NationalWatch

CHICAGO – Former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night where she praised the accomplishments of VP Kamala Harris and highlighted the legal issues of former President Donald Trump.

“She will fight to lower costs for hard-working families, open the doors wide for good-paying jobs and yes, she will restore abortion rights nationwide,” Clinton told the crowd at the United Center. “As a prosecutor, Kamala locked up murderers and drug traffickers. She will never rest in defense of our freedom and safety. Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial. And when he woke up, he made his own kind of history. The first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.”

The crowd began chanting “lock him up” in reference to the chants of “lock her up” that often erupted at Trump rallies when he was running against Clinton in 2016 and criticizing her over allegations of corruption and improper handling of classified documents.

Clinton could seen smiling and nodding as the chants continued.

VP HARRIS PRAISES BIDEN IN SURPRISE REMARKS AT DNC’S OPENING NIGHT: ‘WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO YOU’

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago.  (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

“Just look at the candidates,” Clinton said. “Kamala cares. Cares about kids and families. Cares about America. Donald only cares about himself.”

Earlier in the evening New York Gov. Kathy Hochul provoked a few cheers from the crowd by quipping that “Trump hasn’t spent much time in New York lately, except that is to get convicted of 34 felonies. And that’s just fine with us.”

For her part, Clinton touted Harris’ political resume as a prosecutor in California.

‘PUTRID’ DNC ANTISEMITISM DENOUNCED BY COUNTERPROTESTER WHO SAYS DEMS HAVE ‘LOST THE JEW VOTE’: ‘WE’RE DONE’

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024.  (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

“On her first day in court, Kamala said five words that still guide her,” Clinton told the crowd. “Kamala Harris for the people. That is something that Donald Trump will never understand. So it is no surprise, is it, that he is lying about Kamala’s record? He’s mocking her name and her laugh. Sounds familiar. But we have him on the run now.”

“So no matter what the polls say, we can’t let up. We can’t get driven down crazy conspiracy rabbit holes. We have to fight for the truth. We have to fight for Kamala as she will fight for us. Because you know what? It still takes a village to raise a family, heal a country and win a campaign.”

Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris attends Day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024.  (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

Clinton continued, “On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th President of the United States.”

Clinton told the crowd that “we need to beat back the dangers that Trump and his allies pose to the rule of law and our way of life.”

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“Don’t get distracted or complacent. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Volunteer. Be proud champions for the truth and for the country that we all love.”

In closing, Clinton said that she wants her grandchildren and their grandchildren to “know I was here at this moment” and that “we were here” and “with Kamala Harris every step of the way.”

This is our time, America,” Clinton said. “This is when we stand up. This is when we break through. The future is here. It’s in our grasp. Let’s go win it.”

CHICAGO – New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed former President Donald Trump in her DNC speech as a man who would “sell” the U.S. “for a dollar” if he’s re-elected come Election Day. 

“We have to help [Vice President Kamala Harris] win because we know that Donald Trump would sell this country for a dollar if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing the palms of his Wall Street friends,” Ocasio-Cortez said Monday evening from the convention’s stage at the United Center. 

“And I, for one, am tired … of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to let working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life. The truth is done. You cannot love this country if you only fight for the wealthy and big business. To love this country is to fight for its people. All people. Working people. Everyday Americans like bartenders and factory workers and fast food cashiers who punch a clock and are on their feet all day in some of the toughest jobs out there,” Ocasio-Cortez continued. 

COMMUNIST ACTIVIST SLAMS DEMS FOR ‘DECEPTIVE’ MESSAGING AT DNC: ‘THEY NEED VOTES’

U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024.  (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

The DNC kicked off on Monday in Chicago, with a handful of high-profile Democrats addressing the convention, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Ocasio-Cortez and brief remarks from Harris before her full address on Thursday evening. 

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at the National Association of Black Journalists, NABJ, convention, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

“I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible President Joe Biden who will be speaking later tonight,” Harris said of President Biden, adding “we are forever grateful to you.”

PLANNED PARENTHOOD OFFERING FREE ABORTIONS, VASECTOMIES AT DNC

“This November, we will come together and declare with one voice as one people, ‘we are moving forward with optimism, hope and faith,'” she said.

“When we fight, we win.” 

Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gestures onstage before speaking during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024.  (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Ocasio-Cortez made similar remarks amid her speech, arguing the country has been presented with a “rare and precious opportunity” with Harris’ run, and that Democrats must “pour every ounce” into “making history” by electing Harris. 

“Over the next 78 days, we will have to pour every ounce, every minute, every moment into making history on November 5th. But we cannot send Kamala and Tim to the White House alone. Together, we must also elect strong Democratic majorities in the House and in the Senate so that we can deliver on an ambitious agenda for the people,” she said. 

HARRIS PROPOSES MAJOR CORPORATE TAX HIKE, REVERSING TRUMP ERA CUTS

People take part in the March on the DNC in Chicago, Illinois, Monday, August 19 2024. Pro-Hamas demonstrators have descended on the Windy City to protest the US Government’s handling of the conflict in the Middle East. (Fox News Digital)

The DNC has included massive protests from anti-Israel activists who held a march just blocks away from the convention center earlier Monday, demanding Democrats cease funding Israel as the country continues battling Hamas. 

“We expect just empty phrases, lip service, lies and deception,” a communist protester told Fox Digital Monday of what he anticpates from President Biden’s anticipated speech Monday evening. 

“We don’t, you know, necessarily believe the Democrats are capable of doing anything for the Palestinian people,” the group’s co-founder added.

DEMS’ SENATE CAMPAIGN CHAIR SAYS DEMS SKIPPING CONVENTION ‘KNOW WHAT’S BEST’ FOR THEM 

Communist protesters outside the DNC in Chicago  (Fox Digital)

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The protests escalated Monday evening as the convention center began to fill with high-profile elected officials, delegates and supporters of the Harris-Walz ticket. Protesters managed to dismantle at least three panels of fencing surrounding the convention early Monday evening before police detained a handful of protesters.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

CHICAGO — Vice President Kamala Harris delivered surprise remarks at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday night and praised President Biden calling him “incredible” and saying “we are forever grateful” to him.

“It is so good to be with everyone this evening in this hall and everyone at home,” Harris told the crowd at the United Center on the convention’s opening night. 

“This is going to be a great week. And I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden, who will be speaking later tonight. Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you. Thank you. Joe.”

Harris told the crowd that she sees the “beauty of our great nation” when she looks at everyone in attendance.

‘PUTRID’ DNC ANTISEMITISM DENOUNCED BY COUNTERPROTESTER WHO SAYS DEMS HAVE ‘LOST THE JEW VOTE’: ‘WE’RE DONE’

Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris attends Day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024.  (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

“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,” Harris said. “And this November, we will come together and declare with one voice as one people, we are moving forward.”

Harris said in closing, “With optimism, hope and faith so guided by our love of country, knowing we all have so much more in common than what separates us, let us fight for the ideals we hold dear and let us always remember when we fight, we win. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. Good night everyone.”

COMMUNIST ACTIVIST SLAMS DEMS FOR ‘DECEPTIVE’ MESSAGING AT DNC: ‘THEY NEED VOTES’

Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris attends Day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024.  (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

Harris’ prime time remarks came at around 8 PM CST leading up to the planned speech of President Biden who will be addressing the convention weeks after he dropped out of the presidential race and Harris took his place as the nominee.

Just over a month ago, Biden was considered the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, having won each Democratic primary race unchallenged. 

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But after a disastrous debate performance against former President Trump in June, Democrats began mounting a pressure campaign for Biden to suspend his re-election bid. 

Axios reported earlier this week that Biden is “stunned” about the circumstances and pressure from within his own party to drop out of the race.

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report

CHICAGO — Communist protesters outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago slammed Democrats’ message of “unity” this week, saying it’s a narrative commonly revived by party leaders when they “need votes.” 

“They ask for unity when they need votes. But when you’re struggling, when you can’t pay rent, you know, it’s hard to afford groceries, then there’s no unity. Then you’re on your own. Then they’re all just like, ‘It’s your fault. You don’t make enough money, you’re just poor and dumb or whatever.’ Then there’s no talk of unity,” a co-founder of the Revolutionary Communists of America told Fox News Digital in an interview outside the United Center.

“And then when they need votes and just get rich off their career in politics, then there’s unity. So, completely false, completely deceptive. Our task is to kind of expose that to everyone,” he continued. 

