Kamala Harris Gave the Best Acceptance Speech I’ve Ever Seen

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/kamala-harris-dnc-acceptance-speech.html

26 Comments

  1. It may not be 2004 Obama keynote speech, but it sure was good and even threaded the needle when it came to Gaza supporting the cease fire, making sure Israel is protected, and a two state solution.

  2. Me, too.*

    *This was the first time I’ve ever actually watched a nomination acceptance speech. So, it was good enough to keep my attention.

  3. whereisdani_r on

    When she went on to the border, Ukraine, and the Middle East.

    My heart was racing each time. Like I think I stopped breathing knowing the wrong word, the wrong phrasing could end this whole thing.

    And she nailed it. I loved her approach. Why should she shy from the border?

    Absolutely bring up the bipartisan bill!

    Ukraine! Went herself? Cool! Check out

    And Middle East.

    Israel/Palestine Alright, the answer she gave was the honest one, the only answer this country can honestly give and I’m glad it’s out in the air, she did it with such finesse. And chills when she said get hamas off Palestine.

  4. Dramatic_Phlegmatic on

    Kamala Harris is a good public speaker and debater and she has been consistently underestimated.

  5. IDrewTheDuckBlue on

    Kamala Harris Gave the Best Acceptance Speech I’ve Ever Seen

     

    A perfectly targeted message.

    By Jonathan Chait, who’s been a New York political columnist since 2011. 

    Kamala Harris rose to the occasion with a perfect nominating acceptance speech. I’ve never seen a nominee target their political objectives so precisely. The text was ideally suited to the electoral challenge she faces, and her delivery exuded strength and inspiration.

    I have not hesitated to criticize either the substantive merits or the political shrewdness of Harris’s choices. I could find nothing to criticize in this speech.

    Harris entered the convention tied, or perhaps ever-so-slightly ahead. But she faces serious challenges. Many undecided voters know little about her, or worry she is too liberal. Every word of the speech was aimed directly at resolving those concerns.

    Harris told a story of herself in her biography as the striving child of strict immigrant parents growing up in a working-class neighborhood. She explained her inspiration to become a prosecutor as a desire to protect, growing from seeing a friend confide to her that she was being sexually abused at home.

    Then she recounted her history as a prosecutor, where she fought big banks and the “cartels who traffic in drugs and guns and human beings, who threaten the security of our border and the safety of our communities.”

    Harris explicitly promised to represent Republicans as well as Democrats. “I know there are people of various political views watching tonight,” she said, “And I want you to know: I promise to be a President for all Americans.” That may seem like easy rhetoric, but it stands in contrast to Trump’s naked partisanship as president, routinely and openly favoring politicians and areas that supported him.

    More significantly, Harris relentlessly depicted herself as the sane, moderate candidate in the race. She labeled herself a candidate “who is realistic, practical, and has common sense.”

    Her issue focus reflected that idea. Harris emphasized popular elements of her program: protecting abortion rights and promising to sign into law the border bill negotiated with “conservative Republicans.”

    Harris labeled her economic goal “an opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed.” The notion of opportunity, with its implication that people should control their own economic destiny, has long been a conservative one. Harris stole it.

    In addition to the obvious call to defend Medicare and Social Security, Harris promised, “I will bring together labor and workers, small-business owners and entrepreneurs, and American companies.” That, again, is a pointed identifier of herself with moderation.

    Her attacks on Trump were well targeted. She cited his plans to raises taxes on all Americans through a tariff and to eliminate the Department of Education — two of Trump’s most politically toxic notions.

    Harris’s case on foreign affairs was designed to authenticate her as a commander-in-chief for voters who might not automatically envision a woman in that role. (Several segments preceding the speech, featuring veterans and national security specialists like Leon Panetta, advanced the same goal.)

    Harris’s delivery enhanced the message. She was forceful and confident. She sounded like a nominee who believes she is going to win and who is designing a campaign focused relentlessly on that goal. The floundering incipient candidate of 2019, trying desperately to please progressive activists with social-justice lingo, could not be a more distant memory now. Harris is in this to win this. And I believe she will.

  6. BernieBrother4Biden on

    It was no “I’m John Kerry… reporting for duty”

    (that’s a good thing!)

  7. The_Jolly_Dog on

    She did an awesome job of introducing herself, not just giving a laundry list of policy/ agenda items. Could actually feel how genuine the connection was from her upbringing, to law and now VP.

    From a strategy standpoint I think the approach to the whole speech was spot on, and she delivered it incredibly well. Loved the energy and the fire, a VERY sharp contrast to sleepy Trump

  8. The article points out she left the social-justice-warrior Bay Area language behind and went straight for Commander-in-Chief. (I say as someone who lives in the East Bay. )

    My favorite part: “Donald Trump is not a serious person.”

    Going full Logan Roy.

  9. AcuteDiarrhea on

    She was persuasive, powerful, and most important—presidential. It is difficult not to contrast her presence to Trump’s inane ramblings.

  10. Probably the coolest part about that speech was how I was able to understand exactly what she was saying the entire time.

    That’s the contrast. The discussion should end there.

  11. European here, very jealous you have such a powerful politician there and so glad to see she’s crushing the orange idiot

  12. Comfortable_One_5417 on

    As a leftest, I’m here for common sense and bipartisanship. It’s time to stop pretending crime is limited to skin color, party or class. I’m excited to see what we can do together as a county with actual adults in the rooms again.

  13. “Simply put… they are OUT of their minds” – after clearly outlining the P2025 playbook on reproduction freedom and the gravity of it, the delivery of this line was perfect. It’s burned into my brain and I can’t stop hearing it

  14. She killed it.

    It’s so frustrating to see some of these Reddit comments. The democrats need to present their best at all times, full stop, but we truly are our own worst enemy. The constant demand for perfection is just so goddamn infuriating. Handwringing about her upcoming debate performance, complaining about her 2020 debates, fixating on her verbiage on climate change and the Middle East – she killed it and yet it wasn’t enough for some people. Like my god she’s running against fucking evil incarnate. She just gave an absolutely fantastic acceptance speech and people are just nitpicking the hell out of it. Everyone’s allowed their opinions but damn let up for a second and see the forest for the trees.

  15. It *was* pretty good. Not that I’d really expect Trump or Vance to give a speech I would like.