Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination late Thursday, pledging a “new path forward” for all Americans, sending a message of unity and urging voters to reject Donald Trump.
She said the November election was an opportunity to “transcend the bitter, cynical and divisive struggles of the past” as her party’s national convention in Chicago concluded with a rain of balloons and cheers from supporters.
Ms. Harris’s speech capped a four-day event designed to highlight her backstory and outline the contours of a still-murky policy agenda.
She made history as the first Black and Asian American woman to lead a major party’s presidential campaign.
The 59-year-old is officially the Democratic nominee after weeks of rapid changes that began with President Joe Biden withdrawing from the race for the White House.
Polls show she is now locked in a tight race with Trump, who has criticized Ms Harris’ appearance.
Ms. Harris used her nearly 45-minute speech, the most consequential of her political career, to reintroduce herself to the nation.
She shared personal anecdotes about growing up in a “beautiful working-class neighborhood” as the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants.
She also said her background as a prosecutor — a detail she avoided emphasizing during the 2020 campaign — made her uniquely qualified to defeat Trump and serve in the Oval Office, and her record as vice president under Biden The same is true.
Ms. Harris also spent several minutes in her speech talking about how her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, shaped her life and political career.
“She taught us never to complain about injustice but to take action,” Ms. Harris recalled. Her sister Maya, 57, also spoke that night, calling their mother a “trailblazer” who “had high hopes for us.”
“She made us believe we could be or do anything,” she said, to loud applause. “This is a distinctly American story.”
Ms. Harris is pitching to aspiring families across the country, saying she will create an “opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and succeed.”
She said she would “end America’s housing shortage” and help entrepreneurs. However, she did not describe any specific changes in policy under the administration she currently serves.
Trump reacted to the rival’s remarks on his social media platform “Truth Social” and called Fox News after the event to criticize her remarks.
He questioned her record during her four years in the White House as vice president.
“Why doesn’t she take action on the things she complains about?” the Republican wrote.
U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyFive weeks ago, Democrats thought their party’s extravaganza would be centered on President Joe Biden, who is still running for re-election despite widespread concerns about his age and his ability to defeat Trump.
But the plot took a turn in late July, when Mr. Biden bowed to partisan pressure after a poor debate performance and announced he would step down and support Ms. Harris.
Within days, party leaders, representatives and potential challengers rallied behind Ms Harris’ candidacy. In Chicago, the vice president’s speech was well received by delegates, who formally endorsed her for the top job.
“I think she sets the tone for the enthusiasm in the Democratic Party from now until November,” Georgia representative Edward Bohannan told the BBC. “There wasn’t a lot to be excited about in previous elections. But now People are starting to get involved.”
Other figures who energized the convention’s thousands of attendees in previous days include Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and even Republican defections who.
Biden, 81, delivered a keynote speech on the first night, symbolically passing the torch. While on vacation in California, he also called Ms. Harris to wish her well with her speech.
The speech on the fourth night of the Democratic National Committee also highlighted the toll of gun violence, an issue Ms. Harris focused on as California’s top prosecutor and one she has focused on during her tenure as vice president. Biden last year created an office dedicated to combating gun violence and appointed Ms. Harris to lead it.
Gabby Giffords, a gun safety advocate and former U.S. congresswoman who was shot in the head in Arizona in 2011, attended with her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly, Harry The leading contender for Ms. Georgia Rep. Lucy MacBath, who has pushed for gun restrictions and was elected after her son was shot and killed, also spoke.
Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, a rising star in the Democratic Party and a former vice-presidential pick for Ms. Harris, described the Democratic nominee as “tough, proven, and a total badass.”
Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican congressman now siding with Democrats, used his moment in the spotlight to attack Trump.
“Defending our Constitution and our democracy is the soul of conservatives,” Mr. Kinzinger said. “It used to be the soul of the Republican Party, but Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party.”
“Democrats are as patriotic as we are,” he added, as the crowd erupted in chants of “USA!”
But after days of protests in Chicago against the Gaza war and White House policies, Democratic National Committee organizers rejected protesters’ demands to allow Palestinians to speak.
Ms. Harris did not address the protesters directly, but she did talk about Gaza. She said she would always defend Israel’s right to security while calling on Palestinians to live a life of “dignity” and “freedom.”
The venue was packed with delegates and supporters waving American flags and placards bearing Ms Harris’ name. Many people wore white to commemorate the women’s suffrage movement.
There was no shortage of star power on Thursday, following celebrity appearances from previous nights, something also witnessed at last month’s Republican National Convention.
A video message was delivered by basketball star Steph Curry, a member of Ms. Harris’ hometown NBA team, the Golden State Warriors, who recently led the U.S. team to an Olympic gold medal. There are performances by Pink and The Chicks (formerly Dixie Chicks).
But those hoping for Beyoncé to perform were disappointed as rumors of “surprise guests” throughout the evening led some to hope that Beyoncé would perform her hit song “Freedom”, which Ms Harris used to Compose a campaign song.
Any hopes of a rock star finale were quickly dashed as 100,000 red, white and blue balloons dropped from the ceiling.
“After all, there’s no Beyoncé,” one man joked as he left, popping the balloon with his foot.
Additional reporting from the conference by Bernd Debusmann Jr.