Thousands of protesters descended on Chicago this week to rail against the Biden administration’s handling of the war in the Middle East and its support of Israel after Hamas’ attack on the nation last year. Protesters ranging from socialist, feminist, communist and environmental groups gathered at Union Park on Monday morning, which is located just blocks from the DNC’s campus, before marching in the city.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD OFFERING FREE ABORTIONS, VASECTOMIES AT DNC

Democrat presidential candidate Vice President Harris visits a campaign office in Glendale, Arizona, on Aug. 9, 2024. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The DNC kicks off in earnest Monday evening, when it will spotlight high-level Democrats in speeches, including President Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 

The Revolutionary Communists of America told Fox Digital that they anticipate Biden’s speech on Monday evening will be riddled with “lies and deception,” noting he’s unsure if Democrats overall can quell the war in the Middle East. 

HARRIS PROPOSES MAJOR CORPORATE TAX HIKE, REVERSING TRUMP ERA CUTS

“We expect just empty phrases, lip service, lies and deception,” the communist activists continued.

“We don’t, you know, necessarily believe the Democrats are capable of doing anything for the Palestinian people,” the group’s co-founder added.

Communist protesters are shown outside the DNC in Chicago. (Fox Digital)

Signs reading “Democrats fund the genocide of Palestinians” and “End U.S. aid to Israel” dominated the protest on Monday as dozens of left-wing groups joined the “March on the DNC 2024.” The protest demands U.S. leaders cut all funding to Israel as well as “Immigrant Rights and Legalization for All!” “Defend LGBTQIA+ & Reproductive Rights!” and “Stop police crimes! Community control of the police now!” according to the group’s website.

DEMS’ SENATE CAMPAIGN CHAIR SAYS DEMS SKIPPING CONVENTION ‘KNOW WHAT’S BEST’ FOR THEM

Co-founder of the Revolutionary Communists of America speaks to Fox Digital in Chicago. (Fox Digital)

“The Democratic Party is complicit in the surging right-wing attacks on women, workers, and the LGBTQ+ community. In spite of their lip service to the women’s and LGBTQ+ movements, the Democratic Party has not backed their words with actions,” the protest website reads.

A demonstrator is led away by police outside the United Center where the DNC is being held in Chicago on Aug. 19 2024. (Fox News Digital)

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The protests escalated Monday as the convention center began to fill with high-profile elected officials, delegates and supporters of the Harris-Walz ticket. Protesters managed to dismantle at least three panels of fencing surrounding the convention early Monday evening before police detained a handful of protesters.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Delegates at the Democratic National Convention are set to vote Monday on the Democratic Party’s 2024 policy platform, which includes “explicit” Title IX protections for LGBT students that were just blocked by the Supreme Court. 

The Democratic National Convention released the final 2024 Democratic Party platform Sunday night, after the one created during President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign was eventually scrapped. Vice President Kamala Harris announced her own presidential bid shortly after, generating a need for revisions that would better align with her own policy positions and a new vision for the party. The latest party platform mimics the Biden administration’s attempted rule making on Title IX to widen the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity. 

“After Friday’s SCOTUS order, the Biden-Harris Title IX rules are in effect in less than 50% of the country — underscoring the flagrant lawlessness of this policy, as well as the deep unpopularity of this issue,” Nicole Neily, the president and founder of parental rights group Parents Defending Education, told Fox News Digital. “Americans agree on relatively little these days, but opposition to progressive gender policies is one of the few issues that transcends racial, political, and socioeconomic lines — so doubling down on this issue is a risky move.”

Lia Thomas was the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I championship.

Matt Sharp, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian nonprofit that also focuses on parental rights issues, said the decision to include transgender protections in the Democratic Party’s platform “flies in the face of growing opinion” about expanding the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity.

“I think it’s really concerning to see the DNC platform sort of keep going down this same path that courts time and time again have pushed back on, have not allowed to move forward, and that ultimately the American public is not in favor of,” Sharp said.

CAITLYN JENNER SAYS SCOTUS RULING AGAINST BIDEN-HARRIS TITLE IX CHANGE IS ‘GREAT NEWS’ FOR WOMEN’S SPORTS

Sharp pointed out how efforts to redefine sex and sexual discrimination go all the way back to President Barack Obama’s administration. Once Trump took office, he rolled back the rule, but then it was put back in place by Biden. 

“This has been a continuing pattern for several administrations to push this, but not only are the courts rebuffing it, but that the American public themselves are too, and we’re seeing it through more and more courageous female voices standing up against this,” Sharp said.

Reed D. Rubinstein, senior vice president at America First Legal, the right-wing legal organization founded by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, called the move to add protections for transgender students under Title IX “old news.”

“The left has fought this reality for well over a decade — it has repeatedly attempted and repeatedly failed to amend Title IX in Congress. Twice, it has attempted to change the law by administrative fiat. To protect girls’ sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms, the Trump administration reversed the Obama administration’s ‘Dear Colleague’ letter that asserted ‘sex’ and ‘[gender identity’ are coextensive],” Rubinstein told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Transgender policies have been a point of contention between those who believe parents should have more control over their children’s education and those who think LGBT students should be allowed to decide what to tell their parents, or not tell them.  (Adobe Stock)

“The Trump administration issued a Title IX rule that survived every single left-wing court challenge. Now, the courts have stopped the Biden-Harris administration’s attempt to rewrite the statute by regulation. But the Supreme Court, unanimously, has made it clear the word ‘sex’ in Title IX does not mean ‘gender identity,’ but rather, biological sex, male or female.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment but did not receive a response.

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In addition to Title IX protections for transgender students, the DNC party platform also contains language that states Democrats will continue “to relieve the crippling burden of student debt” in 2024 — another policy effort under Biden that was rolled back by the Supreme Court. The platform blames Republicans for “block[ing] our student debt relief.”

The Supreme Court ruled against the Biden administration’s plans for student debt cancelation last year, arguing the president stepped outside the bounds of his authority when he announced a plan to cancel up to $400 billion in student loans through executive action.

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

Live DNC Coverage: Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum host special Democracy ’24 coverage of the DNC beginning tonight at 10 p.m. ET on Fox News Channel. Follow along for more.

What’s happening…

-Dean Phillips has no regrets calling to oust Biden…

-Former Rep. George Santos enters plea in fraud case…

-Anti-Israel protests erupt outside DNC…

Peace on a Tightrope

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday “accepted” President Biden’s ceasefire plan that could end the 10-month war in Gaza, but whether the fighting actually stops depends on Hamas.

Speaking to reporters from Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the proposal put forward last week by the White House in coordination with leaders from Qatar and Egypt looked to “bridge the gaps” between the warring parties and has been “accepted” by Netanyahu. 

“He supports it,” Blinken said. “It’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same.”

“The parties – with the help of the mediators, the United States, Egypt and Qatar – have to come together and complete the process of reaching clear understandings about how they’ll implement the commitments that they’ve made under this agreement,” he added….Read more

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, August 19, 2024. (Office of the Prime Minister)

White House

‘1,000 TIMES OVER’: Dean Phillips has no regrets about calling to oust Biden ‘two years ago’ …Read more

Capitol Hill

‘UNPARALLELED HUBRIS’: Fetterman spox openly contradicts boss on Israel …Read more

GEORGE PLEADS GUILTY: Former Rep. Santos enters plea in federal wire fraud, ID theft case …Read more

SENATE MAJORITY BATTLE: Democrats’ Senate campaign chair says senators skipping convention ‘know what’s best’ for them and their states …Read more

Tales from the Trail

COUNTER-PROGRAMMING: Trump, Vance hitting the campaign trail all week to counterprogram Democrats’ convention …Read more

STEEL CITY SCANDAL?: Diners furious after PA eatery cleared for ‘staged’ Kamala Harris stop …Read more

BLANK SLATE: Harris camp website void of policy plans amid DNC …Read more

‘DISGRACEFUL’: Vance calls out Harris’ recent focus on lowering prices: ‘You should have been doing your job’ …Read more

‘ERODES DEMOCRACY’: Liberal Washington Post columnist calls on Harris to talk to journalists …Read more

Across America

DESCENDING ON DNC: Anti-Israel protests erupt outside DNC …Read more

PASS OR FAIL?: Chicago DNC demonstrations to put Illinois’ no-cash-bail law to the ultimate test …Read more

UPSTAGED: Anti-Israel protester grabs mic, disrupts delegate party at DNC …Read more

HAMAS HOSTILITY: Terrorist flag spotted at rally outside DNC …Read more

PRESSURING PUTIN: Ukraine takes out Russian bridges in move against Moscow counteroffensive …Read more

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Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

CHICAGO — As the Democratic National Convention kicked off on Monday, Vice President Harris called for upping the corporate tax rate as the party’s presidential nominee unveiled her first big ticket proposal to raise revenues.

