DNC 2020 Day 1: Michelle Obama, former rivals rally behind Joe Biden as they take aim at Trump's COVID-19 response
Democrats opened theirmostly virtual conventionin Milwaukee Monday under the theme of unity, with speakerswho representedthe party's progressive and traditional platforms.
"As we have learned throughout our history, when we stand united, we can overcome anything, including the monumental challenges we face today," the Democratic National Convention Committee said in a release.
Traditionally, political conventions are painstakingly choreographed live productions that areplanned years in advance. But thecoronaviruspandemic has reduced the nominating celebration to a minimal footprint in Milwaukee -- with major programming and production details still in flux even as the event is underway.
ABC News Livewill kick off primetime coverage each day at 7 p.m. ET on the network's steaming news channel and primetime coverage will air from 10-11 p.m. ET each night of the convention on the ABC Television Network.
12:25 a.m. ANALYSIS: Biden looks outside party's virtual walls in opening night of convention
In a weird-except-for-the-times opening night to his Democratic National Convention, the former vice president's campaign unfurled an intimate and highly personal messaging effort designed for this particular tumultuous moment.
There were former rivals, progressive leaders and several Republicans. There were boldface political names, front-line workers, small-business owners and families of victims of the pandemic that has defined the year.
Many of the presentations were intimate and blunt. More than emphasizing policy or playing for applause lines that could not come, the messaging was personal: Those who know Biden see him not only as the right choice for this year but as an antidote to an era defined by President Donald Trump.
For all those vouching for knowing Biden, one big question that will loom over the week is how well Biden and his campaign knows Trump -- and whether this kind of messaging works in going up against him.
Read more of ABC News Political Director Rick Klein and Deputy Political Director MaryAlice Parks analysis:
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden leads a conversation on racial justice with Art Acevedo, Jamira Burley, Gwen Carr, Derrick Johnson and Lori Lightfoot during the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 17, 2020.
11:31 p.m. Looking ahead to Tuesday
Tuesday's DNC theme is "Leadership Matters" and the featured speakers will include former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Secretary of State John Kerry, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, former President Bill Clinton and former second lady Dr. Jill Biden.
In addition to these high-profile figures, the keynote address will feature not one, but 17 speakers who the DNC calls "rising stars." The list includes politically well-known names like Stacey Abrams and Rep. Conor Lamb, but also puts a spotlight on lesser known officials including various representatives, state senators, a commissioner of agriculture, two mayors, and the president of the Navajo Nation. These leaders range in age from 21 to 52 years old.
"The convention keynote has always been the bellwether for the future of our party and our nation," said Joe Solmonese, CEO of the 2020 Democratic National Convention at the time of the release of the news, "and when Americans tune in ... they'll find the smart, steady leadership we need to meet this critical moment."
-- ABC News' Alisa Wiersema
11:26 p.m. Trump campaign responds to 1st night of the DNC
The Trump Campaign immediately responded to the first night of the Democratic National Convention, citing the lack of -- what the campaign has called before -- a "radical left" policy from Biden.
Trump 2020 national press secretary Hogan Gidley in a statement said, "Perhaps it was just an oversight, but the first night of the Democrat convention left out the fact that Joe Biden would raise taxes on more than 80 percent of Americans by at least $4 trillion. Also missing was his open borders policy, with amnesty and work permits for 11 million illegal aliens. There was no mention of Joe Biden's desire to cut police funding, kill ten million energy jobs with a green new deal, or give free healthcare to illegal aliens, but in fairness, it was only the first night."
While the Trump campaign is attacking the virtual production of the DNC by calling it a "Hollywood-produced infomercial" Gidley also said that the "radical socialist leftist takeover of Joe Biden is complete."
-- ABC News' Terrance Smith
Moderator Eva Longoria introduces Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, on screen, during the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 17, 2020.
