CHICAGO (WLS) — The Democratic Party Convention officially began on Monday.

On the opening day of the convention, there is a clear sense of excitement among Democrats as they come together and focus on the task at hand: helping Kamala Harris become the next president of the United States.

The party leadership is raring to go as it enters a crucial week for the party, and the excitement surrounding Harris was palpable among the delegates and grew throughout the day.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker took on the role of lead party cheerleader at the Illinois delegation’s breakfast on Monday morning, but Democrats started the day with plenty of enthusiasm.

“Are you ready to vote for Kamala Harris, the first female president of the United States? Barack gave us hope. Kamala will take us forward,” said Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-IL, 7th District).

In the run-up to the convention and as they look ahead to November, party leaders reveled in the momentum they sense behind the vice president.

“I think it’s important to remember that the vice president had three tasks: unify the party, excite the base and turn around the polls. We feel like all of that has been checked off. Now we’re taking that enthusiasm and trying to build on it,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago).

Vice Presidential nominee Governor Tim Walz praised President Joe Biden at the Congressional Black Caucus meeting and expressed enthusiasm for the party’s future.

“But this is a man who, of all the good decisions he made, one of the first was to bring Kamala Harris on board for safety, and then he listened to her and then passed the torch to her,” Walz said.

While President Biden will deliver the evening’s keynote address, other speakers will pay tribute to the President on the first night.

“We’re all going to give him flowers. We’re going to talk about how he’s probably the best president of the labor movement, the best president of renewal that we’ve ever had, and we’re going to continue to support him,” said U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).

The theme on Monday is “For the People.” On Monday evening, delegates will also vote on the Democratic Party’s platform for 2024.

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have fought tirelessly to lower the costs of the American middle class, and his proven Vice President Kamala Harris is the right person to continue that fight. This week is about celebrating what it means to be ‘for the people,'” said Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware).

“Joe Biden has shown this country what real leadership looks like. It’s about getting things done for the American people. Results, progress, doing the right thing simply because it’s the right thing to do. And now Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have united our party around their vision to lead us into the future,” said Cedric Richmond, co-chair of the Harris-Walz campaign.

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The event will be co-chaired by Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. The subsequent primetime program will be hosted by Tony Goldwyn.

DNC Night 1 Program, Speaker Schedule

Monday’s program begins at 5:15 p.m. CT and runs until 10:15 p.m. CT. Here’s the schedule:

17:15

• Call to order: Minyon Moore, Chairman of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee, Jaime R. Harrison, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
• Invocation: Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archdiocese of Chicago
• Land recognition: Zach Pahmahmie, Vice Chair of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Council and Lorrie Melchior, Secretary of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Council
• Presentation of the Colors: Illinois State Police Honor Guard
• Pledge of Allegiance: William Harrison, 9, and Charles Harrison, 5
• National Anthem: Soul Children of Chicago
• Notes and video introduction: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
• Presenting the Convention Agenda: Jaime Harrison, along with Vice Chairs Keisha Lance Bottoms, Ken Martin and Henry R. Muñoz III, Treasurer Virginia McGregor and Finance Chair Chris Korge
• Confirmatory and ceremonial vote for vice presidential candidate: Minyon Moore

6pm

• Welcome: Peggy Flanagan
• Welcome speech: Jaime Harrison
• Remarks: US Representative Maxine Waters
• Joint Remarks: Derrick Johnson, President & CEO of the NAACP and Melanie L. Campbell, President & CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
• In honor of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., accompanied by Jonathan Jackson and Yusef D. Jackson.
• Remarks: US Representative Lauren Underwood
• Video: Rich Logis: former Donald Trump voter
• Remarks: US Representative Robert Garcia
• Notes: Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, health advocates and founders of I Am ALS
• Remarks: US Senator Dick Durbin
• Notes from Arizona: Dutch Martinez and Ryan Ahern, The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA)
• Remarks: US Representative Joyce Beatty
• Joint remarks: Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), April Verrett, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Brent Booker, general president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), Kenneth W. Cooper, international president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and Elizabeth H. Shuler, president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
• Remarks: Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass
• Performance: Mickey Guton
• Joint remarks on “Investing in the Future”: Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California, Austin A. Davis, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, Sarah Rodriguez, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, and Lina Hidalgo, Judge of Harris County, Texas

7pm

• “Project 2025 – Chapter 1: Introduction”: Senator Mallory McMorrow of Michigan
• Remarks: US Representative Debbie Wasserman Schutz
• Remarks: US Senator Laphonza Butler
• Remarks: US Representative Linda Haskins
• Notes: Lt. Jeremy Warmkessel, President of Local 302 IAFF Allentown Firefighters, Pennsylvania
• Notes: Maria-Isabel Ballivian, Executive Director of the Annandale Christian Community for Action Childhood Development Center, Virginia
• Notes: Deja Foxx, reproductive rights activist and content creator
• Performance: Jason Isbell
• Remarks: Gina M. Raimondo, United States Secretary of Commerce
• Remarks: Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul

8pm

• Comments: Steve Kerr, basketball coach of the US team
• Shawn Fain, President of the United Automobile Workers
• US Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez
• Remarks: Stacey Johnson-Batiste and Doris Johnson, childhood friends of Kamala Harris
• Hillary Rodham Clinton, former US Secretary of State
• US Representative James E. Clyburn
• US Representative Jamie Raskin
• US Representative Jasmine Crockett
• US Representative Grace Meng

9pm

• Shared remarks: Amanda and Josh Zurawski, Texas; Kaitlyn Joshua, Louisiana; Hadley Duvall, Kentucky
• Remarks: Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear
• Remarks: Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, Senator from Georgia
• Remarks: US Senator Chris Coons
• Remarks: First Lady Jill Biden
• Performance: James Taylor
• Ashley Biden
• President Joe Biden
• Blessing: Rabbi Michael S. Beals and Pastor Cindy Rudolph
• Hammer falls: Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, Peggy Flanagan

Previously, the following meetings took place at McCormick Place:

• Black Caucus with Representatives Barbara Lee and Jahana Hayes
• Hispanic Caucus with Miguel Cardona, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar and Representative Maxwell Frost
• AAPI Caucus with MP Raja Krishnamoorthi
• Native American Caucus with Tucson Mayor Regina Romero
• Ethnic Council with Lisa Ann Walter and former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio
• LGBTQ+ Caucus with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, BenDeLaCreme and Peppermint
• Labor Council with Miguel Cardona, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Representative Tom Suozzi, Representative Donald Norcross and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler
• Small Business Council with Representative Morgan McGarvey
• Environmental and Climate Crisis Council with Representative Ro Khanna and AFT President Randi Weingarten