Dems on the edge of their seats in Chicago to hear hometown hero Barack Obama speak

CHICAGO -- Anticipation is growing in Chicago as both former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama are expected to take the big stage in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz tonight at the Democratic National Convention.

The former President and First Lady are welcomed like popstars in their home city with people in Chicago talking about tonight's event as if they were going to see their favorite band live in concert.

For people in the Windy City, Barack Obama truly is their political idol, and his speech tonight has the potential to move mountains for the Harris campaign.

While on his own campaigns for the White House in 2008 and 2012, Obama became famous for his primetime speeches. Notably, his keynote speech at the 2004 DNC in Boston that has become widely known by Democrats as the "speech that saved America."

Now, in 2024, the Harris campaign is hoping he can bring people to their feet and to the polling booths as he once did.

One person who can't wait to hear Obama speak is Karen Kenyatta Russel, daughter of NBA legend Bill Russel who received the Medal of Freedom from President Obama in 2011. 

She says she had a close view of Obama's impact and she is already seeing the similarities in Harris' campaign

"He is the person they made this possible," said Russel. "We had this first historic presidency with him as a black president then we have Joe Biden the most consequential president of my lifetime and now I feel like we have a combination of them both. She got things down with Biden/Harris but she's also gonna break that glass ceiling."