CHICAGO (WSN) — On Thursday, Kamala Harris called on Americans to overcome political divisions and pursue what she described as a “new way forward” as she accepted her party’s nomination. Her speech, delivered with a resounding standing ovation at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, intertwined her personal story with cautionary notes about reelecting Donald Trump.
As she closed the convention, Harris emphasized that her experience as a prosecutor and her personal background made her particularly suited to safeguard Americans’ interests against a former president she portrayed as self-serving.
“This election gives us a rare opportunity to move beyond past conflicts and divisiveness,” Harris declared. “It’s a chance to forge a new direction—not defined by party lines, but as a unified nation.”
Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, became the first Black woman and person of South Asian heritage to receive a major party’s presidential nomination and would be the first female president if elected. Though she did not specifically highlight these historic milestones in her 40-minute speech, she briefly mentioned “Democrat” and “Republican” while discussing a bipartisan border bill that Trump had blocked earlier in the year, promising to sign it if elected.
Her speech—and the convention as a whole—aimed to resonate with a broad range of Americans, not just those already aligned with her party. She made several indirect appeals to voters who were previously dissatisfied with both presidential candidates, particularly those disillusioned with Trump. This was reflected in the presence of former Trump supporters who had shifted their support to Biden’s policies.
Harris was joined for the celebratory balloon drop by a diverse and multi-racial family. Earlier, her grandnieces led the crowd in pronouncing her name, which means “lotus” in Sanskrit.
“America, my path to this moment has been unexpected,” Harris said. “But I am familiar with unexpected journeys.”
