Former first Lady Michelle Obama headlines a stellar list of speakers that also includes Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo, with a diverse line-up intended to convey the theme, “We the People,” for the first night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The first-in-history virtual convention offers multiple ways to view and participate, including watch-parties led by prominent leaders and drive-in watch parties.
MILWAUKEE—The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today previewed the official program for the opening night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, happening Monday, August 17 from 9:00-11:00 PM Eastern.
“The theme of Monday’s program is “We the People.” America is facing a series of monumental challenges—as the COVID-19 pandemic continues its rampage, tens of millions of people are out of work, and our nation confronts a legacy of racial injustice that has marginalized too many. But as we have learned throughout our history, when we stand united, we can overcome anything.
“Tonight the nation will hear from the many Americans who are rising up to take on these three crises, and who will join Joe Biden in building back better and moving this country forward. With Joe Biden as president, ‘we the people’ will mean all the people.”
Highlights from tonight’s program, with additional special guests slated to join throughout the evening:
WE THE PEOPLE
Introduction
Eva Longoria
American actress
“We the People” Gavel In
Everyday Americans will read the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, before Convention Chair and The Honorable Bennie Thompson officially gavels in the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Call to Order
The Honorable Bennie Thompson
Permanent Chair of the 2020 Democratic National Convention
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mississippi
Pledge of Allegiance
National Anthem
A multicultural choir performing virtually with singers representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Cheyenne Nation and five territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Invocation
Reverend Gabriel Salguero
President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Co-lead pastor of The Lamb’s Church in New York, New York
Remarks
The Honorable Gwen Moore
Sergeant-at-Arms of the 2020 Democratic National Convention
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin
WE THE PEOPLE DEMANDING RACIAL JUSTICE
Remarks
The Honorable Muriel Bowser
Mayor of Washington, D.C.
Performance
Leon Bridges
American singer
“The Path Forward”: A Conversation with Vice President Biden on Racial Justice
Vice President Biden engages with, and listens to, social justice activist Jamira Burley, Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, and author Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner, about how America can move forward towards equality, fairness, and justice for all.
Remarks
The Honorable James Clyburn
House Democratic Whip
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, South Carolina
WE THE PEOPLE HELPING EACH OTHER THROUGH COVID-19
Remarks
The Honorable Andrew Cuomo
Governor of the State of New York
Remarks
Kristin Urquiza
A woman whose father lost his life to COVID-19.
A Conversation with Healthcare Workers on the Front Lines
A conversation with a doctor, paramedic, and two nurses on the front lines of this pandemic about what they’ve endured, and what’s at stake in this election for America’s essential medical workers.
Introduction of Performer
The Honorable Sara Gideon
Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives
Performance
Maggie Rogers
American singer-songwriter
Remarks
The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer
Governor of the State of Michigan
WE THE PEOPLE PUTTING COUNTRY OVER PARTY
Remarks
The Honorable Christine Whitman
Former Governor of New Jersey
Meg Whitman
Former CEO of Hewlett Packard
The Honorable Susan Molinari
Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York
Remarks
The Honorable John Kasich
Former Governor of the State of Ohio
Remarks
The Honorable Doug Jones
United States Senator, Alabama
Remarks
The Honorable Catherine Cortez Masto
United States Senator, Nevada
Remarks
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
United States Senator, Minnesota
“United We Stand”
Former 2020 Democratic candidates for president of the United States will come together once again to talk about why they ran, what they’re fighting for, and why they believe Joe Biden will bring the nation together, move the nation out of crisis and chaos, and move us forward —featuring Vice Presidential Nominee and Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Cory Booker, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Governor Jay Inslee, Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Representative Seth Moulton, Former U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke, Tom Steyer, and Andrew Yang.
WE THE PEOPLE RECOVERING
Remarks
The Honorable Cedric Richmond
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Louisiana
Remarks
The Honorable Bernie Sanders
United States Senator, Vermont
WE THE PEOPLE RISE
Keynote Remarks
Michelle Obama
Former First Lady of the United States
Performance
Billy Porter and Steven Stills
American singer-songwriters
Benediction
Reverend Dr. Jerry Young
18th President of the National Baptist Convention, USA
How to Watch the 2020 Democratic National Convention
Viewers will have more than a dozen options for watching the 2020 Democratic National Convention, ensuring that this year’s convention will reach viewers where they are, however they prefer to watch, all across the nation.
With an unprecedented number of ways to tune in, this year’s convention will engage voters in new, innovative ways and unite the country around our shared values. The convention will take place over four nights from August 17-20, 2020. Convention programming will air live from 9:00-11:00 PM Eastern each night.
The official live stream for the 2020 Democratic National Convention will be hosted on DemConvention.com, where viewers can also find the full convention schedule, a digital toolkit to get involved, more resources for viewers, delegates and the media and additional plans and details.
In addition, the DNC is organizing watch parties all over the country, hosted with prominent leaders, as well as drive-in watch parties, like drive in movie theater where you watch on big screens – in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Delaware.
The convention will air from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time every day, Monday through Thursday. There are a variety of ways to watch:
- The official livestream will be here. It will also be available on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.
- C-SPAN, CNN, MSNBC and PBS will cover the full two hours each night. ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News will carry the convention from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. each night.
- The New York Times will stream the full convention every day, accompanied by chat-based live analysis from reporters and real-time highlights from the speeches.
- Streams will be available on Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV by searching “Democratic National Convention” or “2020 DNC,” and on Amazon Prime Video by searching “DNC.”
- The convention will air on AT&T U-verse (channels 212 and 1212) and AT&T DirectTV (channel 201). It will also air on Comcast Xfinity Flex and Comcast X1 (say “DNC” into your voice remote).
- You can watch on a PlayStation 4 or PSVR through the Littlstar app.
- If you have an Alexa device, you can say “Alexa, play the Democratic National Convention.”