Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic nomination on Thursday evening, the final night of the party’s convention in Chicago, officially kickstarting the campaign into gear for the fight for the White House. Party heavy hitters turned out to rally the troops around Harris’ banner – with great success. However, with the campaign about to enter a more difficult phase – tensions over Gaza and economic policy among the challenges ahead – there is no room for complacency in the Democratic camp.
Headliner Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris officially accepted the Democratic nomination in a fiery speech on Thursday night. For the first time, Harris defined herself to American voters, recounting her personal journey from America’s working class to a role in national – and global – leadership.
Under her campaign slogan of “Kamala for the People”, Harris spoke of the need for unity, a peaceful transfer of power, and perseverance in the face of underestimation. She repeated her campaign promises to build up the middle class, protect social security and medicare, and committed to implement the border security bill that Trump undermined.
She also spoke on foreign policy, addressing the Ukraine war, Gaza, and the US’ relationship with China in an era of competition, specifically in space and artificial intelligence development. Harris pledged to strengthen US global leadership, stand strong with NATO, defend Israel’s right to protect itself but also work towards realising the Palestinian people’s right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination. She criticised Trump, describing him as a threat to democracy, progress, women’s rights and global security.
Big Speeches Buoy Democrats
The mood going into the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at Chicago’s United Center was upbeat. Harris’ campaign team took care to choreograph a convention redolent with the successes of the country’s first Black president. Every major speaker alluded to the leitmotifs of hope and change and pitched the election as a moment in which the country can come together to renew a shared and inclusive national vision.
Biden bids farewell
President Biden gave an emotional farewell speech to the DNC late in the day on Monday that focused on his accomplishments in office. In contrast to his debate with Donald Trump last June, Biden’s performance was hearty and well received by the crowd, who chanted “thank you, Joe” repeatedly. Breaking with tradition, Kamala Harris took to the stage on the first night – dressed in a controversial tan suit – to thank Biden for his “historic leadership” and “lifetime of service.” The exchange symbolised the passing of the baton from one leader to another – and one generation to another.
Obamas come out swinging
Michelle and Barack Obama’s speeches on Tuesday evening thrilled. The former First Lady openly criticised Trump, describing his campaign as “it’s his same old con: doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions.” Ms Obama warned the Convention that Democrats must come out in numbers and vote to defeat the Republican candidate because “[i]n some states, just a handful of votes in every precinct could decide the winner.”
Ms Obama was followed by her husband and former President Barack Obama. An accomplished orator, Obama used familiar idioms, such as “yes, we can” and “yes, she can”to inspire and mobilise the Democrats behind Harris. He drew a clear parallel between the lineage of his eight-year presidency as an era of hope and change and that of a Harris presidency, in which the leader of the “free world” would be both a woman and a woman of colour – a clear break with the past.
Gaza Divides DNC
There has been little policy discussion at the Convention so far, though the issue of Gaza has dominated the agenda of activists and protestors.
Uncommitted delegates/activists
Uncommitted delegates, their voters and allies – including some committed delegates to Harris – have taken part in protest marches and held daily press briefings at McCormick Place in downtown Chicago before travelling to the United Center for evening events. At a press conference on Monday Abbas Alawieh, an uncommitted delegate and one of the movement’s leaders, said that over 740,000 had voted uncommitted in his home state of Michigan “as a pro-peace, anti-war, pro-Palestinian” message to the administration.
The aim of the Uncommitted at the DNC was not to disrupt but to urge Harris and Walz to change the party’s policies on Gaza, including pushing for an immediate ceasefire, and bringing an immediate end to US arms shipments to Israel. On Wednesday Alawieh and colleagues met with Harris’ senior staff at the convention to press home their position. At the meeting, Alawieh was denied the chance to speak to the Convention and so began a sit in protest on the sides.
Several other Palestinian Americans were also denied the chance to speak, including Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman and activist Aziz Abu Sarah, who criticised the DNC on social media for blocking the uncommitted request. Muslim Women for Harris-Walz lambasted the DNC for giving the stage to the parents of an Israeli-American being held by Hamas.
Swing state votes matter
Arab American and Muslim American votes make up a very small percentage of the overall electorate but are key in some swing states, including Minnesota where VP pick Walz is governor. Analysts are highlighting the importance of getting ahead on this issue to avoid a small margin loss in battleground states – akin to Trump’s sub-25,000 vote defeat in Wisconsin, Georgia and Arizona in 2020.
Harris’ “populist” Econ Agenda
Harris’ economic plan, released on 16 August, focuses on lowering costs for families in four areas: housing, healthcare, groceries, and child rearing. The agenda, which CNN has called “populist”, has received mixed to negative reviews. Its critics have questioned both the economic sense and the political feasibility of the main proposals.
Key pledges include:
- $25,000 down payment support for first-time homeowners
- Cost caps on insulin ($35 per month) and out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs ($2,000 per year) for all.
- A federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries
- A new $6,000 tax credit for families with children aged under one
The anti-gouging measure, now a flagship proposal, received the brunt of the criticism. Economists argued there is little empirical evidence showing firms increased mark-ups during the pandemic, and said they were concerned that state intervention in market prices could make matters worse. The proposal is also deemed unlikely to ever pass in Congress, leading some to conclude it is primarily a gesture to the left wing of the party.
Republican Wrap Up
Trump received criticism this week for posting on his social media accounts AI-created images of Taylor Swift endorsing his campaign. Swift is yet to back any candidate but put her weight behind the Democrats in the 2020 election. Trump also said he would give Elon Musk a role in his administration should he win in November.
Reports strongly suggest that third-party candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr will announce he will abandon his bid and join forces with Trump. Trump earlier said he would welcome the move.
Recent reports indicate that the RFK Jr campaign is running out of cash – and diverting more votes away from the Republicans than the Democrats. An RFK Jr withdrawal would have a considerable impact on Trump’s numbers as he has historically polled worse in three or multi-candidate races, according to the Washington Post.
What the Polls Are Saying
The gap between Harris and Trump is still widening, although concern is growing among Democrat strategists that current polls are too optimistic and do not reflect the challenges ahead.
Aggregated polling data from RealClearPolitics on 21 August show a 1.5-point advantage for Harris, a 0.4-point increase on last week. The Economist puts Harris 3.2 points ahead of Trump on average, and the latest Rasmussen poll – which in the past consistently put Trump well ahead of Harris, has reduced his lead by 1 point to 4.
The race remains extremely tight in key battleground states. Though Harris has recaptured the advantage lost by Biden among non-white voters, she has not yet rebuilt the electorate of Black, Hispanic, and young voters that led him to victory in 2020.
The campaign is also entering a more difficult phase for Harris, with no room for complacency. After the relief and euphoria caused by her last-minute entrance, the public is now expecting her to bring substance to her policy positions. She has yet to sit through interviews focused on her agenda, notably economic policy – a weak spot for the Democrats as voters in swing states still trust Trump more than Harris on the economy.
Look Ahead
- Harris and Trump will debate on ABC on 10 September
- Walz and Vance will debate on CBS News on 1 October
- Harris and Trump will debate again in October – date TBC.