Harris delivers a heartfelt and powerful acceptance speech as Democrats bring joy, hope and renewal to voters

In the recent history of convention speeches, Kamala Harris' speeches at the Democratic Convention in Chicago were relatively short. But they hit exactly the right note.

Harris was calm, warm, clear and at times funny, reaffirming all the themes her campaign has so quickly and thoroughly established: freedom, unity and a vision for a better future.

While there were some moments in the speech that could indicate trouble ahead, for now the Democratic Party will leave Chicago feeling good. Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz put it this way: “It's the fourth quarter. We're down a field goal. But we're on offense and we have the ball. We're charging down the field.”

I also need freedom

One reason why the Democrats can be relatively confident – ​​even if victory is by no means certain – is that, under Harris' leadership, they have been so successful in turning the arguments about almost all of Donald Trump's campaign strengths on their head.

Since the beginning of her campaign, Harris has revived the idea of ​​”freedom.” Her campaign anthem is the song of the same name by Beyoncé. Although Beyoncé herself did not perform (despite rumors), the lyrics of the song illustrate how much the narrative of freedom has changed: “Freedom, freedom, where are you? 'Cause I need freedom too.” Unlike Trump's version of hyper-individualistic “freedom” that restricts the rights of others, Harris' version of freedom is a freedom of choice, a freedom, as she put it in Chicago:

[…] Live safe from gun violence – in our schools, communities, and houses of worship. The freedom to love who you love openly and proudly. The freedom to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live free from the pollution that fuels the climate crisis. And the freedom that unlocks all other freedoms. The freedom to choose.

This isn't the only area where Harris is outdoing Trump. Harris began her speech by talking about her family, and her mother in particular. The campaign has been centered around women, particularly black women, without much talk about “first times” (Hillary Clinton is the exception that proves the rule).

By not mentioning these “firsts,” notable though they would be, Harris has successfully removed herself from the center of her work, shifted the focus to Trump's hyper-individualism, and completely turned the idea of ​​”identity politics” on its head. It is the Trump campaign's “weird” focus on identity that is now under scrutiny, meaning that so far at least he has failed to delegitimize his opponents on the basis of race and gender, as he has successfully done in the past.

In another notable turnaround, Harris' campaign has reclaimed patriotism for the Democrats as well. One of the most heated parts of Harris' speech came near the end, when she spoke of “the greatest privilege in the world.” “The privilege and pride of being an American.” Noting that her opponent constantly “denigrates” America, Harris countered:

My mother had another lesson she always taught. Don't let anyone tell you who you are. Show them who you are. America, let's show each other – and the world – who we are. And what we stand for. Freedom. Opportunity. Compassion. Dignity. Fairness. And endless possibilities.

Can unity last?

Harris' speech was about the possibilities of a different future for America. This reclaiming of the future is one of the greatest strengths of her campaign: she now stands for building the generational bridge that Joe Biden had long promised the party.

However, Harris' speech also made it clear that, despite her calls for unity, she has not succeeded in overcoming the remaining divisions in the party and may not be able to do so in the rest of the election campaign.

The party's stance on Israel long overshadowed the convention and the nomination process. Pro-Palestinian speakers were denied a spot on the DNC roster. When Harris addressed the issue, first talking about Israel's right to self-defense, there were audible gasps and rumbles from the convention hall, followed by cheers. The biggest cheers, however, came at the end of this section of the speech, when Harris spoke about ending the suffering in Gaza and ensuring the Palestinians' right to self-determination.

There were equally mixed reactions from the crowd to Harris' comments on “border security,” reflecting concerns in parts of the party about the Democrats' concessions to Republicans on the issue.

Roll up your sleeves and get to work

As Harris herself admitted, the Democrats still have a lot of work to do. This election, Harris said, will have serious consequences for the United States and the world.

Could Harris be the president of joy? Only time – and the Democrats' ability to keep scoring goals – will tell. But in politics, we should never underestimate the power of love and good vibes.