Harris Touches Down in Chicago for Pivotal Democratic Convention Role

AFP/APP

Chicago: Kamala Harris arrived in Chicago on Sunday, gearing up for her significant role at the Democratic National Convention. This moment is pivotal for her campaign against Donald Trump, as she has recently replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket and narrowed Trump’s lead in the polls.

En route to Chicago, Harris made a key stop in Pennsylvania, a battleground state with a history of fluctuating support between Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020. She embarked on a bus tour from Pittsburgh, accompanied by her running mate Tim Walz and their spouses, visiting rust-belt towns to appeal to blue-collar voters.

Despite the momentum, Harris acknowledged Trump as the current favorite and stressed the importance of campaigning hard with just 79 days left until the November 5 election. “I very much consider us the underdog. We have a lot of work to do to earn the vote of the American people,” Harris said in Pennsylvania. “That’s why we’re on this bus tour today.”

Harris’s rapid rise has unsettled Trump, who has responded with personal attacks, calling Harris a “lunatic” and boasting of being “much better looking.” Her keynote speech at the convention on Thursday will be crucial in presenting her narrative to an electorate adjusting to the new Democratic candidate.

She is expected to frame the election as a “fight for the future” against a potential second Trump term, offering an optimistic vision for Americans facing high prices.

Harris is set to join Biden on stage during his convention address on Monday. The president, who was recently pushed out of the race, is expected to focus on transitioning the leadership and highlighting the threat Trump poses to democracy. Biden aims to cement his legacy by supporting Harris’s bid for victory.

Harris’s rise has revived Democratic hopes, particularly after a recent debate performance by Biden that cast doubt on the election’s prospects. A Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos survey published Sunday shows Harris with a narrow lead over Trump among registered voters, reversing the previous dead heat.

However, the convention is overshadowed by protests against the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza. Security has been heightened for the four-day event, with tens of thousands expected to protest, especially on Monday and Wednesday.

On Sunday, demonstrators gathered in downtown Chicago with a banner reading “Feminist and LGBTQ+ People for a Free Palestine.”

David Finkel, a 76-year-old protester from Michigan, noted, “The march was originally for reproductive rights, but with the Gaza genocide, we are here now.” Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker stated that peaceful protests would be permitted, but troublemakers would face arrest and conviction.