Vice President Kamala Harris officially accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, vowing to unite the country and bring a practical perspective to the presidency if she is elected in November.
“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight,” Harris will say in his keynote speech, according to excerpts released earlier in the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
“And you want to know: I promise to be president for all Americans,” he would say.
“I will be the president who unites us in our highest aspirations,” Harris said. “A president who leads — and listens. He’s realistic. He’s practical. And he has common sense. And he’s always fighting for the American people.”
Harris will also promise that building the middle class “will be a major goal of my presidency.”
“It’s personal to me. Middle class where I come from,” he would say.
The line channeled the rhetoric of President Joe Biden, who made history in late July when he withdrew his re-election bid and endorsed Harris as his replacement.
But Harris’ speech also sought to free him from the 81-year-old incumbent, who has been weighed down by low approval ratings, and create “a new way forward.”
“With this election, our nation has a precious and quick opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and wars of the past,” he said. “Not as a member of a party or a faction, but as an American.”
The speech included a four-day parade of politicians, celebrities, activists, entertainers and ordinary Americans, ranging from Oprah Winfrey and Bill Clinton to members of the wrongfully imprisoned Central Park 5.
It also mirrors the patriotic overtures and positive vibes that defined many of the convention – a clear attempt to appeal to more moderate voters and defang Donald Trump’s efforts to label Harris “Marxist” left.
The tone served another purpose: Explain to conservative Democrats that Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, are “weird” and do not represent most of the country.
“In many ways, Donald Trump is a man who doesn’t take himself seriously,” Harris said in a speech Thursday. “But the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are very serious.”
He will warn that Trump will be empowered if he is rewarded with a second term, referring to a recent Supreme Court decision that granted former presidents “presumptive immunity” from criminal prosecution for official acts.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
