'You have the power,' Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro tells voters in DNC speech

Natasha Lovato and Sarah Gleason, USA TODAY
·3 min read

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro took the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday, engaging the crowd with his calls to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

The 51-year-old spoke about protecting Americans' freedoms, saying Harris has dedicated her career to progress whereas the former president Donald Trump "Wants to take away our rights and our freedoms." He called the Democratic Party the "the party of real freedom" while throwing jabs at Trump.

Shapiro ended by saying he is filled with hope and with a call to the crowd to mobilize voters in-person and online, "Now it's on us, it's on us my friends to organize in our communities, and on our For You Pages around three basic American principles: We value our freedom, we cherish our democracy and we love this country."

The Democratic National Convention is in Chicago through Thursday and on the last day, Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to formally accept the party's nomination for the 2024 presidential election on Nov. 5.

What to know about Gov. Josh Shapiro

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks on stage during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks on stage during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

  • Who is he? Josh Shapiro has served as the 48th Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since January 2023. Before becoming governor, Shapiro served as Attorney General from 2017 to 2023, chair of the Board of Commissioners in Montgomery County from 2011 to 2017, and as a State Representative from 2005 to 2011.

  • What role he plays: While in office, Democratic Gov. Shapiro brought bipartisan legislators together to invest in a multitude of projects within public education, police forces, women's health, economic development, and more.

  • Key quote: "It's not freedom to tell our children what books they're allowed to read. No, it's not. And it's not freedom to tell women what they can do with their bodies. And hear me on this, it sure as hell isn't freedom to say, 'You can go vote, but he gets to pick the winner.' That's not freedom."

Watch Shapiro's full DNC Convention speech here:

When and where is the DNC?

The Democratic National Convention will take place from August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois.

The United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, will be the main venue for the DNC.

Chicago has hosted the Democratic Convention 11 times, most recently in 1996 when the United Center saw President Bill Clinton was nominated for a second time.

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How to watch and stream the 2024 DNC

The convention will air live on its website, from the United Center in Chicago between7 p.m to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the rest of the week.

USA TODAY will provide livestream coverage on YouTube each night of the DNC, Monday through Thursday.

What are the themes for each night of the DNC?

The DNC announced nightly themes for the convention. The title of the convention is "For the People, For Our Future."

Here are the themes for each night:

  • Monday: "For the People"

  • Tuesday: "A Bold Vision for America's Future"

  • Wednesday: "A Fight for our Freedoms"

  • Thursday: "For our Future"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Gov. Josh Shapiro's full speech from the DNC

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