Kamala Harris Accepts Presidential Nomination with Americana Flair and Focus on Inclusivity

Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic nomination for president, highlighting Americana themes and inclusivity. The convention saw endorsements from some Republicans and a focus on women speakers. Biden gave a farewell speech but quickly became an afterthought. The Democrats emphasized mobilizing support and the importance of congressional backing for policy changes.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted her party's nomination for president, seeking to define herself for America as she and Republican candidate Donald Trump lock horns in the final 11 weeks of a razor-close campaign. Here are some takeaways from the fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Thursday.

Throughout the week, Democrats leaned into symbols of Americana, reclaiming the camouflage, cowboy hats, country music, and flags that are usually associated with U.S. conservatism.

They sought to portray a party that embraces all Americans, no matter their political ideology. Even some Republicans who oppose Trump took to the stage to endorse Harris. The convention featured fashion that would have looked appropriate in Republican-leaning states like Texas or Missouri.

Women speakers, notably women of color, dominated the convention stage this week and featured prominently in the viral online posts on social media feeds.

Michelle Obama's speech easily eclipsed Barack Obama's on Reuters TikTok with more than half a million views within 24 hours, while Barack Obama's stood at under 200,000.

Kelly Dittmar, director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, said the lineup of speakers was likely in response to demands on the Democratic Party to be inclusive of voices they need to come out and vote for them.

Democrats have seen a surge in enthusiasm and donations since Harris became their presidential candidate a month ago, but leaders said the party still needs to mobilize its base of supporters, especially voters of color.

President Joe Biden, who abandoned his reelection bid last month, was hailed by delegates on Monday in a tearful farewell speech, then quickly became little more than an afterthought in the remaining three days of the program.

Many high-profile speakers such as Hillary Clinton briefly thanked him but others like Michelle Obama skipped him altogether. Even those who spoke about his lifetime of service and record quickly pivoted to Harris.

Many of the broad policy changes that Harris is proposing aren't things a U.S. president can do alone, including a middle-class tax cut, restoring federal abortion rights, changes to immigration policy, and reinforcing voting rights. They all need to be passed through the U.S. Congress. For Harris and Democrats to make these changes, they'll likely need to control both the House and the Senate.

(With inputs from agencies.)