The Harris campaign confirmed to Fox News that the vice president is proposing to raise the rate that major businesses pay from 21% to 28%, describing it as “a fiscally responsible way to put money back in the pockets of working people and ensure billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share.”

“As President, Kamala Harris will focus on creating an opportunity economy for the middle class that advances their economic security, stability, and dignity,” campaign spokesperson James Singer said in a statement.

TRUMP, VANCE, HIT KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES THIS WEEK TO COUNTER-PROGRAM DEMOCRATS’ CONVENTION

Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Harris speaks at the Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence on the Scott Northern Wake Campus of Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, N.C., on Aug. 16, 2024. (ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images)

The move, if it were to become law, would likely raise hundreds of billions of dollars, according to projections from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The announcement comes as Harris is beginning to offer details on how she’d govern if she is elected president and how she would try to pay for expensive ideas she proposed last week, including expanding the child tax credit and easing the cost of homeownership and lowering medical debt.

HARRIS, TRUMP HOLD DUELING RALLIES IN BIGGEST OF THE BATTLEGROUNDS

The announcement would also constitute a major rollback of the 2017 tax cuts, the signature domestic legislation passed during former President Trump’s administration that dramatically cut the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.

Trump has pledged to cut taxes if he returns to the White House.

“Our plan will massively cut taxes,” Trump said at a campaign event on Monday at a factory in York, Pennsylvania. “I gave you the best tax cut in history.”

Republican presidential nominee former President Trump speaks at a campaign event at Precision Components Group in York, Pa., on Aug. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

And he signaled that he would aim to use tariffs against competitors and allies alike by pushing for legislation called the Trump Reciprocal Trade Act.

But the Harris campaign says Trump’s proposed tariffs on overseas goods “would punish middle and working class Americans, so he can cut taxes for the richest Americans.”

Portions of the Trump tax cuts sunset at the end of 2025, which will spur a major debate next year over what parts should be extended.

TRUMP RUNNING MATE VANCE AIMS TO TURN BLUE WALL STATES RED

Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller pointed to the Harris proposal in a social media post, writing, “[B]ye-bye economic growth, new hirings, investment, expansion, onshoring, and so much more!”

The new stance by Harris aligns her with the most recent federal budget proposal by President Biden, which also proposes boosting the corporate tax rate to 28%.

Chicago’s United Center is where the Democratic National Convention kicked off on Aug. 19, 2024. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)

Harris replaced Biden four weeks ago at the top of the Democrats’ 2024 ticket after Biden announced he was ending his re-election bid and supporting his vice president as his successor.

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But veteran Republican consultant and strategist Alex Castellanos told Fox News such proposals will do Harris no favors at the voting booth.

“She does not need the spotlight on her or her policies. She’s been two sides of too many issues. And if she supports raising the corporate tax, that’s a job killer. You don’t need to hurt working people directly. All you need to do is hurt the companies working people work for,” Castellanos said.

Fox News’ Emily Reynolds contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

CHICAGO, Ill. – The chair of the Democrats’ Senate campaign committee says the party’s national nominating convention helps down-ballot in the battle for the Senate majority “because it is about enthusiasm, turning voters out.”

But Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, who’s steering the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for a second straight election cycle, tells Fox News Digital it’s understandable that three Democratic incumbents facing especially difficult re-elections this year are skipping the convention to stay home in their states.

“Every candidate is going to make their own decision as to where they need to be, and certainly some candidates would just rather just be in their state talking to voters in their state,” Peters said. 

TOP SENATE REPUBLICAN CRISS-CROSSES THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN ‘MAKE OR BREAK’ MOMENT TO WIN BACK MAJORITY

The stage is prepared at the United Center ahead of the Democratic National Convention, on Monday Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Democrats currently control the Senate 51-49, but are defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs this autumn. 

One of those seats is in West Virginia, a deep red state that former President Trump carried by nearly 40 points in 2020. With moderate Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Joe Manchin, a former governor, not seeking re-election, flipping the seat is nearly a sure thing for the GOP.

Republicans are also aiming to flip seats in Ohio and Montana, two states Trump comfortably carried four years ago. And five more Democratic-held seats up for grabs this year are in crucial presidential-election battleground states.

Incumbent Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Jon Tester of Montana, and Jacky Rosen of Nevada are skipping the convention.

But Peters highlighted that “they are all very experienced candidates and incumbents. They know what’s best, and they’re doing what they think is best for them and their state.”

‘WE’VE GOT THEIR BACK’ – GOP SENATE NOMINEE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND TOUTS POPULIST MESSAGE 

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the DSCC’s rival, argued that Brown, Rosen and Tester couldn’t run away from their Senate races by not attending the convention.

NRSC communications director Mike Berg told Fox News that all three senators “have all voted with Kamala Harris 100% of the time on tie breaking votes she has cast as vice president. So it doesn’t really matter whether they attend the convention or not, they own the record.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz greets Vice President Kamala Harris as she arrives on stage during a campaign rally at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

The Democrats’ convention kicked off on Monday four weeks and one day after President Biden’s blockbuster announcement that he was ending his 2024 re-election bid and backing Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket.

Harris and Democrats have been riding a wave of momentum in both polling and fundraising ever since.

“What happens at the top of the ticket is going to have a big impact” on the Senate races, Peters said.

“Our candidates in all of our battleground states have been consistently above the Republican opponent, primarily because of candidate quality. They’re running against seriously flawed Republican candidates.”

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Peters touted: “We saw good, strong polling early on. But now, after the change, we’ve seen that polling actually expand, and primarily because of the enthusiasm we’re seeing. More people are excited about getting out to vote, engaged in the process, and we’re confident that when they look at the contrast between our Democratic incumbent or candidate versus Republicans that are flawed, we are going to be very successful on Election Day.”

Sen. Gary Peters, the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, is interviewed by Fox News Digital, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, on Aug. 19, 2024. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

And Peters is confident that the enthusiasm coming out of this week’s convention, combined with what he called a “strong ground game,” is “how we win and hold the majority.”

Peters steered the DSCC last cycle, when the Democrats also faced an unfavorable map and defied expectations by holding on to the majority. But don’t expect him to stay on for a third straight cycle, as he faces his own re-election in 2026.

“It would certainly be unprecedented that a DSCC chair is also on the ballot given the fact, as DSCC chair, I’m out there helping all of the candidates who are running,” he said.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

The Harris campaign website, which includes pages to buy merchandise, donate and get to know the candidate’s background, remains devoid of any policy plans a full month after Kamala Harris became the informal nominee.

As the Democratic National Convention begins this week, critics have been slamming the Democratic nominee for failing to sit for any interviews or hold press conferences. Harris’ lack of policy plans on her website comes a month after she informally became the Democratic nominee for president – and two weeks after she became the formal nominee following a roll call vote by party delegates.

A month after Kamala Harris became the informal Democratic nominee for president, her campaign website remains void of any formal policy plans.

The Democrat nominee’s website does include bios for both Harris and her vice presidential candidate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. It also includes web pages for people to donate money or volunteer, as well as a page where people can buy Harris-Walz merchandise. A FAQ page on the site answers questions related to donations, purchases from the merchandise store, and how to vote or volunteer. Users are instructed to reach out to a general email address for the campaign if their question cannot be answered via the FAQ page.

‘GONNA HIDE IN THE BASEMENT’: AMERICANS BALK AT KAMALA HARRIS DUCKING INTERVIEWS ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Four years ago, when Joe Biden was running for office, he tasked an entire group of advisers with generating a 110-page policy document, according to The New York Times. It was the same with Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to the Times, which noted that she had more than 200 distinct policy proposals on record during her campaign. 

Meanwhile, former President Trump‘s 2024 campaign website includes a tab titled, “platform,” that features a 20-point policy agenda covering issues ranging from the economy to the ongoing crime surge.

Donald Trump’s campaign website includes a 20-point policy plan for his presidency that will “Make America Great Again.”

Last week, Harris unveiled her first major policy rollout, marking the first time she formally announced some positions on governing. Among those was a ban on price gouging by food and grocery companies, a $6,000 child tax credit, tax incentives for first-generation homeowners, and a promise to go after landlords and real estate investors for predatory practices that Harris blames for the rise in housing costs. 

