DNC reaches conclusion Thursday, with further protests in Chicago

Anne Caprara, an Illinois delegate and chief of staff to Gov. JB Pritzker, was thrilled by Vice President Kamala Harris' nomination acceptance speech Thursday night.

"The vibes were immaculate. People were thrilled and happy," Caprara said. "The speech by our future president, Kamala Harris, was great—and everybody just absolutely thrilled to host all of these folks here in Illinois and in Chicago."

Caprara said the high points for the convention for her were Harris' speech, and Pritzker's speech earlier. She said there were no low points at all—and she only had "rave reviews" for the event.

There had been speculation that a surprise guest—perhaps Beyoncé or Taylor Swift—might be appearing at the DNC Thursday night. Neither did, but Caprara said it didn't matter.

"The special surprise was the friends we've made along the way," Caprara said.

About 10 people from the protest Thursday night were in a standoff with police as they sat in the street at Maypole and Ashland avenues after the protest was over.

The group was trying to get other protesters to sit in the street with them, but were vastly outnumbered by police officers and reporters.

The group was expected to be arrested if they went on refusing to move.

The Democratic National Convention and the Chicago Fire Department decided to restrict access to the United Center Thursday night, as it was at capacity.

Vice President and democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris was speaking to the packed stadium as of 9:43 p.m.

In a primetime speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night, Adam Kinzinger, a Republican who served as an Illinois congressman and a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump, said he and Democrats have forged an "awkward alliance" to defeat the former president.

While Kinzinger said even though he's been a Republican since he was a kid, he never thought he'd be speaking at a Democratic National Convention.

"But I've learned something about the Democratic Party, and I want to let my fellow Republicans in on the secret," he said. "The Democrats are as patriotic as us. They love this country just as much as we do, and they are as eager to defend American values at home and abroad as we conservatives have ever been."

Kinzinger served in the House of Representatives for 12 years, representing parts of Chicago's far southwest suburbs and more rural areas of north-central Illinois. Despite his conservative views, Kinzinger was often willing to criticize Trump, especially when he veered away from Republican orthodoxy on foreign policy.

But Kinzinger argued that his own party is "no longer conservative" and "switched its allegiance" to Trump, "a man whose only purpose is himself." He wasn't the only Republican who spoke during this year's convention against the former president.

"Donald Trump is a weak man pretending to be strong," Kinzinger said. "He is a small man pretending to be big. He is a faithless man pretending to be righteous. He's a perpetrator who can't stop playing the victim. Listen, he puts on quite a show, but there is no real strength there."

Read more here.

On the last night of the Democratic National Convention Thursday night, CBS News Chicago Political Analyst and former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot emphasized the importance of sign language interpreters in at the packed convention.

She also credited Rachel Arfa, commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, for her efforts in making sure the convention was accessible.

"She was a big part of the bid, and making sure that this was the most accessible convention ever, and I think she's done, and her team, a fabulous job," Lightfoot said.

"She and her team have done an incredible job all along. I sit on one of her advisory committees—but just in terms of making our airports more accessible, and everything that we see around the city," added CBS News Chicago political analyst and former Ald. Leslie Hairston. "I ran into her yesterday and got a chance to say hello and to thank her."

Lightfoot named Arfa as commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities in June 2020. Arfa has remained in the post under Mayor Brandon Johnson.

For the first time, the DNC credentialed hundreds of social media content creators as organizers try to tap into different audiences. 

But what did the creators think of the program, as news cameras and delegate seating made space for something new?

"They're looking. The people are looking, and they're engaging. And they're saying we're proud of you," said Samantha Lampkin, a Chicago South Side resident.

Lampkin was tapped to be one of more than 200 content creators at the DNC.

"Some of these folks literally have tens of thousands if not millions of followers," said former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. "You'd be crazy not to try to tap into that."

Lightfoot walked the "blue carpet" with creators this week. She said credentialing allows the DNC to know what kind of audience each creator taps into.

