Kamala Harris made history – Infobae

Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential candidate and US vice president (REUTERS/Kevin Wurm)

It is not easy for this columnist to write these lines about the closing of the Democratic Convention. The problem is not that he lacks words or concepts, but rather that, on the contrary, he has too many. As well as feelings and their intensity.

One could focus on the content of Kamala Harris’s speech, which skillfully linked biography and public policy proposals. Or on the firm and fiery manner in which she spoke. Or on the speeches that preceded her, some of them certainly memorable. Or on the brilliant way in which the organization of the event combined politics with entertainment. Or on the behavior of the audience present, who knew they were witnessing a unique night and lived it accordingly.

But for this columnist, the key to what happened at the United Center Arena on August 22, 2024 can be summed up in four words: Kamala Harris made history.

Kamala Harris made history by accepting the nomination for President of the United States as the first African-American woman to do so. It was an act of such political, cultural and social magnitude that it cannot fail to have significant effects beyond the outcome of this electoral contest.

Kamala Harris made history by accepting the nomination for president of the United States as the first African-American woman to do so (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

And Kamala Harris made history because she called on those present and the audience that followed the event through the media and social networks to become historical subjects and participate in a project that would transform American society. In other words, Kamala Harris did not ask the electorate for their vote but invited them to join her, appealing to the citizenry in the same way her mother did: if you are dissatisfied, do something to change the state of things.

That rhetoric of epic feat was combined with an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation at the United Center Arena hours before his speech. The stadium was packed, to the point that it took this reporter almost half an hour to get a seat in the sections assigned to the press (while in the three previous days he never had to wait).

The audience sang, danced, took selfies and posted on social media. They felt privileged to be there and enjoyed it. Even this reporter could not at times avoid participating in the intense collective feeling and pause to gather information and take notes.

The mix of entertainment and politics was key to boosting and managing this climate of jubilation and anticipation. The Dixie Chicks’ performance of the anthem, Pink singing “What About Us,” the selfie game about how to pronounce Kamala led by Kerry Washington, and Eva Longoria’s harangue were the highlights of that very American art of turning politics into a spectacle.

Pink’s appearance singing “What About Us,” Kerry Washington’s selfie game about how to pronounce Kamala, and Eva Longoria’s harangue were the highlights of that very American art of making a spectacle of politics (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

The speeches that preceded Kamala Harris’s addressed different topics that were later present in her speech, such as security, freedom, defense and the environment, among others. And some of the speakers were particularly effective, such as Gabrielle Giffords, Gretchen Whitmer, Adam Kinzinger, Leon Panetta and Roy Cooper.

It was Cooper who introduced Harris. The vice president’s appearance on stage was electrifying: the audience stood up and chanted her name until she gestured for silence so she could begin speaking.

When he finally managed to do so, he began with a biographical account, presented with warmth but without sentimentality, which was effective in telling society why he chose a certain professional and political path, and how this would frame his performance in the White House if he were to win the election.

Halfway through the speech, Harris shifted the focus away from her biography to share some of her policy proposals. This is particularly notable since there hasn’t been much of this kind of content in the campaign up to this point. Among the various ideas Harris put forward, the notion of an “opportunity economy” is especially promising.

Kamala Harris closed her speech by emphasizing the “privilege and pride of being an American,” and then thousands of red, white and blue balloons fell from the ceiling of the United Center Arena.

Kamala Harris closed her speech by emphasizing the “privilege and pride of being an American,” and then thousands of red, white and blue balloons fell from the ceiling of the United Center Arena (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

With this patriotic tone, the Democratic Party closed its Convention and faces the final stretch of the electoral contest with its bases full of enthusiasm. But beyond whether this enthusiasm will translate into a positive result on November 5, this columnist has no doubt that last night, Kamala Harris made history.