Chicago [US], August 20 : In her first remarks at the Democratic National Convention that kicked off on Monday night (local time) in Chicago, Vice President and Democratic nominee for the upcoming US Presidential Polls, Kamala Harris thanked President Joe Biden for his leadership to the nation.
Biden will be delivering a keynote address later today and is expected to deliver remarks on progress made by the US in the last three and a half years. He will also extend support to Harris, pointing towards how she will eventually be the person to carry on that progress.
"I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible President Joe Biden," Harris said during brief surprise remarks at the DNC in Chicago.
"Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you," Harris further said.
As the first night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) has begun in Chicago, US President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are among the top speakers at the convention, CNN reported.
It is important to note that a video played Monday at the Democratic National Convention also highlighted Harris' Californian roots and the critical role her mother Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian, played in her upbringing.
Some of the snippets from Harris's childhood flat in California's East Bay were included in the video. Harris is the daughter of Jamaican-born Donald Harris, an 85-year-old retired Stanford University economist, and Indian-born Shyamala Gopalan, a breast cancer researcher who passed away in 2009.
Harris is the first Asian American woman and Black woman to head a significant party ticket.
Earlier last month, a virtual vote officially recognised the vice president as the Democratic nominee. After Biden withdrew from the contest and backed her, the party came together in support of her.
Harris secured her party's nomination for president, after President Joe Biden quit the presidential race amid mounting concerns over his age, particularly after his poor show in the debate with Donald Trump in June. On the other hand, Trump, is eyeing a comeback to the White House after a bitter exit in 2020.
Harris had announced Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz, as her running mate. Walz, 60, emerged from a list of probable candidates who had better recognition and came from politically advantageous states.
Meanwhile, at the convention, former US President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak on Tuesday, which will focus on the theme "A Bold Vision for the Future." On Wednesday, under the theme "A Fight for Freedom," former President Bill Clinton and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi of California will address the convention, according to a source familiar with the schedule.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are also expected to speak this week, DNC officials said.
Mike Waltz, Kamala Harris's running mate, is expected to take the stage on Wednesday to officially accept the vice-presidential nomination.
Harris will formally accept the presidential nomination during her speech on Thursday, a night dedicated to the theme "For the Future."
Harris will arrive at the convention shortly after a bus tour through Pennsylvania over the weekend. She will also hold a rally on Tuesday in Milwaukee, the same city where Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination last month.
Typically, the convention includes a roll call vote to formally nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates. However, Harris officially cemented her status as the presidential nominee earlier this month when she earned a majority of delegates in a virtual roll call.
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