Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday, vowing to unite the country and bring a pragmatic perspective to the presidency if she is elected in November.
“I know there are people of all political persuasions watching tonight,” Harris said during her keynote address, according to excerpts released earlier in the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
“I want you to know: I am committed to being a president for all Americans,” she said.
“I will be a president who unites us to achieve our highest aspirations,” Harris said. “A president who leads and listens. He is realistic, pragmatic, has common sense. And always fights for the American people.”
Harris also promised that building the middle class “will be an explicit goal of my presidency.”
“This is a personal thing for me. I come from a middle-class background,” she said.
The words echoed those of President Joe Biden, who made history in late July by withdrawing his re-election bid and endorsing Harris as his successor.
But Harris’ speech also sought to separate herself from the 81-year-old incumbent, who has been plagued by low approval ratings, and propose a “new path forward.”
“With this election, our country has a precious and brief opportunity to move beyond the bitterness, cynicism and divisive struggles of the past,” she said. “Not as members of any one political party or faction, but as Americans.”
The speech capped four days of marches attended by politicians, celebrities, activists, entertainers and everyday Americans, including Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton Clinton ) and the wrongfully imprisoned members of the Central Park Five.
It also reflected the patriotic posturing and positive vibe that characterized much of the convention — an apparent effort to appeal to more moderate voters and undermine Donald Trump’s efforts to label Harris a far-left “Marxist” .
The tone also serves another purpose: to underscore recent remarks by Democrats that Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, are “weird” and do not represent much of the country.
“In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man,” 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 gain power if re-elected, pointing to a recent Supreme Court ruling that granted the former president “presumptive immunity” from criminal prosecution.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
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