Democratic convention starts today: Michelle Obama headlines, urging people to vote for Joe Biden

The first-ever completely virtual Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday with former first lady Michelle Obama as the headliner and progressive Senator Bernie Sanders serving as her opening act.

Despite the remote format complete with pre-recorded and live call-ins, the four-night event will still host a series of big name Democrats, musical acts and even former Republian Ohio Governor John Kaisch.

Kasich will speak Monday night and plead with Republicans watching and those who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 to cast their ballot instead for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in November.

Obama is likely to be one of the most-watched speakers of the whole convention – if not the most watched, ensuring the events launch with a bang Monday despite the unconventional set up this year.

Sanders will speak directly before Obama and introduce one of the most famous Democrats in America, next to her husband former President Barack Obama, who will be the main event on Wednesday night.

The Vermont independent – a self-proclaimed Democratic socialist – will exhibit the progressive wing’s support for Biden, who will accept the party’s nomination on Thursday, the last night of the convention.

Biden’s vice presidential pick, California Senator Kamala Harris, will speak Wednesday. 

Her candidacy has motivated more far-left individuals to support Biden’s candidacy as Harris has emerged as one of the most liberal-voting members of the U.S. Senate this last year. 

Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will speak directly before Obama to tee-up viewers for her appearance and exhibit the progressive wing’s support for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden

Former Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich, who ran in the Republican presidential primary in 2000 and 2016, will urge Republicans and those who voted for Donald Trump in the last election to cast their ballot this time around for Biden

Some progressives are reassured that her running with Biden will pull his more middle-of-the-line policies to the left.

While a flurry of smaller meetings and speakers will take place earlier in the day throughout the convention, the main events begin live streaming at 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and are expected to wrap up around 11:00 p.m.

Kasich ran against Trump in 2016 for the Republican primary and was among the top four candidates behind the now-president and Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz – he also ran an unsuccessful campaign for president in 2000.

He is one of the lone Republicans speaking at the Democratic convention, which was initially slated to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – a state largely ignored by Democrats in 2016 and considered to be one of the states that cost Hillary Clinton the election.

Notably, Kasich has a lot of pull in his home state of Ohio, a swing state that went red in 2016. He even won the Republican primary there in 2016 with 46.8 per cent of the vote to Trump’s 35.6 per cent, which earned him second place.

Ohio voted for Trump in the general election in the last cycle with 51.3 per cent going red and 43.2 per cent casting their ballot for Clinton – who will also speak at the convention later this week.

Monday’s events will include live-streamed musical performances from Maggie Rogers (left) and Leon Bridges (right) before Sanders and Obama’s remarks

Other than big name politicians and political figures, Monday’s convention events will also feature musical performances from Maggie Rogers and Leon Bridges.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, once a 2020 Democratic primary rival against Biden, will be among the first speakers to kick off the convention with remarks Monday night.

Klobuchar told CNN Monday morning that her speech will focus ‘the fact that we have such unity in our party and that we are unified behind Joe Biden, who is someone that’s going to bring competence, his compassion to the White House.’ 

Also speaking Monday are New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is likely to focus on Trump’s short fallings in response to the coronavirus pandemic; Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who was once considered a top contender to become Biden’s running mate and House Majority Whip Representative Jim Clyburn.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto; 2020 Convention Chairman and Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson; Wisconsin Representative Gwen Moore and Alabama Senator Senator Doug Jones will also make virtual remarks.