It's now on Harris to demonstrate to voters her capability to serve as the 47th president.
Her appearance at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night will represent her most rigorous challenge yet in a whirlwind month that propelled her towards the brink of a historic presidency capable of transforming American politics.
The vice president will offer the nation a fresh start and an opportunity to shift to a different phase – moving beyond the prolonged slump created by numerous years of Donald Trump's grim rhetoric and general public fatigue following a once-in-a-century pandemic and ensuing excessive prices.
More expensively, she's proposing to rekindle the fading lightness and enthusiasm in American life and to reclaim the idea of "freedom" from conservatives, encompassing topics like reproductive rights, new economic aid for the working and middle classes, access to healthcare, and safeguards against mass shootings.
"In this election, we all have a question," Harris said at a packed rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday night as the convention celebrated in Chicago. "Do we want to live in a country of chaos, fear, and hatred? Or a country of freedom, compassion, and rule of law?"
Her party is urging Harris to scale new heights within the political firmament following President Joe Biden's retirement due to advanced age.
No modern presidential candidate from a major party has faced such a daunting task in such a short amount of time.
She is the final obstacle standing in the way of Trump's comeback to power after he triumphantly navigated four criminal indictments, one conviction, and demolished his primary opponents while eyeing an astounding presidential resurrection over a century old.
However, Harris' vice presidential pick, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, told the nation on Wednesday night that she could "move past Donald Trump" – in his straightforward, midwestern language that the campaign believes can appeal to white men in the heartland who may grow weary of the MAGA movement.
"Kamala Harris is tough. Kamala Harris is experienced. And Kamala Harris is ready," Walz exclaimed.
Furthermore, to persuade independent and undecided Americans, television show icon and actress Oprah Winfrey led a procession of entertainers and stars in reiterating a message that has resonated throughout this convention.
"Let us choose common sense over nonsense, because that’s the best of America," Winfrey said. "Let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. We won’t go back. We won’t be set back, pushed back, bullied back, kicked back. We are not going back."
Harris' multiple objectives on Thursday night
Most presidential nominees have spent years on the campaign trail refining their politics and oratorical styles. Harris has been compelled to construct her campaign in real-time.
— She must convince voters that she is a credible contender for the role of commander-in-chief. She has numerous gaps to fill in. While she has been an ardent supporter of Biden's national security approach, her stance on dealing with China, Russia, the Ukraine conflict, and Iran is largely unclear.
— Harris' best chance of defeating Trump is to present herself as the agent of change that voters have consistently told pollsters they desire. It's challenging because she is a prominent figure in an unpopular administration. However, in her most striking attempt to separate herself from Biden, Harris has tried to steer the party in a strongly populist direction, vowing to reduce price gouging by supermarket giants. She is expected to focus on this on Thursday to demonstrate to voters that she is addressing their concerns. Former President Bill Clinton summarized this strategy in his convention speech on Wednesday. "Every four years ... people come up to candidates ... and they say ... ‘Now, here are our problems, solve them. Here are our opportunities, seize them. Here are our fears, ease them. Here are our dreams, help them come true.’"
— Harris' uneven performance as vice president has stirred questions about her ability to ascend to the top job. Her strong debut leading the new presidential ticket has assuaged some Democratic concerns. But her capacity to weather the intense scrutiny to come is still a matter of debate. Trump is striving to paint her as an extremist liberal outside the mainstream of American politics. Everything Harris says on Thursday will be an attempt to counter accusations against her record on immigration, her character, and her suitability to lead during a volatile world. A considerably more challenging test looms with her debate against Trump on September 10.
— The first month of the Harris campaign has unfolded in a bizarre, revitalized political landscape for the Democratic Party. But critics will be watching her speech for signs that she can translate the enthusiasm she's generated so far into a formidable campaign machine capable of securing millions of votes.