11:16 p.m. Key takeaways from the first night
Dominating the night, which is framed around the three major crises that continue to grip the nation ahead of the 2020 election -- thecoronaviruspandemic, the ongoing economic downturn the virus has sparked and the national reckoning over racial injustice -- is the party's push to contrast President Donald Trump and presumptive nominee Joe Biden.
Biden, the speakers consistently argued, is the only one who can lead the country out of chaos and divisiveness.
Here are key takeaways from the night:
ABC News' Kendall Karson and Meg Cunningham
11:09 p.m. Michelle Obama: 'We've got to be willing to stand in line all night'
Former first lady Michelle Obama had a blunt message to Americans: "Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country."
She spoke of understanding "the immense weight and awesome power" of the U.S. presidency.
"A president's words have the power to move markets. They can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You simply cannot fake your way through this job. As I've said before, being president doesn't change who you are; it reveals who you are," she said.
The former first lady also said the America we're living in now -- where people refuse to wear masks in grocery stores, where people of color have the cops called on them for no valid reason, where leaders "emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists," children are "thrown into cages" and peaceful protesters are met with pepper spray and rubber bullets: "This is not who we want to be."
Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks during the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 17, 2020. The DNC released excerpts of her speech ahead of the convention start.
Obama also emphasized the urgency she believes voters should feel with regard to the election, arguing that Trump is unlikely to reverse the direction of his presidency and that Democrats can't take for granted that they will win or that voting will be easy. She also made reference to "candidates who have no chance of winning" and urged voters not to "play games."
"If you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: if you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can and they will if we don't make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it," she said.
"This is not the time to withhold our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning. We have got to vote like we did in 2008 and 2012. We've got to show up with the same level of passion and hope for Joe Biden. We've got to vote early, in-person if we can. We've got to request our mail-in ballots right now, tonight, and send them back immediately, and follow up to make sure they're received, and then make sure our friends and families do the same. We have got to grab our comfortable shoes, put on our masks, pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast too because we've got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to," she added.
Obama closed with a charge to voters to take action and preserve progress for the next generation of Americans, quoting the late-Rep. John Lewis.
"And it is well past time for our leaders to once again reflect our truth. So it is up to us to add our voices and our votes to the chorus of history, echoing heroes like John Lewis, who said, 'when you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something,'" she said.
"That is the truest form of empathy, not just feeling but doing. Not just for ourselves or our kids but for everyone, for all our kids. And if we want to keep the possibility of progress alive in our time, if we want to be able to look our children in the eye after this election, we have got to reassert our place in American history," she continued. "And we have got to do everything we can to elect my friend, Joe Biden, as the next president of the United States."
-- ABC News' Adam Kelsey
10:58 p.m. Michelle Obama recalls famous 'when they go low, we go high' speech
At the 2016 DNC, former first lady Michelle Obama said, "When they go low, we go high," a line oft repeated beyond the election.
And in her keynote speech, she said, "Over the past four years, a lot of people have asked me, "When others are going so low, does going high still really work?" My answer: going high is the only thing that works, because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that's drowning out everything else. We degrade ourselves. We degrade the very causes for which we fight."
"But let's be clear: going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty. Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top. Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we are one nation under God, and if we want to survive, we've got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences," she added.
10:50 p.m. Sanders calls for an 'unprecedented response' to fight for democracy
A day after predicting "overwhelming" support for the Biden-Harris ticket despite some progressives' disagreements in an interview on ABC's "This Week," Sen. Bernie Sanders called for an unprecedented response from Americans to fight for democracy.
"This election is the most important in the modern history of this country," Sen. Bernie Sanders said. "In response to the unprecedented crisis we face, we need an unprecedented response, a movement like never before of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency and against greed, oligarchy and bigotry. And we need Joe Biden as our next president."
10:42 p.m. Republicans talk country over party
Democrats turned their convention over to a group of Republicans at the midpoint of the evening to make a case against the president of their own party.
Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman said her support for Biden was about "a person decent enough, stable enough, strong enough to get our economy back on track."
