Democrats in for hard-fought election after joyful DNC as RFK Jr set to announce end of campaign
Good morning,
Following an energetic few days at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago where Kamala Harris deliver the biggest speech of her career last night, Democrats are now in for the hard part.
With many Democrats rejoicing as a “joyful” Harris offered the much-needed hope following Joe Biden’s lackluster campaign performances several weeks ago, Democrats are now set to fight tooth and nail in battleground states where Harris is polling by just a knife’s edge over Donald Trump.
Additionally, with the DNC’s failure to meet uncommitted delegates’ request for a Palestinian speaker and thousands of anti-war protesters taking to the Chicago streets over their disapproval of US policies on Israel’s deadly war in Gaza, Harris and Democrats will need to figure out how to win the support of those voters, come November. For many, the answer is simple: adhere to demands for a ceasefire and an arms embargo on Israel.
With Democrats rejoicing from the political stamina seen in Chicago over the last few days, Trump remains on the offence. Over the course of Harris’s speech, Trump fired off multiple posts on Truth Social, accusing her of “complaining about everything but doing nothing” and calling her “weak and ineffective.”
Meanwhile, independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr is scheduled to deliver a public address this afternoon in Arizona amid reports of his widely speculated withdrawal.
Here are other developments in US politics:
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Trump is set to deliver remarks on his no tax on tips proposal in Las Vegas today before heading to a rally in Arizona.
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New details have emerged about communication failures prior to Trump’s assassination attempt last month, including forgotten radios, CNN reports.
Key events
Here is the response from another undecided Pennsylvania voter on CNN on why he decided to vote for Kamala Harris following her speech last night at the DNC:
“I was looking for policy information… I like what she gave on military, what she wants to do for our veterans. And with border control. I just think that she has a lot of good ideas and she is very well spoken. I think she was very professional.”
Undecided Voter: I like what she gave on military, what she wants to do for our veterans. And with border control. I just think that she has a lot of good ideas and she is very well spoken. I think she was very professional. pic.twitter.com/fxhIHqoMmA
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 23, 2024
Addressing the DNC last night, Harris said:
“I will fulfill our sacred obligation to care for our troops and their families, and I will always honor and never disparage their service and their sacrifice.”
On border control, Harris vowed:
“As president, I will bring back the bipartisan border security bill that he killed, and I will sign it into law. I know — I know we can live up to our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants and reform our broken immigration system. We can create an earned pathway to citizenship and secure our border.”
Following Kamala Harris’s speech yesterday evening, a handful of undecided Pennsylvania voters raised their hands on CNN in response to whether they are ready to make a commitment to any candidate in November.
Among eight undecided voters, all but one raised their hands to the question. Six voters indicated that they will vote for Harris, one said Trump and another remained undecided.
In response to what led them to make up their minds on Harris, one person said:
“I really liked her confidence. She really seemed presidential… She spoke from her heart.”
Reporter: None of you were ready to make a commitment to any candidate in November. Please raise your hand if you’re ready to make a commitment after today. pic.twitter.com/yC4SgZOrsq
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 23, 2024
For approximately 45 minutes on Thursday evening, Kamala Harris tried to show the US who she is and why she is worthy of being its next president.
Here are several key takeaways from her speech and the DNC’s final night by the Guardian’s Sam Levine:
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Kamala Harris accepted the nomination: ‘Guided by optimism and faith’: The vice-president’s final speech offered a forceful rebuke of Donald Trump and laid out the stakes of the election.
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Harris said she would ‘always stand for Israel’ and called for ‘Palestinian self-determination’: After days of sustained pro-Palestinian protests calling for an arms embargo on Israel, Harris’s final address offered both a defense of Israel and a call for Palestinian self-determination.
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The convention denied requests for a Palestinian speaker, sparking outrage: The convention ended without a Palestinian American speaker on the main stage, a key demand of the uncommitted movement. The Harris campaign and Democratic party faced increasing pressure throughout the week to include a Palestinian voice, particularly after parents of a Hamas hostage were given a speaking slot and delivered emotional testimony on Wednesday.
For more key takeaways, click here:
Democrats in for hard-fought election after joyful DNC as RFK Jr set to announce end of campaign
Good morning,
Following an energetic few days at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago where Kamala Harris deliver the biggest speech of her career last night, Democrats are now in for the hard part.
With many Democrats rejoicing as a “joyful” Harris offered the much-needed hope following Joe Biden’s lackluster campaign performances several weeks ago, Democrats are now set to fight tooth and nail in battleground states where Harris is polling by just a knife’s edge over Donald Trump.
Additionally, with the DNC’s failure to meet uncommitted delegates’ request for a Palestinian speaker and thousands of anti-war protesters taking to the Chicago streets over their disapproval of US policies on Israel’s deadly war in Gaza, Harris and Democrats will need to figure out how to win the support of those voters, come November. For many, the answer is simple: adhere to demands for a ceasefire and an arms embargo on Israel.
With Democrats rejoicing from the political stamina seen in Chicago over the last few days, Trump remains on the offence. Over the course of Harris’s speech, Trump fired off multiple posts on Truth Social, accusing her of “complaining about everything but doing nothing” and calling her “weak and ineffective.”
Meanwhile, independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr is scheduled to deliver a public address this afternoon in Arizona amid reports of his widely speculated withdrawal.
Here are other developments in US politics:
-
Trump is set to deliver remarks on his no tax on tips proposal in Las Vegas today before heading to a rally in Arizona.
-
New details have emerged about communication failures prior to Trump’s assassination attempt last month, including forgotten radios, CNN reports.