All eyes were on the DNC as Kamala Harris addressed her party (and the nation) about her historic run for the presidency. We’ve been keeping an eye on some of the best female speakers from each of the conventions.
RNC
After frequently criticizing Donald Trump when she was running against him in the primaries, Nikki Haley used her platform at the RNC to “fully endorse” the former president. “You don’t have to agree with Trump 100 percent of the time to vote for him. Take it from me. I haven’t always agreed with President Trump. But we agree more often than we disagree."
Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, spoke about his presence in her family as well as his response to the assassination attempt that wounded his ear. ““Thank you for your resilience. Thank you for continuing on. Thank you for raising wonderful kids. Thank you for being an amazing grandfather. Thank you for never giving up on me, and thank you for never giving up on our country,” she said to Trump in front of the crowd.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders also approached Trump from an angle of compassion. She spoke about her upsetting experience being insulted by MSNBC anchors during her time as White House Press Secretary, saying that in the aftermath, Trump “looked me in the eye and said, ‘Sarah, you’re smart, you’re beautiful, you’re tough, and they attack you because you’re good at your job. Never let them stop fighting.’”
DNC
Michelle Obama made a big impression in her speech, where she told her colleagues that “hope is making a comeback.” She also included substantial jab towards one of the most controversial lines of Trump’s campaign, remarking “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?” She spoke glowingly of Vice President Harris. “Kamala knows, like we do, that regardless of where you come from, what you look like, who you love, how you worship, or what’s in your bank account, we all deserve the opportunity to build a decent life.”
Kate Cox delivered an especially emotional speech about how she rose into the national spotlight for being denied an abortion. “When I got pregnant, doctors told us our baby would never survive, and if I didn't get an abortion, it would put a future pregnancy at risk. But Trump didn't care, and because of his abortion bans, I had to flee my home." She was one of several women who spoke about their experiences with abortion bans.
Representative Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, who had previously discouraged President Biden from ending his campaign in favor of Harris, represented the more leftist wing of the party when she said that Harris was “working tirelessly to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and bring the hostages home.”
Image from flickr user Prachatai.