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A refreshed Democratic Party will take a look back while it moves forward as its convention opens Monday night, with President Joe Biden preparing a valedictory speech and delegates reveling in the newfound energy that followed Vice President Kamala Harris聽鈥� rise to the top of the ticket.

The national convention unfolding in Chicago this week holds particularly high stakes for Democrats. The party must finalize the unprecedented聽mid-campaign handoff聽from Biden to Harris and reintroduce the vice president to a divided country that鈥檚 still making up its mind about her.

If successful, Democrats will slingshot Harris toward an election faceoff with Republican Donald Trump, whose comeback bid for the White House is viewed by the party as an existential threat to American principles. But a false step could hobble Harris at a moment when her candidacy has been enjoying a burst of money, momentum and even joy.

Complete coverage of the first night of the Democratic National Convention on KTTH 770. President Biden’s speech will also be carried by 成人X站 97.3 expected in the 7 p.m. hour Monday.

At a breakfast hosted by the Florida delegation, a party volunteer pulled out a suitcase and began to hand out replicas of Biden鈥檚 famous aviator sunglasses.

鈥淛oe Biden made a selfless, heroic decision, and it鈥檒l be awesome to celebrate him tonight,鈥� Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida told The Associated Press. 鈥淎nd then we鈥檙e going to look to the future and pivot.鈥�

Delegates dressed head to toe in merchandise celebrating Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Some wore the vice president鈥檚 face on their scarves or her slogans on graphic tees.

A new generation of Democratic leaders, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, spoke about the new 鈥渋nfusion鈥� of energy at various delegation breakfasts.

Walz appeared at a breakfast for the Wisconsin delegation Monday, promising to cheers that he and Harris would hustle through the race鈥檚 remaining weeks. Meanwhile, the governors of Illinois, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin hopped from one delegate breakfast to another, attracting crowds of Democrats vying for selfies and handshakes.

Preparing for November

Just beneath the surface, real questions loom about the depth of Harris鈥� newfound support, the breadth of her coalition and the strength of her movement. Not even a month ago, Democrats were deeply divided over foreign policy, political strategy and Biden himself, who was聽holding on聽after a聽disastrous debate聽by claiming he had a better chance than any other Democrat 鈥� including Harris 鈥� of beating Trump.

Far from the tone of most party conventions, this week鈥檚 event will bring many Americans their first extended look at Harris and Walz. How the Democrats present them will be critical, especially with Trump launching a weeklong effort to cut into their message.

A potential distraction from the positivity of the convention will be聽thousands of protesters聽descending on Chicago to decry the Biden-Harris administration鈥檚 support for Israel鈥檚 war against Hamas in Gaza. A聽march and rally聽on the DNC was expected Monday afternoon.

The Dave Ross Commentary: Liberal protests outside DNC challenge Democrats鈥� message of unity

Harris鈥� allies hope the pro-Palestinian protesters will not overshadow the official program, which features a slate of current and former Democratic stars, plus what organizers describe as 鈥渆veryday people.鈥�

Among the speakers: United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain; Hillary Clinton; Reps. Grace Meng, Jamie Raskin and Jasmine Crockett; Sens. Chris Coons and Raphael Warnock, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Much of the opening night programing will focus on Biden鈥檚 record during his time in the White House.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important for him to answer those age-old questions: What have you done for me lately and why bother to go out and vote?鈥� said former Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Biden adviser.

Biden will get his farewell Monday

Part of introducing Harris and Walz will be first giving a graceful exit to the 81-year-old incumbent president, who is聽 Monday.

The Democratic Party probably would have been in a far worse state if Biden had continued to cling to the nomination. He faced聽growing concerns about his mental and physical acuity聽after struggling to complete sentences at his Trump debate.

By deciding to step aside and endorse Harris, Biden will instead receive a hero鈥檚 welcome in his final turn in the spotlight 52 years after being elected to the Senate from Delaware.

鈥淪he got no votes,鈥� Trump said.

A focus on Harris鈥� firsts

The convention will lean into the party鈥檚 potential to make history. Harris views to be the first woman, first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure I would see this particular moment in my lifetime, to see a Black woman who is now on the cusp of becoming our next president,鈥� said Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, one of the nation鈥檚 highest-ranking Black female elected officials.

鈥淚 remember back in 2016 when we touched the glass ceiling, and the reaction of Republicans was just to start destroying the rights that got us there,鈥� Stratton said. 鈥淭his is another chance.鈥�

Harris will aim to use the convention to take a share of credit for what she and Biden accomplished while also trying to show that she recognizes voters want more. Heading into Chicago, she聽unveiled the initial planks of her policy platform聽focused on addressing the bite of inflation and the costs of food, housing and childcare.

Democrats will keep聽abortion access front and center聽for voters, betting that the issue will help propel them to success as it has in other key races since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.

Every living Democratic president and first lady will appear this week, except for the ailing Jimmy Carter, along with a long list of federal, state and local officials and activists.

It鈥檚 set to be a contrast to last month鈥檚 GOP convention in Milwaukee, where former President George W. Bush and former vice president Mike Pence, among other well-known Republicans, stayed away from the event given Trump鈥檚 antipathy toward them.

Expected to speak this week is former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a Republican who investigated Trump鈥檚 actions around the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and has endorsed Harris.

The presidential race is still very close

With precious few days remaining before early voting begins in some places, polls show a close race nationally and in battleground states including Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Trump still has advantages on how Americans view the two of them on core issues like the economy and immigration.

Terry McAuliffe, a former Virginia governor and longtime operative who will attend his 13th Democratic convention this week, warned that the euphoria Democrats have about Harris鈥� ascension could obscure the true state of the campaign.

The former president is not ceding this week to Democrats. He will go to a different swing state each day 鈥� starting with Pennsylvania, followed by Michigan, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada by week鈥檚 end.

Trump鈥檚 campaign has also dispatched high-profile allies to Chicago to host daily news conferences. The lineup includes Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Florida Rep. Byron Donalds.

鈥淲e have four days of messaging that the country will get to look at Kamala Harris, get to look at Tim Walz. We鈥檒l get to look at their agenda, what they stand for, who we are,鈥� McAuliffe said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a close election. That鈥檚 just where our country is today.鈥�

Barrow reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Will Weissert in Chicago, Ali Swenson and Michelle L. Price in New York and Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.