CHICAGO — Vice President Kamala Harris challenged voters to unite behind her bid for the White House and reject the “unserious” candidacy of former President Donald Trump as she accepted her party’s nomination Thursday with a warning the Republican could wield power ruthlessly if he prevails.
She urged Americans to take advantage of a “precious, fleeting opportunity” to move past the divisive battles that have dominated the political dialogue and warned that Trump would exploit a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity to abuse the vast powers of the Oval Office.
“Consider the power he will have, especially after the United States Supreme Court just ruled he would be immune from criminal prosecution,” she said, adding: “Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.”
The United Center crowd, packed to the rafters with thousands of delegates garbed in red, white and blue, chanted in unison: “We are not going back.”
Of her own speedy ascent to the top of the Democratic ticket, facilitated by President Joe Biden’s decision a month ago to quit the race, she assured voters she would bring no dramatic political shift to the White House but instead a “chance to chart a new way forward.”
“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight. And I want you to know: I promise to be a president for all Americans,” she said.
“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations,” she said. “A president who leads — and listens. Who is realistic. Practical. And has common sense. And always fights for the American people.”
Now, Democrats must confront a new dilemma: How to translate the enthusiasm from the four-day convention into electoral energy in November.
Trump, meanwhile, moved to bury the hatchet with Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday weeks after he pummeled the Georgia Republican and his wife at a rally in Atlanta with attacks so scathing, and surprising, that local GOP officials worried aloud that the broadsides risked Trump’s chances in the battleground state.
In a social media post, Trump thanked Kemp for “all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important” for his reelection bid. Earlier in the day, Trump running mate JD Vance told reporters he tried to help patch up their differences during a campaign stop in South Georgia.
Georgia in focus
Harris’ speech represented a high-stakes moment for a whirlwind campaign that began just over a month ago when Biden bowed to mounting pressure and ended his reelection bid, ceding the party’s nomination to his No. 2.
And she used it to hone policy promises before a rapt audience. She pledged to pass federal voting rights legislation named for John Lewis, the late Georgia civil rights icon. She promised to revive a bipartisan border security bill that she blamed Republicans for scuttling.
And she expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself in its ongoing battles with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip while also calling for an end to suffering in the war-torn territory.
Most presidential candidates have campaigns built on yearslong programs to introduce themselves to voters and hone their policies. But after Harris’ lightning-fast rise to the top of the ticket, she’s in a race to define herself to millions of voters before Trump can.
She and her newly minted running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are also under pressure to chart a blueprint for defeating Trump. They saw plenty of examples throughout the week.
Some party leaders, including Michelle and Barack Obama, painted Trump as a self-serving egomaniac only in the race to protect his interests. Others echoed Biden’s attempt to cast the former president as a threat to democracy.
Harris’ speech capped a star-studded convention that brought A-list celebrities together with former presidents, plus plenty of rising Democratic stars who could campaign for the White House in the future.
With a lineup designed to match the campaign’s joyous mantra, U.S. senators and stand-up comedians shared the spotlight. During short breaks, a DJ spun mega-hits as flag-waving delegates danced in the aisles.
Georgia figures played a central role throughout. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock lit up the crowd with an incisive speech that, at times, seemed like a sermon he’d deliver at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he serves as senior pastor.
Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, threatened with exile from the GOP for the apostasy of endorsing Harris, used the DNC stage to tell fellow Republicans: “If you vote for Kamala Harris, you’re not a Democrat. You’re a patriot.”
And U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath led a program centered on gun violence, sharing the story of the murder of her teenage son to make the case for tougher regulations for firearms.
“Our losses do not weaken us. They strengthen our resolve,” McBath said. “We will secure safer futures that we all deserve. We will organize. We will advocate. We will run for office.”
Credit: Video
Credit: Video
Then there was the roll call vote that delegates are still buzzing about, when Georgia surprised the convention by bringing rap star Lil Jon to introduce the state during a normally sleepy pass-the-microphone ritual.
‘I smell victory’
Before Harris spoke, a parade of Democratic leaders, influential activists and famed actors addressed a United Center so crammed that party officials restricted access shortly after the program began.
Some of the loudest applause went to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Democrat who ran for president in 2020 and now is an important Harris ally.
“Groceries, gas, housing, health care, taxes, abortion — trust Donald Trump and JD Vance to look out for your family?” she asked. “Shoot, I wouldn’t trust those guys to move my couch.”
On the floor, Georgia Democrats exuded a sort of confidence they hardly dared a few months ago when Biden was still the nominee.
“I’ve been waiting my entire life for this,” Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler said.
Beside her stood state Sen. Nan Orrock, another long-serving Democrat who has navigated the party’s lows and highs. She’s sensing an upturn.
“I smell victory.”
Columnist Patricia Murphy contributed to this article.
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