CRITICS BLAST HARRIS GRASP OF INFLATION, ATTACK ON BUSINESS AHEAD OF POLICY SPEECH: ‘LUNATIC BEHAVIOR’

However, these economic plans remain absent from the Harris-Walz campaign website – and a report from the conservative Media Research Center, released last week, indicated between 71% and 86% of Democrats and Independents said they had either not heard of Harris’ position on various topics, or were entirely unaware. 

“It’s 2020 all over again,” said L. Brent Bozell III, the founder and president of the Media Research Center. “As it stands now, another leftist media cover-up will decide the election.”

Vice President Harris and former President Trump (Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment but did not receive a response by press time.

Patrons at a Pittsburgh culinary landmark were outraged Monday after they claimed they were forced to leave the premises before Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrived for a weekend campaign stop.

Several people who had been enjoying food, drinks and the Pittsburgh Pirates game on TV at Primanti Bros. in Moon, Pennsylvania, on Sunday said they were all forced out of the restaurant promptly at 4 p.m.

Mark Dodson of Collier, who said he was just in the area to enjoy “the Bucs” – as the Pirates are nicknamed – simply wanted a quiet day.

“I wanted to watch some sports and enjoy an afternoon lunch,” said Dodson, as Primanti is known for its signature Pittsburgh-style sandwiches piled high with sliced meats and french fries – a Steel City custom.

“Around 3:30, the bartender, she goes, ‘It’s last call’ – what do you mean last call?” Dodson said, adding the employee informed him there was a private event at the top of the hour.

SAM DEMARCO: TRUMP’S STRENGTH IN RESPONSE TO ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT LIKELY WON HIM CRITICS’ SUPPORT

Supporters of former President Trump hold signs and flags as Vice President Kamala Harris makes a campaign stop at Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 18, 2024. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Dodson, who said he is familiar with the restaurant business, said the entire situation seemed sudden.

“They shut down the TVs… so you couldn’t watch the game,” he said. “I said, this is BS – this is a public restaurant. It was kind of mind-boggling to me.”

Dodson said he was ultimately the last real patron to leave the premises and that when he reached his car, it was the only one left in the lot – and that he noticed a growing presence of protesters lining the other side of the road, many in pro-Trump attire.

Video shared by Republican Committee of Allegheny County chairman Sam DeMarco III showed a Harris-Walz campaign bus and several white vans showing up soon after.

Protesters shouted, “They kicked us out of Primanti Brothers” and “You are terrible people” as the entourage arrived.

Others verbally accused the campaign of employing “actors” – as video captured by ABC News of Harris’ visit itself depicted a full dining room with people enjoying their food.

“Holy hell, all these actors in these vans,” a man was heard shouting among the anti-Harris demonstrators.

Amy Smith, who lives in Moon, said she also was at Primanti Bros. for lunch when she was among the patrons asked to vacate. 

Smith said she had heard that Harris would be in the area and predicted she would – and did – stop at a nearby Sheetz gas station popular with candidates on their way to Pittsburgh International Airport.

FETTERMAN SPOKESWOMAN REAMED FOR REPORTEDLY CONTRADICTING BOSS ON ISRAEL

Signage promotes the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Smith said she saw two blue Harris-Walz buses arrive, followed by a white bus with no decal. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa. – who represents the suburban area – was also reportedly spotted joining Harris at the event.

She also offered her timeline of events, having arrived for lunch around 2:50 p.m. After her party left the restaurant, Smith said Harris did not arrive until around 6 p.m.

A request for comment to the Harris campaign itself also was not returned by press time.

Other local figures who reportedly joined Harris on her day-long swing through western Pennsylvania included Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., and retired Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis.

Video from an ABC News affiliate from inside Primanti Bros. showed Harris and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff greeting patrons.

Fox News Digital reached out to Primanti Bros.’ main office in Pittsburgh, and was directed to a representative’s email address. That representative did not respond.

Another stop on the tour was also viewed with criticism, as Harris stopped by Sheetz for some Doritos before leaving the region.

The Biden administration is suing the Altoona-based gas-and-convenience chain for allegedly discriminating against applicants in violation of civil rights laws. 

The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) cited Sheetz’s use of criminal background checks in the hiring process as reason for the violation.

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Republican lobbyist David Urban drew attention to that aspect on X, sharing an image of Harris inside a Sheetz, with the caption, “Apparently, KamalaHarris forgot that the Biden Harris Administration is suing Sheetz for requiring criminal background checks of their employees when she visited for some snacks yesterday.”

After the Primanti Bros. debacle, however, DeMarco appeared to try to lower the temperature toward the Pittsburgh mainstay, saying the restaurant should be given some slack.

“Oftentimes campaigns rent out a place of business for a private party or particular event. Perhaps that’s what happened here? Anyway, I like a good Primanti Bros. ‘hot & cheese’ sandwich so let’s cut them a break.”

DeMarco offered one caveat, quipping that if former President Trump or Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, are not given a similar “affirmative” response if they ever ask to stop in, “I’ll let you know.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro argues antisemitism played no role in Vice President Kamala Harris’ decision to snub him as her VP pick in favor of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Trump argued earlier this month that Harris chose not to tap Shapiro because he is Jewish, a potential turnoff for Muslim voters in key swing states who are already outraged at the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of Israel’s war in Gaza.

“They are so bad, if you look, they are so bad to Jewish people. What they’ve done, and the way they talk, and their policy and everything else,” Trump said of Harris and Democrats.

Shapiro responded by arguing that Trump is “trying to use me and trying to use other Jews to divide Americans further.”

DEMOCRAT CALLS OUT LEFT’S ‘STRONG UNDERCURRENT OF ANTISEMITISM’ IN ATTACKS ON POTENTIAL VP PICK SHAPIRO

Kamala Harris faces accusations of snubbing Josh Shapiro because he is Jewish. (Getty)

“Antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president. Absolutely none. It is also true that antisemitism is present in our commonwealth, in our country and in some areas within our party, and we have to stand up and speak out against that,” he said.

BBC CHAIR DENIES PLEA FROM 200 JEWISH STAFFERS CALLING FOR FORMAL PROBE INTO ANTISEMITISM AT THE NEWSROOM

Harris and Walz will formally win the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week. Walz is scheduled to speak on Wednesday night while Harris will conclude the event Thursday.

Tim Walz became Harris’ running mate in early August.

The pair have enjoyed a surge in support according to polls, with many showing them tied neck-and-neck with Trump or even holding a slight lead. Democratic enthusiasm has also skyrocketed.

CRACKS IN THE WALL OF MEDIA PRAISE FOR HARRIS? MULTIPLE OUTLETS EVISCERATE VP OVER PRICE CONTROL PLAN

Ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod cautioned against overconfidence in Harris, however, saying Sunday that former President Trump may still be in the lead in the swing states that will decide the race.

“This is still a very competitive race. If the election were today, I‘m not sure who would win, and I think it may well be President Trump because it’s an Electoral College fight,” Axelrod said.

Former President Trump remains deadlocked in polls with Vice President Harris. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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A recent survey conducted by Ipsos found Trump and Harris are close or effectively tied in seven swing states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada. Harris receives 42% of the vote share in the seven swing states, compared to Trump’s 40% and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy’s 5%.

Fox News’ Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report

Vice President Kamala Harris is enjoying a spike in favorability among U.S. adults as the Democratic Party prepares to formally nominate her as a presidential candidate in Chicago this week.

The new poll from the Associated Press found that 48% of Americans have a very or somewhat favorable view of Harris, up from 39% earlier this year. Harris has benefited from a deluge of positive media coverage in the weeks since President Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.

The rise is also a marked improvement over Biden’s own favorability when he dropped out of the race. At the time, just 38% of Americans approved of him.

Meanwhile, former President Trump sits at 41% approval, according to the Monday poll.

HARRIS, TRUMP HOLD DUELING EVENTS IN FIGHT TO WIN BIGGEST BATTLEGROUND

Vice President Kamala Harris has surged in approval ratings in the weeks since she assumed the head role in the Democratic Party. (Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The race for the White House remains neck-and-neck between Trump and Harris, with most polls placing the candidates within the margin of error. In some polls, Harris leads by a few points; in others, Trump holds the advantage.

FOX NEWS POLL: CLOSE RACES IN BATTLEGROUND STATES SHOW VOTERS LOCKED IN

Harris has faced heavy criticism for her lack of media transparency since her nomination. She has gone 29 days without holding a press conference as of Monday.

While she has been busy on the campaign trail, spoken at various events, and given informal remarks to reporters at various points, she hasn’t done a formal press conference or wide-ranging interview in the four weeks that have followed.

