Welcome to a special edition of From the Policy Desk, bringing you highlights from the fourth and final day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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Harris turns his life story into a vision for America as he accepts the Democratic nomination
By Natasha Korecki and Jonathan Allen
CHICAGO — Amid a cacophony of cheering Democrats and a blanket of red, white and blue balloons, Vice President Kamala Harris made history.
The first woman to be elected US vice president has become the first black and South Asian woman to be formally recognized as a major party presidential candidate, dashing Democrats’ hopes of defeating former President Donald Trump and holding the White House for another four years.
“We are moving forward with a new path forward, 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 something “personal” for him because “the middle class is where I come from.”
“So we’re going to create what I call an economy of opportunity, an economy of opportunity where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed, whether you live in a rural area, a small town or a big city,” he said.
Harris began his speech by recounting his biography, from the story of his family to the beginnings of his career. Speaking about her immigrant parents, Harris said she was “no stranger to unexpected journeys,” describing her upbringing in the San Francisco Bay Area and her start as a prosecutor.
“Every day I stood proudly in front of the judge in the courtroom and said five words: ‘Kamala Harris for the people.’ Throughout my career, I have had only one client: people.
Harris then followed this story up with a traditional cheer line by accepting his party’s nomination.
“And so on. on behalf of the people; on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, sex, or the language your grandmother spoke; on behalf of my mother and everyone who embarks on their own unexpected journey; on behalf of the people I grew up with, Americans who work hard, follow their dreams, and look out for each other; On behalf of everyone whose story can only be written in the world’s greatest nation, I accept your candidacy for President of the United States of America,” he said.
In his speeches, Harris said he would restore reproductive freedoms, offer tax cuts to the middle class, end America’s housing shortage and protect Social Security and Medicare.
“They’ve lost their minds,” she said of Republicans and what she called their attack on women’s reproductive rights. “We trust women”
He repeatedly bashed Trump, calling him a threat to working Americans and saying he would only cut taxes for the rich. He also envisioned a roadmap for a Trump term other than the Heritage Foundation’s conservative plan, Project 2025. Trump rejected the document after the uproar surrounding it.
Read more from Natasha and Jon →
Highlights from the Democratic convention
By Sahil Kapoor
CHICAGO — With the 2024 Democratic National Convention officially in the books, here are a few key takeaways from the past week.
Vibes and ‘joy’ over politics: Replacing 81-year-old President Joe Biden with 59-year-old Harris as their standard-bearer has sparked a flood of excitement among Democrats. That energy carried through the packed arena as announcers introduced Harris as a “joyful” fighter. It was also evident on the vibrant party circuit here this week that Democratic officials and staffers are excited about their rising political fortunes.
In addition to Harris’ disclosure this week, he is a raising the corporate tax rate to 28%he did not issue new policy proposals. Still, Democrats highlighted the biggest issues throughout the convention, such as abortion rights, gun safety and lowering the cost of living.
A broad coalition against Trump: Strong opposition to Trump has been a unifying theme throughout the week. Speakers spanned the Democratic spectrum ideologically, from progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York to centrists like Tom Suozzi of Long Island, New York, who put aside their differences this week.
He represented conservatives such as Trump White House communications director Stephanie Grisham, Republican Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Ariz., and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill. Kinzinger joked that the public will probably never see it, and he called Trump a “weak man pretending to be strong” by calling him “an awkward alliance where we have to defend the truth and defend democracy and decency.”
1968 redux? Incomplete: As in 1968, it was an unusual Democratic convention in Chicago, when a sitting president shook the political world by deciding not to seek re-election and handing the baton to his vice president. But unlike in 1968, it was not accompanied by violence.
As expected, pro-Gaza protesters have been out in the city all week, starting with street demonstrations on Sunday. Some were was arrested in a confrontation with the police. But inside the arena, there were no serious disturbances or protests by protesters as Democratic organizers maintained control of the program.
More coverage from Night 4 of the Democratic Convention
- Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who survived the shooting, pays tribute to Biden and praises HarrisBy Alexandra Marquez
- Exonerated members of the Central Park Five speak out against TrumpBy Megan Lebowitz
- NBA legend Steph Curry makes a surprise appearance via videoBy Alicia Victoria Lozano
- Harris and the Democrats are using a new method to take down Trump: Making fun of himBy Peter Nicholas
- The groups behind one of the most violent protests of the DNCBy Adam Edelman, Simone Weichselbaum, Chloe Atkins and Tom Winter
- Creators are succeeding at the Democratic convention along with traditional media and Hollywood starsBy Elleiana Green, Kalhan Rosenblatt, and Alex Seitz-Wald
- Follow all the action of the night with our live blog →
That’s all for the Policy Desk for now. If you have feedback – like it or not – send us an email politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com
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