"You've gotta vet them. Right?" she said. "Because everybody who has a microphone and an iPhone or whatever might not necessarily be doing work for good. But there's definitely ways in which you can see what their content has been and whether or not it aligns with yours."

Read more here.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul visited the CBS News Chicago suite at the Democratic National Convention Thursday evening, and said the stark difference between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump should be self-evidence when it comes to anyone with doubts.

"There's a clear contrast between the two candidates—notwithstanding misinformation, mischaracterization—we have a candidate who has been a prosecutor on the local level; a state attorney general, and we have somebody who's done the opposite—violate the rule of law, whether it's civil violations, or now he's a convicted felon," Raoul said.

Raoul added that security and safety have been a success at the DNC and with protests surrounding it—and police Supt. Larry Snelling has been an "incredible partner."

CBS News Chicago political analyst and former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot commended Raoul Thursday night for his efforts to combat retail theft. He said collaboration and partnership are what make it all possible.

"Again, it's about collaboration," he said. "We collaborate with the U.S. Secret Service on some of that. We collaborate with Homeland Security and the FBI on some of that—certainly, the Cook County Sheriff's office, if you see their presence on Michigan Avenue and in River North generally, it's all about collaboration."

Like most other elected officials who have appeared in the CBS News Chicago suite during the DNC, Raoul would not give a direct answer about whether he would consider running for governor or mayor someday. But he did speak very highly of his job satisfaction in his present position.

"Let me tell you—today is Thursday, and tomorrow is Friday, and on Friday, I'm going to be attorney general, and I'm going to be focused on the responsibility," he said. "I've always said that if there's an opportunity to do something in the future, the best way to put yourself in a position to do it is do the job that you're in currently—and being an attorney general is a heck of a job. It's the best job I've had in my life. If you ask Bill Clinton, he always says the best job he ever had was Arkansas attorney general—and he was the President of the United States."

Protesters for the Palestinian cause began marching near the United Center Thursday night.

The march began around 6:30 p.m. Chicago Police tactical officers in riot helmets followed at the back of the march, while officers on bicycles lined the route.

The protesters with the Coalition to March on the DNC followed the same route as they did on Monday. But this time, police would not allow a repeat of an incident on Monday where protesters breached a security fence near the stadium.

Earlier this week, a demonstrator was asked if he really thought these protests make a difference. The protester said every time they continue to march, they believe it will have an impact at some point.

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten said Tuesday night that the vibe of the Democratic National Convention has been so exciting and inspiring that more and more people have been looking for ways to be part of it.

A big part of it is the inspiration people feel for the possibility of Vice President Kamala Harris in the White House, he said.

"It's just wonderful—like everyone's got this sense of FOMO like you feel like you're making history," Casten said, "and I was telling people, in two years, we're going to celebrate our 250th anniversary. And how inspiring is it to say, I was a part of making the 250th anniversary of the day that our founders said, 'All men are created equal,' to have a Black woman presiding over that moment."

On Wednesday night, Oprah Winfrey spoke at the DNC, in part encouraging independents who are not sure whom they are voting for to choose Harris. Casten said there is great value in emphasizing common ground rather than polarization.

"If you talk about bipartisanship in the sense of the voters, there's a tremendous amount of agreement among people. You ask people, did the right side win World War II? Did the right side win the Civil War? Is the Enlightenment a good thing? Do we want our schools to be safe? Do we believe that everybody should have equal opportunity? Those are very bipartisan values," he said. "If you frame that instead of saying, 'Well, I'm going to demonize this person because of the letter after their name,' that doesn't work, right?"

Casten also said it was "very bittersweet" to join the chorus of Democrats who called for President Biden to step aside and withdraw before he actually did—given the tremendous respect he and all the Democrats have for Mr. Biden.

"For what he accomplished, he will go down in history as one of the most effective presidents," Casten said. "The question was, is he going to run an effective campaign that's going to make sure that that works?"

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Illinois) said the vibe of the DNC would have been much different if Mr. Biden had stayed in the race.

