With her acceptance of the Democratic nomination for president, Kamala Harris simultaneously made American history and invited the nation to help her craft the next chapter of it.
In the most consequential speech of her career, Ms. Harris asked Americans to see her as the embodiment of the country’s traditional values, rather than a rejection of them.
It was a message intended to reassure voters that, as much as her background and identity represent change, Ms. Harris also represents a through line to the nation’s founding ideals.
And they offered an explicit counterargument against an opponent who is promising Americans a return to an idealized and insular past dominated by a white Christian male majority.
While she didn’t mention her race and gender, Ms. Harris offered an implicit understanding that some Americans may be uncomfortable with being led by a Black woman.
Persons:
Kamala Harris, Harris, Hillary Clinton
Organizations:
Democratic