Meg Whitman, the former Hewlett Packard CEO who mounted a 2010 bid for California governor as a Republican, hit Trump for having "no clue how to run a business, let alone an economy."
And former New York Rep. Susan Molinari, who gave the keynote at the 1996 Republican National Convention, noted that she's known Trump for most of her political career and described him as "disappointing, and lately so disturbing," before introducing former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
-- ABC News' Adam Kelsey
10:32 Klobuchar, other Dem rivals join in support of Biden
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who was one of Biden's rivals in a crowded field aiming to challenge Trump in November, joined the convention virtually in support of the former vice president.
"Donald Trump may hate the post office, but he's still going to have to send them a change of address card come January," she said.
10:21 p.m. Kasich: 'We're being taken down the wrong road'
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, spoke during the DNC and said, "We're being taken down the wrong road by a president who has pitted one against the other."
"I'm a lifelong Republican, but that attachment holds second place to my responsibility to my country," he added.
10:19 p.m. Movement for Black Lives Matter, actors call for DNC platform amendments
In anew video, the Movement for Black Lives alongside actors Jane Fonda, Matt McGorry, Kendrick Sampson call for amendments to the DNC platform while reading rejected amendments that were tied to the Movement for Black Lives Electoral Justice Project's BREATHE Act.
The activists said that "the Democratic Party's 2020 platform rejected the call of Black leaders to enshrine Black priorities like defunding the police in their agenda."
"There is still time to do the right thing, for the DNC platform to support Black people not just surviving, but THRIVING," they added.
They called on the Democratic Party to "(invest) federal resources in care, not cages. Divesting from over policing and over-incarceration" and to defunding the police.
The Movement for Black Lives challenged the DNC to change their platform noting that "the Democratic Party won't stand up for Black and Brown lives, it's on us to call them out and push them to do better."
-- ABC News' Beatrice Peterson
10:10 p.m. Whitmer compares Obama/Biden response to economic crisis to Trump response to coronavirus
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, one of the women Biden considered to be his running mate, compared President Barack Obama and Biden's response to the economic crisis.
"Tonight I'm here at UAW Local 652 in Lansing, Michigan. Auto workers in this union and across our state could have lost their jobs if not for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In 2009, the Obama/Biden administration inherited the worst economic crisis since the great depression. The auto industry on the brink of collapse. A million jobs at stake. But President Obama and Vice President Biden didn't waste time blaming anyone else or shirking their responsibility. They got to work," she said.
"From the jump, we took this pandemic seriously in Michigan. We listened to medical experts. We planned. And with a lot of work from the auto workers and too little help from the White House, we executed our plan. We saved thousands of lives. Just imagine if we had a national strategy," she added.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses the virtual Democratic National Convention, Aug. 17, 2020. The convention, which was once expected to draw 50,000 people to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is now taking place virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
10:08 p.m. Woman says her father paid for trusting Trump with his life
Kristen Urquiza, who lost her father, Mark Anthony Urquiza, to the coronavirus said her father had faith in President Donald Trump.
"He voted for him, listened to him, believed him and his mouthpieces when they said that coronavirus was under control and going to disappear; that it was okay to end social distancing rules before it was safe; and that if you had no underlying health conditions, you'd probably be fine," said said.
She said that in late May, when the stay-at-home order was lifted in Arizona, her father went to a karaoke bar with his friends. He was on a ventilator a few weeks later and after five days, "he died alone in the ICU with a nurse holding his hand."
"My dad was a healthy 65-year-old. His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that, he paid with his life," she said.
9:54 p.m. Cuomo calls Trump a second threat
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo referred to the president as a second threat compared to thecoronavirus.
"And we now face a second threat. But this time not from mother nature. This is a man made threat by our own negligence. We now see the virus ricocheting across the country from one state to another. Today we trail the world in defeating COVID. We have over 5 million cases. Americans learned a critical lesson: how vulnerable we are when we are divided," he said. "And how many lives can be lost when our government is incompetent."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks from Albany, N.Y., during the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 17, 2020.
