Kamala Harris steps into the spotlight, reintroducing herself on her own terms
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US Vice-President Kamala Harris visiting her presidential campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, on July 22.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – US Vice-President Kamala Harris on July 22 made her first public appearance since US President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid,
Speaking at an event honouring college athletes at the White House, Ms Harris talked about her friendship with Mr Biden’s son Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015, and commended the President’s “deep love of our country”.
But she wasted no time in starting to build her new profile as the presumptive nominee and the new hope among Democrats for defeating former president Donald Trump.
Ms Harris raised US$81 million (S$109 million) in her first 24 hours as a presidential candidate and began an effort to engage delegates and scooped up key endorsements.
In the 3½ months until election day, Ms Harris still needs to define herself for the American people before Republicans do it for her. She also needs to quickly take over the campaign apparatus that Mr Biden had spent more than a year building.
After the event at the White House, Ms Harris travelled to Wilmington, Delaware, to say hello to staff at what had been the Biden-Harris campaign headquarters.
“One day down,” Ms Harris said in a social media post on July 22. “105 to go. Together, we’re going to win this.”
Ms Harris spent more than 10 hours on the phone on July 21 at her residence to build support for her campaign, according to a person familiar with her schedule. She called more than 100 party leaders, members of Congress, governors and activists including labour leaders and civil rights advocates, the person said.
In an indication of how her campaign planned to frame Ms Harris’ positions, her staff began laying out her experience as a prosecutor and advocacy for abortion rights to party members and delegates, according to a document reviewed by The New York Times.
The talking points are meant to reassure delegates of Ms Harris’ ability to harness enthusiasm with the “next generation” of party voters. At 59, she is notably younger than Mr Biden and Trump.
The document also reminds delegates of her experience as a district attorney in San Francisco and as attorney-general of California. “Her work as a prosecutor makes her the ultimate contrast to Trump, the convicted felon,” it says. NYTIMES
