11.42pm EDT23:42
Donald Trump, on a tweeting spree, has so far focused his attacks on Andrew Cuomo and John Kasich — with 13 tweets and retweets deriding the New York governor so far.
The president accused Cuomo of botching the coronavirus response and noted that he at times had praised Trump’s actions int the initial aftermath of the pandemic. Of course, at the time, Cuomo and other governors desperate for supplies from the federal government needed to stay on the president’s good side
11.30pm EDT23:30
In her speech, Michelle Obama also painted a stark picture of what voting might look like in November, as the Trump administration tries to enforce changes to the US Postal Service.
“We’ve got to vote early, in person if we can,” Obama said. “We’ve got to request our mail-in ballots right now, tonight, and send them back immediately and follow-up to make sure they’re received. And then, make sure our friends and families do the same.
“We have got to grab our comfortable shoes, put on our masks, pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast too, because we’ve got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to.”
Democratic officials and voting rights advocates have warned that the Trump administration’s actions could jeopardize voting by mail this November.
However, Obama is the first person to use a national speech to warn Americans about the drastic steps they may need to take to ensure their votes are counted.
11.26pm EDT23:26
.png?width=140&height=140&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=21a573ebb03d83217f1e1031839c57a3)
Max Benwell
For someone who says she “hates politics”, Michelle Obama has managed to pull off something remarkable in her pre-recorded convention speech.
The response to it has been overwhelmingly positive across social media:
11.23pm EDT23:23
Trump has weighed in on tonight’s convention events, lashing out against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who criticized the president’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in his speech.
Cuomo lambasted the “dysfunctional and incompetent” federal government in his remarks, but Trump noted the Democratic governor previously thanked the president for some of the steps he took to assist New York
“Cuomo, just like his brother Fredo, has not got a very good memory!” Trump tweeted, apparently referencing Cuomo’s brother, CNN host Chirs Cuomo.
Trump also reshared a tweet from Republican senator Lindsey Graham that challenged Michelle Obama’s praise of her husband’s administration.
11.09pm EDT23:09
Emily Holden
Bernie Sanders and Michelle Obama’s remarks revealed how the coronavirus pandemic, the economic downturn, vast inequality and threats to a fair election from the US’s most controversial president in history could drown out the climate crisis at the Democratic convention.
Climate is always a top tier issue for Sanders, who pledged the most ambitious goals of any Democratic contender. Yet it was only a brief mention in his speech tonight.
“We are facing the worst public health crisis in 100 years and the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of climate change,” Sanders said. “And in the midst of all of this we have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism.”
Rattling out a list of Biden campaign promises, from paid family leave to universal pre-K, Sanders said Biden would also invest in crumbling infrastructure and fight climate change by transitioning the US to 100% clean electricity in the next 15 years, creating millions of jobs.
Obama mentioned climate in a list of ways the US used to work with other countries.
Biden’s climate plan – widely endorsed by advocacy groups – is likely to fall to the background of the event.
Updated
at 11.30pm EDT
11.08pm EDT23:08
First night of the Democratic convention concludes
The first night of the Democratic convention has now concluded, following Michelle Obama’s speech fiercely condemning Trump’s leadership.
The blog will have more reactions and analysis coming up, so stay tuned.
11.07pm EDT23:07
Michelle Obama’s pithy, understated rebuke of Trump: “It is what it is.”
The former first lady here subtly referenced Donald Trump’s reaction to the staggering coronavirus death toll earlier this month. “They are dying. That’s true. And you – it is what it is,” Trump said in an interview with Axios. “But that doesn’t mean we aren’t doing everything we can. It’s under control as much as you can control it.
Using the president’s own words against him, Obama said Trumo is the “wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment.”
– Maanvi Singh
Updated
at 11.31pm EDT
11.03pm EDT23:03
Michelle Obama emphasized the urgency of this election, asking voters to understand the crucial need to defeat Trump in November.
“If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can; and they will if we don’t make a change in this election,” Obama said.
“If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.”
Obama specifically called out voters who might be considering supporting third-party candidates in November, which cost Hillary Clinton dearly in 2016.
“This is not the time to withhold our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning,” Obama said.
10.59pm EDT22:59
Michelle Obama: ‘Trump is the wrong president for our country’
Michelle Obama offered a stinging rebuke of Trump’s leadership, saying he is the wrong man for the job at a critical moment for our country.
Obama specifically referenced her words at the 2016 convention: “When they go lie, we go high.” Obama said tonight. “Going high is the only thing that works.”
She then added: “But let’s be clear: going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty. Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top.”
Obama followed that by taking direct aim at Trump, saying: “Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country.
“He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”
Updated
at 11.31pm EDT
10.56pm EDT22:56
Maanvi here, with more on Bernie Sanders:
Bernie Sanders, who just urged his supporters to back Biden, has been working to unite Democrats to defeat Trump, even as some of those who lead his presidential campaign have critiqued the Democratic nominee’s moderate policies.
Belén Sisa, the former national Latino press secretary, has commented that progressives need to keep pushing the policies Sanders championed, even though he’s not the nominee.
The Sanders campaign’s former national press secretary, Briahna Joy Gray, echoed the sentiment:
Updated
at 11.32pm EDT
10.54pm EDT22:54
Michelle Obama: ‘You simply cannot fake your way through this job’
Michelle Obama noted she has seen the difficulties of the presidency firsthand, saying: “You simply cannot fake your way through this job.”
The former first lady argued Trump has not provided the necessary moral leadership as the country faces crises on multiple fronts.
Obama said: “Whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division and a total and utter lack of empathy.”
Updated
at 11.31pm EDT
10.50pm EDT22:50
Michelle Obama speaks at Democratic convention
Former first lady Michelle Obama is now addressing the Democratic convention, saying this election will determine the direction of the country.
Repeating her words during the 2016 campaign, Obama said the job of the presidency is difficult and requires a strong leader.
“A president’s words have the power to move markets,” Obama said. “As I said before, being president doesn’t change who you are. It reveals who you are.”
10.47pm EDT22:47
Sanders: ‘Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs’
In his convention remarks, the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders strongly urged his supporters to vote for Joe Biden in the November election, warning that Trump represents a severe threat to US democracy.
“Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment,” Sanders said, describing this election as the “most important in the modern history of this country”.
“We need Joe Biden as our next president,” Sanders aid.
He thanked his millions of supporters and emphasized he would continue fighting for the progressive causes he championed during his campaign.
“Together, we have moved this country in a bold new direction,” Sanders said. “Our campaign ended several months ago, but our movement continues and is getting stronger every day.”
But Sanders emphasized the progressive progress made in recent years could be undone by Trump’s re-election.
“Let us be clear: If Donald Trump is reelected, all of the progress we have made will be in jeopardy,” Sanders said, emphasizing the need to “preserve this nation”.
“This president is not just a threat to our democracy, but by rejecting science he has put our lives and health in jeopardy,” Sanders said.
Sanders added: “Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs.”
Updated
at 11.34pm EDT
Ayanna Pressley
