The happy warrior leaves Chicago with eyes on the White House // Immigration policy with Mexico will only be addressed after November // Washington’s support for Israel’s invasion of Gaza, a controversial topic
▲ Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris with her husband, Douglas Emhoff, at the end of the Democratic National Convention.Afp Photo
David Brooks and Jim Cason
Correspondents
The newspaper La Jornada
Friday, August 23, 2024, p. 21
Chicago. Kamala Harris emerged triumphant from Chicago in her goal of consolidating the almost total support of the Democratic Party for her presidential campaign and with enthusiastic bases, which include not only militants but also several of the most recognized political and cultural figures in her country.
The current vice president was baptized as the happy warriorwho offers a younger voice and vision as much as possible if elected, in contrast to the dark and sinister message of her opponent Donald Trump.
Beyond her message, her candidacy is by definition historic: she is the first black woman to run for the White House and, after this convention and the positive turn in electoral trends for now, she will possibly be the first female president.
On the fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention, speakers, videos and stories were devoted to the story of a daughter of immigrants – a Jamaican father and an Indian mother – who was raised in California and Canada, worked at a McDonald’s to pay for her law school studies, became a prosecutor in San Francisco and then attorney general of California, became a stepmother to the children of her husband, Doug Emhoff, then was elected federal senator to become the first woman and person of African descent to be vice president.
In this election, our nation has a precious and fleeting opportunity to overcome the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past.Harris explained. Not as members of a party or faction, but as Americans..
Speaking at the United Center arena, where the famous Chicago Bulls basketball team plays, Harris said: I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads and listens, who is realistic, who is practical, who has common sense, and who will always fight for the American people. From the courts to the White House, that has been my life’s work..
To choruses of “Ka-ma-la, Ka-ma-la!” she returned to her script, which she had released only a month ago when she was proclaimed candidate, but which was already well-rehearsed, reminding everyone of her experience as a firm but compassionate prosecutor, who knows how to confront criminals, men who abuse women, businessmen who steal – obvious references to her opponent Donald Trump. And repeating the phrases that have become slogans of the campaign: When we fight, we winAs has been the case throughout this convention, policy proposals were light on detail, ranging from abortion rights, housing assistance and support for union rights to tax cuts for the middle class. That strategy is on purpose, analysts and advisers here say.
There is a political calculation in remaining deliberately ambiguous on several of the central issues.commented an analyst and advisor to the candidate in an interview with The Day.
The good neighbor policy awaits a better time
Asked what Harris will do in the short term on issues of migration and relations with Mexico, the advisor explained that she will probably wait until after the election to decide how to proceed on these issues. With Mexico, migration and trade will be key issues on which he will have to make decisions shortly after arriving at the White House..
But it remains to be seen whether Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, can maintain this ambiguity throughout the race. Their opponent Trump traveled to the Mexican border yesterday to highlight what he accuses of failures to check that line from President Joe Biden and who calls the Border Tsar Harris.
Regarding these attacks, Harris recalled: I confronted the cartels that traffic weapons and drugs and human beingsHe added that he would revive the bipartisan agreement on border security, that he would send more Border Patrol agents and that he would allow the president to suspend asylum applications. But at the same time he offered, in response to demands from immigrant rights advocates, that he would push for some form of immigration reform. We can create a merit-based path to citizenship and secure our border at the same time.
In the foreign policy arena, he did not abandon America’s seemingly sacred mission. As Commander in Chief, I will ensure that the United States always has the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world.he declared. We will strengthen, not abdicate, our global leadershipThe militants responded as always: USA, USA.
By far the most controversial issue inside and outside the convention this week is unconditional U.S. support for Israel in its war in Gaza. Advocates of a ceasefire and an end to U.S. arms shipments to Israel warn that they will not be able to mobilize voters in support of the Democratic nominee without some sign that she will seek to end the U.S. blank check for Israel.
If, come November 6th, we end up losing this election, we will have no one to blame but ourselves for the way we decided to include or exclude certain voices.warned federal deputy Ilhan Omar, in an interview with the digital news outlet Zeteo. She condemned President Biden in particular for continuing to send weapons to Israel while claiming to favor a ceasefire. It is ridiculous to say that we are working every day to achieve a ceasefire, and at the same time send the weapons that are creating hostilities..
On Thursday, pressure on Harris’s campaign to take a different position on Gaza intensified, with several Palestinian-Americans staging a physical protest outside the arena and the national UAW auto union joining in a call to allow a Palestinian-American voice to speak at the convention — a request the party denied.
Filmmaker Michael Moore joined the lawsuit yesterday, stating that If we want the war in Gaza to end, we cannot bury our heads or ignore the voices of Palestinian-Americans in the Democratic Party. If we want peace, if we want real democracy, and if we want to win this election, the Democratic Party must allow a Palestinian-American speaker to be heard from the podium of the Democratic National Convention tonight..
No Palestinian-American voices were invited to the podium, but Harris did devote part of her speech to the Middle East. I will always be committed to Israel’s right to defend itself.she said. She added that she and the president work tirelessly Because it is time to reach an agreement for the return of the hostages and a ceasefire. He added that “what has happened in Gaza in these past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, the scale of the suffering is heartbreaking… The Palestinian people must achieve their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”
The evening ended with a historic feeling, as well as an urgent hope: that a woman is on her way to becoming the first female president and that in this election the people will be able to stop the advance of the neo-fascist project. That perhaps merits a little joy.