Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, pronounced her intent to bolster labour unions and combat the prohibition of certain school books during a speech to a dominant teachers’ union on Thursday. This was an attempt to distinguish her political stance significantly from her Republican nemesis, Donald Trump, for the presidency.
Speaking to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) for 20 minutes in Houston, Harris accentuated her concern for economic policy and workers’ rights. She praised plans for economical healthcare and childcare, whilst admonishing Republicans for resisting firearm restrictions, particularly in light of recent school shootings.
“Presently, we are faced with a decision to choose between two starkly different visions of our country- one oriented towards the future, and the other dwelling in the past. We are advocating for the future,” Harris, aged 59, stated. “Trump, along with his extreme supporters, intend to regress our nation to unproductive, top-down economic strategies, union disruption, and tax reductions for billionaires.”
Harris’s visit to the AFT was a continuation of a crusade of numerous campaign events occurring ever since Joe Biden, aged 81 and current president, rescinded his re-election campaign on Sunday. Biden implored Democrats to rally behind Harris.
“In contrast to their push to ban books, it is our prerogative to ban assault weapons,” Harris declared. The hint was towards the attempt of some Republicans to pull books discussing gender and sexuality from certain school libraries. The right to bear arms is protected by the US constitution’s Second Amendment.
The introduction of Harris to the leading candidate position has stirred up an otherwise static presidential race. Since Sunday, a variety of public surveys, including one conducted by Reuters/Ipsos, indicated that Harris and Trump have initiated their one-on-one battle on approximately level ground. This sets the precedent for a closely contested race over the upcoming four-and-a-half months up until the November 5th election.
On Wednesday night, Trump, 78, launched an attack on Harris during his first gathering since she took over from Biden on the ticket. Trump labelled Harris as a “extreme left-wing madwoman” after she spent the previous two days relentlessly criticising him. Her critiques notably highlighted his criminal convictions, alleged sexual misconduct, and fraudulent lawsuits against his business ventures, charity foundation and private university.
The previous president of the United States, Barack Obama, is reportedly keeping in close touch with Ms Harris. He is expected to publicly express support for her as the Democratic Party’s nominee for president soon, according to a reliable correspondent familiar with Mr Obama’s intentions.
The ex-Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, backed Ms Harris on the same day. Pelosi, who holds substantial sway in the Democratic Party, was accompanied by countless other influential female politicians in her endorsement.
Once focusing on Mr Biden’s age and perceived weakness, Mr Trump now confronts a younger opponent in Ms Harris, who has made history as the first Black woman and Asian American to hold the office of the vice president.
The first promotional video for Harris’s campaign debuted online the same day, narrated by Ms Harris herself. The ad, which utilises the Beyoncé track ‘Freedom’ as its backing tune, presents the campaign as a struggle to defend American citizens’ personal freedoms.
Ms Harris’s ascension has dominated news coverage, relegating Mr Trump to the background, just a week following the Republican National Convention and not long after an unsuccessful attempt on his life left him with an ear injury.
Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, stated to the House judiciary committee a day before that investigators are still uncertain about the cause of Mr Trump’s injury: whether it was due to a gunshot or fragment. Mr Trump, however, has remarked that a bullet was responsible for his injury.
The suggestion that Mr Trump was not wounded by a bullet has been labelled a “conspiracy” by Trump campaign spokesperson, Jason Miller, who also employed a an obscene word in his response. — Reuters