On the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic nomination for president with a powerful call to end the war in Gaza and to fight tyranny around the world.
“In the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs,” Harris declared, accusing Trump of bowing down to dictators. The 59-year-old candidate pledged to chart a “New Way Forward” as she and Trump, 78, enter the final 11 weeks of a closely contested campaign.
Harris emerged as the Democratic candidate just over a month ago when President Joe Biden, aged 81, was pressured by his allies to exit the race. Her acceptance speech was a defining moment for a candidate who had previously struggled to articulate her vision for the country amidst a barrage of personal attacks from Trump. The former president mocked her Black and South Asian heritage and questioned her strength on the global stage.
In her speech, Harris laid out broad policy principles but stopped short of providing specific details. However, her strong foreign policy statements, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, resonated with the crowd. After days of protests from Palestinian supporters who were disappointed by the lack of a speaking spot at the convention, Harris delivered a firm pledge to secure Israel, bring hostages home from Gaza, and end the war in the Palestinian enclave.
“Now is the time to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done,” Harris said to cheers. “And let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself.”
She acknowledged the devastating impact of the Gaza conflict, saying, “What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, desperate hungry people fleeing for safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.”
Harris vowed to work towards ending the war in a way that secures Israel, releases hostages, and recognises the Palestinian people’s right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.
In some of her strongest foreign policy statements to date, Harris asserted that she would take whatever action was necessary to defend U.S. interests against Iran and would not “cozy up to tyrants and dictators,” referring to leaders like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, who she claimed are “rooting for Trump.” She also reaffirmed her commitment to stand with Ukraine in its war against Russia and with NATO allies.
The United Centre in Chicago was packed with energy as Harris delivered her speech. The arena, with its 23,500 seats, was filled to capacity, with staff briefly blocking more people from entering due to fire marshal concerns.
Following her speech, 100,000 balloons descended on the cheering crowd, marking the end of the convention. Harris also received a call from President Biden before her speech, wishing her luck, according to a White House spokesperson.
Harris touched on her domestic agenda, promising to pass a middle-class tax cut that would benefit over 100 million Americans. She also outlined her plans to fight for abortion rights, voting rights legislation, boost the housing supply, and ban what she called “price gouging” by grocers. Additionally, her campaign has proposed raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%.
Despite the enthusiastic reception, the issue of U.S. support for Israel and the war in Gaza remained a point of contention among Democrats. Thousands of Palestinian supporters gathered outside the convention to protest, and members of the Uncommitted National Movement, which mobilised nearly 750,000 voters to withhold support for Biden during the primaries, made their presence felt inside the venue as well.
Harris’s campaign has gained momentum in recent weeks, raising a record-breaking $500 million in just one month. She has also closed the gap or taken the lead against Trump in many battleground state polls. Nationwide, she currently leads Trump 46.6% to 43.8%, according to a compilation of polls by FiveThirtyEight.
As the campaign enters its final stretch, Harris’s message of leadership in the fight against tyranny and her focus on ending the conflict in Gaza will be central themes as she seeks to make history as the first woman president of the United States.
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