CONVENTION AT THE UNITED CENTER IS KICKING OFF THIS HOUR TONIGHT.

TIM WALZ TAKES THE STAGE INTRODUCE HIMSELF TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

YOU CAN HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF MUSIC HAPPENING IN THE UNITED CENTER RIGHT NOW.

ALSO TONIGHT, FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI ARE AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTED THE SPEAKERS.

WE BEGIN OUR COVERAGE TONIGHT WITH MCCULLUM BIRD INSIDE THE UNITED CENTER FOR A LOOK AT WHAT THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION HAS BEEN UP TO TODAY.

AND A LOOK AHEAD TO TONIGHT, NICK.

THAT'S RIGHT.

BRAND IS AS YOU CAN PROBABLY SEE AND HEAR BEHIND THINGS ARE JUST TAKING OFF TELLING HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE THEIR SEATS AND THEY ARE GATLING IN TENTS CONVENTION.

THERE'S A LOT OF ANTICIPATION.

OF COURSE, IT'S THE PENULTIMATE NIGHT LONG WEEK, BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE DONE YET.

TOMORROW.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS IS GOING TO TAKE THE STAGE TO MAKE THE CASE AS TO WHY SHE DESERVES THE TOP JOB.

BUT BEFORE THAT, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM HER VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE, MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ, WHO A LOT OF AMERICANS PROBABLY COULDN'T PICKED OUT OF THE LINEUP BEFORE SHE TAPPED HIM TO BE HER VP BEFORE WALLS.

WE WILL HEAR FROM SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION PETE BUTTIGIEG, ILLINOIS DELEGATES GOT A PREVIEW FROM THE FORMER MAYOR OF NEARBY SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

WHEN HE STOPPED BY THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION BREAKFAST THIS MORNING TO GIVE CHICAGO SOME LOVE SAYING IT'S WHERE HE HAD HIS FIRST ABOVE GROUND APARTMENT AND OF COURSE, WHERE HE MET HIS FUTURE HAS BEEN CHASTANT DEPAUL GRADUATE, BUT HE HAD A SERIOUS MESSAGE TO SAYING IT MIGHT FEEL LIKE THE MOMENTUM IS WITH THE HARRIS-WALZ CAMPAIGN RIGHT NOW.

BUT THAT DEMOCRATS MEAN TO KEEP IT UP.

TAKE A I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHERE THE MOMENTUM IS COMING FROM.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY PARTS TO IT.

BUT ONE OF THEM, ONE OF WE DON'T TALK ABOUT ENOUGH IS THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AGREE WITH US ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST IN THEIR LIVES.

GOT TO REMEMBER THAT.

FOR SOME REASON DEMOCRATS HAVE THIS HABIT OF SOMETIMES FEELING LIKE OUR VIEWS MUST BE UNPOPULAR.

AND OF COURSE, OUR THANKS TO SENATOR DUCKWORTH.

WE WILL SEE AND BACK AT 10.

BUT FOR NOW, WE'RE GOING TO HEAD BACK TO NIC BLUMBERG ON THE FLOOR INSIDE THE UNITED CENTER NEXT.

WELL, BRANDIS ANOTHER GAS.

THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION HEARD FROM EARLIER TODAY WAS ONE OF SENATOR DUCKWORTH COLLEAGUES, A WALKING EXAMPLE OF HOW ONE ELECTION CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

THAT WAS GEORGIA'S FIRST BLACK SENATOR, SENATOR RAPHAEL WARNOCK, WHO'S 2021 ELECTION FLIP THE SENATE TO DEMOCRATIC CONTROL.

NOW, WARNOCK, OF COURSE, WAS CAMPAIGNING DURING COVID-19, BUT HE SAID HE'S BEEN FACING DOWN ANOTHER VIRUS ALL HIS LIFE COVID 16, THE WAYS IN WHICH WE SEE MUTATIONS OF THAT OLD VIRUS, THE BIGOTRY.

THAT AND JUST HOLD OUT, PEOPLE CALL IT HOLDS THE COUNTRY DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE STRONGER WHEN ALL OF US CAN STAND TOGETHER.

WITH THE SUNLIGHT ON OUR FACE RATHER THAN THE ON OUR NET.

AND ONE IN THIS ELECTION CONTROL OF THE U.S. SENATE AS WELL AS OF COURSE, THE U.S. HOUSE IS AT STAKE.

WARNOCK SAYS IT IS KEYED VOTERS TO STAY FOCUSED ON HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.

HE SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE FOCUSED ON THINGS LIKE EXPANDING THE CHILD TAX CREDIT WHILE REPUBLICANS HAVE USED THEIR CONTROL OF THE HOUSE TO LAUNCH WHAT HE CALLS WITCH HUNTS.

NOW, OF COURSE, IN ILLINOIS, DEMOCRATS HAVE A FIRM GRIP ON STATE GOVERNMENT STATE.

SENATOR MATTIE HUNTER SAYS THEY USE THAT POWER TO PASS PROGRESSIVE MEASURES.

IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

WE WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM ROE VERSUS WADE GO.

THAT'S THE SUPREME COURT BUT THEY'RE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER FOLKS.

WOMEN RIGHTS ALL OTHER ISSUES HERE, WE