Urging Americans to “trust women” for the sake of “fundamental freedoms”, Kamala Harris has officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president.
Closing out the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Harris laid down one of the biggest speeches of her career thus far to the applause of a stadium crowd and the sound of ‘Freedom‘ by Beyonce.
“On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination to be President of the United States of America,” Harris said.
Promising to be a president for “all Americans”, Harris delivered a forceful address, painting the picture of a unified country and leaning on her middle class upbringing to appeal to everyday citizens.
Her campaign slogan “we’re not going back”, shone through as she used the line to argue against letting former president Donald Trump back into the White House.
She painted the picture of this election being “one of the most important” in American history, in regards to national security.
“This election is not only the most important of our lives, it is one of the most important in the life of our nation,” she said.
“Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious.”
“Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails and how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States, not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security, but to serve the only client he has ever had: himself.”
On the flipside, Harris pitched herself as a president whose only client is the American people.
“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations, a president who leads and listens, who is realistic, practical and has common sense and always fights for the American people, from the courthouse to the White House — that has been my life’s work.”
In one of the nation’s most widespread issues, reproductive rights was addressed as Harris reminded the country that Trump was responsible for taking away these freedoms.
“Friends, I believe America cannot truly be prosperous unless Americans are fully able to make their own decisions about their own lives, especially on matters of heart and home,” Harris said.
“But tonight in America, too many women are not able to make those decisions.”
“And let’s be clear about how we got here. Donald Trump hand picked members of the United States Supreme Court to take away reproductive freedom.”
“And now he brags about it in his words. Quote, ‘I did it, and I’m proud to have done it.’
“One must ask, why exactly is it that they don’t trust women,” Harris said. “Well we trust women.”
“And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law”.
Speaking of her childhood, Harris shared that her mother is the figure who instilled values such as community, respect, faith and compassion into her work. Harris also shared a story of supporting her friend to escape child abuse as the motivator behind her decision to become a prosecutor.
“This is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor to protect people like Wanda, because I believe everyone has a right to safety, to dignity and to justice,” Harris said.
Touching on America’s security and foreign affairs, Harris promised to be “steadfast in advancing our security and values abroad”.
And on calls for a Gaza ceasefire deal, Harris called the scale of Palestinian suffering “heartbreaking”.
“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 realise their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination,” she said.
Rounding out her speech and acceptance of the Democratic nomination to be the nation’s first female president, Harris told the crowd to “get out there” and vote.
“”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.”