Harris accepts DNC nomination, makes policy promises

CHICAGO — Most delegates at the United Center in Chicago wore white on the final day of the DNC as an homage to the suffrage movement of the 1920s. They packed the arena beyond capacity less than an hour into the final session, causing the fire marshal and Secret Service to block the press and even delegates from accessing the floor. Only a candidate for four weeks, she contrasted herself with Trump without specifically mentioning the former president early on in her speech. “The path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected,” Harris said.“But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys.”

She opened by sharing details about her childhood in California with a single mother and sister in a blue collar neighborhood, where her mother’s friends helped raise her. Throughout the speech, Harris detailed ways she was taught to get active. Half quoting her mother, who passed away in 2009, Harris said, “Don’t complain, do something about it.”

Harris said her bent toward justice started in high school when she brought home a friend whose father was molesting her. She said that started her on a path that led to law school and her early days working as a prosecutor.

What about policy? Harris made a series of new campaign promises from the stage. The Trump team has criticized her lack of a policy page on her website. Trump’s campaign has said she focuses more on themes and attacks against Trump than on policy during her rally speeches.

• Economy: Harris said her administration would create what she called an opportunity economy focused on the middle class. She prioritized small business owners and promised to lower healthcare and grocery costs. Harris also said she could end a housing shortage. “Building that middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency,” she said.

• Abortion: Harris said that pro-life legislators and activists were out of their minds to advocate for protections for unborn children. She toured several colleges on a so-called reproductive freedom tour earlier this year, and she said she heard stories about miscarriages and infertility supposedly resulting from pro-life policy. She condemned the idea of nationwide protection for unborn children, and claimed a Trump administration could try to enact an abortion ban without Congress. She supported legislation to allow abortion nationwide. “When Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law,” she said.

• Immigration policy: Harris acknowledged a broken border system while accusing Trump of shutting down a bipartisan immigration bill negotiated earlier this year. One of Harris’ early responsibilities as vice president was to address border security and the root causes of immigration. On the convention stage, she said her administration would both create pathways to citizenship and secure the southern border. She promised to revive the immigration bill and sign it. “I refuse to play politics with our security,” she said.

• Foreign policy: The crowd frequently interrupted Harris with “USA” chants while she said she would respect service members and family and “ensure America has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world.” She also promised to continue providing aid and military support to Ukraine. Addressing divisions within the Democratic Party, Harris supported Israel’s right to defend itself. She called Hamas a terrorist organization that must be defeated. She also said she is working with Biden to negotiate a cease-fire deal and hostage release. This elicited a few “free Palestine” chants from opposing attendees, but most of the arena broke out in applause.

Dig deeper: Read my report in the Stew about pro-Palestinian dissent at the DNC.