Welcome to a special edition of From the Politics Desk, bringing you highlights from the fourth and final day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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Harris weaves his life story into the vision of America as he accepts the Democratic nomination
By Natasha Korecki and Jonathan Allen
CHICAGO – Vice President Kamala Harris made history amid a cacophony of cheering Democrats and a canopy of red, white and blue balloons.
The first woman elected as US vice president officially became the first black and South Asian woman to be nominated as a major party’s presidential nominee, boosting Democrats’ hopes of defeating former President Donald Trump and retaining the White House for another four years.
“We are charting a new path forward, toward a future with a strong and growing middle class,” Harris said in his speech.
“Because we know that a strong middle class has always been critical to America’s success, and building that middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency,” he continued, calling it a “personal” matter for him because “the middle class is where I come from.”
“That’s why we’re creating what’s called an opportunity economy, an opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and succeed, whether you live in a rural area, a small town or a big city,” he said.
Harris used the beginning of his speech to tell his biography, from his family’s story to the early stages of his career. Speaking of his immigrant parents, Harris said he is “no stranger to improbable journeys,” describing his upbringing in the San Francisco Bay Area and his start as a prosecutor.
“Every day in the courtroom, I stood proudly in front of the judge and said five words: “Kamala Harris to the people.” Throughout my career, I had only one client: the people.
Harris then wove that story into the traditional applause of accepting his party’s nomination.
“And so for the nation; for every American, regardless of party, race, gender, or the language your grandmother spoke; for my mother and everyone who has ever embarked on their own unlikely journey; for Americans like the people I grew up with, who work hard, strive dreams and take care of each other; For all whose stories can only be written in the greatest nation on earth, I accept your nomination as President of the United States of America,” he said.
In his remarks, Harris outlined his own agenda, saying he would restore reproductive freedoms, offer tax cuts to the middle class, end America’s housing shortage and protect Social Security and Medicare.
“They’re confused,” she said of Republicans and their attack on women’s reproductive rights. “We trust women.”
He repeatedly lashes out at Trump, calling him a threat to working Americans, saying he only cuts taxes for the wealthy. He also mentioned Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s conservative plan intended as a roadmap for another Trump term. Trump abandoned the document after the backlash surrounding it.
Read more from Natasha and Joni →
Key takeaways from the Democratic convention
Author: Sahil Kapur
CHICAGO — With the 2024 Democratic National Convention officially in the books, here are a few key takeaways from the past week.
Moods and “joy” from politics: The replacement of President Joe Biden, 81, with Harris, 59, as their standard-bearer unleashed a flood of excitement among Democrats. That energy was maintained in the packed arena as speakers introduced Harris as a “joyful” warrior. It was also evident this week in a lively caucus here, where Democratic officials and staff were excited about their growing political fortunes.
Aside from revealing this week that he favors raising the corporate tax rate to 28 percent, Harris has made no new policy proposals. However, Democrats highlighted some of the biggest issues at stake throughout the convention, including abortion rights, gun safety and lowering the cost of living.
The Broad Anti-Trump Coalition: Solid opposition to Trump was a unifying theme throughout the week. Speakers covered the ideologically Democratic spectrum, from progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York to centrists like Tom Suozzi of Long Island, New York, who put their differences aside this week.
It included conservatives such as Trump’s White House communications director Stephanie Grisham, Republican Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Ariz., and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill. Kinzinger joked that the audience probably never expected to see him, sparking “a funny alliance that we have to stand up for truth, stand up for democracy and stand up for decency” by stopping Trump and calling him “a weak man pretending to be strong.”
1968 redux? Not quite: As in 1968, it was an unusual Democratic convention in Chicago, where a sitting president shook the political world by deciding not to seek re-election and handing the baton to his vice president. But unlike 1968, it was not marred by violence.
As expected, pro-Gaza protesters appeared in the city throughout the week, starting with demonstrations in the streets on Sunday. Some were arrested in a confrontation with the police. But there were no major disturbances or protesters in the arena as the Democratic organizers kept the program under control.
Read more takeaways from Sahil →
More news from the night of the Democratic Convention on the 4th
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Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, Shooting Survivor, Honors Biden, Praises Harris By Alexandra Marquez
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Freed ‘Central Park Five’ Members Speak Out Against Trump, Megan Lebowitz
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NBA legend Steph Curry surprised Alicia Victoria Lozano’s video
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With Harris, Democrats are trying a new way to defeat Trump: Peter Nicholas mocking him
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The groups behind one of the most violent protests at the DNC by Adam Edelman, Simone Weichselbaum, Chloe Atkins, and Tom Winter
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Content creators thrive in Democratic Congress alongside traditional media and Hollywood stars by Elleiana Green, Kalhan Rosenblatt and Alex Seitz-Wald
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Follow the night’s action in our live blog →
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This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
