Indian-American Mindy Kaling Among Top US Celebs Set To Star At Democratic National

Indian-American television star Mindy Kaling will serve as one of the hosts for the upcoming Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Monday, according to The Hill.

Other prominent US celebrities, including Kerry Washington, and Tony Goldwyn, will also host one night each of the four-day event, guiding audiences through the event hall and on television. Kaling will host the convention on Wednesday, and Washington on Thursday, when US Vice President Kamala Harris will accept the Democratic presidential nomination. All selected hosts for the DNC are known for supporting the party.

Washington, a prominent political activist, founded the nonprofit outfit Influence Change, which encourages civic engagement among celebrities. Goldwyn, who played the president in the television series “Scandal,” is also an outspoken supporter of Democratic causes and was involved in Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Indian-American Kaling, known for her roles in “The Office” and “Inside Out,” has collaborated with Harris in the past.

The DNC in Chicago will feature a range of political speakers, including US President Joe Biden, who will deliver opening remarks on Monday night, and Harris, who will close the convention. Other notable speakers include former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The convention aims to present a unified message about the Democratic Party’s achievements under the Biden-Harris administration.

Harris’s rapid rise has allowed Democrats to hope again, just a few short weeks after a disastrous debate performance by Biden led many to think the election was already lost. A Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos survey published Sunday showed Harris with a narrow lead over Trump among registered voters across the country, where one month ago it had Republican rival Donald Trump and Biden in a dead heat.

But the shadow of protest against the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza is hanging over the convention. Security has been ramped up for the four-day meeting with tens of thousands of people expected to descend on the city to hold daily protests, the biggest of which are set for Monday and Wednesday.