"I think we would have had a full house if President Biden was on the top of the ticket, but it would have been a different sense—a sense of purpose that we're going to have to do everything we can to get across the finish line in a race that was going to be very different from what we have now," he said.

But after Mr. Biden made his very hard choice and Harris took his place at the top of the ticket, everything changed, Schneider said.

"He's unleashed a level of energy that I don't think anyone anticipated what we would see," he said.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krisnamoorthi, who represents much of Chicago's northwest suburbs in Congress, was one of the speakers on Thursday at the DNC.

Krisnamoorthi focused on the country's adversarial relationship with China, and how electing Donald Trump would be a detriment to the nation's standing against a rising economic power.

"Mark my words, they want to see Donald Trump across the bargaining table because he'll start endless trade wars that raise prices for Americans," he said. "Because he'll cut programs that train workers in America, but most of all, Trump will pit American against American and that's what China wants, for us to fight amongst ourselves."

Kristnamoorthi is in his fourth term in Congress and is the ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between The U.S. and the CCP (Chinese Communist Party). He is the first South Asian American in history to lead a Congressional committee.

Appearing with Joe Donlon and Irika Sargent at the Democratic National Convention on CBS News Chicago Thursday evening, Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city is excited for Vice President Kamala Harris and the policies she would enact as president.

"There's a lot of excitement in Chicago—really around the globe—because the future of our democracy is in a position to be strengthened with the election—the historic election—of Vice President Kamala Harris," the mayor said.

Johnson in particular highlighted Harris' calls for $300 billion for public education, $100 billion for a pathway to home ownership, and call to make affordable housing a reality.

He also called the DNC itself a success.

"This has been a great event and convention for the people of Chicago—really America—and I promise, I said we're going to have a safe, yet vibrant convention," he said. "That's exactly what we have."

The mayor also called the policing strategy during protests amid the convention a success. Nearly 60 people were arrested when a protest grew belligerent outside the Israeli Consulate Tuesday night, but at a protest and march on Wednesday night, no oner was arrested at all.

"We said that we would have constitutional policing. It's important that we restore trust between everyday people and our law enforcement—and our men and women of this city have put forth so much courage, so much bravery, but so much discipline and compassion—and that's exactly what we said we would do," Johnson said. "Protecting the right to protest in this country is fundamental to our democracy, and our police department—under the direction of my superintendent, Superintendent Snelling—they certainly delivered that."

Johnson was further asked what he would say to those with concerns that while the city is going more than the extra mile for public safety with all kinds of politicians and celebrities in town, many feel they are inadequately protected from crime the rest of the time.

The mayor responded that public safety is his top priority—and also said education and economic redevelopment have to be part of the big-picture public safety plan in addition to policing.

"Now here's what I can say emphatically—not one neighborhood in the city of Chicago went unprotected. Homicides are down double digits since I've been in office," Johnson said. "A lot of work to be done. It's going to require more than just policing."

Even a watch party at Soldier Field for tonight's Democratic National Convention finale is a hot ticket. 

For those who didn't have the connections to get into the United Center to see Kamala Harris accept the party's presidential nomination, organizers planned the event at Soldier Field. 

Registration sold out, and huge lines formed outside to get in more than an hour before the 7 p.m. start. 

Harris is expected to speak around 9:30 p.m. However, the convention has run behind schedule every day. 

As protesters gathered in Union Park and prepared to march Thursday evening, some expressed disappointment that a Palestinian speaker has not taken the stage during the Democratic National Convention.

"I think they're losing the election, honestly right now, by not bringing any Palestinian Americans onstage," said Lesley Lerner. "If they stop funding Israel and working tirelessly to bring on a cease-fire, they could do it."

"They also need to let a Palestinian American speak, or anyone from that point of view," said Reema Harp. "I mean, it only emphasizes more that the Democrats only allow Israel's point of view, and Palestinians are not going to be heard."

