Vice President Kamala Harris will take the stage tonight to cap off what’s been a successful convention for Democrats so far. It’s the biggest moment in the California native’s political career, and it’ll kick off a 75-day sprint to Election Day for Harris and former President Donald Trump.
President Joe Biden passed the mantle of Democratic standard-bearer to Harris on Monday, a delicate yet necessary transition if the party was going to have any real chance of winning in November. And Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz debuted on the national stage as Harris’ VP pick Wednesday night (more below).
The Obamas and Clintons made big speeches. Democrats look as united as they have all cycle. Harris’ fundraising is stunning, and the TV ratings have been good. Threatened protests over Israel’s war in Gaza largely didn’t materialize, thanks in part to an overwhelming security presence around the United Center.
Now comes another serious test for Harris — a convention speech as the Democratic presidential nominee. After watching three Democratic presidents on the stage in Chicago this week, Harris wants to show everyone why she should join that ultra-exclusive club.
This is a historic moment. We couldn’t possibly overstate it if we tried. Harris is only the second woman to be a major party presidential nominee. She’s the first Black woman and first person of Asian American heritage in this spot. Harris would be only the second California-born president (Richard Nixon) if she wins. And like Biden, she’s trying to make the transition from VP to president. There have only been a handful of them to win the office on their own.
Here are some of the key issues to listen for during Harris’ speech. Of course, it’s a convention speech, meaning it’ll be heavy on rhetoric and light on details. But these topics will have to be touched on, so we’ll see how Harris handles them.
Inflation, the economy and the high cost of living: This is the biggest problem for Democrats, and it’s an area where Trump and Republicans have a clear edge. The announcement Wednesday by the Labor Department that it was revising this year’s job gains downward by more than 800,000 jobs, while expected, shows the U.S. economy isn’t as strong as it appears to be.
Harris unveiled part of her economic agenda last week, touting an “opportunity economy” to help more Americans join the middle class. Harris promised to go after price gouging on groceries, help in getting a $25,000 down payment for first-time homebuyers, build three million new homes and rental properties, expand the child tax credit, cut medical debt and more. Harris will need to keep building this out.
Trump: How hard will Harris go after Trump personally? Trump has called Harris a “DEI hire,” questioned her racial identity and intelligence, tried to label her “Comrade Kamala,” trotted out an apparently false Willie Brown story and often mispronounces her name.
Harris needs to figure out how she handles these personal swipes from Trump. He’s going to keep doing it. Trump wants to turn this campaign into a grudge match between himself and Harris. Hillary Clinton struggled with this in confronting Trump, as did Biden. Now it’s Harris’ turn.
Biden: Harris and Biden hugged onstage this week following the president’s emotional Monday speech. The VP will embrace the popular parts of Biden’s legacy as president — especially the long list of legislative accomplishments — while avoiding the negative ones, including on inflation, the economy and immigration. That may be easier said than done.
Israel and the war in Gaza: This is largely beyond Harris’ control, yet the issue continues to split the party and the country. Harris has leaned hard into calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and lamenting the massive toll of Palestinian casualties, going further than Biden in some cases. But she’s not president, so her options to affect the outcome are limited here.
Immigration and border security: Illegal migrant crossings are down dramatically at the U.S.-Mexico border, although this issue remains a key vulnerability for Harris.
There was a heavy focus on immigration Wednesday night at the convention, with speakers repeatedly playing up the fact that Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson blew up a bipartisan border security deal earlier this year in order to keep the issue as a political cudgel. We’ll see if Harris continues to beat that same drum.
Democracy and freedom: This is among Harris’ biggest strengths. She’s made “freedom” the underlying theme of her campaign, using it as a frame to talk about Democratic priorities such as abortion access, gun violence and voting rights. Beyoncé’s “Freedom” has even become her unofficial campaign anthem.
It’s a familiar message for the party. Biden framed the stakes of the 2020 election as democracy being on the line, as did Democrats running in the 2022 midterms. But now Harris has put her own stamp on it and given voters a new rallying cry.