9:47 p.m. Clyburn gives ringing endorsement of Biden as racial healer
Majority Whip Jim Clyburn spoke to the DNC from a rooftop across the street from Emanuel AME Church, the site of the deadly mass shooting in June 2015 where a racially motivated gunman targeted African American churchgoers, killing nine.
"Much like the country as a whole, we are stepping out from the shadows of our past and beginning to lay the groundwork for a more just future. It won't be easy. We can only succeed if we move forward together. So we will need a president who sees unifying people as a requirement of the job," Clyburn said.
"Joe Biden is as good a man as he is a leader. I have said before and wish to reiterate tonight, we know Joe but more importantly, Joe knows us," he continued.
9:43 p.m. Eric Garner's mother: 'We can't let things settle down'
Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, said at the DNC: "I know when my son was murdered, there was a big uprising, but then it settled down. We can't let things settle down."
9:30 p.m. George Floyd's family leads moment of silence
Before George Floyd's family led a moment of silence, Philonise Floyd said the protests prompted by his brother's death while in police custody were a fitting legacy.
"My brother George was selfless, he always made sacrifices for his family, friends and even complete strangers. George had a giving spirit, a spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world. People of all races, all ages, all genders, all backgrounds, peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity. It's the fitting legacy for our brother," Philonise Floyd said.
From left, Rodney Floyd and Philonise Floyd speak during the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 17, 2020.
"For the names we do not know, the faces we will never see those who can't mourn, because their murders didn't go viral. Please join me in a moment of silence to honor George and the many other souls we lost to hate and injustice and when this moment ends, let's make sure we never stop saying their names," he continued.
9:28 p.m. Biden tweets he wishes he could be in Milwaukee
Just after Milwaukee's congresswoman, Rep. Gwen Moore, spoke at the DNC, the former vice president tweeted that he wishes he could be in the city in person, but is still looking forward to the virtual gathering.
9:26 p.m. Moore: 'We gather virtually,' but 'unified in spirit'
"It's my honor to represent Milwaukee in Congress and to kick off the 2020 Democratic convention," said Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis. "Oh, I sure wish you all were here in the city of Milwaukee ... but today, we gather virtually. However, we gather, unified in spirit, unified in our values and purpose to heal divisions and, together, move the nation confidently into a prosperous, inclusive future."
Representative Gwen Moore speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Aug. 17, 2020.
Nathaniel Rakich,FiveThirtyEight's elections analyst, reports Moore has represented Wisconsin's 4th District since 2005. It's the bluest seat in Wisconsin, having been carried by Hillary Clinton by 52 points.
9:18 p.m. WATCH: Choir performs National Anthem virtually
A choir performs the National Anthem virtually, with singers representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Cheyenne Nation and five territories at the start of the 2020 DNC
9:12 p.m. Clyburn will speak from Charleston rooftop across the street from Emanuel AME Church
Majority Whip Jim Clyburn will be speaking tonight from a rooftop across the street from Emanuel AME Church, the site of the deadly mass shooting in June 2015 where a racially motivated gunman targeted African American churchgoers, killing nine.
Previewing his speech, Clyburn said, "I'm going to talk about unity. My whole thing is about unity. I do believe strongly in the motto of this country, E pluribus unum, out of many, one. That's what I'm going to be talking about. And one of the reasons I'm going to be talking from Charleston is because I will be directly across the street from Emanuel AME Church, and across the street in one other direction to the John C. Calhoun statue that just came down. And I'm going to talk about what the Emmanuel gave to that discourse and how the city of Charleston reacted by taking John C. Calhoun statue down. So I'm going to be talking about unity, where we are today, where we've come from and a little bit about where we need to go."
"I think it's going to be an effective convention," Clyburn said, when asked how this very unusual convention will look. "I think that what you have to do is make lemonade when you've got lemons."
