Former California Senator Kamala Harris on Wednesday said United States President Donald Trump “turns our tragedies into political weapons” as she formally accepted her historic nomination as the Democratic party’s vice presidential candidate. Joe Biden and Harris will challenge Republicans Trump and Mike Pence in the November 3 elections.
“Donald Trump’s failure of leadership has cost lives and livelihoods,” Harris said in her acceptance speech, adding that America was at an inflection point. “The constant chaos leaves us adrift. The incompetence makes us feel afraid. The callousness makes us feel alone. It’s a lot. And here’s the thing: We can do better and deserve so much more. We must elect a president who will bring something different, something better, and do the important work.”
Read Kamala Harris’ full speech here
Harris, the first African American as well as Asian American woman to run for vice president on a major party ticket, went on to attack Trump for the protests that followed the killing of George Floyd. “There is no vaccine for racism,” she said. “We’ve gotta do the work.” Harris then listed the names of unarmed Black people who have been killed by the police.
Former US President Barack Obama, who was supposed to speak after Harris, asked to swap spots with her to symbolically “pass the torch” to her, reported The Guardian. He warned that the future of American democracy was on the line in the race between Trump and Biden.
Read more here: US presidency is ‘one more reality show’ for Trump, says Barack Obama, warns democracy is on line
Wednesday was the third night of the Democratic convention. It will continue on Thursday when Biden will deliver his acceptance speech.
The Trump campaign has called the Biden-Harris pair socialist and radical leftist. “The radical leftists have taken over the Democrat party and now they want to take over this country, pledging to remake America in the image of socialism,” said Hogan Gidley, the Trump 2020 national press secretary.
Harris’ acceptance speech also found several fans among Indian Americans.
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