Trump and Harris are neck-and-neck in election polls with just months to go before Election Day. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Trump held his second press conference in a week on Thursday at Bedminster, and since Aug. 6, he’s answered 81 questions in pressers and interviews, including a two-hour session with supporter Elon Musk last week.

CNN HOST PRESSES HARRIS CAMPAIGN SPOX ON VP’S SCHEDULE AS SHE AVOIDS PRESS: ‘SHE HAS TIME’ FOR AN INTERVIEW

Over that same period, Harris has done brief “gaggles” as well as off-the-record sessions with traveling reporters, but she still hasn’t done anything formal with the press. She spoke for a few minutes at a campaign stop with reporters in Pennsylvania on Sunday, telling the media she still considered herself an “underdog” as the Democratic National Convention gets set to kick off.

Harris has appeared to hide from media scrutiny in recent weeks as Trump has had numerous conversations with the press. (Getty Images)

The left-leaning Washington Post editorial board challenged Harris over dodging the media last week, saying of her opponent, “at least he has taken questions.”

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The Post said she should account for her numerous policy shifts, including on fracking, border security and private health insurance. Liberal columnist Perry Bacon also called on Harris to take questions in a new piece on Sunday.

Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report

Anti-Israel protesters are swarming outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago as police gear up for a week of unrest in the city.

The four-day convention kicks off Monday at the United Center near the West Side, where as many as 100,000 anti-Israel demonstrators are expected to protest throughout the week.

At least seven large demonstrations took place on the eve of the convention on issues from abortion to voicing objections to U.S. support for Israel, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The city prepared for discord by fencing off the convention center and recruiting a heavy police presence to the scene.

DEMS PROJECT IMAGES ON TRUMP TOWER AHEAD OF DNC

Police clash with anti-Israel agitators marching ahead of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (Getty Images)

Police and anti-Israel agitators clash in downtown Chicago on Aug. 18, 2024. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

Activists organized by Codepink march on North Michigan Avenue on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago, host city for the Democratic National Convention. (Armando L. Sanchez/Getty Images)

Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., said around 150 Illinois National Guard members are on “standby” for the convention, Fox 32 reported. 

An Chicago police officer watches as anti-Israel agitators march ahead of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 18, 2024. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

Police stand guard in front of the Hilton hotel ahead of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 18, 2024 in Chicago. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

‘WALLS FOR WALL, BUT NOT FOR THEE’: DEMOCRATS CALLED OUT FOR HYPOCRISY ON SECURITY MEASURES AT DNC

Businesses also boarded up their doors ahead of the anticipated protests.

A downtown business was boarded up in anticipation of violent protests during the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Downtown businesses prepared for protests during the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 18, 2024. (John Moore/Getty Images)

More than 300 police officers joined Police Superintendent Larry Snelling on Saturday for a police training session ahead of the convention, the Chicago Police Department shared in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Police on bicycles stage on Upper Wacker Drive for an anti-Israel protest ahead of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 18, 2024 in Chicago. The convention runs from Aug. 19-22. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

President Biden is scheduled to deliver an opening night address Monday to pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.

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The convention, where Harris will formally accept the Democratic nomination, will take place from Aug. 19 to 22.

Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States. 

He was born on Aug. 19, 1946, as William Jefferson Blythe III. His parents were, William Jefferson Blythe II, who died in a car accident before Clinton was born, and Virginia Cassidy Blythe. Clinton was raised by his grandparents until his mother returned from nursing school.

Clinton, a Democrat, served two terms in the White House, but was impeached by the House of Representatives during his second term on Dec. 19, 1998, for committing perjury before a grand jury and obstructing justice.

Before Clinton led the nation as a two-term president, he graduated from Georgetown University. He later received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University and a law degree from Yale University in 1973. 

His political venture started in Arkansas, where he was elected attorney general in 1976 after being defeated in his first run for Congress two years prior. 

WHAT MAKES A PRESIDENT GREAT?

In 1978, he became governor of Arkansas, but lost for a second term. 

Four years later, he returned to his role as governor, and then started his presidential campaign against Republican George H.W. Bush. 

In 1992, Clinton and his running mate, Albert Gore Jr., were successful in their campaign, defeating Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot for the White House. 

In 1996, Clinton won a second term as president, this time defeating Republican Bob Dole and, again, independent candidate Perot. 

His presidency became known for accomplishments such as high homeownership, 22 million jobs created and low unemployment rates, but scandal ensued during his terms, too. 

CLINTONS ENDORSE KAMALA HARRIS HOURS AFTER BIDEN DROPS OUT

During Clinton’s second term as president, he was impeached by the House of Representatives. 

His impeachment partly stemmed from sexual harassment claims against Clinton by Paula Jones, that were said to have occurred before he was elected president, according to a research guide by the Library of Congress. 

After Clinton was re-elected, evidence came to light of an extramarital affair between the president and Monica Lewinsky, a White House Intern. 

Initially, Clinton denied the affair and Lewinsky corroborated the sworn testimony of Clinton.

The investigation was led by the late Kenneth Starr. Before the grand jury, Lewinsky admitted to the sexual relationship with Clinton, and the president admitted to the affair. 

In December 1998, the House voted in favor of two articles of impeachment against Clinton, finding that he had committed perjury and obstructed justice. He became the second president in American history to be impeached, the first being Andrew Johnson. 

During the Senate trial of 1999, Clinton was acquitted. 

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After the trial was over, Clinton apologized to Congress and the American people for his behavior, and continued his term as president. 

Following his presidency, he continued to be involved in politics. He has shown unwavering support for Democrats, including his wife, Hillary Clinton, who ran for the presidency herself in 2016, but was defeated by Donald Trump. 

Clinton has also penned a number of books through the years, including after his presidency, such as “My Life,” “Back to Work” and “Citizen: My Life After the White House.”

Two years before winning the Oval Office in 2008, former President Obama was one of the few high-profile Democrats in the nation to campaign for Tim Walz when he first launched a career in politics. 

“I just remember standing on that stage, and we were coming off it, and there was someone there who was a supporter of mine who said, ‘Stop, let me take a picture,’” Walz said in 2017 of how Obama traveled to Minnesota to support him during his first congressional run in 2006. 

The pair, as well as then-Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar, took a photo together, which Walz framed and hanged in his house, he told the MinnPost in 2017. 

 “A future congressman, a future senator, and a future president,” Walz said he captioned the photo, noting that Obama was one of the few high-profile Democrats at the time to support him back in 2006. 

OBAMA-LINKED OPERATIVES DOMINATE HARRIS CAMPAIGN

Gov. Tim Walz at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024 in Las Vegas. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Another high-profile Democrat, then-Sen. John Kerry, was also scheduled to join Walz on the campaign trail that year but canceled after Kerry came under fire for infamously telling a group of college students if “you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”

Walz was elected to the House that year, holding onto the seat until 2019, when he was elected as governor of the Gopher State. Now, the Minnesota Democrat has landed on the 2024 ticket for the White House, joining Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate. 

Harris has had a long and documented history with Obama ahead of becoming the nation’s vice president and the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee. She was among the first elected Democrats in the nation to endorse Obama’s first run for president in the 2008 election, snubbing Hillary Clinton in favor of the then-Illinois senator. 

BARACK, MICHELLE OBAMA ENDORSE KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT AFTER DAYS OF SILENCE

Harris was in attendance when Obama announced his candidacy for president in 2007, after first meeting him in 2004 when he was an Illinois state senator running for the U.S. Senate, the Washington Examiner previously reported. 

Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Obama attend an event to mark the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House on April 5, 2022 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

As Harris built her political career from San Francisco district attorney to California attorney general and then senator, Harris was even dubbed “the female Obama” by some political analysts. 

Walz’s relationship with Obama has not been as publicly cozy or longstanding, but the country’s 44th president has been supportive of Walz’s political career from the start, and he continued endorsing him in his various elections after he left the Oval Office. 

OBAMA ALLIES, ADVISERS HELPED LEAD THE CHARGE AMONG DEMS LOOKING TO SINK BIDEN AHEAD OF OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

“I am proud to endorse coach, teacher, soldier, and Congressman Tim Walz for Governor of Minnesota. Tim is running a campaign on the idea that there is more that unites than divides us. He is running for one Minnesota—where everyone, no matter where they live or what they look like, has affordable healthcare, a quality education, and the chance to get ahead.  I’ve worked with Tim in Congress, and I know firsthand he has what it takes to get it done,” Obama said in his endorsement of Walz’s gubernatorial campaign in 2018. 