-- ABC News' Quinn Scanlan and Kendall Karson
9:07 p.m. The DNC is officially underway
The Democratic National Convention officially gets underway with the theme of unity and featuring speakers who represent the party's progressive and traditional platforms.
The convention kicked off with an introduction by actress Eva Longoria Bastón, the night's emcee, a reading of the U.S. Constitution's Preamble by a collection of noteworthy folks, including Biden; health care activist Ady Barkan; Khizr Khan, the Gold Star Parent who spoke at the 2016 convention; soccer star Megan Rapinoe, among others, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a rendition of the National Anthem by a virtual chorus of young people.
Eva Longoria, serving as moderator, speaks during the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 17, 2020.
Longoria then who "checked in" with Americans around the country to ask how they're doing during the pandemic. Standard convention proceedings followed, with a gaveling-in, call to order.
9:05 p.m. Will people actually watch the conventions?
One of the big questions about this year's conventions is how many people will watch. The conventions are seriously stripped down because of the pandemic -- most obviously, they are happening virtually rather than inside a lavishly decorated convention hall -- but the home viewer's experience might be largely the same: Major TV networks like ABC are giving the convention one hour of prime time coverage per night, same as in 2016. (FiveThirtyEight is owned by ABC.)
Still, the lack of spectacle might discourage people from tuning in this year. Then again, the fact that many people have fewer social plans might spur them to watch the proceedings out of sheer boredom. In recent elections, the DNC got about 25 million viewers on nights the nominee didn't speak, so that will be the benchmark to watch.
-- Nathaniel Rakich isFiveThirtyEight's elections analyst.
8:56 p.m. The price tag on Democrats' virtual convention: $40 million
Democrats won't be gathering in Milwaukee this week for their nominating convention, but they're stillspending bigto put on the event.
The cost of the all-virtual summit is still expected to hit roughly $40 million, Alex Lasry, the committee's finance chair -- and senior vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks -- told ABC News.
"I think if this was the big thing that it was supposed to be, I think you'd be looking to raise around somewhere between $60-65 million," he said, noting that the committee raised $45 million.
The grandchildren of Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, including Finnegan Biden, Hunter Biden, Natalie Biden, Naomi Bisden and Maisy Biden, lead the Pledge of Allegiance during the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 17, 2020.
The DNC host committee for the Philadelphia convention in 2016 raised and spent about $86 million, according to the Associated Press.
"You've got to still build out the thing in the convention center ... and it costs money to put on a four-day virtual event. This is probably one of the more complicated conventions to put on because of all the different moving parts," he said. "You had to prepare for a bunch of different scenarios."
As for the security costs, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told ABC News that he's hoping the city will be reimbursed by the federal government/Justice Department for the $20 million-plus spent on security costs. Congress appropriated $50 million for security for each convention host city.
"It's our hope and our expectation that we've documented our costs adequately, and we'll get full compensation for that," he said. "I think the real loss is the $200 million in outside spending that we had anticipated. I don't anticipate the city's going to suffer a loss."
-- ABC News' Benjamin Siegel
8:36 p.m.: Trump calls former Ohio Gov. Kasich a 'loser'
In a conversation with reporters on Air Force One Monday, as he flew back to the Washington area from Wisconsin, the president had some choice words for former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican who is scheduled to speak at the Democratic National Convention Monday night.
"He was a loser as a Republican and he'll be a loser as a Democrat," Trump said, according to pool reports. "Major loser as a Republican. I guess you can quote me on that. John was a loser as a Republican. Never even came close. And as a Democrat he'll be an even greater loser."
Kasich, who still is with the Republican party, remained in the GOP nomination race in 2016 longer than any candidate other than Trump.
-- ABC News' Ben Gittleson
Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks at The City Club of Cleveland, Dec. 4, 2018, in Cleveland.
