Democratic National Convention day 3: Tim Walz accepts VP nomination after Oprah and Bill Clinton call on voters to protect their freedoms

Kamala Harris' running mate Tim Walz has accepted his VP nomination after Oprah made a stunning entry and Bill Clinton took a brutal dig at Donald Trump during the Democratic National Convention. 

Kamala Harris’s running mate Tim Walz triumphantly took the stage at day 3 of the Democratic National Convention to accept the party’s vice presidential nomination, describing it as “the honour of my life”.

The Democratic vice presidential nomination has been triumphantly accepted by Tim Walz on a dramatic day that could change the course of the US election, with independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy preparing to drop out and endorse Donald Trump.

As the former president was shielded by bulletproof glass for his first outdoor rally since he was shot, Mr Kennedy was in talks to abandon his campaign and potentially claim the promise of a cabinet post in a second Trump administration.

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks behind bulletproof glass about national security during a campaign rally in North Carolina. Picture: AFP

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has accepted his nomination. Picture: AFP

In Chicago, the Democratic convention was ignited by a surprise appearance from talk show legend Oprah Winfrey, before Mr Walz used the most important address of his career to introduce himself as a veteran, a teacher and a championship-winning school football coach.

“I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this, but I have given a lot of pep talks,” the Minnesota Governor and Kamala Harris’s new running mate said.

“It’s the fourth quarter. We’re down a field goal, but we’re on offense and we’ve got the ball … and boy, do we have the right team.”

“We’ve got 76 days – that’s nothing. There’ll be time to sleep when we’re dead.”

the Democratic convention was ignited by a surprise appearance from talk show legend Oprah Winfrey. Picture: AFP

Ms Winfrey said she was a registered independent voter, as she called on “all you independents and all you undecideds” to realise “decency and respect are on the ballot”.

“Common sense tells you that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can give us decency and respect,” she said.

Bill Clinton 'Explainer-in-Chief' speaks on the third day of the DNC. Picture: AFP

A noticeably aged Bill Clinton also appeared, with the former president mixing attacks on Mr Trump – who the 78-year-old pointed out was older than him – with a forceful endorsement of Ms Harris.

“The next time you hear (Mr Trump), don’t count the lies. Count the I’s,” he said.

“When Kamala Harris is president, every day will begin with you, you, you, you”

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Originally published as Democratic National Convention day 3: Tim Walz accepts VP nomination after Oprah and Bill Clinton call on voters to protect their freedoms