DNC day 2 live updates: Trump’s former White House press secretary backs Kamala Harris

The second night of the Democratic National Convention gets underway Tuesday evening from Chicago.
Former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will speak at the DNC, a day after the unofficial farewell for President Joe Biden, who served eight years as Obama’s vice president. Biden won’t be in the hall to see his former running mate speak, as he departed Chicago after delivering his own speech late Monday.
With Biden having addressed delegates, the week’s full focus now turns to Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov Tim Walz.
Tuesday’s meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. Below, you’ll find periodic updates about the convention:
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Trump’s former White House press secretary told DNC delegates she used to be a “true believer” who spent holidays with the Trump family, but now she’s backing Harris.
Stephanie Grisham said Trump “mocks” his supporters behind closed doors and “has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth.”
She held no press briefings as Trump’s press secretary, explaining “unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand behind that podium and lie.”
This fall, Grisham said, she’s backing Harris because the Democrat “tells the truth, she respects the American people and she has my vote.”
Grisham resigned from her White House post following the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, the first senior staffer to do so that day.
Singer James Taylor said it was an honor to be at the Democratic convention despite his performance getting cut Monday night for time.
Taylor was to have sung his 1971 hit You’ve Got a Friend accompanied by cellist Owen Young and singers Kenya Hathaway and Matthew Johnson before President Joe Biden’s speech. But convention officials said they had to make cuts because of the “raucous applause” that was interrupting speakers and prolonging the program.
“It became clear, as the evening unfolded, that there wouldn’t be time for our You’ve Got a Friend with cello and voices,” Taylor said in a statement Tuesday. “Maybe the organizers couldn’t anticipate the wild response from the floor of the United Center.”
He added, “Anyway, sorry to disappoint. But a great and inspirational, quintessentially American moment. We were honored to be there.”
Democratic delegates already voted virtually to nominate Harris as their presidential nominee.
Regardless, they’re holding a celebratory in-person roll call vote Tuesday — and it’s expected to be a party.
The roll call will feature a live DJ playing songs to represent each of the 57 delegations present, a convention spokesperson said. It also will feature music, lights, visuals and special effects.
The spokesperson said those present in person or tuning in from home can expect to hear a range of diverse voices during the roll call, including elected officials at all levels of government and delegates who will share personal stories.
The roll call will start with Delaware — Biden’s home state — and end with California and Minnesota, home states to Harris and Walz.