Your Morning: Walz says Harris will cut taxes for middle class

Walz message to middle class: As Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made his first major national address to accept the Democratic vice presidential nomination, he assured the middle class that their taxes would be cut under a Harris-Walz presidency. “If you’re a middle class family, Kamala Harris is gonna cut your taxes,” Walz said. The former high school teacher and football coach fell back on his football roots during his closing remarks at the DNC: “It’s the fourth quarter, we’re down a field goal but we’re on offense and we got the ball.” Takeaways > 

Clinton praises Biden: Former President Bill Clinton praised President Joe Biden at the DNC for his willingness to step down from the 2024 race, saying his actions will enhance his legacy. Clinton also used his speech to mock former President Donald Trump and warn Democrats to not “underestimate your adversary.” Read more > 

Oprah to undecided voters: Oprah Winfrey, a registered independent, made a direct appeal at the DNC to unaffiliated and undecided voters to back Kamala Harris, saying, “Decency and respect are on the ballot in 2024. … Character and values matter most of all.” Check it out > 

Parents of US hostage: The parents of an American taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel delivered remarks Wednesday at the DNC. They pleaded for the release of the dozens of hostages who continue to be held captive in Gaza. “Home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said Jon Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was kidnapped by Hamas. Full report > 

Camo at the DNC: If you tuned into the DNC on Wednesday, you may have noticed a sea of people wearing camouflage. Why? When Harris shared a video of Walz announcing him as her running mate, the Minnesota governor was dressed in camo gear. From there, he quickly earned the nickname “Midwest Princess” as a nod to singer Chappell Roan’s merchandise. Take a closer look at the trend > 

Influencer pushing for change: Democratic supporter and TikTok influencer Harry Sisson is helping to lead a charge among young prospective voters who are now making a digital push while backing Harris to win the White House in November. Although Sisson, 21, says his generation doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to voting, he is energized to advocate for younger voters to engage in the political process. Read more > 

Roll call dance party: Democrats turned their convention roll call votes into a dance party Tuesday. A specific song played for each state awarding their delegates to Harris like Detroit native Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for Michigan, Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” for Massachusetts and Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” for California. Georgia brought out one of its natives: Lil Jon energized the crowd at Chicago’s United Center with a performance of “Turn Down for What.” What other delegations danced to >

Harris hits the stage: The DNC kicks off its fourth and final night Thursday. Harris is set to accept the Democratic Party’s nomination during a speech, where she is expected to share her vision with Americans. What to watch for > 

Watch: NewsNation’s special coverage of the Democratic National Convention will feature nightly special coverage from 7 p.m. to midnight featuring Chris Cuomo, Elizabeth Vargas and Leland Vittert. Read the newsletter each morning for what you missed the night before and for a look ahead at what’s still to come. Not sure how to find us?  Find your channel here and get the latest 24/7 news coverage with the NewsNation app >

Protests: Pro-Palestinian protests continued Wednesday on the third day of the Democratic National Convention following a night where police and demonstrators clashed outside the Israeli Consulate in Chicago. The Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild said at least 72 people were arrested at Tuesday’s protests. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said during a Wednesday briefing that 55-60 were arrested, 22 of whom came from out of town. Three journalists were among those arrested, he said. The latest > 

‘Uncommitted’ sit-in: A small group of “uncommitted” delegates staged a sit-in outside of the United Center in Chicago on Wednesday. The group demanded that a Palestinian speaker be allowed to address the DNC crowd from the convention’s main stage. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., joined the protest. The sit-in started after families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas spoke during Wednesday’s program. Read more >

Kennedy address: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will address voters Friday, days after his running mate said Kennedy may “join forces” with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. It’s unclear exactly what Kennedy plans to speak about. The release from his campaign said he will discuss “the present historical moment and his path forward.” Read more > 

RFK Jr.’s running mate: Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, recently said the campaign is considering two options. “One is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and (Tim) Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump, or we draw somehow more votes from Trump,” Shanahan said on the “Impact Theory” podcast. “Or we walk away right now and join forces with … Donald Trump, and you know, we walk away from that and explain to our base why we’re making this decision,” she continued. The latest > 

Trump behind bulletproof glass: During his first outdoor rally since last month’s assassination attempt, former President Donald Trump spoke behind bulletproof glass Wednesday during a rally in North Carolina. The event focused on national security. Recap of the rally >

Migrant smuggling: Following the 2022 deaths of 53 migrants in Texas who were left in a sweltering semitrailer, arrests have climbed to more than a dozen and stretched to Central America. Guatemalan officials announced the arrests of seven people allegedly linked to the deadliest smuggling attempt from the U.S.-Mexico border. The arrests included an alleged ringleader of a smuggling operation whose extradition has been requested by U.S. authorities. The Justice Department is scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday in Texas to discuss a “significant” arrest in the case. The latest >

Taylor Swift: Pop star Taylor Swift broke her silence on her called-off shows in Vienna following a foiled terror plot. On Wednesday, the singer posted on Instagram that canceling the Vienna shows was “devastating” and they filled her “with a new sense of fear.” Swift thanked authorities — “thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives,” she wrote. The star said she wanted to finish the European leg of her Eras Tour safely before speaking out. Read more >

Golden: A single bar of gold is now worth $1 million for the first time ever. The milestone was hit Friday after the precious metal’s spot price surpassed $2,500 per troy ounce. Gold’s record run continued this week, with spot gold reaching an all-time high of $2,531 per ounce Tuesday. The value of the precious metal — which has long been seen as a hedge against economic uncertainty — is now up more than 20% for the year. Read more >

Missing: Stanley Kotowski, of Massachusetts, disappeared from his family’s vacation rental on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and is in danger, according to his family. Kotowski, 60, was last seen Friday leaving the rental at Sea Pines Resort. He is believed to be barefoot and did not take any personal items such as his phone or wallet, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said. Read more > 

The search: The search for Kotowski has included deploying police K-9s, helicopters, drones and boats. South Carolina authorities are hoping people in the area will review their home security cameras to find out what happened to him. The latest >

Chicken to TV: Chick-fil-A reportedly wants to get into the TV streaming business. According to reports, the chain is working with several producers to create family-friendly shows to stream on its own channel. The report says the plan is to emphasize unscripted, or “reality” shows. It may also license and acquire existing shows. The latest >

Alien brain: In an exclusive interview, former Pentagon insider Luis Elizondo says the Department of Defense has a spacecraft retrieval program and that doctors with Veterans Affairs have seen an alleged alien brain implant. Read more > 

Watch: Tune into the full NewsNation special report “Confessions of a UFO Hunter” Friday at 9/8c followed by a special edition of “Banfield” reacting to the special at 10/9c. Not sure how to find NewsNation on your TV? Find your channel here >