Kamala Harris gives Democratic convention speech

Vice-President Kamala Harris promised a "fresh direction" for all Americans as she officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president on Thursday evening. She spoke about coming together and encouraged voters to turn away from Donald Trump.

"There is an opportunity in the upcoming November election to surpass the conflict, doubt, and contentious struggles of previous times," she expressed, concluding her party's gathering in Chicago with balloons falling from above and enthusiastic supporters applauding.

Ms Harris's speech concluded a four-day event meant to showcase her background and outline the general plans for her policy agenda.

She became the first woman of Black and Asian descent to make history by leading a major political party's presidential ticket.

The 59-year-old was confirmed as the Democratic candidate after a swift series of events that started with President Joe Biden withdrawing from the race for the White House.

Surveys indicate that she is now in a close competition with Trump, who made negative comments about Ms. Harris's looks as the event happened.

Ms. Harris used her almost 45-minute speech, the most significant talk of her political life, to present herself again to the country.

She told stories from her own life about growing up in a "lovely working-class community" as the child of Jamaican and Indian parents.

She stated that her experience as a prosecutor, which she didn't focus on much during her 2020 campaign, was what set her apart and made her the best candidate to take on Trump and work in the White House. She also highlighted her time as vice-president under Biden as further evidence of her qualifications.

Ms Harris also spent a few minutes of her speech talking about how her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, influenced her life and career in politics.

"She showed us the importance of taking action instead of just complaining about unfairness," Ms. Harris remembered. Her sister Maya, aged 57, also spoke that night, describing their mother as a pioneer who had high expectations for their family.

"She taught us that we have the potential to achieve anything," she announced, prompting enthusiastic applause. "This is a true representation of the American dream."

Ms. Harris spoke to families who have big dreams in America, promising to build an economy where everyone can have a fair chance to thrive and achieve their goals.

She promised to solve the housing crisis in America and support small business owners. However, she did not outline any detailed policy changes that would be implemented by her current administration.

Trump responded to his opponent's speech on his new social media site Truth Social, and phoned into Fox News after the event ended to voice his disapproval of her comments.

He raised concerns about her performance over the course of her four-year tenure as vice president in the White House.

The Republican asked why she didn't take action on the issues she is complaining about.

Five weeks ago, Democrats were expecting their big party event to focus on President Joe Biden's campaign for re-election, even though many were concerned about his age and ability to beat Trump.

However, there was a surprising turn of events in late July. Mr. Biden, facing pressure from his party after a disappointing debate, decided to step down and endorse Ms. Harris.

In just a few days, supporters, representatives, and possible opponents rallied around Ms. Harris's bid for candidacy. At the event in Chicago, delegates who had endorsed her for the position of vice-president enthusiastically applauded her speech.

"I believe she has sparked the energy that Democrats will carry forward until November," stated Edward Bohannan, a delegate from Georgia, in an interview with the BBC. "Previously, there wasn't much enthusiasm surrounding the election. However, now more people are becoming involved and interested."

Some of the notable people who excited the large crowd at the convention over the past few days included Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and even former Republicans who have switched sides.

Mr. Biden, aged 81, gave the main speech on the opening night as a symbolic way of passing the baton. During his vacation in California, he also reached out to Ms. Harris to wish her good luck with her upcoming speech.

On the fourth night of the DNC, speakers highlighted the impact of gun violence, a topic that Ms Harris has been passionate about since her time as California's leading law enforcement officer. During his presidency, Mr Biden established a special office to address gun violence, with Ms Harris chosen to head this important initiative.

Gabby Giffords, a strong supporter of gun safety measures and a former US congresswoman who was shot in 2011 in Arizona, stood next to her husband, Senator Mark Kelly. Senator Kelly was a top candidate to be Ms. Harris's running mate. Georgia Congresswoman Lucy MacBath, who has advocated for stricter gun laws and was elected after her son was fatally shot, also spoke at the event.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, a rising star in the Democratic Party who was previously considered as a potential vice-presidential candidate for Ms. Harris, praised the Democratic nominee as strong, experienced, and impressive.

Adam Kinzinger, a former member of the Republican party who now supports the Democrats, used his opportunity to speak publicly to criticize Trump.

Mr. Kinzinger emphasized the importance of defending our constitution and democracy as fundamental aspects of conservatism. He noted that while these values were once at the core of the Republican Party, they have been overshadowed by Donald Trump's influence.

"Democrats love their country just as much as we do," he stated as the audience started chanting "USA".

However, the DNC organizers refused to grant the protesters' request to have a Palestinian speaker address the crowd, despite ongoing protests in Chicago against the conflict in Gaza and the policies of the White House.

Ms Harris did not speak directly to the demonstrators, but she did mention Gaza. She expressed her support for Israel's security, but also emphasized the importance of Palestinians being able to live with respect and liberty.

The arena was full of delegates and supporters holding American flags and signs with Ms. Harris's name on them. A lot of people were wearing white clothes to show respect for the women's suffrage movement.

And Thursday was filled with plenty of famous guests, with many celebrities making appearances in the exciting lineup. This trend of star-studded events was also seen at the Republican convention last month.

Steph Curry, a famous basketball player from Vice President Harris's hometown NBA team, the Golden State Warriors, and a key player in Team USA's recent Olympic gold win, shared a video message. The music performances included Pink and The Chicks (previously known as the Dixie Chicks).

However, fans anticipating a performance by Beyoncé were let down when the rumored "surprise guest" did not turn out to be the star. There was some excitement earlier in the evening that Beyoncé would perform her song Freedom, which Ms. Harris has been using in her campaign.

When 100,000 balloons in the colors red, white, and blue fell from the ceiling, the prospect of an exciting finale faded away.

"After all that, Beyoncé was a no-show," one man quipped as he departed, playfully popping balloons under his foot.

More information provided by Bernd Debusmann Jr from the conference.