Washington DC, Aug 19 (EFE).- Senator Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic nomination for vice-president on the third night of the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, becoming the first black and South Asian woman to do so for a major political party in the United States.

“I accept your nomination for Vice President of the United States of America. I do so, committed to the values she (her mother) taught me,” Harris said in a speech delivered remotely from Wilmington, Delaware, where presidential nominee Joe Biden, who joined her on stage after her address, resides.

Harris said she and Biden share “a vision passed on through generations of Americans.”

“A vision of our nation as a beloved community, where all are welcome, no matter what we look like, where we come from, or who we love. A country where we may not agree on every detail, but we are united by the fundamental belief that every human being is of infinite worth, deserving of compassion, dignity and respect,” she said.

However, “today, that country feels distant,” said Harris, according to whom there has been a “loss of certainty” under the Trump administration.

The California senator is the first African-American to be nominated as a vice-presidential candidate by a major political party and only the third woman to run for the position after Democrat Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Republican Sarah Palin in 2008.

Although Harris’ acceptance speech was expected to be the highlight of the third night of the Democratic National Convention, being held remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was overshadowed by that of former President Barack Obama (2009-2017).

Obama bluntly warned that current President Donald Trump’s administration was willing to “tear our democracy down” to win.

Obama delivered his address from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, a choice laden with symbolism as the US constitution was signed in this city.

His speech, similar to that of his wife, Michelle Obama on Monday, was a scorching critique of Trump.

“This administration has shown it will tear our democracy down if that’s what it takes to win,” Obama said in an address that angered Trump, who watched it live and posted various capitalized tweets while his predecessor spoke.

Obama said the current administration is “hoping to make it as hard as possible for you to vote” in the elections, referring to Trump’s attempts to make it difficult for people to vote by mail, and encouraged Americans “not let them take away your power.”

“Don’t let them take away your democracy. Make a plan right now for how you’re going to get involved and vote. Do it as early as you can and tell your family and friends how they can vote too,” he urged.

“I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or continue my policies,” he continued.

“I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously. That he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care.”

“But he never did. For close to four years now, he’s shown no interest in putting in the work. No interest in finding common ground. No interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends. No interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves,” Obama added.

The former president then called on Americans “to believe in Joe and Kamala’s ability to lead this country out of these dark times and build it back better.”

Hillary Clinton, who made history in 2016 as the first woman to win the presidential nomination of a major party, spoke before Harris and Obama.

She urged Americans to vote in “overwhelming” numbers in November.

“For four years, people have said to me, ‘I didn’t realize how dangerous he was.’ ‘I wish I could go back and do it over.’ ‘I should have voted.’ This can’t be another woulda-coulda-shoulda election,” warned Clinton, who lost to Trump.

“If you’re voting by mail, request your ballot now, and send it back as soon as you can. If you vote in person, do it early, Bring a friend and wear a mask. Become a poll worker,” added Clinton, who was the first lady between 1993 and 2001, the senator from New York from 2001 and 2013 and the secretary of state between 2009 and 2013.

Clinton, who won the popular vote receiving around three million votes more than Trump but lost the Electoral College vote, cited her experience as an example.

“Remember: Joe and Kamala can win 3 million more votes and still lose. Take. It. From. Me. We need numbers so overwhelming Trump can’t sneak or steal his way to victory,” she said.

Biden will close the convention on Thursday night with a speech accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination for the US presidency. EFE

at-ssa-llb/pd/ssk

© 2020 EFE News Services (U.S.) Inc.

—-

This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology.

Rating: 1.0/5. From 6 votes.
Please wait...