CHICAGO — Vice President Kamala Harris completed her ascent to the top of her party’s presidential ballot on Thursday, casting the election as a “chance to chart a new way forward” from the divisions of the recent past and reframing her party as the one dedicated to securing Americans’ freedoms.
Bolstered by public officials from both parties and from a variety of walks of life, down to her use of Beyonce’s “Freedom” anthem, Harris outlined her vision for the country, saying she would prioritize a strong middle class, protect reproductive freedoms and strengthen national security. She did so while contrasting that path with what she said a second term for former President Donald Trump would look like. All along, she tried to paint a more optimistic vision for the country, underscoring the “joy” Democrats said they felt throughout this week at Democrats’ national convention.
“Our opponents in this race are out there, every day, denigrating America. Talking about how terrible everything is,” she said. “ Well, my mother had another lesson she used to teach. Never let anyone tell you who you are. You show them who you are. America, let us show each other — and the world—who we are. And what we stand for.”
