What to watch as Obamas take center stage on Day 2 of Democratic convention

CHICAGO — The second night of the Democratic National Convention will feature a star-studded lineup of surrogates in Chicago.

President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are expected to speak, along with second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The convention theme for the day is focused on Vice President Harris’s “bold vision for America’s future,” which is sure to include comparisons to former President Trump.

Here are the speakers to watch on the second day of the convention in Chicago.

Barack Obama

Obama is set to deliver the keynote speech of the evening, which was given by President Biden on Monday night to kick off the convention.

Obama has a long-standing relationship with Harris, stemming from her time as attorney general of California while he served as president. He also was privately behind some of the pressure on Biden to drop out of the race last month and pass the torch to Harris.

The momentum and energy behind Harris’s candidacy is often compared to the optimism that was behind Obama’s candidacy in 2008. The party, with Biden officially out of the race, appears united in a way that is reminiscent of the unity surrounding his first run for the White House.

Obama’s speech Tuesday night will likely add to that excitement as he is expected to share his signature messages of hope for the future, while also rebutting Trump and warning against his successor getting back into the Oval Office.

Michelle Obama

The former first lady is considered the party’s fantasy candidate, as Democrats for years have pondered if she would ever run for office given the fact that she is consistently rated as one of the most popular figures in the party. 

While Obama has made clear she’s not interested in politics and is content being out of the public spotlight with her husband out of office, her speeches tend to yield more viewership than other Democrats.

Like the former president, she has a long-standing relationship with Harris, and will likely talk about her credentials on a personal level. She will also likely share her signature “when they go low, we go high” line in the lens of Trump and his ongoing attacks on Harris that Republicans have warned him to back away from. 

Doug Emhoff

Harris’s biggest cheerleader will take the stage Tuesday night: her husband.

Emhoff is serving as the nation’s first second gentleman and campaigning to be the first first gentleman. He has emerged over the last four years as Harris’s biggest advocate but also a major resource for the Biden administration through his work on antisemitism.

Emhoff, who is a lawyer, can speak about Harris’s personal life as a wife and stepmother to his two children, Ella and Cole. Their close relationship and strong marriage is seen by political watchers as a humanizing part of Harris’s life. Emhoff’s friendly personality is seen as an asset too.

The vice president will be campaigning Tuesday night in Milwaukee, and her campaign did not say whether she will be able to watch her husband’s speech.

Other speakers

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will deliver his remarks Tuesday as he remains focused on holding the Democratic majority in the upper chamber and on how Harris’s candidacy can impact downballot races.

He will be followed by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who can speak about veterans’ support for Harris, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose progressive star power could help boost Harris with young and far-left voters.

Additionally, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will welcome Democrats to his state, and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) will also speak.