Vice President Kamala Harris has been a smooth operation since her ascension to the top of the Democratic ticket. She has re-energized a party that was on the brink of an existential crisis just five weeks ago, quickly raising $500 million; after the convention, that number has grown to $540 million. She has engaged tens of thousands of volunteers while filling the gap with Donald Trump and states like North Carolina And Georgia back in the game.
But more than popularity, Harris is embedded in the culture, making her feel more like Obama in 2008 than Clinton in 2016. She was supported by music icons like Stevie Wonders, Megan Thee Stallion, Charli XCX, John Legend, And Beyonce, whose song “Freedom” served as the soundtrack for rallies and the convention finale on Thursday night. Meanwhile, Harris has been widely embraced by TikTok influencers and went viral when she talked about coconuts.
It is important to remember amidst all the fuss that Harris has been opposed at every turn. Just last month The Economist told us that Harris “lacks charisma,” and a New York Times A panel of opinion writers and commentators found Harris the least electable of a group of 10 Democratic presidential candidates. A month later, it’s hard to imagine a more successful campaign in modern political history. And I wonder how many times a woman of color has been underestimated for a job she both deserved and could have done brilliantly.
Despite the prevailing opinion among experts that Harris was unelectable, I argued back in June – before the dreaded debate – that Joe Bidens campaign did not use her sufficiently and that she was an asset to the fight against Trump. And I was not the only one who saw Harris’ skills as a communicator, because Fordham University Christina Greer told me at the time: “She is able to clearly articulate the administration’s policies on all issues, from reproductive rights to debt relief to the existential threat that Republican policies pose to the future of the nation.” Or, as Maya Wiley, As the executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights put it, “The Vice President is an influential and authentic communicator who can connect with women, especially women of color, because she knows firsthand what we are going through.”
Kamala Harris’ speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago was nearly an hour shorter than Trump’s rambling speech at the Republican National Convention, which began with his recollection of his near-murder but then degenerated into his usual, uncomplaining tirade. Harris, for her part, seized on the American ideal of patriotism – the kind of patriotism that Trump and Republicans left on the field when they chose to spread lies about the 2020 election and undermine the democratic process.
Perhaps some Republicans believed they would simply “give in” to Trump, as one unnamed Republican infamously said on the record The Washington Post on November 9, 2020. “What’s the downside to giving in to him so shortly? He went golfing this weekend,” the official said. “It’s not like he’s making plans on how to stop Joe Biden from taking power on January 20th. He tweets that he’s going to file a few lawsuits, those lawsuits will fail, then he tweets a few more about how the election was stolen, and then he’ll leave.”
But Republicans did not simply surrender to Trump when 147 members of Congress attempted to overturn a free and fair election on January 6, 2021, just hours after Trump, then President of the United States, incited a mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol. In pledging their loyalty to Trump, Republicans abandoned democratic norms and any semblance of patriotism.
“I know there are people watching tonight with different political views,” Harris said Thursday night. “And I want you to know that I promise to be a president for all Americans. You can always count on me to put country before my party and myself. I will uphold America’s sacred core principles, from the rule of law to free and fair elections to the peaceful transfer of power.”
I have always considered Harris to be an effective communicator, but further proof of her eloquence and the overall message of the convention was provided by Wall Street Journal Columnist and former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan, who wrote that the Democrats have “stolen traditional Republican themes (faith, patriotism) and claimed them as their own.” Aside from the fact that the Republicans have never really in possession With all of these issues, what is striking in this election is the stark contrast between the Democrats’ uplifting view of America and Trump’s grim portrayal of a country plagued by crime and carnage. “Our opponents in this race denigrate America every day and talk about how terrible everything is,” Harris said Thursday. “Well, my mother had another lesson that she always taught: Don’t let anyone tell you who you are. Show them who you are.”
Trump has made it clear that loyalty to himself is what matters most to him, while Democrats last week ceded stage time to Harris’ Republican supporters who, despite having different political views, have chosen to put democracy first. In her speech, Harris made clear that she would work for the American people. “Every day in the courtroom, I proudly stood before a judge and said five words: Kamala Harris, for the people,” she said. “And to be clear, in my entire career, I’ve had only one client: the people.” Harris’ experience as a prosecutor may have hurt her somewhat against the left in the 2020 Democratic primary, but in a 2024 general election against a convicted felon awaiting sentencing, it seems to be a real advantage.
If there was any doubt about Harris’ strong performance, just look at Trump’s Truth social feed. The former president told the truth 50 times during her 38-minute speech at the convention. In one of his posts he simply said, “IS SHE TALKING ABOUT ME?” In others he wrote, “WHERE IS HUNTER?” and “Walz was an ASSISTANT coach, not a COACH,” and later he also lied about Roe: “Everyone, Democrats, Republicans, liberals and conservatives, wanted Roe v. Wade to be overturned and returned to the states.”
Trump seemed to break down. On Thursday evening, he called Fox News, where he spoke with co-host Martha MacCallum He noted that Harris has had “some success” with women, Hispanic voters and black voters. “She’s not having success, I’m having success,” Trump said. “I’m doing great with Hispanic voters, great with black men, great with women.” He added, “They’re only doing that in your eyes, Martha. We’re doing very well.”
From her 2019 inaugural speech in Oakland, which drew an estimated 20,000 people, to her questioning of Trump officials during her time in the Senate, Harris has demonstrated her skills as a formidable speaker. She has a distinct speaking style, a kind of call-and-response method of connecting with audiences that is resonating right now. While Hillary Clinton Although she has paved the way for a presidential candidate, she has often struggled with projection. However, Harris is able to be loud enough and still use a speaking voice. This may seem semantic, but female candidates are judged much more harshly than male candidates. Being able to project and still sound like you are speaking and not shouting is an extremely valuable skill.
It is unfortunate that it has taken so long for the political and media establishment to side with Kamala Harris. Last week in Chicago, she seized the opportunity and – 70 days before her election victory – presented the Democrats’ best arguments for why America should not return to the Trump years.