Uncommitted DNC delegates launched a sit-in outside the United Center Thursday night, demanding that a Palestinian American be allowed to speak on stage Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, while organizers of the Thursday night protest said to expect it to be the biggest, it was shaping up to be the smallest of the week.

At least four people have been robbed at gunpoint in a spree targeting three Chicago communities this week, and police are investigating reports that one of the victims is a delegate at the convention, from Texas.

On Thursday morning, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said he did not have any specific details on the delegate's involvement. But the CPD sent an alert about three people robbed at gunpoint near Randolph and Wells streets downtown—and the suspect description matches two other incidents in Chinatown and the West Loop.

Police say in each of the robberies. a dark blue Land Rover Discovery with Illinois plate DJ87261 drove up to the victims, and two men exited the vehicle armed with a handgun.

The robbers threatened to kill the victims, who then handed over their cellphones and wallets. The armed robbers then got back into the vehicle and fled the scene.

The first robbery took place during President Biden's speech on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, around 10:30 Monday in the 200 block of West 23rd Place in Chinatown.

The same crew did it again at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, this time on the 300 block of North Morgan Street in the West Loop.

Then on Wednesday morning, there was another round of victims. Police said at 2 a.m., a 25-year-old man was on the sidewalk outside the Allegro Royal Sonesta, 171 W. Randolph St., when a man with a gun took his wallet and hotel key.

The robber then walked across the street and robbed a 37-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman at gunpoint.

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The Coalition to March on the DNC said the protest for the Palestinian cause on the final day of the Democratic National Convention Thursday will also be the biggest.

Protest participants said they do not just want words—they want Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris to take action.

Protesters gathered in Union Park around 3 p.m. A march was set to begin around 6:30 p.m.

Former Republican Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger spoke to CBS News Chicago's Chris Tye hours before he was slated to give a speech at the DNC. The frequent Trump critic has made a name for himself after he broke with Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol and was one of only a handful of Republicans who voted to impeach the former president.

Kinzinger also served on the House panel that investigated the Jan. 6 assault and efforts to overturn the 2020 election, one of only two Republicans to agree to do so. He opted not to run for reelection in 2022.

He's since become persona non grata in the GOP.

"I had my co-pilot in Iraq that said he was ashamed to have flown with me," Kinzinger said. "I recently had my boss after college that blamed me for the assassination attempt on Trump. So those kinds of things are where they hit, but otherwise, it's been really actually pretty energizing for me to recognize that this party that I was supposed to demonize for so long actually really believes in a lot of the same stuff I do. It's pretty cool."

He added, "We may disagree on some policies, but really, what's the near threat to us? And does our democracy survive? Of course it'll survive, but does it survive with the level of faith we had? Is my kid gonna inherit a country where there's trust in the election system? Because there's not somebody out there pretending like the election was stolen. So there's a lot that unifies us on that, and I think we understand it's an uncomfortable alliance, but it's a necessary alliance."

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza went viral with some of her fashion choices at the Democratic National Convention, and she said it was all about celebrating the city of Chicago.

"We want everybody to leave this convention thinking about what a magnificent city this is—and especially for the people who have neve been here," said Mendoza. "You know, our former president loves to pooh-pooh on our city, and it's crazy the irony, because he has a huge tower—that he of course wanted to be in Chicago for, because he knows it's the greatest city. But we have to fight that misinformation to show off our city."

With that in mind, Mendoza wore an "I (heart) Chicago" shirt on the first night of the convention Monday.

Mendoza was asked if she would consider running for governor, or for mayor—which she did unsuccessfully in 2019.

Her response was, "I want to party my butt off today at this convention."

One of the most talked about moments from the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night was the son of vice presidential nominee Tim Walz. The emotion on his face was obvious as he listened to his dad speak Wednesday night.

Gus Walz is a high school senior. His parents recently disclosed to People magazine he has a non-verbal learning disorder, ADHD and an anxiety disorder. They called his condition "his secret power" and said he's "brilliant" and poised for success.

