What to expect on Night 2 of the 2024 Democratic National Convention

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• Amna Nawaz:

  Laura, take us back to that speech by President Biden you mentioned at the top of your report there.

  You were on the convention floor there among all the delegates. What was the reaction as he was addressing the crowd?

• Laura Barron-Lopez:

  Well, it really was a thunderous reaction, Amna here on the floor. And there were a lot of signs that said: "Thank you, Joe." "We love you, Joe."

  A source close to the presidents that was here in the arena said that they were, frankly, stunned by the reception that President Biden received last night. And President Biden really wanted to make clear that he is in this fight, that he doesn't really harbor any bad feelings about what happened in the last month that led to him dropping out of the race and that he wants to be on the trail for Harris.

  And some of the sources close to Biden believe that he could be most effective in districts where he is popular in swing states and where he can help her make that argument to voters that might still be undecided.

• Geoff Bennett:

  All right, Laura, let's shift our focus to tonight. What's on the agenda? Walk us through it.

• Laura Barron-Lopez:

  So it's another night of high-profile guests, Geoff. Senator Bernie Sanders, as well as Senator Tammy Duckworth, are expected to speak tonight.

  We're also going to hear from second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and then some of the big headliners tonight. Michelle Obama, the former first lady, as well as former President Barack Obama, is going to be the keynote.

  And there will be a ceremonial roll call, because, as our viewers know, Kamala Harris is — was — already clinched the nomination. But the ceremonial roll call is going to start with Delaware as a tribute to President Biden. And then it will end on California and Minnesota in a signal that they are sending Harris and Walz off onto the campaign trail with their full support.

  Another notable thing tonight, Geoff, is that we are going to hear from some Republicans, including Stephanie Grisham, former press spokesperson in the Trump administration, as well as a Republican mayor from Arizona, who has endorsed Harris.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Laura, as you know, as anyone watching our coverage last night knows, the program did run very long. It ended up pushing Mr. Biden's speech out of prime time. How is the convention addressing that?

• Laura Barron-Lopez:

  Well, the convention spokesperson said that they ultimately blamed the fact that there was so much Applause. They said that was why — for all of their speakers, that was why they were delayed. They ultimately ended up having to cut parts of their program, including a 10-minute video that was supposed to play before President Biden's speech about his legacy and his time in office.

  And they said they're going to try to make real-time adjustments to the convention and make sure that they are on schedule tonight, as well as for the rest of the night.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Well, the arena is filling up behind you, Laura. Give us a sense of the mood as you have been talking to delegates there on the floor. How are folks feeling?

• Laura Barron-Lopez:

  Well, as you know, Harris and Walz are going to be in Wisconsin, their third visit there. So they won't be here tonight, but everyone still expects the energy and the enthusiasm to be palpable here.

  And I spoke to Congressman Dan Kildee, a congressman from Michigan, a swing state, and he said that it really feels like 2008 to him and that he hasn't felt this kind of energy since then. He said that he ultimately thinks that the fact that there is only some 77 days between now and November, that that could actually help Harris' campaign, because he thinks that it'll make it easier to maintain this energy and this enthusiasm.

  He also, though, said that he does hope that Harris really differentiates herself from President Biden on one specific issue, and that's the issue of Israel and Gaza. And he said that it could be as simple as Harris endorsing more conditions on aid to Israel, that he thinks that that's something that she needs to do to speak to voters in his state.

  And he also thinks that it's really important for her to continue the economic message, especially around housing.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Laura Barron-Lopez, a ton of great reporting there.

  Laura, thanks, as always.

• Laura Barron-Lopez:

  Thank you.

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