CHICAGO — On a star-studded night of speakers, it was a member of the audience who delivered the most unforgettable moment of the Democratic National Convention, Axios' Zachary Basu writes.

• "That's my dad!" a bawling Gus Walz, the 17-year-old son of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, shouted and pointed as his father accepted the party's vice presidential nomination.

Why it matters: On the biggest stage of Walz's political career, his family showed America exactly why Vice President Harris chose him to be his running mate: his ability to mix compassion with no-frills authenticity.

"Hope, Gus and Gwen: You are my entire world, and I love you," Walz said to his daughter, son and wife as he recounted the family's journey with fertility treatments.

• "I'm letting you in on how we started a family, because this is a big part about what this election is about: Freedom!" Walz declared to the crowd of dewy-eyed Democrats.

4 takeaways

1. Wednesday Night Lights

• Walz's experience as a high school football coach dominated virtually every aspect of his speech: an introductory pep rally starring former players, an ocean of "Coach Walz" signs in the audience, and metaphors from start to finish.
• Seeking to tie Donald Trump to Project 2025, for example, Walz declared: "I coached high school football long enough to know ... when somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they're going to use it."

With the crowd building to a roar, he cast Democrats as underdogs: "It's the fourth quarter. We're down a field goal. But we're on offense and we've got the ball. We're driving down the field. And, boy, do we have the right team."

2. Oprah: "Soon and very soon!"

• On a night that featured Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Mindy Kaling, Kenan Thompson and poet Amanda Gorman, it was Oprah Winfrey who stole the show with her first-ever speech at a national political convention.
• A daughter of Chicago who rarely has ventured into politics since endorsing Barack Obama in 2008, Winfrey called on Americans to vote for Harris and Walz's "optimism over cynicism" and "inclusion over retribution."

"When a house is on fire, we don't ask about the homeowner's race or religion. We don't wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No. We just try to do the best we can to save them," Winfrey said.

• Then, thrilling the audience with a not-so-subtle jab at Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Winfrey added: "And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out, too."

Oprah said to choose "common sense over non-sense."

3. Clinton's full circle

• In 1988, then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton drew impatient grumbles and boos from Democratic delegates — and nearly sank his career — with a rambling convention speech that lasted well beyond the intended 15 minutes.
• Clinton, a generational talent as a politician, went on to be a two-term president. But last night, the former president, now 78, blew past his 12-minute allotment with a 27-minute, hoarse speech that featured some memorable zingers blasting Trump, but otherwise left the DNC crowd restless.

4. Rising stars night

• A deep bench of potential 2028 candidates, if Harris lost, shone brightly on Night 3.
• Pete Buttigieg — after acknowledging his reputation as a master of rebuttal ("I'm Pete Buttigieg, and you might recognize me from Fox News") — delivered a searing takedown of Vance, and called on America to "end Trump's politics of darkness once and for all."
• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro electrified the crowd with his patriotic stump speech.
• Maryland Gov. Wes Moore showed off the charisma that has made him one of the convention's hottest tickets.

👀 What to watch: For three days, the Democratic Party has enjoyed remarkable unity and energy. But new protests are erupting over the decision not to allow a Palestinian American to speak from the main stage.

• 90-sec. video of Oprah backstage interview with CBS News' Tony Dokoupil ... Transcript of Walz speech ... Share this story.

A Harris-Walz campaign official tells reporters that Vice President Harris plans to put joy, optimism and patriotism at the center of her acceptance speech at the Democratic convention tonight.

• Why it matters: Harris' joyful warrior approach represents a massive bet that Americans want relief from former President Trump's abrasive style.

💡 Harris will focus on three points, the official said:

1. Her story: Harris will tell her story of being raised by a working mother in a middle-class neighborhood.

• She'll say that background means she knows the everyday joys and challenges experienced by middle-class families, and shares those values.

2. Project 2025: Contrast her optimistic vision for the future with that of Trump and Project 2025.

• Harris will present a New Way Forward — an optimistic agenda that promises economic opportunity and protects fundamental freedoms.

