The Democratic Party presidential ticket of Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris made an appearance on Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware, for what was billed as the formal introduction of Harris as Biden’s running mate. Flanked by state flags, the two appeared around 5 PM EST.
The pair made it clear that there are major problems facing this country, both immediate and long-term, and the Democratic ticket is not simply about getting rid of our current threat to democracy and American humanity, but changing the direction of the entire backslide our country has been making for the past three and a half years.
Biden reiterated that America is facing “an inflection point” in its history, and that he had “no doubt” that Harris is the person to stand alongside him in the fight to right our country’s ship. Biden highlighted Harris’ hard work, her immigrant background, and explained that while the two candidates had differences in their upbringings, they also shared many of the same personal beliefs—“the essentials,” as he put it. Biden also made sure to point out that right-wing outlets and Donald Trump himself have begun attacking Harris using the same tired sexist and racist tropes, free of actual policy criticism. Biden remarked that Donald Trump saying that Harris “whined” was rich as Trump is “the biggest whiner” to ever stand in front of a microphone.
Biden talked about the need for our country to have leadership that is willing to “lead and take responsibility” for the current pandemic, as opposed to Donald Trump’s weak and petulant response that has led to almost 200,000 dead and an economy that’s in big trouble.
Biden also brought up the need to deal with the lack of racial justice in our country, saying that Trump only stokes the fires of racism instead of listening and trying to heal the divide. Biden then pointed out that today marks the third anniversary of the racist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Biden then explained that when he was asked by President Obama to be his running mate, Biden asked that he be allowed to be the last person in the room before Obama made a final decision on important things. Biden said that this was the same thing that he has asked Harris to do for him: to be the last sounding board when a big decision needs to be made.
Finally, Biden explained that his late son Beau and Harris had both been attorneys general at the same time, and that his son’s respect for Harris was a big factor in his decision to ask her to run with him for president and vice president of the United States.
Then Harris took the stage, saying that ever since she got the call from Biden, she was “ready to get to work” on all of the things that need to be done to get our country back on track. Harris also highlighted the current pandemic, the racial injustices in America, and the selfishness of the current man in office. She then reminded America that in 83 days the United States has a chance to wake up from this nightmare and vote for responsible adults.
Harris then gave her remembrances of Beau, talking about speaking with him on the phone every day during the great recession, saying: “He really was the best of us.” Harris remarked on how strong their relationship was and how well Beau spoke of Joe.
Harris then talked about her and Biden’s focus on their families, and how important that bond was for her and for her running mate. She made sure to talk about her parents’ across-the-world relationship, the important place her late mother had in Harris’ life, and her own decision to choose the public service.
Harris went in directly on the Trump administration, saying: “The case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut.” From there she laid out the case for how negligent, how incompetent, how misguided Trump’s failures have been in regards to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Harris’ attack on Trump sharpened as her speech went on—she highlighted the positive economic strides made during the Obama/Biden administration and how Donald Trump has trashed every step forward America had achieved: “Like everything else he inherited, he ran it into the ground.”
Harris finally pivoted away from the current administration and talked about the need for our country to move forward in spite of Trump and the corruption he represents. It was a hopeful speech if for no other reason than it was delivered by a person not bereft of morality like Trump. Across the internet, many cheered at this breath of fresh air and the hope that this one chapter of our national nightmare may indeed come to an end.
And some funny.
And what will clearly be a requisite video meme for at least the next 83 days, if not the next decade.
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