Kamala Harris accepts presidential nomination at Democratic convention

US vice-president Kamala Harris officially accepted the nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate at the Democratic convention in Chicago. In her acceptance speech, Harris promised to be “a president for all Americans”.

Harris called on Americans to leave behind the “bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past” and seize the opportunity to “chart a new way forward”. “I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations,” Harris continued. “A president who leads and listens. And always fights for the American people.”

The 59-year-old vice-president described the 5 November presidential election as a “fight for the future of the United States”. “It is not only the most important election of our lifetime, but the most important in the history of our country,” she declared.

Harris also underlined the contrasts with her opponent, Donald Trump. She amongst others lashed out at his plans to cut taxes for the rich and make life more expensive for the middle class. But many acquired freedoms, such as the right to love whom you want and the right to a clean environment, are also under pressure, she emphasised. Regarding abortion, Harris recalled that Trump boasts that he has appointed the right judges to the Supreme Court and wants to implement a national abortion ban.

Harris also spoke out on the border policy, a thorny issue on which Trump constantly attacks her. She stressed that President Joe Biden had put “one of the toughest immigration laws in decades” on the table, but that Trump had it blocked by Republicans out of self-interest.

Concerning the conflict between Hamas and Israel, Harris made it clear that “now is the time to reach a deal regarding a ceasefire and the release of hostages”. The presidential candidate made it clear that she would always stand up for Israel's right to self-defence, but that she also wants the suffering to stop and for Palestinians to realise their “right to dignity, security and freedom”.

Harris finished her speech with a call for unity. “America, let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness and endless possibilities. Together, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.”

^{US vice-president and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris arrives onstage on the last day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, on 22 August 2024. ​ © BELGA PHOTO Robyn Beck / AFP}