Vice president Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday, pledging to unite the country and bring a realistic perspective to the presidency if she is elected in November.
“I know there are people of many different political views watching tonight,” Harris said in her keynote speech on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
“And I want you to know this: I promise to be a president for all Americans,” she said.
“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations,” Harris said. “A president who leads — and listens. Who is pragmatic. Realistic. And common sense. And always fights for the American people.”
Harris also promised that building the middle class “will be the most important goal of my presidency.”
“This is my personal issue. I come from a middle-class background,” she said.
This quote conveys the President’s rhetoric. Joe Bidenwho made history in late July when he withdrew his re-election bid and endorsed Harris as his replacement.
But Harris’ speech was also aimed at distancing herself from the 81-year-old incumbent, who is plagued by low approval ratings, and offering “a new path forward.”
“With this election, our country has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move beyond the bitterness, the cynicism, and the divisive battles of the past,” she said. “Not as members of any party or faction, but as Americans.”
The speech capped a four-day march of politicians, celebrities, activists, entertainers and ordinary Americans, from Oprah Winfrey and Bill Clinton to the wrongfully incarcerated members of the Central Park 5.
It also reflected the patriotic overtones and positive vibes that defined much of the convention — an apparent effort to appeal to more moderate voters and Donald Trump‘s attempt to label Harris a far-left “Marxist”.
That tone also serves another purpose: It underscores recent Democratic talk that both Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, are “weird” and unrepresentative of much of the country.
“In many ways, Donald Trump is a man who is not serious,” Harris said in her speech on Thursday. “But the consequences of returning Donald Trump to the White House are extremely serious.”
She warned that Trump would be empowered if he is re-elected to a second term, alluding to the Supreme Court’s recent ruling granting former presidents “temporary immunity” from criminal prosecution for their official acts.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