OBAMA TAKES SUBTLE SWIPE AT VANCE WHILE PRAISING WALZ AS ‘IDEAL’ HARRIS RUNNING MATE

“​​Minnesota, our rights and our future are on the ballot this year. That’s why I’m supporting Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan,” Obama said in an ad in 2022 during Walz’s re-election campaign for governor. “As governor, Tim balanced the state budget while cutting taxes for the middle class. He has pushed for tax rebate checks to help with the cost of living. And he has fought to make critical investments in public safety and education.”

The endorsements and praise have been mutual, with Walz endorsing Obama over Hillary Clinton in the 2008 election. 

Then-Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other House and Senate Democrats at a rally at the Library of Congress decrying the “corrupt” Republican Congressional leadership. (Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images)

“The voters of southern Minnesota overwhelmingly supported Senator Barack Obama and his hopeful vision for positive change,” Walz said in 2008, though he noted at the time that he believed both Obama and Clinton were up to the challenge of addressing “eight years of mismanagement from George W. Bush.”

Walz also declared his support and admiration for former first lady Michelle Obama in 2019, when he declared March 19 of that year “Michelle Obama Day.” 

“We are so grateful for everything that you’ve done for children, for families, for women, and especially for women of color. That’s why, because of all the work you’ve done, we are happy as governor, lieutenant governor of the State of Minnesota to proclaim March, 13, 2019 Michelle Obama day across the state of Minnesota. Happy Michelle Obama Day,” Walz and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said in a video posted to X in 2019 while Michelle Obama was visiting the state during a book tour. 

After Biden’s departure from the presidential race late last month amid mounting concerns surrounding his mental acuity, Harris began building out her campaign team, most notably adding a bevy of Obama orbit insiders and advisers to her election effort. 

Harris brought on Obama advisers, such as David Plouffe, who managed Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008 and served as a senior aide to Obama’s successful 2012 re-election effort. Harris also brought on veteran Democratic operative Jennifer Palmieri as senior adviser to Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff. Palmieri served as White House director of communications under the Obama administration and as director of communications for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s failed 2016 White House bid. 

MEET KAMALA HARRIS’ RUNNING MATE WHO CALLED REPUBLICANS ‘WEIRD PEOPLE’

Harris also tapped Obama’s former attorney general, Eric Holder, to lead the vetting process of her potential running mates, while Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, who worked as Obama’s 2012 deputy campaign manager and Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign chair, was announced as Harris’ campaign manager. 

The 44th president had remained coy for days last month before offering his endorsement of Harris’ presidential run. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, accompanied by her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, walks out into a packed rally in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.  (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

“I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic,” Michelle Obama said in a video endorsement while speaking to Harris. 

“We called to say Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office,” former President Obama added. 

Former President Obama, left, and President Biden arrive for a campaign fundraising event at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 28, 2024. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Obama released another endorsement this month when Walz was announced as Harris’ running mate, saying he and Michelle Obama “couldn’t be happier for Tim” and the nation. 

“Governor Walz doesn’t just have the experience to be vice president, he has the values and the integrity to make us proud. As governor, Tim helped families and businesses recover from the pandemic, established paid family leave, guaranteed the right to an abortion, and put common sense gun safety measures in place to keep communities safe. But Tim’s signature is his ability to talk like a human being and treat everyone with decency and respect – not all that surprising considering the fact that he served in the National Guard for 24 years and worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach before being elected to Congress,” Obama wrote in his endorsement. 

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Obama, along with a handful of other high-profile Democrats, will head to Chicago next week in support of the Harris-Walz ticket as the party prepares to face Trump in the polls on Nov. 5. 

 Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

President Biden engaged in “impeachable conduct,” House Republicans found in their months-long impeachment inquiry, declaring in their highly anticipated report that he “abused his office” and “defrauded the United States to enrich his family.” 

Fox News Digital obtained a copy of the 292-page report prepared by the House Oversight Committee, House Judiciary Committee and House Ways and Means Committee. Those panels have been leading the impeachment inquiry against Biden. 

“The Committees have accumulated evidence demonstrating that President Biden has engaged in impeachable conduct,” the report, which lays out evidence gathered to date, says. 

HOUSE REPUBLICANS REFER HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Republicans said there is “overwhelming evidence” that Biden participated in a “conspiracy to monetize his office of public trust to enrich his family.” They alleged that the Biden family and their business associates received tens of millions of dollars from foreign interests by “leading those interests to believe that such payments would provide them access to and influence with President Biden.” 

President Biden (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images/File)

The committees said the Biden family and its associates received more than $27 million from foreign individuals or entities since 2014.

They also alleged that the Biden family leveraged Biden’s position as vice president to obtain more than $8 million in loans from Democrat benefactors. The loans “have not been repaid and the paperwork supporting many of the loans does not exist and has not been produced to the committees.”

The Republicans said the conspiracy took place while Biden was serving as vice president.

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE ‘BIDENS ARE THE BEST,’ HAVE ‘CONNECTIONS’

“As Vice President, President Biden actively participated in his conspiracy by, among other things, attending dinners with his family’s foreign business partners and speaking to them by phone, often when being placed on speakerphone by Hunter Biden,” the report states.

Hunter Biden arrives for a closed-door deposition on Feb. 28, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Congressional Integrity Project)

Republicans referenced in the report a 2014 dinner that Biden attended for his son, Hunter, with Russian oligarch Yelena Baturina. After the dinner, Baturina wired $3.5 million to Hunter Biden’s firm, Rosemont Seneca Thornton. 

Fox News Digital had previously reported that Biden attended dinners with Hunter Biden’s business associates, including Baturina, in Washington, D.C., at Café Milano in Georgetown in both 2014 and 2015. Biden also met with Jonathan Li of BHR in China in 2013. 

Fox News Digital also previously reported that Biden met with the chair of Chinese energy firm CEFC, Ye Jianming, in 2017. 

“Based on the totality of evidence, it is inconceivable that President Biden did not understand that he was taking part in an effort to enrich his family by abusing his office of public trust,” the report states.

FLASHBACK: HUNTER BIDEN IN 2017 SENT ‘BEST WISHES’ FROM ‘ENTIRE BIDEN FAMILY’ TO CHINA FIRM CHAIRMAN, REQUESTED $10M WIRE

Republicans also said the Biden family “went to great lengths to conceal this conspiracy.”

“Foreign money was transmitted to the Biden family through complicated financial transactions,” the report states. “The Biden family laundered funds through intermediate entities and broke up large transactions into numerous smaller transactions.”

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/File)

Republicans said Hunter Biden and his business associates leveraged Joe Biden’s position as vice president to garner “favorable outcomes in foreign business dealings and legal proceedings.” 

“Several witnesses testified that Hunter Biden invoked his father in business dealings with Romanian, Chinese, Kazakhstani, and Ukrainian companies, resulting in millions of dollars flowing to the Biden family,” the report states.

DEVON ARCHER: HUNTER BIDEN, BURISMA EXECS ‘CALLED DC’ TO GET UKRAINIAN PROSECUTOR FIRED

“President Biden’s participation in this conspiracy to enrich his family constitutes as impeachable conduct,” they said. “By monetizing the Vice Presidency for his family’s benefit, he abused his office of public trust, placing the welfare of his family ahead of the welfare of the United States.”

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio (Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images/File)

Republicans added, “He also put foreign interests ahead of the interests of the American people.”

Meanwhile, Republicans in their report also said Biden used his official position to “conceal his mishandling of classified information as a private citizen.” 

“During his tenure as Vice President, Joe Biden removed highly sensitive classified documents from the White House, despite having no authority to do so,” the report states. 

FLASHBACK: HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS ASSOCIATE’S TEXT MESSAGES INDICATE MEETING WITH JOE BIDEN

Special Counsel Robert Hur investigated Biden’s improper retention of classified records for months but did not recommend charges against the president. The records included classified documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan, among other records related to national security that implicated “sensitive intelligence sources and methods.”

James Biden, brother of President Biden (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images/File)

But Hur earlier this year described Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory” and said it “would be difficult to convince a jury they should convict him.”

The report also shifts to allegations from IRS whistleblowers, who said federal investigators allowed the statute of limitations to expire on Hunter Biden’s alleged tax crimes. 

“The Justice Department prevented line attorneys from conducting key interviews and pursuing important lines of inquiry,” the report states. “The special treatment for Hunter Biden, which only ceased at the onset of congressional attention on the Department’s investigation, may be a basis for impeachment, as the distortion of an official investigation was a basis in the prospective impeachment of President Nixon in 1974.” 

