Today's Edition
Chicago (AFP)
As red, white and blue balloons streamed onto a Chicago stage and people danced in the aisles, Kamala Harris waved to supporters and basked in the crowd's adulation after the speech of her political life.
As she accepted her party's nomination in the US presidential race on Thursday, nearly every sentence Harris uttered was greeted with raucous cheers, her voice reverberating around the packed auditorium.
Thirteen of those words, delivered early in the speech, electrified the house: "I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America."
The Democratic Party has leaned hard on saying the convention was meant to be about bringing the "joy," and attendees seemed to respond to the call.
"I'm so elated, I'm so proud to be part of this moment. I'm 57 years old and as a Caribbean-American, I am proud of her," said attendee Wynnie Testamark as she clutched a US flag moments after hearing Harris accept her party's highest honor.
Expectations were high, with party members rewarded with a rendition by Pink of her hit "What About Us," lighting thousands of phone torches.
In an explosive finale to a high-energy week, Harris at once concluded her unprecedentedly abrupt elevation from supportive deputy to President Joe Biden to aiming to become the country's first woman president.
The full-to-capacity crowd waved vertical "Harris" banners in their thousands in support of their nominee, who wore a dark jacket set off with a matching cravat, and a US flag lapel pin.
It was a fitting crescendo to a week of big tent politics that saw a sitting president, two former commanders-in-chief, pro-Harris Republicans, Michelle Obama and TV star Oprah Winfrey take to the stage.
Her speech, which she continued to tweak in the hours before stepping up to the podium, touched on her resume, her family, her beliefs and her patriotism.
'Historic'
The stands filled hours before the allotted hour for what could be among Harris's defining moments.
It followed a string of political firsts throughout the convention including an uncensored Barack Obama mocking Republican nominee Donald Trump, a full-throated endorsement from Oprah, and the Democratic vice presidential pick Tim Walz's son weeping with emotion.
Ardent supporters wearing "Madam President" T-shirts spontaneously broke out into applause, cheering wildly before anyone had even taken to the stage.
Those unable to get seats in the standing-room-only basketball arena thronged gangways and clamoured around televisions tuned to the historic moment unfolding just steps away.
Volunteers raced around the United Center with carts stuffed with miniature US flags, "USA" posters, and cardboard "Kamala" signposts.
"The path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected, but I'm no stranger to unlikely journeys," Harris said after recounting her personal history.
Later in her speech, she was definitive.
"We are not going back," a battle cry echoed by the crowd as she got into her stride.
The ecstatic atmosphere lasted long after Harris had concluded her speech.
Harris vows to back middle class, says Trump dragging US backward
Harris vowed to be a president who "unites" Americans, as she slammed White House rival Trump for wanting to "pull our country back to the past."
Addressing the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the US vice president insisted she would be a stronger fighter for the middle class than Republican Trump, advocate for reducing gun violence, and help "reform our broken immigration system" to reduce undocumented border crossings.
"I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations, a president who leads and listens -- who is realistic, practical and has common sense and always fights for the American people," Harris told cheering supporters.
"The future is always worth fighting for. And that's the fight we are in right now. A fight for America's future."
Harris, 59, told the crowd she would bring together labour, small business owners and American companies to create jobs, and that she would endeavor "to grow our economy and to lower the cost of everyday needs like health care and housing and groceries."
She also vowed to create an "opportunity economy" for all to compete and succeed, "whether you live in a rural area, small town or big city."
"Building that middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency," she said.
Harris has caught flak from Trump's campaign for failing to clearly lay out a series of policy positions in the month since President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed his deputy.
She took aim at Trump's domestic agenda, saying he does not fight for the middle class or everyday Americans. "Instead, he fights for himself and his billionaire friends, and he will give them another round of tax breaks."