8:25 p.m. Democrats 'will have our family fight once we get rid of Donald Trump'
Democracy for America CEO and ABC News Contributor Yvette Simpson says progressives "are going to have our voices heard, that (DNC) platform is not a progressive platform," but adds that Democrats "will have our family fight once we get rid of Donald Trump."
She added that "a lot of people" were unenthusiastic about Sen. Kamala Harris as Biden's pick for running mate, but thepresident's commentson the U.S. Postal Service may motivate them nonetheless.
"Donald Trump is actually helping motivate and rile up our folks more than Joe Biden is right now," she said onABC News Live.
8:16 p.m. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' Secret Service code names
A former law enforcement source confirms to ABC News that former Vice President Joe Biden retains his code name as "Celtic" and vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris assumes the code name "Pioneer."
The source also told ABC News that these code names are not created by the Secret Service -- they are created by the White House Communications Agency in consultation with the candidates.
-- ABC News' Luke Barr
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris arrive to speak at a news conference at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington, Del., Aug. 12, 2020.
8:07 p.m. AOC questions Kasich speech at DNC, fundraises off it
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is slated to speak for one minute on Tuesday, continued to question the decision to have former Ohio GOP Gov. John Kasich in the program, hours before he was scheduled to speak.
"Something tells me a Republican who fights against women's rights doesn't get to say who is or isn't representative of the Dem party," she said in atweet.
Her campaign is also now fundraising off her criticism, repeating what she posted to Twitter.
"Building a coalition to save the soul of our nation does not mean we must forgo our values. Kasich's role is not to critique the leaders of our party, because he has dedicated his career towards undermining our core mission," the campaign email says.
The DNC had recruited prominent Republican figures and donors in an attempt to highlight the fissures across the party, a move DNC Chairman Tom Perez defended on Monday while addressing some of the criticism of Kasich's speaking slot.
"I disagree with John Kasich on far more things than I agree on, but I have tremendous respect for him coming forward and saying: 'You know what, there are some moments when it's not about party, it's about country -- and we have a president who has obliterated the guardrails of democracy,'" DNC Chair Tom Perez said in a virtual event with Pennsylvania Democrats.
-- ABC News' Kendall Karson
People pass in front of the Chase Center, where Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden will make his acceptance speech later this week to the Democratic National Convention, in Wilmington, Del., Aug. 17, 2020.
7:59 p.m. DNC chair: Biden to be part of convention each night
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez tellsABC News' Linsey DavisonABC News Live Primethat Joe Biden will be part of each night of the DNC "because he's going to be engaged in conversation with real people about criminal justice reform, about the coronavirus epidemic, about the economy."
7:52 p.m. FiveThirtyEight: Biden is favored to win the election
According toFiveThirtyEight's forecast, Joe Biden starts convention week with a strong outlook. But remember, don't count President Trump out yet: It's only August and there's plenty of time for the race to significantly tighten. That said, it doesn't mean we weren't a little surprised by just how bullish the forecast was on Trump's odds.
7:46 p.m. Trump declares the only way he will lose is if the election is 'rigged'
Hours before Democrats kicked off their convention, President Trump held his third campaign rally of the day in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, ramping up attacks on his rival Joe Biden, and openly declared that the only way he will lose in November is if theelection is rigged.
The president, who's been laying the groundwork for weeks seeminglypreemptively sowing distrustin the election results that are still less than 80 days away, went further than he has before, planting his flag that if he loses the election it must have been rigged -- an admission seemingly that he won't accept the results unless he wins.
President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Wittman Airport, Aug. 17, 2020, in Oshkosh, Wis.
Trump made the comment within the context of talking about mail-in ballots, as he faces increasing push back over efforts to restrict mail in voting and actions taken by the U.S. Postal Service.
"So we have to win the election. We can't play games, get out and vote. Do those beautiful absentee ballots or just make sure your vote gets counted. Make sure because the only way we're going to lose this election is if the election is rigged. Remember that. That's the only way we're going to lose this election," he said.
