— Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to deliver one of the most pivotal speeches of her career on Thursday night, where she will make history as the first Black woman and first Asian American to accept a major party's presidential nomination.**
Harris plans to focus on three key areas during her speech: her personal and professional journey, a clear contrast between her vision for America and that of former President Donald Trump, and a message deeply rooted in patriotism, according to a campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The speech, aimed not only at the thousands of Democrats in attendance in Chicago but also at a national prime-time audience, represents one of her most significant opportunities to define herself since she stepped into the presidential race after President Joe Biden's withdrawal last month.
For the past two weeks, Harris has been working diligently on her speech, even making trips to her alma mater, Howard University in Washington, D.C., for debate prep and writing sessions, according to sources familiar with her preparations. Upon arriving in Chicago for the convention, which began Monday, Harris continued fine-tuning her speech with her team, with most of the content finalized by Tuesday morning.
"She is meticulously going through every word, punctuation mark, and detail," said one source close to the speechwriting process.
This source also mentioned that Harris will open her speech by praising Biden, expressing her gratitude for his service and reflecting on their joint accomplishments.
Harris plans to tie her policy proposals to her middle-class upbringing, discussing issues such as combating price gouging, reducing rent, and assisting first-time homebuyers, according to the two sources familiar with the speech.
A former aide familiar with the speech preparations revealed that Harris’ team has been carefully considering how to address race and gender in the speech, recognizing the importance of acknowledging the historic nature of her candidacy while emphasizing her qualifications for the presidency. The speech will highlight Harris’ extensive experience, particularly her time as a lawyer and the types of cases she handled.
Another former aide, now an outside adviser, added that Harris is keenly aware of the responsibility she carries as a Black and South Asian woman and is committed to being “a president for everyone.”
On a more personal note, Harris plans to speak about her mother, who played a pivotal role in her life. “Her mother’s influence is profound,” the adviser shared. “Her mother taught her the importance of service and the responsibility to pave the way for others, often saying, ‘You may be the first, but don’t be the last.’”
A small group of aides, including a policy adviser, a political strategist, and others, have been collaborating on the speech. Among them are Adam Frankel, a speechwriter for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, and Megan Rooney, Harris’ head speechwriter, according to the former aide.
The outside adviser also mentioned that Harris is reconnecting with her core message from her 2019 presidential campaign, “Kamala Harris for the People,” a slogan she used to reflect her commitment to all Americans, rooted in her experience as a prosecutor. Although political consultants had previously advised her to downplay this phrase, Harris is now returning to it with renewed conviction.
“This speech signifies her return to her instincts, her heart, and her belief that this campaign is fundamentally about the people,” the adviser said.