Democrats from across the country gathered to watch Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz officially accept their nominations as the party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from Aug. 1 to Aug. 5.
Following President Joe Biden’s exit from the presidential race on July 21, delegates held a virtual roll call to confirm Harris as the party’s new presumptive nominee. Harris received support from about 99% of participating delegates.
Walz began his speech on the third night of the convention by showing his appreciation to Democrats in attendance and across the country.
“It’s the honor of my life to accept your nomination for vice president of the United States,” Walz said. “We’re all here tonight for one beautiful, simple reason: We love this country.”
Before being elected as Minnesota’s governor in 2018, Walz served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Minnesota’s 1st District. In his remarks, Walz highlighted his background as a legislator and said it taught him how to govern effectively.
“I represented my neighbors in Congress for 12 years, and I learned an awful lot,” Walz said. “I learned how to work across the aisle on issues like growing the rural economies and taking care of veterans. And I learned how to compromise without compromising my values.”
Walz also made a point to draw a sharp contrast between Democrats and Republicans. Throughout the convention, Walz and other speakers attempted to frame the Democratic Party as the party of freedom and patriotism.
“When Republicans use the word ‘freedom,’ they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office,” Walz said. “Corporations — free to pollute your air and water. And banks — free to take advantage of customers. But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love. Freedom to make your own health care decisions. And, yeah, your kids’ freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in the hall.”
Since launching her campaign, Harris has faced criticism for a lack of concrete policy positions. In his acceptance speech, Walz explained in greater detail what a Harris administration would look like.
“If you’re a middle-class family, or trying to get into the middle class, Kamala Harris is going to cut your taxes,” Walz said. “If you’re getting squeezed by prescription drug prices, Kamala Harris is going to take on Big Pharma. If you’re hoping to buy a home, Kamala Harris is going to help make it more affordable. And no matter who you are, Kamala Harris is going to stand up and fight for your freedom to live the life that you want to lead.”
On the fourth and final night of the DNC, Harris gave her acceptance speech, focusing on how her middle-class upbringing shaped her career. Harris said she felt the family members and neighbors who raised her and her sister defined her both as a person and as a politician.
“They instilled in us the values they personified — community, faith and the importance of treating others as you would want to be treated: with kindness, respect and compassion,” Harris said.
Harris framed the 2024 election as an opportunity for the country to move forward as one unit in an era of increasing political polarization.
“With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past,” Harris said. “A chance to chart a new way forward, not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”
In her speech, Harris also called attention to Project 2025, a set of policy positions laid out by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based out of Washington, D.C. Although former President Donald Trump and his allies have attempted to distance themselves from the project, Harris and other Democrats brought up Project 2025 throughout the convention as a warning against allowing Trump to be reelected.
“We know what a second Trump term would look like,” Harris said. “It’s all laid out in Project 2025, written by his closest advisers. And its sum total is to pull our country back to the past. But America, we are not going back.”
Harris also addressed her role in the Biden administration and detailed her plans for border security. Harris said if elected, she would pass a new bipartisan border bill after a previous version was blocked by Senate Republicans this past spring.
“Let me be clear — after decades in law enforcement, I know the importance of safety and security, especially at our border,” Harris said. “Last year, (Biden) and I brought together Democrats and conservative Republicans to write the strongest border bill in decades. The border patrol endorsed it. But Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign, so he ordered his allies in Congress to kill the deal.”
In her speech, Harris also highlighted the Biden administration’s commitment to a cease-fire deal and attempted to please both sides, affirming Israel’s right to self-defense while also acknowledging the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza has caused divisions within the Democratic Party, leading to protests throughout the convention after a spring of unrest on college campuses across the country.
“President Biden and I are working to end this war, such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination,” Harris said.
As she wrapped up her acceptance speech, Harris called on voters to work to get the Harris-Walz ticket elected in November, encouraging patriotism and unity during the coming months.
“It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith: to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish and to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth — the privilege and pride of being an American,” Harris said. “So let’s get out there, let’s fight for it. Let’s get out there, let’s vote for it and together, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.”
Daily News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu.
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