CHICAGO — Vice President Harris will formally accept the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night, marking a historic moment after President Biden won the 2024 Democratic primary but then suspended his campaign due to pressure from within his party.
Harris is scheduled to deliver a primetime speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Thursday night.
By the end of the night, Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, will be the Democratic presidential nominee, moving on to the general election against Republican nominee former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance.
Harris gave a surprise speech in Chicago on Monday night to open the Democratic National Convention, praising Biden and saying “we are forever grateful to him.”
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Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Harris and running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz attended a campaign rally in Milwaukee on August 20, 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
“Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, your lifetime of service to our country and all that you continue to do,” Harris said Monday. “We are forever grateful to you. Thank you, Joe.”
Harris said Democrats are “united by a shared vision for the future of our country.”
“And this November, we declare that we will come together, and move forward with one voice as one people,” she said Monday. “With faith guided by optimism, hope and love of country, knowing that we have far more in common than divides us, let us fight for the ideals we hold dear. And let us always remember that if we fight, we win.”
President Biden will speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19, 2024. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
Just a month ago, Biden had won every primary and was seen as the leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.
But after his disastrous debate defeat against Trump in June, Democrats began pressuring Biden to end his reelection bid.
Biden eventually caved and dropped out of the race. He quickly endorsed his vice president, Harris, as the Democratic nominee.
Biden spoke at the convention on Monday night, handing control of the party over to Harris.
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Speaking before a packed United Center arena, the president declared, “America, I have given you my best.”
“Choosing Kamala was the first decision I made before I even became a nominee, and it was the best decision I’ve made so far in my career,” Biden said. “She’s tough, she’s experienced, and she has incredible integrity.”
“Her story represents the best of the American story,” he added.
He then asked the crowd: “Are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and America? I ask you: Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as president and vice president of the United States of America?”
Former President Obama sat down with former First Lady Michelle Obama on the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 20, 2024. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Harris has been campaigning around the country this week, and also unveiled her first major revenue-raising proposal: a corporate tax increase.
Harris’ campaign said the vice president is proposing to raise tax rates on big corporations from 21% to 28%, describing it as “a fiscally responsible way to put money back in working people’s pockets and ensure billionaires and corporations pay their fair share.”
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The announcement this week comes as Harris begins to lay out details about how she would govern if elected president and how she would pay for some of the big-ticket ideas she proposed last week, including expanding the child tax credit, lowering the costs of homeownership and reducing medical debt.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris has garnered support from other leading Democrats and Hollywood stars before formally accepting the Democratic presidential nomination.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Harris, referencing her famous “glass ceiling” comment.
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19, 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
“On the other side of the glass ceiling, Kamala Harris raises her hand and is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States,” said Clinton, who in 2016 became the first woman to win a major party’s presidential nomination.
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Harris also received praise from former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Clinton.
Her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, said, “I’m so proud of all you do for all of us.”
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 20, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Seeger)
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“That’s who she is. Whenever it’s needed, however it’s needed, Kamala will deliver,” Emhoff said. “She’s done that for me and my family, and now, at a time when the country needs her, she’s demonstrating what we already know: that she is ready to lead, that she brings both joy and strength to the job, and that she will be a great president that we can all be proud of.”
