Kamala Harris shines at Democratic convention but the real work has just begun: Observers

United States Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a rousing performance at the Democratic National Convention (DNC), showcasing a unified and reinvigorated party that is fired up to hit the campaign trail, said observers.
She formally accepted the Democratic nomination for president at the convention’s fourth and final night in Chicago on Thursday (Aug 22), promising to “chart a new way forward”.
But analysts said the real work has just begun, as the 59-year-old seeks to define herself to voters against her more prominent Republican rival Donald Trump.
“We don’t know Harris as well as we know Trump. We don’t know her detailed (stance) on many subjects,” said John Fortier, a senior fellow at think tank American Enterprise Institute.
Harris touched on some topics in her 38-minute acceptance speech – including pledging to fight for abortion rights, lower the cost of living, and end the war in Gaza – but spoke mostly in generalities and with little details.
Harris has done a “fantastic job of quickly uniting the party and building excitement”, said Bryan DeAngelis, head of the Washington office at consultancy Penta Group.
He added that the prolonged “honeymoon period” of initial enthusiasm when Harris first took over the ticket from President Joe Biden – which has yet to subside after more than a month – is bound to invoke some worry in the Trump camp.
“They were in a very good position against a weakened Biden, but Harris has brought the party back,” Fortier told CNA’s Asia Now on Friday.
With 11 weeks to go before Americans troop to the ballot boxes on Nov 5, Harris needs to step out from Biden’s shadow, articulate her vision for the country and showcase her leadership qualities, said analysts.
 
“Trump is going to come at her and the performance of the administration. She’s going to be tied to some of the weaknesses of the Biden administration, even as she has tried to distance herself,” said Fortier.
“Harris is going to have to prove herself … in the substance of what she has to say both in the media, and also going head-to-head with Trump, especially on contentious issues.”
The Democrats managed to find their footing in double quick time – from reeling from Biden’s dismal debate performance in June, to changing their nominee in July and gaining newfound momentum today, said Fortier.
The star-studded convention that featured speeches from former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton saw a unified front and took a focused, confident and forward-looking tone, said DeAngelis.
“This convention was full of energy. They have moved beyond relitigating concerns about the past. It’s very much now an exciting chapter of a new leader and her vision for leading the country in the next four years,” he told CNA938’s Asia First programme.
He added that the DNC was optimistic and upbeat in stark contrast to the Republicans’ convention last month, which took a gloomier tone. 
“For the Republicans, it’s still very much how Trump behaves himself. (The RNC was) full of perceived wrongs that have happened in recent years … and very dark, ominous tones to their vision for the future,” noted DeAngelis. 
Meanwhile, Harris’ running mate Tim Walz accepted his vice-presidential nomination on Wednesday.
DeAngelis said the Minnesota governor did a “solid job”, going from being a little-known politician just two weeks ago to a relatable candidate.
“He has a lot of appeal in his folksy demeanour that is very typical of the Midwest idea of leaders. It’s a strong counter to what I think the Republican Party is trying to do, which is label Democrats, especially Harris, as coastal elite liberals,” he said.
“Walz had a job to introduce himself to the country and to make (voters) feel at ease. To convince them that he’s one of them, that he understands what families are going through. To make them feel heard and understood. He passed the test.”
Next, all eyes will be on the presidential debate on Sep 10 in Philadelphia, where Harris will face off 78-year-old Trump for the first time.
It could be the only head-to-head between the two nominees. Trump has proposed two more debates but the Harris campaign has yet to respond, US new outlets reported.
Walz will debate Trump’s running mate JD Vance on Oct 1 in New York City.