— Harris must also dissuade Trump in the minds of sufficient voters to construct her own majority. She has been less explicit than Biden in framing this election as a conflict for "the soul of the nation," as key party leaders have shifted from warning about Trump's existential threat to ridiculing and belittling him. However, Harris is cautioning that a second Trump term could fundamentally alter the country. "This is not 2016 or 2020. And in particular, the stakes are higher for various reasons, because we know what he does when he's in office."
Ultimately, Harris must make Americans comfortable with the notion of her being president.
In the most revealing glimpse of the potential next commander-in-chief, second gentleman Douglas Emhoff aimed to endear her to Americans with details of their romance.
"She'll guide with excitement and strength, her laughter and gaze, compassion and conviction. She'll guide from the belief that no matter our background or appearance, we're more potent when we fight for what we believe in, not just against our fears," stated Emhoff Tuesday night. "Kamala Harris was precisely the ideal choice for me at a significant phase in my life, and at this critical juncture in our nation's history, she's the optimal president."
However, despite being vice president for four years, Harris remains unfamiliar to a considerable number of Americans. A recent CBS News survey revealed that only 64% of Americans understood her beliefs, contrasting with 86% who acknowledged Trump's standpoints.
This presents a chance for Harris to present a fresh perspective to the country. However, it also emphasizes the necessity for her to establish her identity before someone else does.
This opportunity might never come again.
An unprecedented turn of events
Despite her unwavering loyalty to Biden, her vice presidency hasn't been packed with accomplishments — one reason why there was little pressure on the president to step down at the onset of this cycle.
But now, a candidate who had never gained a single presidential vote (her primary campaign for the 2020 race concluded well before the Iowa caucuses) is challenged to generate victory in a quick election of high stakes.
When politicians secure their party's nomination, they must prepare themselves to endure the even more substantial burdens of the presidency. In Harris' case, it's not a complete leap into the unknown, as she was on the ballot as vice president in 2020 and has been a heartbeat away from the top job since then.
Harris' deftness in assisting her leader to hold on as the nominee and then yielding to his party's desperation for him to step aside has enhanced her reputation. It has given rise to the possibility that a crisis nurtured the next Democratic Party titan.
However, she's not alone. Former Democratic presidents, first ladies, and members of Harris' inner circle and family have rallied behind her this week in an unexpected shift in a party that was in disarray following Biden's poor debate with Trump.
Biden poignantly handed Harris his legacy and the hopes of his party before departing into lame duck status after his address to the convention on Monday night.
But now, only Harris can persuade voters that she can be the 47th president.
A biography capable of resurrecting the Democratic coalition
Harris would be the first Black woman and Indian American President. Throughout the week, the Democratic Party's elders have underscored her heritage, middle-class upbringing, and metamorphosis from flipping burgers at McDonald's to imprisoning dangerous criminals as California's attorney general. They argue that her rise to the vice presidency from humble beginnings encapsulates a life of service that makes her fit to lead the nation.
This diverse biography might be the secret to resurrecting the kind of Democratic coalition based on women, minority, and suburban voters that could propel Harris to the Oval Office.
When Democrats arrived in Chicago, they were blooming with elation after Harris and Walz delighted huge crowds at swing state rallies that left Trump scrabbling for traction — and unexpectedly burdened, at 78, with the unwelcome reality of being the elderly contender in the race.
However, as the days passed, the reality of this year's still-close election began to emerge. It was fueled by warnings from Democrats who know best what it takes to seize power — former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama — that this election is far from over and that the euphoria of recent weeks is merely the beginning.
The ongoing political discourse surrounding Harris' potential presidency indicates a significant shift in American politics. Her focus on addressing economic disparities and championing reproductive rights could redefine the concept of "freedom" in the conservative narrative.
Moreover, as she prepares for her most significant challenge yet at the Democratic National Convention, Harris must not only establish her credibility as a leader but also counter prevailing perceptions of her as an extremist liberal. Her speech will serve as a pivotal moment in assuaging doubts and convincing Americans of her suitability to lead during volatile times.
