Part of the appeal of a Harris ticket is that we begin to see more of who we are in Kamala Harris. If you are a woman, or a person of color, or a young voter, there is a rising hope that things could change if we elect Kamala Harris as our next president. There are still concerns about who she will select for her running mate and how that choice will impact her campaign. There are questions about her stance on the Israel-Palestine war, and whether she will respond differently than Biden has. But she is strong, and promises to invigorate a restoration of pro-choice legislation at the federal level, re-balance the Supreme Court, and resolve that a President is not, and has never been, above the law. She is aptly suited to hold Trump accountable.
Kamala Harris may actually inspire a blue wave this November. There are a new generation of Democratic candidates rising up in local, county, state and federal campaigns to challenge Republican officials, in many cases for the first time, or in elections that were traditionally considered safe districts for Republicans. Young Americans are registering to vote, and seeking opportunities to volunteer. There is a sense of hope that is growing in our young people, in our communities, and in our circles. Skeptics are raising their voices too, but they cannot stop the joy, or the spontaneous organizing and action that we have seen this week. There is a movement happening in front of us, and is a relief to see its momentum and positive direction.
President Biden’s decision to step aside was difficult, and it was clear that he spoke with emotion on Wednesday when he announced his decision to complete his four years, but hand the torch to Kamala for the next four years and another four, in order that democracy would continue to thrive. He said,
“I draw strength and I find joy in working for the American people, but this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It’s about you, your families, your futures. It’s about we the people, and we can never forget that. And I never have.“
On Friday morning, Barack and Michele Obama announced their endorsement of Kamala Harris, and this culminated a long series of A-listers who since Sunday have weighed in to give their support to Harris. Beyoncé has provided rights to her song “Freedom” for the campaign. Swifties are making friendship bracelets adorned with messages to get out the vote. Support groups are breaking Zoom and YouTube with attendance records, and the money is rolling in. This is becoming an election like no other before it.
It may be best to end this piece with another quote from Biden’s speech:
“America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division. We have to decide, do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy? In this moment, we can see those we disagree with not as enemies, but as fellow Americans. Can we do that? Does character in public life still matter?“
“I believe you know the answer to these questions because I know you, the American people, and I know this, we are a great nation because we are a good people.“
I encourage you to think about his words, and be settled that, yes, we are a great nation because we are a good people.
Have hope, share hope, and know that we must work together all the way through to November.
End note: Harris is currently collecting delegate pledges to seal her nomination before the upcoming Democratic National Convention. A virtual roll call will take place in early August to vote from eligible nominees. The running mate of the successful candidate will also be announced and confirmed in the roll vote. On Monday, July 29 the Utah Democratic Party will host a virtual town hall from 6-7PM to provide updates and answer questions. You can register to attend at https://mobilize.us/s/mK85Hf.
I look forward to hearing from you.