"So we have to be very careful. We have -- this is more than this election. That's a big statement. The only way they're going to win is that way and we can't let that happen. And you know our post office, we're gonna make our post office great. It's been a disaster for many years. We're gonna take care of the men and women in the post office and we're gonna make it great great."
The president seemed to realize the significance of his statement as a sitting president, calling it "a big statement."
-- ABC News' Will Steakin and Terrance Smith
7:39 p.m. Demings on first night's theme
"I believe that tonight is just a demonstration of how broken our nation is under this president's failed policies," Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., tells ABC News' Linsey Davis on ABC News Live.
7:32 p.m. DNC faces backlash for lack of Latinx representation
The Democratic National Convention Committee continues to field backlash from some in the party's progressive wing who have criticized the week's thin representation from Latinx speakers and pointed out that several segments have been allotted to Republican speakers instead.
"I'd be lying to you if I said that I'm not disappointed that there aren't more Latinos and Latinas generally speaking on that program," former presidential contender Julian Castro, who gave the keynote address at the 2012 convention, said onMSNBCover the weekend.
Castro somewhat defended the DNC onABC News LiveMonday, acknowledging the limited primetime hours at this year's gathering and adding, "I think the DNC heard in general the concerns of a lot of people because over the weekend there were many more voices that were added to the mix."
Sawyer Hackett, a senior advisor to Castro, wrote in a blunt post toTwitterlast week, "It's completely unacceptable that there are as many Republicans speaking at the convention as Latinos," before following up with anothertweetthat read, "Correction: more Republicans on day one than Latinos the whole week."
Julian Castro, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, speaks at a campaign an an event in Las Vegas, Feb. 21, 2020.
7:18 p.m. Trump mocks Democrats for pre-taped speeches as campaign runs counter programming
In a string of campaign-style events in Minnesota and Wisconsin Monday, President Donald Trump criticized Democrats for having pre-taped speeches in their convention programming, dismissing the streaming challenges prompted by the pandemic while teasing his own speech next week "live from the White House."
"They're making speeches that are taped. Who wants to listen to Michelle Obama do a taped speech?" Trump said to boos outside an airport hangar in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. "No, you gotta have her get up there. But we're doing a real speech on Thursday. Next Thursday, so you'll be listening. We're doing it live -- live from the White House."
"I wonder, is Joe Biden taping his speech too? Because if he is, I think I'll tape mine," Trump added in an apparent joke.
President Donald Trump gestures in front of supporters at Basler Flight Service in Oshkosh, Wis., Aug. 17, 2020.
Over the weekend, the Trump reelection campaign announced they would have four nights of rebuttals to the Democratic National Convention this week. Called "The Real Joe Biden (LIVE)," the counter programming will take place at 11 p.m. ET from Monday to Thursday.
Trump is also scheduled to deliver a speech -- just hours before Biden accepts the Democratic nomination -- from right outside the former vice president's hometown in Pennsylvania. The president will also hold counter programming events in three other swing states and will launch a massive multi-million dollar digital ad blitz that includes taking over the banner of YouTube for 96 hours starting on Tuesday.
7:13 p.m. Michelle Obama speech excerpts
The DNC released excerpts of remarks from some of Monday night's speakers including a longer excerpt to ABC News from former first lady Michelle Obama's pre-recorded remarks.
In that clip, she reflects on her knowledge of Biden, stressing that he has the knowledge and skills needed to lead the country through the current crises it faces.
"I know Joe. He is a profoundly decent man guided by faith. He was a terrific vice president. He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country. And he listens. He will tell the truth, and trust science. He will make smart plans and manage a good team. And he will govern as someone who's lived a life that the rest of us can recognize," Obama says in the clip.
Michelle Obama is seen during the 2020 BET Awards, June 28, 2020.