Unlike learning disorders that make it difficult for a child to learn to read, a non-verbal learning disorder affects different kinds of learning, including the ability to notice patterns and learn concepts, according to the Child Mind Institute.

"Neurodiversity in general is that very unique way that individuals learn and experience the world around them," said Amanda Timmerman, a speech language pathologist.

Timmerman said a neurodivergent person on the autism spectrum or someone whose brain processes information in a way that is not typical of most individuals.

"It depends on the child and it depends on the individual," she said. "Some individuals may be non-speaking, however they have other modalities of communication that we really provide and strive to support them with."

Read more here.

The United Auto Workers union called for the Democratic Party to allow a Palestinian American to speak from the Democratic National Convention stage Thursday evening. 

"If we want the war in Gaza to end, we can't put our heads in the sand or ignore the voices of the Palestinian Americans in the Democratic Party," the UAW said in a post on X. "If we want peace, if we want real democracy, and if we want to win this election, the Democratic Party must allow a Palestinian American speaker to be heard from the DNC stage tonight."

The UAW joins the Uncommitted National Movement in calling for a Palestinian American speaker at the DNC. In July, the UAW endorsed Harris for president. 

In a social media post on Wednesday, the Uncommitted National Movement urged the Democratic Party to allow for a Palestinian voice to be heard on the DNC's main stage. 

"Uncommitted delegates urge the Democratic Party to reject a hierarchy of human value by ensuring Palestinian voices are heard on the main stage," the group said in a post on X. "We are learning that Israeli hostages' families will be speaking from the main stage. We strongly support that decision and also strongly hope that we will also be hearing from Palestinians who've endured the largest civilian death toll since 1948."

Click here to read more.

An altercation broke out during a protest for the Palestinian cause in Union Park Thursday afternoon—on the last day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The shoving match was seen during the protest in Union Park.

Entrepreneur and early Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy was seen at the park during the protest. His and the group he was with's involvement in the scuffle was not immediately clear.

The last protest and march Thursday was organized by the Coalition to March on the DNC—which also organized the protest on the first night of the convention on Monday.

A rally was expected to begin around 5 p.m., followed by a march at 6:30 p.m.

Among those protesting Thursday was a doctor from Chicago who traveled to Gaza twice.

"I see a lot of parallels in the work that I do in Chicago and the work that I did in Gaza," said Dr. Tammy Abughial. "As an emergency doctor, all of the social evils and the social problems that we refused to address end up at my front door. The same thing is happening in Gaza—I mean, the destruction of infrastructure, the fact that the United States is using money that could be used for our communities instead to bomb communities is extremely frustrating and disheartening."

Hatem Abudayyeh, the organizer of the Coalition to March on the DNC, said he was pleased with the turnout for the protests.

"We felt like the Monday mobilization was great. We had close to 20,000 people in the streets—Black, and Latino, and Asian, and Native American, and progressive white folks—all in unity saying stop genocide and free Palestine," he said.

Abudayyeh said some agitation could happen Thursday, they were emphasizing a peaceful day—and the protest group has its own people to keep the peace in addition to hundreds of police officers.

As Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to accept her party's nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention, a group of uncommitted delegates has organized a sit-in outside the United Center, demanding that a Palestinian American be allowed to speak on stage.

The group said their request to speak at the DNC this week was denied outright, but they were continuing a sit-in in hopes party leadership would change their mind.

The uncommitted delegates began their sit-in Wednesday night, when they got official word that a Palestinian American speaker would not be given a spot on the stage, a decision they called "unacceptable" and undemocractic.

"The exclusion of a Palestinian American from the stage felt so deeply offensive, so deeply shocking that it left us stunned," said Abbas Alawieh, an uncommitted delegate from Michigan.

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It's the grand finale at the Democratic National Convention. What does Vice President Kamala Harris need to do as she accepts the party's nomination as president in order to bring Democrats together and win over independents? 

CBS News Chicago political analysts former Ald. Leslie Hairston and former Illinois Republican Party chair Pat Brady weigh in.