Tony Bobulinski, former associate of Hunter Biden, speaks during a House Oversight Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on March 20, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images/File)

BIDEN MET WITH CHAIR OF CHINESE ENERGY FIRM HUNTER DID BUSINESS WITH IN 2017, EX-ASSOCIATE TESTIFIES

The report adds, “In certain circumstances the President may be impeached for the actions of subordinate officials.” 

“The totality of the corrupt conduct uncovered by the Committees is egregious,” the report states. “President Joe Biden conspired to commit influence peddling and grift. In doing so, he abused his office and, by repeatedly lying about his abuse of office, has defrauded the United States to enrich his family.” 

Republicans argue that “not one of these transactions would have occurred, but for Joe Biden’s official position in the United States government.” 

JOE BIDEN RECEIVED $40K IN ‘LAUNDERED CHINA MONEY’ FROM BROTHER IN 2017, COMER SAYS

“This pattern of conduct ensured his family – who provided no legitimate services – lived a lavish lifestyle. The evidence uncovered in the Committees’ impeachment inquiry reflects a family selling the ‘Biden brand’ around the world with President Biden – the ‘big guy’ – swooping in to seal the deal on speaker phones or in private dinners,” the report states. “It shows a concerted effort to conceal President Biden’s involvement in the family’s influence peddling scheme.”

From left, Chair James Comer, R-Ky., Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, attend a House Oversight Committee hearing on March 20, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)

House Republicans pointed to the Constitution, saying the remedy for a president’s “flagrant abuse of office is clear: impeachment by the House of Representatives and removal by the Senate.”

“Despite the cheapening of the impeachment power by Democrats in recent years, the House’s decision to pursue articles of impeachment must not be made lightly,” the report states. “As such, this report endeavors to present the evidence gathered to date so that all Members of the House may assess the extent of President Biden’s corruption.” 

House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry report comes weeks after Biden suspended his re-election campaign amid pressure from within the Democratic Party after the first presidential debate in June against former President Trump.

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House Republicans have been leading the impeachment inquiry since mid-2023. The full House of Representatives formalized the inquiry in December 2023. 

In June, House Republicans sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department recommending Hunter Biden and James Biden, the president’s brother, be charged with making false statements to Congress about “key aspects” of the impeachment inquiry. 

Hunter Biden was found guilty on federal gun charges in Delaware earlier this year, stemming from charges brought against him by Special Counsel David Weiss. His trial on federal tax charges is set to begin in California in September.

The Democratic National Convention (DNC) begins Monday as top Democrats travel to Chicago to celebrate the party’s presidential nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris.

The convention, which will be held at the United Center in Chicago, starts Monday and runs through Thursday, when Harris will formally accept the nomination with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. 

Anti-Israel protesters are expected to demonstrate outside the event, opposing the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel in its nearly 11-month war with Hamas in Gaza.

The DNC said the party will celebrate the record of the Biden-Harris administration and “chart a path for the future.” 

DEMOCRATIC HEAVYWEIGHTS TO SPEAK AT PARTY’S CONVENTION; PREPARING FOR LARGE PALESTINIAN PROTESTS

Vice President Kamala Harris is accompanied by her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday, August 9, 2024. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The convention will “show America what Democrats stand for and tell the story of our proven track record of delivering for all Americans,” the DNC said. 

“But the story is far from over,” the party says. “At the convention, Democrats will come together to build on our progress, lay out what’s at stake in this election, and unite around our shared values of democracy and freedom to create a future for all Americans.” 

The DNC said it is holding the 2024 nominating convention in Chicago because the city “represents the diversity of the Democratic Party and the country.” 

“It’s a union city that sits in the heart of the Midwest, and it’s a Democratic stronghold that was part of the ‘blue wall’ crucial to the Biden-Harris victory in 2020 and will be for a Harris-Walz victory in November,” the DNC said. 

The convention in 1996, where Democrats nominated President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore for re-election, was also held in Chicago in the same arena. 

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (Ronda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images)

“Our convention is an opportunity to bring the story of our party to the American people — not just the story of what we’ve achieved under the Biden-Harris administration, but how the Harris-Walz ticket is planning to build on that historic record for a new way forward into the future,” said Convention Chair Minyon Moore. “The story here is simple and it’s one that will resonate with Americans across the country: Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are fighting for the American people and America’s future — Donald Trump is only fighting for himself.”

The DNC announced that each night of the convention will have a theme. 

Monday night will be “for the people,” and speakers will present that “at its core, the Harris-Walz ticket is a ticket for the people.” 

Tuesday night will be a “Bold Vision for America’s Future,” and will focus on how the Harriz-Walz ticket intends to present a “brighter vision where everyone will have a chance not just to get by, but to get ahead.” 

Wednesday night’s theme is “A Fight for Our Freedoms,” and Thursday night’s theme is “For Our Future.” 

The Democrats’ convention comes nearly a month after the president’s blockbuster July 21 announcement that he was suspending his re-election bid and endorsing Harris following his disastrous performance against former President Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, in their late June debate.

HARRIS HAULS IN $12 MILLION DURING SAN FRANCISCO STOP AS PELOSI WELCOMES THE VICE PRESIDENT HOME

Biden’s rambling and uneven answers at the debate fueled questions over whether the 81-year-old president had the physical and mental abilities to handle another four years in the White House and sparked a chorus of calls from within his own party to end his 2024 campaign.

Biden eventually caved to the pressure, announcing the suspension of his re-election campaign just days after the Republican National Convention ended with a solidified GOP ticket of Trump and running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. 

Biden, in his announcement to suspend his bid for the White House, nominated his vice president to take over. 

Democrats desperate to keep Trump from returning to the White House quickly coalesced around Harris, who last week was formally nominated by the party in a virtual roll call. 

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive to speak at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Biden is expected to address the Democratic National Convention Monday night to open the week’s events. Sources said his speech will focus on the “successes of the Biden-Harris Administration,” including “successfully overcoming a once in a century pandemic, transforming an economy that was flat on its back to the strongest economy in the world, defending democracy at home and abroad, and restoring decency and dignity to the White House.”

First Lady Jill Biden will also speak to the party Monday night, along with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. 

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also expected to speak at the convention Monday night, followed by former President Barack Obama on Tuesday and former President Bill Clinton on Wednesday. 

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will also speak at the convention in an effort to rally support for the Harris-Walz ticket. She’ll speak about the importance of civic engagement and voting.

Also speaking at the Democratic National Convention will be Harris’ husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer; and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. 

Walz is expected to accept the vice presidential nomination on Wednesday night and address the party. 

Walz can showcase a slew of progressive policy victories in Minnesota, including protecting abortion rights, legalizing recreational marijuana and restricting gun access to curb shootings. 

Walz was elected to the House in 2006 and re-elected five times, representing Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, a mostly rural district covering the southern part of the state that includes a number of midsize cities. During his last two years on Capitol Hill, he served as ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. 

Walz won election as governor in 2018 and re-election four years later.

Harris will accept the nomination in a nationally televised address Thursday night. 

Harris has enjoyed a surge in fundraising after replacing Biden atop the Democrats’ 2024 ticket, and her July haul was more than double the funds raised last month by Trump. Additionally, Harris saw another spike in fundraising after naming Walz as her running mate a week ago.

The vice president and Walz quickly hit the campaign trail with a swing through the key battleground states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Nevada. 

WHAT THE LATEST POLLS IN THREE KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES SHOW IN THE HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN

Even though both Harris and Walz have been officially nominated, convention organizers say there will be ceremonial roll calls in Chicago. 

And while a mostly unified and now energized Democratic Party will meet inside the United Center arena on Chicago’s West Side, outside the security perimeter, there will likely be scenes of anger and dissent – as demonstrators protesting the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel plan to take to the streets.

Party officials are hoping to avoid any type of repeat of their 1968 convention in Chicago, when scenes of fighting erupted among delegates, and clouds of tear gas and police batons used to smash protests, as divided Democrats brawled over the Vietnam War.

While Democrats are divided over the U.S. response to the soaring death toll among Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war, political pundits say comparisons to the 1968 chaos are not justifiable.

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However, the Coalition to March on the D.N.C., an umbrella group of organizations on the left that is helping to organize the planned protests, said in a social media posting on Sunday that Democratic Party officials “underestimate our rage, our tenacity, and our steadfast commitment to the precious life of every Palestinian person enduring this horrific genocide. We’re fighting back.”

