Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., became the first Black and South Asian-American woman to accept the Democratic nomination for vice president Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention.
Harris accepted the nomination from Wilmington, Delaware. Harris was officially picked by Joe Biden last week to be his running mate. Biden will accept the Democratic nomination for president on Thursday.
Harris used her primetime address to introduce herself to millions of voters. The 55-year-old California senator has quickly ascended the hierarchy of the Democratic Party, and has the chance to become the second-most powerful person in the country come January.
“[I am] committed to the values she [my mother] taught me, to the word that teaches me to walk by faith, and not by sight, and to a vision passed on through generations of Americans—one that Joe Biden shares,” Harris said. “A vision of our nation as a beloved community–where all are welcome, no matter what we look like, where we come from, or who we love.”
Harris reminisced about her personal connection to the Biden family, through Joe Biden’s son Beau, who died in 2015.
Following her official nomination, Biden joined Harris on the stage in Delaware, keeping his distance as a reminder of the ongoing pandemic.
Warren’s subtle Black Lives Matter message
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who opposed both Harris and Biden for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president, offered her full support of the ticket.
But what garnered the most attention was not what she said, but what was seen. Speaking from a classroom, Warren had three colorful letters behind her spelling out “BLM,” short for Black Lives Matter.
“We can build a thriving economy by investing in families and fixing what’s broken. Joe’s plan to 'build back better' includes making the wealthy pay their fair share, holding corporations accountable, repairing racial inequities, and fighting corruption in Washington,” Warren said.
Clinton pokes at popular vote
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who ran as the Democratic nominee for president in 2016, reminded voters on Wednesday that winning the popular vote is not enough to become president. She found that out firsthand after defeating Trump by nearly 3 million votes in the overall popular vote.
Trump ended up winning the Electoral College vote thanks to narrow victories in the states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
“Joe and Kamala can win 3 million more votes and still lose,” Clinton said. “Take. It. From. Me. We need numbers so overwhelming Trump can’t sneak or steal his way to victory.”
Clinton encouraged voters not to be complacent about the upcoming election.
“For four years, people have said to me, ‘I didn’t realize how dangerous he was.’ ‘I wish I could go back and do it over.’ ‘I should have voted.’ This can’t be another woulda-coulda-shoulda election,” Clinton said.