It’s Tuesday. Welcome to Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention. It sounds like chaos in Chicago, but there are always kinks to work out on the first day of any political convention. Here’s what is happening today:

• The Obamas are speaking at the convention tonight.

• Biden left for vacation in California after starting his long goodbye tour.

• Harris and Walz are campaigning in Milwaukee this evening.

• There are lots of great sights and sounds in the Windy City, like the expensive water bottle graveyard that didn’t make it through security and Doug Emhoff dancing across the stage during rehearsals.

• JD Vance asked a manager at a famous Philly cheesesteak shop why they don’t have Swiss cheese.

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of everything happening at the DNC — and what’s coming up tonight. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

It’s former President Obama’s big night to speak at the Democratic National Convention, but that’s not who I’m talking about when I refer to the Democrats’ “campaign crush.” That’s former first lady Michelle Obama, who is also in tonight’s lineup.

The Hill’s Amie Parnes and Alexander Bolton remind us how she stole the show at the 2016 nominating convention with arguably the most memorable line of the week: “When they go low, we go high.” And when she spoke at the virtual convention in 2020 (sigh, COVID…), she had more engagement than any other speaker.

Polls routinely show the former first lady as the most popular Democrat in the country. And while Democrats are hyped up about Vice President Harris, Michelle Obama’s appearance will remind her party of their dream, fantasy candidate.

It’s worth reading Parnes and Bolton’s reporting on the significance of Obama’s appearance tonight: ‘Michelle Obama to give DNC a glimpse of Democrats’ dream candidate’

But the Obamas’ goal is not to overshadow Harris: It’s to build her up. The Washington Post’s Dan Balz writes that the Obamas are hoping to “add a flavor of 2008 to Harris’s bid.” They are extremely popular within the Democratic Party and will “try to inject a sense of hope in the Harris campaign.”

And that’s an incredibly tough task: The New York Times’s David E. Sanger writes how former President Obama has “the tricky task of helping to reassemble the kind of coalition that powered his own rise.”

💻 Tonight’s convention livestream

President Biden began his long goodbye tour Monday night to a room of thousands of Democratic Party elites and supporters in Chicago. He was greeted by more than three minutes of a standing ovation — and then closed out his evening by boarding a plane to California for vacation with his family.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you,” Biden reflected on stage at the United Center in Chicago.

This was clearly a tough moment for Biden. He’s walking away from a job — and a campaign — that he still wants. “I love the job,” he said. “But I love my country more.” He was seen 📹 wiping away tears while on stage with his daughter. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who played a role in suggesting that Biden should step aside in the upcoming election, stood in the crowd 📸holding up a “We Love Joe” sign .

• 📸 The Biden family joining Joe on stage
• 📹 Watch the 3+ minute standing ovation: Including chants of “Thank you, Joe!”
• 📸 Biden walking off holding his grandson Beau’s hand
• 📸 The Biden family boarding the plane: He left after 1 a.m. and made it to California around 7 a.m. That’s a long day.

Timing: Biden had an expected start time of 10:50 p.m., which is already entirely too late for most of us on the East Coast. But because of a speaker backup, he didn’t begin until around 11:30 p.m. (!) — and that includes organizers cutting two speeches and a performance by James Taylor. A convention official blamed the delay on audience applause interrupting speakers.

Another notable moment of the night: Harris made an appearance on Day 1. Her official speech will be on Thursday evening. 📹 Watch a clip

‘5 takeaways from Day 1,’ via The Hill’s Niall Stanage

📹 60-second recap of Night One’s top moments, via The Recount

The Walz kids giving their dad bunny ears — classic: Walz reposted a 📹 video of his children giving him bunny ears while he’s on national television at the convention. “My kids keep me humble,” he posted.

This is peak Doug: 📹 Watch second gentleman Doug Emhoff dance his way across the stage during rehearsals. I’ll have what he’s having!

👀 Spotted in the Delaware delegation: A seat saved for 📸 “Delaware Delegate Joe Biden”

This is such a sad water bottle graveyard: Check out 📸 this pile of very nice water bottles that didn’t make it through security. So many Stanleys and Owalas.

Michigan got the cold shoulder: The Washington Times’s Susan Ferrechio pointed out that Michigan’s delegation “is stuffed in a faraway corner of the convention hall.” Keep in mind: “More than 13% of Michigan primary voters picked ‘uncommitted’ over Biden.” 📸 See for yourself

The line to get in is making me anxious: 📹 Here’s footage of the line to get in. “[There] are hundreds of people waiting to get in 1.5 hours after programming started. Staff, delegates, media all stuck outside,” The Intercept’s Akela Lacy noted.

Tidbit from Clinton’s appearance: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 📹 walked off stage to her infamous 2016 campaign anthem, “Fight Song.” I’m sure this brings back some uncomfortable memories for Democrats …

‘Democracy mustard’: The Maryland delegates were given 📸 a swag bag at their hotel that included a jar of “Democracy mustard.” No, really.

This stresses me out: C-SPAN’s Howard Mortman 📹 posted a video of the bottleneck at the end of the night.

Convention-themed fits are one of the best parts: Check out 📸 these outfits. And this American flag outfit. Oh, and all of the 📸 “Cowboy Kamala” sashes.

There’s Bill!: Watch former President Clinton 📹 arrive at the convention.

In Joe’s honor: The Delaware delegation 📸 wore aviator sunglasses.

Lol: @chrislongview posted: “I’m sitting in the front of a DNC shuttle and some new york times people tried to get on screaming ‘IS THIS THE NEW YORK TIMES SHUTTLE?!?!’ and the very Chicago driver said no and closed the door. I already love this damn convention.”

🔷 ‘The Populist Mantle Is Harris’s for the Taking’: The Atlantic

🔷 ‘The Speech Biden Never Wanted to Give’: The New York Times

🔷 ‘Tim Walz Is Key to Winning Rural Voters for Democrats. First, He’ll Need to Win Over His Hometowns.’: The Wall Street Journal

🔷 ‘Husband, zaddy, first gentleman? The evolution of Doug Emhoff.’: “How the second gentleman became the internet’s favorite male feminist.” Vox

🔷 ‘Biden’s emotional goodbye launches a new era for Democrats’: Op-ed in The Washington Post

🥧 Celebrate: Today is National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day!

🧀 Oh, JD. Tread carefully here: Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) stopped by Pat’s King of Steaks in Philadelphia to order a cheesesteak. He asked the manager why they don’t have Swiss cheese. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

🌕 If I had a nickel for every time there was a ~super rare~ moon: Time posted photos of this week’s super blue moon. “A super blue moon is a full moon, blue moon, and a super moon all at once.” Not to be confused with the super-duper moon, of course. 😉

🧳 Labor Day will be a big travel weekend this year: Labor Day weekend travel bookings are up 9 percent from last year, according to AAA.

The House and Senate are out. President Biden is in California and Vice President Harris is in Chicago and Milwaukee. (all times Eastern)

• 1 p.m.: Biden receives his daily briefing.

• 3 p.m.: Former President Trump campaigns in Detroit. 💻 Livestream

• 6:20 p.m.: Harris leaves for Milwaukee.

• 7 p.m.: Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention. 💻 C-SPAN livestream

• 9 p.m.: Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) speak at a campaign event in Milwaukee. 💻 Livestream

• Sept. 4: Trump said he will participate in a Fox News town hall. The Harris campaign said she would not participate in a debate on that date.

• Sept. 10: Harris and Trump debate each other in Philadelphia, hosted by ABC News.

Because you made it this far, watch this dog steal from the baby but in a ~very demure~ and ~very mindful~ way.

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