Kamala Harris formally accepts Democratic nomination, urging voters to choose ‘freedom and fairness’
Kamala Harris delivered a speech at the DNC and accepted the Democratic presidential nomination. (Getty)
Kamala Harris has formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, urging voters in a speech at the DNC to choose “freedom and fairness” when voting in the upcoming election.
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) wrapped up in Chicago, Illinois, which concluded with Vice President Harris formally accepting the nomination and making a final statement to voters.
Before the convention, Harris and her running mate Tim Walz were already named on 5 August as the Democratic nominees after President Joe Biden announced his decision not to seek re-election.
During her speech, Harris reflected on the “gravity” of Donald Trump’s tenure in office and mentioned the 2021 Capitol Riots, which were believed to be perpetrated by supporters of Trump.
She said: “Consider not only the chaos and calamity when he was in office but also the gravity of what has happened since he lost…Trump tried to throw away your votes. When he failed, he sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol, where they assaulted law enforcement
“For an entirely different set of crimes, he was found guilty of fraud by a jury of everyday Americans and separately, found liable for committing sexual abuse … Consider the power he will have, especially after the United States Supreme Court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution. Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails,” Harris said.
However, she concluded her speech with an optimistic message of how voters can “fight for this country we love”.
She said: “Let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness and endless possibilities. We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world and … we must be worthy of this moment.
“It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish.”
After days of pro-Palestinian protests outside of the convention centre, Harris highlighted her support for “Israel’s right to defend itself” as well as “the suffering in Gaza ending”.
She said: “What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, and desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again, the scale of suffering is heartbreaking.
“Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”
