Chicago — Vice President Kamala Harris wrapped up the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, urging Americans to seize the “precious and fleeting opportunity” to overcome political division and the threat of Republican Donald Trump.
Harris is the first Black woman and the first South Asian to be nominated, and supporters at the convention wore white to mark the moment. The event also featured rising stars of the Democratic Party, survivors of mass shootings, and others who highlighted pressing issues in American life.
The impressive lineup of candidates underscores the enormous effort Democrats have put into their presidential campaign less than a month after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
Here are some takeaways from the Democrats’ final night:
Harris’s speech capped a remarkable four-day effort at the White House to make the case that Democrats are the real change agents in this election.
Democrats have been helped to make that argument by Trump’s outsized presence in the political conversation for the past nine years. They got another boost when Biden stepped aside for Harris, giving voters a new choice.
Harris sought to capitalize on this, telling delegates and the nation that “this election gives our country a precious and fleeting opportunity to move beyond the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past.”
Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, made a similar argument the day before, wrapping up his speech by criticizing Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, saying, “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to turn the page on these guys.”
The Trump campaign argues that voters want to end the last four years with the Biden-Harris administration.
As much as her campaign has been about joy, Harris devoted much of her speech to the dangers of another Trump term, calling it “one of the most important elections in the life of our country.”
Her focus on Trump shows that fear remains a powerful motivator for many voters, and she wants to tap into that.
Harris explained how Trump encouraged the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and the fraud convictions. She talked about his willingness to deploy the military against American citizens and his ability to do so with immunity from criminal consequences due to recent Supreme Court rulings.
“Imagine Donald Trump with no protections,” she warned.
The first thing Harris did when he stepped onto the stage was to introduce himself.
Her sudden rise after Biden’s abrupt withdrawal from the race has many people only just beginning to evaluate her.
It presents her with an opportunity—and a danger if Trump and his allies succeed in defining her first. On the convention stage, Harris told her origin story with warmth, humor, and intensity.
She detailed the unlikely combination of her parents: two students—one from India, the other from Jamaica; her family moved several times across the United States; and she wanted to become a lawyer after learning that a high school friend had been sexually abused.
And she especially emphasized the work ethic her mother instilled in her.
Harris said her mother would tell her, “Never do anything sloppy.”
The convention didn’t just mark the 81-year-old Biden’s official retirement from the campaign; it also served as a showcase for younger Democrats in the political talent pool.
Speakers included swing-state hopefuls like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who described Trump as out of touch with reality and told delegates, “With Kamala Harris, she understands us. She sees us. She is us.” Others who appeared in the state included Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, both of whom were on the shortlist as Harris searched for a running mate.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel brought down the House earlier this week when he gave a speech warning Republicans and the U.S. Supreme Court, “You can take this wedding ring off my cold, dead gay hand!”
There were also rising blue-state figures like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic candidate for Maryland’s Senate vacancy, and 34-year-old New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, all of whom are seen as representing a new generation of Democrats.
It was only a few years ago that Democrats were worried that there was too little talent in the pipeline, after so many public officials were swept away during President Barack Obama’s first term. But it has resurfaced in the Trump era.
Palestinian supporters were not given a chance to come on stage and address the convention, reflecting the party’s efforts to avoid one of the most divisive issues of the election season as the alliance between the United States and Israel becomes a political issue.
Israel’s response to Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, sparked outrage over the mass casualties and human rights abuses in Gaza, with Palestinian supporters marching outside the stadium every day.
Abbas Allawi, a “non-willing” delegate, had discussed speaking in the hall with DNC officials. After being rejected, he and other delegates decided to spend Wednesday night protesting on the sidewalk outside the convention hall.
“When we as delegates had no choice, which we did not promise, we just sat down,” Alawiye said on Thursday.
Both Harris and Biden have called for a ceasefire and the release of hostages taken in the October raid. On Wednesday, the parents of one of the young men held hostage in Gaza spoke at the convention.
Harris’s nominating convention was a four-day event filled with a party atmosphere and a sense of optimism. It’s safe to say it would have been a much different gathering had Biden been the party’s nominee.
Democrats suffered an emotional blow last month when Biden dropped out of the race and Harris won.
For months, Democrats have been disheartened by Biden’s poll numbers and his disappointing speeches, and many were confident Trump would win the election easily.
Compare that to the Harris nomination convention in Chicago. Laughter filled the air, the atmosphere was electric, and the snarky Trump jokes flowed freely. The event drew A-list talent from John Legend to Pink.
It should be remembered that there were also words of warning about the hard work ahead.
Polls show that voters consistently feel Republicans are better at the economy, a perception Democrats are trying to change.
High inflation has dented Biden’s popularity. Now Trump is trying to blame Harris too, even going so far as to call her “Comrade Kamala” and calling her a communist, while making the misleading claim that the relatively healthy economy is actually a mess.
It’s unclear how well Trump’s criticism will resonate with Harris, but Democrats sought to show her economic credibility on Thursday.
Democrats argue Harris could do more for the middle class and business as the party tries to reframe social issues as economic ones.
Harris wants to provide $25,000 down payment assistance to new homebuyers. “She knows that housing is a human right and a path to the middle class,” former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Martha Fudge told the convention.
Harris also wants a $6,000 tax credit for new parents and an expanded child tax credit. “Child care drives our economy,” Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Massachusetts, told delegates.
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Ricardi reported from Denver.
