.m. Central.
Other speakers Monday include New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who led Democrats in resisting the impeachment inquiry into Biden for alleged corruption, which concluded Monday with a report alleging he committed impeachable offenses linked to his relatives’ foreign dealings.
Also up is first-term Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), who in May ruthlessly mocked Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for having a “bleach-blonde bad-built butch body.”
Biden, 81, is “excited” about his own speech, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Chicago on Monday.
Jean-Pierre called the speech “a fulfilling moment for him” — even though he sought to cling to the nomination until dropping out of the race July 21 amid a mutiny by Democratic leaders concerned about his mental acuity.
The lame-duck president will be introduced by his wife Jill Biden and daughter Ashley Biden.
Speakers ahead of Biden include Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), who Biden has credited with salvaging his 2020 Democratic primary campaign, and United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain.
Other speakers Monday include Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
Each night of the four-day convention features a theme — with Monday vaguely dubbed “For the People” — followed by Tuesday’s “Bold Vision for America’s Future,” Wednesday being “A Fight for our Freedoms” and Thursday “For our Future.”
“For the People” was Vice President Kamala Harris’ failed 2020 presidential campaign slogan.
Harris will deliver her presidential nomination acceptance speech on Thursday night.