7:08 p.m. DNC's breakdown of broader themes
Earlier Monday, the DNC released programming details breaking down tonight's broader theme of "We the People" into segments titled "We the People Demanding Racial Justice"; "We the People Helping Each Other Through COVID-19"; "We the People Putting Country Over Party"; "We the People Recovering"; and "We the People Rise."
"Tonight the nation will hear from the many Americans who are rising up to take on these three crises, and who will join Joe Biden in building back better and moving this country forward," the DNC said in a release.
During the segment titled "We the People Helping Each Other Through COVID-19," the DNC lists previously undisclosed remarks from Kristin Urquiza, a woman whose father lost his life to coronavirus earlier this year, an indication of the party's plans to keep President Donald Trump's handling of the pandemic at the forefront of the Biden-Harris campaign.
"Mark, like so many others, should not have died from COVID-19. His death is due to the carelessness of the politicians who continue to jeopardize the health of brown bodies through a clear lack of leadership, refusal to acknowledge the severity of this crisis, and inability and unwillingness to give clear and decisive direction on how to minimize risk," Urquiza wrote in her father's obituary.
Celebrities and artists including Eva Longoria, Leon Bridges, Billy Porter and Steven Stills will also make appearances throughout the evening.
Security fencing surrounds the Wisconsin Center, the site of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which will be a largely virtual event due to the coronavirus pandemic, in Milwaukee, Aug. 17, 2020.
Here's an overview of Monday's primetime program:
'We the People'
Introduction - Eva Longoria, American actress
"We the People" Gavel In - Everyday Americans will read the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, before Convention Chair Bennie Thompson officially gavels in the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Call to Order - The Honorable Bennie Thompson, Permanent Chair of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mississippi
Pledge of Allegiance
National Anthem - A multicultural choir performing virtually with singers representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Cheyenne Nation and five territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Invocation - Reverend Gabriel Salguero, President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Co-lead pastor of The Lamb's Church in New York, New York
Remarks - Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., Sergeant-at-Arms of the 2020 Democratic National Convention
'We the People Demanding Racial Justice'
Remarks - Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser
Performance - Leon Bridges, American singer
"The Path Forward": A Conversation with Vice President Biden on Racial Justice - Biden in conversation with social justice activist Jamira Burley, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, and author Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner, on racial justice.
Remarks - Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., House Democratic Whip
We the People Helping Each Other Through COVID-19
Remarks - Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y.
Remarks - Kristin Urquiza, a woman whose father lost his life to COVID-19
A Conversation with Healthcare Workers on the Front Lines
Introduction of Performer - Maine Rep. Sara Gideon, Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives
Performance - Maggie Rogers, American singer-songwriter
Remarks - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich.
'We the People Putting Country Over Party'
Remarks - Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Whitman, CEO of Quibi Meg Whitman and former Rep. Susan Molinari, D-N.Y.
Remarks - Former Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio
Remarks - Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala.
Remarks - Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.
Remarks - Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
"United We Stand" - Former 2020 Democratic candidates for president come together to speak about Biden -- featuring Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang.
We the People Recovering
Remarks - Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La.
Remarks - Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
'We the People Rise'
Keynote Remarks - Former first lady Michelle Obama
Performance - Billy Porter and Steven Stills, American singer-songwriters
Benediction - Reverend Dr. Jerry Young, 18th President of the National Baptist Convention, USA
7 p.m. Who is speaking at the DNC Monday
Former first ladyMichelle Obamawill be thekeynote speakerof the night, after remaining mostly on the sidelines throughout the 2020 political season.
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Sen.Bernie Sanders, theformer rivalof presumptive Democratic candidate Joe Biden, and former Ohio Gov.John Kasich, a Republican candidate for president in 2016, will also speak.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, wears a protective mask while standing in an elevator following a vote in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, July 22, 2020.
Monday's lineup of speakers:
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.
Convention chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich
Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis.
Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Former first lady Michelle Obama
ABC News' Kendall Karson, John Verhovek and Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.
This report was featured in the Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, episode of "Start Here," ABC News' daily news podcast.
