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WASHINGTON – In a historic speech on the Democratic National Convention, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris promised to proceed army assist for Ukraine and strengthen NATO as she accepted the social gathering’s nomination for the 2024 presidential race.
The 59-year-old Harris, the primary lady of coloration to high the presidential ticket of a serious U.S. social gathering, sharply criticized her Republican challenger Donald Trump for cozying as much as authoritarian leaders.
Speaking to hundreds of cheering supporters on the fourth and final day of the conference contained in the United Center in Chicago, Harris, only a month after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed her to interchange him atop the Democratic ticket, accused Trump of disowning Ukraine and allies and of denigrating the United States.
“As President, I’ll stand robust with Ukraine and our NATO allies,” Harris, mentioned on August 22 in the course of the 40-minute speech.
“I’ll by no means waver in protection of America’s safety and beliefs, as a result of within the enduring battle between democracy and tyranny, I do know the place I stand,” she added, contrasting her place with Trump and operating mate JD Vance, who’ve repeatedly questioned U.S. backing for Ukraine.
Harris, the primary Black lady and first individual of South Asian descent to simply accept a serious social gathering’s presidential nomination, delivered an upbeat view of the United States and its standing on the planet, a pointy distinction to the doom-and-gloom image Trump painted on the Republican conference final month.
“I see a nation that is able to transfer ahead, prepared for the subsequent step within the unimaginable journey that’s America,” she mentioned.
Craig Allen, a communications professor and political commentator at Arizona State University, instructed RFE/RL after the speech that whereas Harris was “inspiring,” particularly when she spoke about household and her private journey, her feedback on Ukraine weren’t something “that Biden hadn’t already mentioned.”
“She didn’t elaborate on what she was going to do for Ukraine,” he added.
Turning to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, Harris vowed to work towards ending the battle that has killed tens of hundreds of individuals within the Gaza Strip.
The vice chairman mentioned that as president she would “all the time get up for Israel” and would “by no means hesitate to take no matter motion is important to defend our forces and our pursuits in opposition to Iran and Iran-backed terrorists.”
The handle, watched by thousands and thousands of Americans across the nation, is the primary time many citizens have gotten to see the brand new Democratic candidate up shut.
Harris emerged because the social gathering’s frontrunner on July 21 when Biden took the unprecedented step of bowing out of the race after successful the primaries.
The 81-year-old president confronted intense stress from senior social gathering officers to withdraw after he appeared frail and confused throughout a June 27 debate in opposition to Trump, deepening widespread concern he was too previous to serve one other 4 years.
While Harris oversaw key points resembling unlawful immigration and abortion rights, like most vice presidents, she had been largely out of the general public eye throughout her greater than three years in workplace.
In a current ballot, greater than a 3rd of Americans mentioned they do not know Harris or her positions nicely.
Wearing a blue swimsuit, Harris talked about rising up in a center class household of immigrants and happening to develop into a prosecutor to guard individuals.
She laid out a few of her priorities as president, together with rising the provision of inexpensive housing and defending abortion rights.
“They are out of their thoughts,” Harris mentioned in regards to the Trump’s marketing campaign stance on abortion.
The former president took to social media after which known as into Fox News to remark additional, to criticize the speech for not speaking about China, oil fracking, or crime, points that Trump has pushed constantly.
“It was quite a lot of complaining,” he mentioned.
“Why didn’t she do the issues that she’s complaining about?”
Independent polls taken days earlier than the August 19-22 Democratic National Convention confirmed Harris, who if elected would develop into the primary feminine president within the historical past of the United States, barely edging out Trump in a hypothetical nationwide vote.
Analysts say even 100,000 votes throughout a number of swing states might decide the result of the November 5 election.
Harris’ marketing campaign has loved a momentum not seen by a Democratic candidate since former President Barack Obama’s first bid in 2008, social gathering members say.
Even although Trump and Biden simply gained their respective primaries earlier this 12 months, a major variety of American voters mentioned they needed new candidates on the poll. The two males confronted off in 2020.
Harris’s entry into the race has energized some voters – particularly youthful girls – who had proven little enthusiasm for both Biden or Trump, specialists mentioned.
