Kamala Harris’s big moment, and a message of hope: key takeaways from the Democratic convention’s final night

Sam Levin

The Democratic national convention has ended in Chicago, with vice-president Kamala Harris formally accepting the nomination and making her pitch to voters. Here are some key takeaways from the fourth night:

Kamala Harris accepted the nomination: ‘Guided by optimism and faith’

The vice-president’s final speech offered a forceful rebuke of Donald Trump and laid out the stakes of the election: “Consider not only the chaos and calamity when he was in office, but also the gravity of what has happened since he lost … Trump tried to throw away your votes. When he failed, he sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol, where they assaulted law enforcement … For an entirely different set of crimes, he was found guilty of fraud by a jury of everyday Americans and separately, found liable for committing sexual abuse … Consider the power he will have, especially after the United States supreme court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution. Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.”

She ended with a message of hope and optimism that has been a theme all week: “Let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness and endless possibilities. We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world and … we must be worthy of this moment. It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish.”

The convention denied requests for a Palestinian speaker, sparking outrage

The convention ended without a Palestinian American speaker on the main stage, a key demand of the uncommitted movement. The Harris campaign and Democratic party faced increasing pressure throughout the week to include a Palestinian voice, particularly after parents of a Hamas hostage were given a speaking slot and delivered emotional testimony on Wednesday. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other high-profile Democrats and activists had called on the convention to find a way to accommodate the uncommitted delegates’ request, but officials did not change the schedule.

Ruwa Romman, a Georgia state representative who wrote a speech for the convention to consider, read her prepared remarks to a crowd gathered outside, instead. Abbas Alawieh, a leader of the uncommitted movement, told supporters: “The scandal is that there are forces within Democratic party leadership who do not want us to talk about Palestinian human rights.”

Harris said she would ‘always stand for Israel’ and called for ‘Palestinian self-determination’

After days of sustained pro-Palestinian protests calling for an arms embargo on Israel, Harris’s final address offered both a defense of Israel and a call for Palestinian self-determination. She said: “I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself, and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror … Hamas caused on October 7.”

“What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again, the scale of suffering is heartbreaking,” Harris continued. “Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”

Adam Kinzinger made the Republican pitch: ‘Democrats are as patriotic as us’

Kinzinger, a former GOP congressman who served on the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack, argued that Trump had destroyed his party, echoing the comments of several prominent Republicans who have rallied for Harris since Monday: “I was a Republican for 12 years in Congress, and I still hold on to the label. I never thought I’d be here. But listen, you never thought you’d see me here, did you? But I’ve learned something about the Democratic party, and I want to let my fellow Republicans in on the secret the Democrats are as patriotic as us.”

Kinzinger added: “Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican party.”

Gun violence survivors offered emotional testimony: ‘Our losses strengthen our resolve’

In one of the most emotional moments of the four-day convention, survivors of gun violence took the stage to call for gun safety. The Georgia congresswoman Lucy McBath, who lost her son to gun violence, led the group, saying: “Our losses do not weaken us. They strengthen our resolve. We will secure safer futures … We will organize. We will advocate. We will run for office.” Kim Rubio, the mother of 10-year-old Lexi, who was killed in Uvalde, Texas, talked about her child she “will never hold again”. And Abbey Clements, a teacher and survivor of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, recounted in detail the terror of the shooting, saying: “I carry that horrific day with me.”

Former congresswoman Gabby Giffords recounted her recovery from the assassination attempt she survived, adding: “Kamala will be a great president. She is tough. She has grit. Kamala can beat the gun lobby. She can fight gun trafficking.”

Exonerated Central Park Five rallied against Trump: ‘He wanted us dead’

Civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton brought out four of the exonerated Central Park Five, including Yusef Salaam, who was recently elected to the New York City council. The survivors of wrongful incarceration spoke about the impact of Trump’s vicious attacks, which included his calls for execution of the group of innocent young men.

Salaam said Trump “wanted us un-alive. He wanted us dead. Today we are exonerated because the actual perpetrator confessed and DNA proved it.” He noted that the former president refuses to recant his accusations against them, saying: “He dismisses the scientific evidence rather than admit he was wrong … He has never changed, and he never will.”

False rumors of a surprise Beyoncé performance spread throughout the night

There were widespread rumors that Beyoncé was going to perform as a surprise guest on the final night of the convention, fueled by a TMZ report in the middle of the program, headlined: “BEYONCÉ PERFORMING AT DNC’S FINAL NIGHT!!!” But Beyoncé never showed up. As the event was nearing the end, the star’s representative released a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, saying, “Beyoncé was never scheduled to be there. The report of a performance is untrue.” There were also rumors that Taylor Swift or another surprise guest would show up, but the night ended without any celebrity surprises.

Democratic convention highlights:

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