UNITED States Vice President Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday, August 22 as she heads into the 2024 general election against former President Donald Trump.
With the acceptance, Harris became the first woman of color to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party.
“On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America,” Harris said in her address at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
She outlined her plans to “chart a new way forward” for the country and to be a “president for all Americans.”
“Our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way forward – not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans,” Harris said.
She made a pitch to those outside of her political party to support her campaign against Trump.
“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight. And I want you to know: I promise to be a president for all Americans,” she said.
Harris — the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants — would make history if elected, as the first woman, first Black woman and first Asian American woman to serve as president.
Harris as the Democratic nominee comes a month after President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid and backed her as his successor.
Harris began her pivotal address by sharing her family’s background and her motivations for becoming a prosecutor, before being elected to California attorney general, senator, and vice president since 2020.
“My entire career I’ve only had one client: the people,” she said, while contrasting against her opponent whose interests have been for “the only client he has ever had: himself.”
Trump responded to Harris’ speech during a Fox News interview by asking, “Why didn’t she do the things that she’s complaining about?”
“It was a lot of complaining. She didn’t talk about China. She didn’t talk about fracking. She didn’t talk about crime,” Trump said, adding, “Other than that it was a nice-looking room.”
As a presidential candidate, Harris outlined her stance on national security — in favor of strengthening U.S. alliances, continuing its support of Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, and ending Israel’s war against Hamas and stabilizing the Middle East.
“I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs,” she said.
Dozens of Filipino Americans, who formed “Filipino Americans for Harris-Walz” (FAFHW), from around the country joined the week-long DNC.
“FAFHW remains committed to mobilizing the Filipino American community and ensuring their voices play a decisive role in electing Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States and Tim Walz as vice president,” the group said in a statement.