The National Lawyers Guild, which has placed legal observers on the ground during protests while the Democratic National Convention is going on, reported 74 protesters were arrested from Sunday through Tuesday.

Two people were arrested on Sunday, 13 on Monday, and 59 on Tuesday, the guild said. Four people were charged with unspecified felonies, and an unspecified number more with misdemeanors.

However, most of the people arrested were issued municipal citations for disorderly conduct, the guild said.

Everyone who was arrested has since been released, the guild said.

A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the Chicago Cultural Center at Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street on Thursday afternoon as Democrats reportedly were gathered inside for a fund-raiser. 

The protesters were fewer than about 50 and carried signs accusing Vice President Kamala Harris of genocide for the Biden administration's support of Israel's war in Gaza and a large banner that read "F--- THE DNC, Free Palestine."

One protester carried a sign that read "Funding Genocide Is Weird Too" -- a reference to Harris's running mate, Tim Walz, referring to Trump and some of his supporters as "weird."

The group stood just outside the Millennium Park Metra/South Shore train station but was not blocking access. 

Chicago Police stood nearby but did not appear overly concerned that this group would cause trouble. 

One group of officers passed the time by petting and taking photos of a couple of dogs on Randolph Street, less than a block away. 

Nearly 90 vendors, mainly from the Chicago area, fill the booths at McCormick Place, taking advantage of this unique opportunity to sell their goods to visitors from around the country.

Most vendors sell clothing, candles, and jewelry, but the hottest items bear the name and face of the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris.

Items for sale include everything from glassware to sunglasses and tee shirts with catchy slogans from Harris or her running mate.

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Former Chicago Police First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio weighed in on the Chicago police response to the various protests during the DNC.

"I think they did an outstanding job yesterday," Riccio said. 

Riccio said he felt police have stayed calm and maintained professionalism throughout the protests. The latest protest lasted several hours Wedneday afternoon, as activists supporting the Palestinian cause rallied in Union Park, and marched within blocks of the United Center.

Tim Walz, of course, governs Minnesota. And in addition to being the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Thursday also marks the first day of the Minnesota State Fair.

Walz has made a number of visits to the "Great Minnesota Get-Together" throughout the years, and CBS Chicago's sister station in Minneapolis, WCCO, shared a less official Walz sighting that you might say "cropped up" this week.

Crop art is among the many attractions offered at the Minnesota State Fair, which usually draws about 2 million annually. Many of artworks made from seed opt for pop cultural references and political memes. This year certainly proves no exception.

The Illinois delegation at the Democratic National Convention is meeting for the last time on Thursday ahead of the biggest speech of the convention, when Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepts the party's nomination for president.

Energized to rally for their party on the final day of the DNC, Illinois delegates broke bread Thursday morning, and fine-tuned their strategy heading into the November election.

"I think it's important for us to remember that we are all blessed. We've been on the floor or in the arena as the first woman to be elected president of this country has been nominated by her party," said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who is also chair of the Cook County Democratic Party.

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Vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz's teen son captured hearts Wednesday night with his exuberant display during his father's speech.

The reaction of Gus Walz became one of the defining images of his father's address.

"That's my dad!" the 17-year-old yelled, tears streaming down his face, and pointed to his father, who was accepting the Democratic nomination for vice president.

When Tim Walz's speech concluded, Gus Walz climbed on stage with his family and gave his dad a bear hug.

The viral moment inspired reactions from all over social media, including from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

"You know you've done well as a parent when your kids are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz. 'That's my dad.' No three words better describe our next Vice President," Klobuchar said on X.

Soldier Field is set to host a watch party Thursday night as Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepts the Democratic nomination for president.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is expected to attend and address the crowd after Harris' speech on the closing night of the Democratic National Convention.

The watch party starts at 7 p.m., and will feature live performances by The House Chi and Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy-winner Common.

It's free to get in, but there's currently a waitlist for tickets.

Soldier Field's bag policy applies, so only clear bags less than 12"x6"x12" will be allowed in.