What Now? Kamala Harris Vows 'New Way Forward' After Four Years as Vice President

CHICAGO—Kamala Harris closed out the Democratic convention on Thursday with a generic acceptance speech that brought the United Center crowd of activists, politicians, and celebrities to tears. Many were disappointed when Jay-Z's wife, Beyoncé, did not show up to perform after TMZ reported she would. Harris hardly mentioned her record as vice president the last four years but promised to chart a "new way forward" after briefly thanking President Joe Biden for his "extraordinary" leadership.

"Together, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told," Harris said to conclude her address, which she delivered just one month after Biden withdrew his candidacy and endorsed her. What that "next chapter" would look like exactly, no one really knows.

Harris sketched out an agenda based on "freedom." The freedom to have an abortion. The freedom to control guns. Freedom to vote and "breathe clean air" and have gay rights. Building a "strong middle class" would be a "defining goal" of her presidency. (Great!) She will secure the border and solve our immigration problems. (No sweat!) She will stand up to dictators. (Queen!) She even promised peace in the Middle East. (Easy!) 

Harris sought to please everyone, especially with her lines about the war in Gaza. She would "always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself" and "ensure that Israel has the ability to defend itself" against terrorists. (Applause!) She would also help Palestinians "realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination." (Even louder applause!) 

Above all, Harris explained, she would not be Donald Trump, who would unleash "chaos and calamity" in a second term. That is one thing most Democrats really like about her. Unlike Trump, she would not "jail journalists" or "deploy active duty military against our own citizens." She would support good policies instead. More importantly, she would make history if elected. Channeling the self-centered patriotism of former president Barack Obama, Harris marveled that her "story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth."

Harris's speech capped off a convention featuring a variety of speakers united (perhaps only) by their belief that Trump should not be president, and preferably in jail. Contradictions abounded. Bernie Sanders, a socialist, bashed billionaires. J.B. Pritzker bragged about being a billionaire. Harris's running mate, Tim Walz, urged Americans to "respect our neighbors" while mocking his GOP counterpart, J.D. Vance, overcoming childhood poverty to attend an Ivy League school. Bill Clinton received a standing ovation on Wednesday. On Thursday, an activist urged attendees to "believe" sexual assault victims and "hold perpetrators accountable." Dave Chappelle, the comedian widely condemned by liberal activists for promoting "transphobia," was among the celebrities in attendance.

Now that the convention is over and Harris is officially the Democratic nominee, the race is on. How long will the honeymoon period last? With 74 days to go before the election, will Harris ever be compelled to explain how she plans to accomplish her lofty goals, or even what those goals are, without reading from a teleprompter? That remains to be seen. 

The media's transparently giddy coverage of the convention, and of Harris's entire candidacy since Biden dropped out, suggests they aren't particularly interested in forcing the issue, although there was plenty of griping about the seating arrangements for journalists at the convention. Even Ta-Nehisi Coates, often hailed as the foremost intellectual of the 21 century, got turned away. That's because Democratic activists kept making their way to the press seats, where they shrieked and clapped and chanted along during the speeches. One can only assume they were activists, rather than journalists, but who knows? It's getting harder and harder to tell these days. 

Now what?

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