3. Patriotism: Harris will emphasize her belief in the promise of America, with a deep sense of patriotism and desire to be president for all Americans.

• Also tonight: The Rev. Al Sharpton, pop star Pink.

RFK Jr. appears set to transition from X-factor to ex-candidate — a dramatic descent for what had once seemed a historically consequential third-party candidacy, Axios' Avery Lotz, Dave Lawler and Erin Doherty write.

• Why it matters: Kennedy has said he'll address his "path forward" in a speech tomorrow. Multiple outlets have reported he'll drop out and endorse former President Trump.

Kennedy consistently polled around 10% while running against two historically unpopular candidates — Trump and President Biden — with considerably higher numbers in some swing state polls.

• But Vice President Harris' entry into the race took the wind out of his sails.
• Kennedy exiting the race would almost certainly help Trump, who tends to perform worse in polls when third-party candidates are included.

🔭 Zoom in: Kennedy's campaign is now down to around 5% in the polls (charted above) and burning through scarce cash.

• Running mate Nicole Shanahan said Wednesday that the ticket could either hold on and hope to win 5% or "walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump."
• Trump told CNN that he would "probably" bring Kennedy into his administration if he wins.

🔮 What's next: Kennedy plans to address the nation tomorrow "about the present historical moment and his path forward" from Phoenix, where Trump is also hosting an event.

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Workers began building the platform that will host the presidential inauguration on the west front of the Capitol in January.

• Go deeper: Inaugural construction by the numbers.

The crypto industry accounts for almost half the money contributed by corporations to PACs so far in 2024, Axios' Brady Dale writes from a new report by consumer advocacy group Public Citizen.

• Why it matters: Crypto is pioneering a strategy for direct corporate election spending that could usher in a new era of spending by big companies to get the election outcomes they want, the organization argues.

🔢 By the numbers: Blockchain companies have supplied 48% of the $248 million of corporate money donated to influence federal elections this cycle, according to the group.

• Fairshake, the crypto industry's dominant PAC, has raised a whopping $202 million.
• The group has endorsed equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans in House races this year.

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Nearly one-third of Americans see COVID as a threat to their health — but the summertime wave of infections hasn't changed the belief that the virus is no worse than seasonal flu, according to the Axios-Ipsos American Health Index.

• Why it matters: Comparing COVID to the flu was once an incendiary political talking point. Now, it's where many people have landed, Axios' Adriel Bettelheim writes.

With infections believed to be growing in more than two dozen states, 32% of those polled said COVID poses a large or moderate risk to their health, compared with 27% in early June.

• They rate the risk about the same as that for the flu, RSV or other respiratory illnesses.
• 13% said they've worn a face mask in public in the past week.

Keep reading.

Chick-fil-A is cooking up its own streaming platform and ordering original content, Deadline reports.

• Why it matters: The sea of streaming services could be getting more crowded if the chain moves beyond chicken sandwiches, Axios' Kelly Tyko notes.

Chick-fil-A is reportedly working with a number of major production companies including major studios on family-friendly content.

• The platform could launch later this year.

🎬 Between the lines: A Chick-fil-A job posting for an entertainment producer late last year sheds light on the company's plans, according to an archived listing viewed by Axios.

• "We are looking to produce original entertainment — entertainment not necessarily about Chick-fil-A products or the Chick-fil-A brand," the listing notes.

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🚗 P.S. The chain opens its first-ever "elevated drive-thru" restaurant today in Georgia, Axios Atlanta's Thomas Wheatley writes.

• The store — about 30 minutes south of Atlanta — features four lanes and a kitchen on the upper floor. It has no dining area. Go deeper.

Starbucks brings back its pumpkin spice latte for the fall today — the drink's earliest ever release, Axios' Kelly Tyko writes.

• Why it matters: The coffee giant has been reeling from a slowdown in sales in recent months and has been under pressure to make changes.

There's been strong consumer demand for fall products launching early in recent years.

• Keep reading.