Harris aims to bring joy at Democratic convention

Kamala Harris will be celebrated by enthusiastic Democrats in Chicago this week as the party’s candidate against Donald Trump after a significant turnaround in US political history.

The 59-year-old vice president and her running mate Tim Walz will take center stage at the Democratic National Convention, with President Joe Biden playing a supporting role after withdrawing from the White House race.

For Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman to lead a major US party ticket, this is a crucial opportunity to showcase her qualifications for the Oval Office and ride the wave of excitement into a closely contested election.

In a display of unity in front of thousands of delegates, Harris will be supported by three presidents—81-year-old Biden, former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and former nominee Hillary Clinton.

However, there will also be heightened security in Chicago due to planned protests against the Biden-Harris administration’s backing of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Just weeks ago, the idea of Harris leading Democrats at the convention would have seemed improbable, but the political landscape has drastically shifted since then.

Instead of a bleak, Biden-led convention with almost certain defeat after his disappointing debate performance against Trump, the party now has renewed hope.

– ‘All about excitement’ –

Harris has closed Trump’s lead in the polls, attracted large crowds in battleground states, raised record funds, and infused the Democratic campaign with what she calls a “joyful” message.

Her televised speech on Thursday night will be an opportunity to present herself to voters and share her story as America’s first Black woman vice president.

“It is all about excitement, that she is the new generation,” Casey Burgat from George Washington University told AFP.

“This is about introducing herself as the nominee, what she stands for.”

Ahead of formally accepting the nomination this week, Harris, who won it in a virtual roll call, will also outline her policies, which have been kept vague until now.

She is expected to focus on addressing high prices impacting Americans and critique Trump on the issue of abortion.

Since Harris took over, the Republican former president has been struggling, calling her rise a “coup” against Biden and resorting to attacks on her race.

Just a month ago, Trump was triumphantly appearing at his party’s convention after surviving an assassination attempt, but now the tables have turned as the 78-year-old faces a younger candidate.

– ‘Woman of color’ –

The convention lineup also includes Hillary Clinton, expected to speak on Monday, and Obama, who will address the convention on Tuesday. Bill Clinton will be the warm-up act for Minnesota Governor Walz on Wednesday.

Walz has emerged as a charismatic speaker who has led the charge in branding Trump and his VP pick J.D. Vance as “weird.”

While Harris may see a post-convention poll boost, the challenge will be to maintain momentum leading up to the election on November 5.

Polls indicate she remains vulnerable on key issues like immigration and the economy, but her rapid ascent suggests she could shatter some of the remaining glass ceilings in US politics.

Political scientist Regina Bateson from the University of Colorado Boulder noted that while some may have doubted whether a major American party would rally around “someone who’s a woman of color,” Harris quickly garnered support and has been successful.

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