Protesters are trading fire with Chicago officials over where they will be allowed to march during the convention. The activists are aiming for a longer route, which they say would better accommodate the tens of thousands of people they hope will protest. A federal judge overseeing the dispute between the protesters and city officials has yet to make a decision.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Former President Trump will visit the U.S. southern border in Cochise County, Arizona, this Thursday, amid a broken border resulting in hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants pouring into the country, and a drug crisis fueled by fentanyl pushed by drug cartels.

Trump’s campaign announced his visit on Sunday, blaming Vice President Kamala Harris, who was referred to as “border Czar Kamala Harris,” for the “country’s worst border crisis.”

“Despite nearly 10 million immigrant crossings in the last three and a half years, at least 99 individuals on the terrorist watch list being released into our country, deadly drugs like fentanyl being peddled in by cartels and poisoning American communities, and a huge increase in crime and chaos caused by illegal immigrants – there is no end in sight for Kamala Harris’ border crisis,” the announcement read. “Our country continues to witness more and more violent and deadly crimes committed by illegal immigrants.”

Trump’s campaign then referred to Americans like Jocelyn Nungaray, Laken Riley and Rachel Morin, who were all allegedly killed by illegal immigrants.

JD VANCE RIPS HARRIS’ LATEST WORD SALAD: ‘SIGNIFICANCE OF THE POWER OF DIPLOMACY’

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump will visit the U.S. southern border in Cochise County, Arizona on Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Two Venezuelan nationals – 21-year-old Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and 26-year-old Franklin Jose Peña Ramos – have been charged with capital murder in connection with the death of 12-year-old Nungaray’s death. The two men crossed illegally into the U.S. earlier this year, and are accused of strangling the pre-teen to death in June.

Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan illegal immigrant, was charged with 22-year-old Riley’s murder. Ibarra entered the U.S. through El Paso, Texas, in 2022 and was freed on border parole. He initially lived in New York City, where he was arrested for endangering a child prior to his move to Athens, Georgia.

Ibarra has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another in connection to Riley’s murder.

ARIZONA’S KARI LAKE TEARS INTO KAMALA HARRIS ON THE BORDER: ‘THE ONLY WALZ SHE SUPPORTS IS HER VP PICK’

University of Georgia murder suspect Jose Ibarra lived within a five-minute walk of the approximate scene where he allegedly murdered 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley on Feb. 22. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital/ Laken Riley/ Jose Ibarra)

The El Salvadoran national responsible for Morin’s death, 23-year-old Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, was also in the country illegally, and according to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was caught by Border Patrol three times within a matter of days in January and February 2023 and kicked back to Mexico under Title 42 each time. He then successfully entered the U.S. as a gotaway, meaning he entered without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration officer, in February 2023 near El Paso, Texas.

Trump’s campaign also pointed to the fentanyl crisis, saying over half of the total fentanyl pills entering the country come through the Arizona border.

POLITICO MOCKED FOR REPORT STATING HARRIS WILL DRAW ON PROSECUTOR PAST TO SECURE BORDER: ‘IS THIS A JOKE?’

Still images from motion-activated surveillance cameras show groups of camouflaged people sneaking onto an Arizona rancher’s property after making their way around an incomplete portion of the southern border wall in May 2024. (Courtesy of Jim Chilton)

“In Maricopa County, more than three people die every day on average due to fentanyl,” the announcement read. “President Donald J. Trump knows that the people of Arizona and the rest of the country cannot take another four years of a missing-in-action border Czar who refuses to act to secure our border and protect our country.”

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Trump will be visiting the southern border in Cochise County, Arizona at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace, Bill Melugin, Louis Casiano, Greg Norman and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) projected images on Trump Tower in Chicago on Sunday evening ahead of the party’s convention on Monday.

“All eyes are on Chicago, and tonight, everyone is receiving a preview of the contrast that Democrats will drive throughout the Democratic National Convention this week – directly on Trump International Hotel,” the DNC said in a statement.

The images on the Trump International Hotel and Tower, which is named for former President Trump, attempted to tie the former president and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, to Project 2025, a political initiative published by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank based out of Washington, D.C.

KAMALA HARRIS’ SAN FRANCISCO IS A DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARE. IS THIS WHAT SHE HAS PLANNED FOR AMERICA?

Trump Tower in Chicago (Blanquart C/Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Elements of the initiative have become controversial, leading Trump to deny attempts to link him to the project.

“I know nothing about Project 2025. I have not seen it, have no idea who is in charge of it, and, unlike our very well received Republican Platform, had nothing to do with it,” Trump said in a June Truth Social post.

The messages projected on the tower, which is the second-tallest building in Chicago, were also meant to contrast Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to the Republican ticket, with the DNC saying that the vice president and Minnesota governor “have proven records of delivering for working families.”

A view of the Trump Tower as colorful lights illuminate the streets in Chicago, on May 23, 2024. (Aytac Unal/Anadolu via Getty Images)

HARRIS HAULS IN $12M AT SAN FRANCISCO FUNDRAISER AS PELOSI WELCOMES VICE PRESIDENT HOME

“Now, they’re running to lead our country into a brighter future. Donald Trump and JD Vance are running on their backwards Project 2025 agenda, which would make the lives of our families worse and take away their freedoms, while granting Trump power like no president has had before,” the DNC statement said.

Democrats will begin their convention Monday after a rocky few months for President Biden, who in July opted to drop out of the race and endorse Harris. Harris quickly solidified support in the party and chose Walz as a running mate, leading to weeks of positive momentum in the polls.

The Democratic ticket will hope to continue that momentum at the convention in Chicago, with the DNC hammering home the message that “Trump and Vance are only looking out for themselves.”

Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden appeared together hours after a report came out that she was seeking “distance” from his policies. (Getty Images)

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“This week, the entire country will witness what it looks like to unite behind hope and a clear vision for a better future, as Democrats rally behind Vice President Harris and Governor Walz,” the DNC said. “While Donald Trump and JD Vance are out for themselves, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are fighting for you.”

PITTSBURGH — Vice President Harris on Sunday appeared to label former President Trump a “coward” during a stop Sunday in the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania.

Speaking to a crowd of staff, volunteers and supporters at a campaign field office in Beaver County, just outside of Pittsburgh, the vice president contrasted her leadership style with that of Trump, who’s long been known for his in-your-face campaign rhetoric, including insulting his rivals, as he’s flamed the politics of division.

“This campaign is about a recognition that, frankly, over the last several years there’s been this kind of perversion that has taken place, I think, which is to suggest that the measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you beat down. When what we know is the real and true measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you lift up,” Harris said.

Then, apparently pointing toward Trump without mentioning her presidential election rival by name, Harris said “anybody who’s about beating down other people is a coward.”

HARRIS, TRUMP HOLD DUELING EVENTS IN FIGHT TO WIN BIGGEST BATTLEGROUND

Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Harris speaks alongside her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, at a campaign event in Rochester, Pa., on Aug. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Responding, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung pointed to the lack of a major news conference or media interview by Harris in the four weeks since she replaced President Biden at the top of the Democrats’ 2024 ticket.

“The Kamala campaign – liars, frauds, and cowards. She can’t even do a sit-down interview or press conference – not even with a friendly outlet – because she’s scared to death of being exposed for the coward and fraud that she is,” Cheung said in a statement to Fox News.

TRUMP RUNNING MATE VANCE AIMS TO TURN BLUE WALL STATES RED

The stop in Rochester, Pennsylvania, was the first by Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, after they kicked off a campaign bus tour at nearby Pittsburgh International Airport earlier in the afternoon.

From left, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice President Harris, Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz kick off a bus tour through western Pennsylvania at Pittsburgh International Airport on Aug. 18, 2024. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)

The barnstorming tour through western Pennsylvania by Harris and Walz and their spouses, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz, came on the eve of the kickoff of the Democratic National Convention, which is being held in Chicago.

With 19 electoral votes up for grabs, Pennsylvania is the largest prize among the seven battleground states that will likely decide the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

HARRIS AND TRUMP TRADE FIRE IN BATTLE FOR THE BLUE WALL STATES 

“We’re winning by a lot in Pennsylvania,” Trump declared on Saturday as he held a rally in Wilkes Barre in the northeast corner of the Keystone State.

But an average of all the polls conducted in Pennsylvania since Harris replaced Biden at the top of the Democrats’ national ticket four weeks ago indicates it is all tied up.

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump pumps his fist after speaking at a campaign rally in Wilkes Barre, Pa., on Aug. 17, 2024. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Both campaigns have been placing plenty of emphasis on the state.

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Harris made Philadelphia her first stop of her first battleground state swing after announcing Walz as her running mate.

And Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, will hold separate events focusing on the economy in Pennsylvania on Monday.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.