Harris accepts White House nomination with a call for unity to the country against Trump

Harris, during much of her speech, powerfully traced her own biography, as the daughter of an Indian mother, a scientist, and a Jamaican father, an econmic, middle class. Which makes her, she said, ready to take on challenges: 'My mother had travelled across the world from India to pursue a dream, to cure cancer; she had to go back for a prearranged marriage and instead she met my father at a civil rights rally deciding her future,' she said, citing her as an example of life and values. She recounted a childhood spent in a working-class neighbourhood in the San Francisco area and her mother's lessons that shaped her confidence and determination: "Don't complain about injustice, but do something". Again, "Never let others tell you who you are. It is you who show them who you are". She vindicated her empathy by saying that she studied law and became a prosecutor spurred on by events that touched her personally, such as a friend being sexually abused, and directed her to want to "fight to bring justice to people".

He added: "Now on behalf not only of the party but 'of the people, of Americans of all kinds, of people who work hard and pursue their dreams, of all those whose history can only be written here in America, I accept your nomination.

Among the speakers before her, the dominant theme was in turn to present and launch Harris's sprint to the polls and warn against the Trump risk. Progressive leader and Senator Elizabeth Warren said that 'Harris cannot be bought or stopped by bullies'. The governor of Michigan, a disputed and crucial state, Gretchen Whitmer, considered a potential future White House aspirant, called Harris a 'tough chick' ready to handle the next crisis. Civil rights leader Al Sharpton led the delegates in the slogan: 'We will not go back'. Also on the podium was one of the Central Park Five, five African-American youths accused in 1989 of assaulting and severely injuring a white woman in New York and only exonerated years later: Trump had been among the big accusers, buying a page of ads calling for the death penalty. Today Yusef Salaam is a city councillor and has cited the case as evidence of racism instigated by Trump.

And then, demonstrating efforts to unite across ideologies, there are former Republicans, such as one-time Congressman Adam Kinzinger, among the very few national figures in his party to truly break with Trump and take part in investigations into the former President's assault on Congress by his supporters. "I'm happy to be here and stand up for decency," she said, celebrating the patriotism of the Democrats while the Republican Party, she said, is no longer conservative but a slave to one man, Trump, who is "a criminal playing the victim" and is "too weak and boastful to accept defeat." Again, actress, producer and activist Eva Longoria. Harris was invited on stage by the governor of another swing state, Roy Cooper of North Carolina. "Are we going to win?" he asked the crowd of delegates. "Yes," was the chorus response.

The last evening of the four-day convention, as a whole, thus promoted the image of Harris as a combative, prepared and ready to fight for less affluent Americans. A leader capable of presenting the Democratic Party and her candidacy for the White House, historic as the first woman and the first woman of colour, as the most authentic representation today of the country and its values of freedom, democracy and openness. And in doing so, she flatly rejects the label of radical that the Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance have attached to her. Indeed, she is able to turn it against them, cornering them with accusations of extremism aimed at dividing the United States and heralding a bleak future. His aides have made it known that in contrasting with Trump it is essential, now as in the coming weeks, to revive the hopeful motor of mobilisation that brought Barack Obama to the White House as much as the doctrine of competence and normality inherited from Joe Biden.

In seeking the balance of this message, the 59-year-old Harris undoubtedly draws on the salient aspects of her personal and professional adventure, which are central to her acceptance speech and which she will continue to cover in detail throughout the campaign. More so than in any programmatic agenda, it is this history that shapes 'the evolution of the party', in the words of progressive senator Elizabeth Warren. A 'uniquely American' story of opportunity for all. The other soul of his message comes from his career as a magistrate, district attorney in San Francisco and attorney general of California, where he exhibited a credo that can attract support beyond the party base. As determined as he is inspired by pragmatism, a commitment to gradual and concrete changes and less prone to rhetorical flights. She brings to the fore her toughest cases, against transnational criminal organisations, human trafficking, sexual abuse as well as property, consumer and nqunishment scams. Elected senator, she then distinguished herself for the precision and clarity of her questions during hearings treated like court hearings. Four years as Biden's vice-president, if they often left her in the shade, also allowed her to gain more confidence and concrete experience on the national and international stage than her failed campaign for the Democratic primary in 2020.

The unknowns remain many with just over 70 days to go before the vote. In a sign of the campaign's determined effort to widen its grip and marginalise fierce rivals, Harris's speech was preceded by days at the convention that saw a succession of other 'refugees' from the Trump-controlled party besides Kinzinger. From former members of his administration, who described the shock of his support for the 6 January 2021 assault on Congress, to former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, who still calls himself a Republican but said voting for Harris today was a patriotic act.

Harris is hoping for polls that mstran how he has shaken up the dynamics of the battle for the White House, trailing Donald Trump by an average of two points in the seven most uncertain and decisive states on the November ballot, a reversal from the five-point lead that Joe Biden had. Overall, Harris does better first among women of all backgrounds, with an eleven-point gain over Biden and a 16-point gain among those under 45. He also made strong gains among young people and black voters. Segmenting his approval ratings more, the New York Times-Siena College reveals, he has picked up 15 points among TikTok users, 17 points among non-whites under 45 and 12 points across the 30-44 age group, 20 points among those earning less than $25,000 a year and 13 among those who describe themselves as moderate. Where he still struggles, however, is among older voters and in particular the white male electorate, Trump's stronghold. A further interrgative may be the exit of anti-vax independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr, who intends to support Trump, although his support appears very limited.