Harris’ Speech: Can She Live up to ‘Yes, She Can’ Slogan

Editorial

16:26 JST, August 24, 2024

There is no doubt that U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who was quickly chosen as the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidential election, is riding a tailwind. Will she be able to raise the expectations of a wide range of voters, without becoming a passing fad?

At the Democratic National Convention, Harris delivered a speech formally accepting the party’s presidential nomination. This is the first time since she was nominated as a presidential candidate that Harris has outlined the vision for the nation and the policies she is seeking.

Citing her own middle-class background, having been raised by her mother who immigrated from India to the United States, Harris stated that “building a strong middle class” is an important goal of her presidency.

Harris also spoke extensively about her foreign policy, which had been largely unknown. She declared the restoration of the United States as a superpower, stating that she will make sure “America — not China — wins the competition for the 21st century.”

Harris also laid out a policy of emphasizing cooperation with allies and confronting authoritarian states such as China and Russia. In addition, she called for continued support for Ukraine and an early ceasefire in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

Harris has aligned herself with the policies of the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, which no doubt is reassuring for U.S. allies and friendly nations. On the other hand, she did not directly condemn Israel’s military actions, which have been strongly criticized even within her party. There is no denying that she did not sufficiently get to the heart of the thorny issue.

The party platform, which is effectively a vision for the new administration, was also adopted at the convention. However, the content, which was based on the premise that Biden would be reelected, had not been updated, and expressions such as Biden’s “second term” had been left in. This shows an ill-prepared side of the party.

The mood within the party has changed drastically in the past month. Pessimism that the 81-year-old Biden, who was showing signs of decline, could not win was rife, but his replacement by the 59-year-old Harris, a woman of Black and Asian heritage, has revitalized the atmosphere.

Ample funds for the presidential election have been amassed in Harris’ camp, and a public opinion poll shows her a few points ahead of former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, in terms of support.

On the other hand, Harris was unpopular within the party until she became the presidential nominee, and her political skills are considered unproven. She did not go through the party primaries held prior to the presidential election and has not given interviews in front of many media organizations.

Although Harris has succeeded in regrouping her supporters with the goal of preventing Trump’s reelection, she will likely need to work to get people, especially independents, to actively choose her in order to win the swing states, which hold the key to victory or defeat.

Appearing at the party convention, former President Barack Obama encouraged Harris using a variation of his own campaign slogan “Yes, she can.” With 2½ months until election day, she should increase the opportunities to convince people that she really can.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 24, 2024)