US: Tim Walz to speak at Democratic National Convention's third night with party's rising stars

Chicago [US], August 22 : US Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will speak at the Democratic National Convention's third night in Chicago.

The former school teacher and football coach is expected to accept the Democratic nomination Wednesday as the party makes the case that Americans' fundamental freedoms are at risk if Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Former US President Bill Clinton, former House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are also expected to address the convention on Wednesday.
The theme for Wednesday will be "A fight for our freedoms," with the prevailing theme of the evening focusing on retaining rights that Democrats say have been stripped away under Republican administrations, including reproductive rights and others.

Democratic party supporters have gathered outside the United Center in Chicago where the Democratic National Convention which began on Monday is being held. They are holding posters which mention "For Our Future".

Siggi Shor, one of US Vice President Kamala Harris' supporters, expressed happiness that Democratic National Convention is happening in her hometown, Chicago.

Speaking to ANI, Siggy Shor said, "I'm ecstatic to be here. This is my first time voting in a presidential election. So I'm so honored that the DNC is in my hometown, the city of Chicago, the greatest city in the world, if I may say so myself. Inside, everyone just seems so excited. And one thing that's really standing out to me is how kind everyone is. I've been able to go up to people, just ask, hey, what do you do? What's your name? Just wanting to introduce myself and meet people. Everyone's excited. Everyone's kind. Everyone's fired up. There's a sound check and people were clapping and into it. It's just an energetic environment in there."
She said that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz embrace pop culture. She stated that the embrace of pop culture and youth culture is making a shift and recalled how it happened at the time when Barack Obama contested elections in 2008.
On being asked about what really is unifying the Democrats, she responded, "I definitely think Harris and Walz embrace of pop culture, at least for the youth vote. I've never seen my peers so fired up to go out and vote. I remember in the midterms two years ago, people just weren't really interested. And now people are excited, people are interested. And I do, again, really think it's that embrace of pop culture and the embrace of youth culture that's really making a shift. We saw this in 2008 with Obama and I think that's the last time you really saw this excited of a Democrat party that really wanted to come together and mobilize and I mean, that's what works with Joe Biden...I think another thing is our country isn't I mean I don't say it's never been so divided because that would be a false statement, I think.
"However, I do think this is a very contentious time in our country because under a Republican administration, there are so many rights that will be stripped away, especially for Southerners and my fellow Midwesterners," he added.
She expressed gratitude to be living in a state that has a Democratic governor. She praised Kamala Harris on how she has talked about supporting women and people of colour in the US.
Shor said, "I'm so grateful to live in a state where we have a Democratic governor and a mostly Democratic House and Senate. However, that's not the case for most of the Midwest and the most of the south, even if they have democratic governors, they have legislatures that are blocking their rights. And so I do think having a president that has shown, or a candidate at least like Harris, who has shown that she's going to stand behind women in the country, she's going to stand behind people of colour in the country, she's going to stand behind people of every religion, that is so important to people now."
Harris is the first Asian American woman and woman of colour to head a significant party ticket. Earlier last month, a virtual vote officially recognised the vice president as the Democratic party nominee. After Biden withdrew from the contest and backed her, the party came together in support of her.
Former US president Barack Obama took centre stage on the second night of Democratic National Convention, urging Americans to back Kamala Harris in her presidential bid against Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Speaking after his wife Michelle Obama on Tuesday (local time), the former US president recalled that Harris, in her capacity as the attorney general of California, had stood up for children who had been victims of sexual abuse.
"Kamala Harris is ready for the job," Obama said, noting that she fought big banks and for-profit colleges, "securing billions of dollars for the people they have scammed".
Taking a swipe at Donald Trump Obama said that the US didn't "need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos."
"Here's a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped talking about his problems since he rode down on his golden escalator nine years ago," Obama said of Trump.
"We have seen that movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse," Obama said adding that "America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We are ready for a President Kamala Harris."
In addition to big speeches from The Obamas, Illinois Gov JB Pritzker also spoke Tuesday, along with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Trump's former press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
Stephanie Grisham, addressed the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Tuesday (local time) to show her support for Kamala Harris. She highlighted that the former US President Donald Trump has no empathy, morals and fidelity to the truth, according to CNN.
In her address on the second night of the DNC, Stephanie Grisham said Trump mocked his supporters and called them "basement dwellers."
"The Trump family became my family. I spent Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, all at Mar-a-Lago. I saw him when the cameras were off, behind closed doors, Trump mocks his supporters--he calls them basement dwellers," Grisham said.
"He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth," she said.
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump has slammed Democrats for focusing on him at their convention, The Hill reported.
During an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on "The Hugh Hewitt Show," Trump slammed Democratic party leaders for being "out of control," The Hill reported.
He made the statement after Hewitt asked whether "rhetoric" directed against Trump could have been a factor in the assassination attempt against him in July.
Trump said, "Well, it could. You know, I was mentioned at the Democrats' little party that they have going on in Chicago, and it's pretty sad," according to The Hill report.
His remarks came as several speakers at the Democratic National Convention, including Obama slammed Trump in their remarks on Tuesday night.