Election 2024 updates: Michelle Obama to speak at DNC this week

The DNC will take place at Chicago's United Center from Monday through Thursday.

Last Updated: August 18, 2024, 10:03 AM EDT

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled her economic platform, her first major policy rollout since becoming the Democratic nominee.

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday held a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he said he's "entitled" to insult his Democratic opponent because he doesn't respect her and attacked her record on the economy.

Aug 11, 2024, 11:00 AM EDT

Biden explains decision to drop out of 2024 race

In his first sit-down interview since stepping down from the 2024 race, President Joe Biden explained his historic decision.

"Look, polls we had showed that it was a neck-and-neck race, would have been down to the wire. But what happened was a number of my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate thought that I was going to hurt them in their races," Biden said earlier this week in an interview with CBS News that aired on Sunday.

President Joe Biden speaks at a news conference July 11, 2024, in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP

He also pointed to the fact that he always saw himself as a transitional figure, and he said that beating Donald Trump was "the most important thing" for him.

"Number two, when I ran the first time, I thought of myself as being a transition president. I can't even say how old I am, it's hard for me to get out of my mouth. And, but things got moving so quickly, it didn't happen. And the combination was that I thought it was a critical issue for me still, it's not a joke, maintaining this democracy. But I thought it was important because although it's a great honor being president, I think I have an obligation to the country to do the most important thing, and that is we must, we must, we must defeat Trump," Biden said.

"It's a danger -- he is genuine danger to American security,” Biden said. “Look, we're at an inflection point in world history of the decisions we make in the last three, four years, the next three, four years determine what the next six decades look like, and democracy is the key."

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

Aug 10, 2024, 6:34 PM EDT

Harris says Israel has 'important responsibility to avoid civilian casualties'

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to reporters Saturday evening before boarding a flight from Phoenix to Las Vegas for a campaign event and discussed the latest incidents in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

She was asked about the Israeli Defense Forces strike on Al-Tabeen School in Gaza City, and said there are "far too many civilians who have been killed."

"Israel has a right to go after the terrorists that are Hamas. But as I have said many, many times, they also have, I believe, an important responsibility to avoid civilian casualties," Harris said.

When asked about the possibility the administration might set arms limitations on Israel, the vice president said it was important to have that a hostage deal and a cease-fire.

"And I can't stress that strongly enough, it needs to get done. The deal needs to get done, and it needs to get done now," she said.

-ABC News' Frtiz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie