Topline
Vice President Kamala Harris debuted her first ad for president Thursday, days after announcing she will seek the Democratic nomination—setting off a rushed process to familiarize voters with her record, persona and promises for the presidency less than four months before the election.
Vice President and Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris speaks at West Allis Central High … [+]
Key Facts
Harris narrates the ad, titled “We Choose Freedom,” as Beyoncé’s “Freedom” plays in the backdrop (Harris reportedly walked into the Biden-Harris campaign headquarters as the song played Monday, and the singer has granted her permission to use it throughout the campaign, CNN reported).
Harris doesn’t explicitly mention former President Donald Trump in the ad, but it shows him and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, as she says “there are some people who think we should be a country of chaos, of fear, of hate.”
Building on Harris’ bid to draw contrast between Trump’s criminal record and her own as a prosecutor, newspapers printed with headlines about Trump’s criminal cases flash across the screen when she says “we choose a future . . . where no one is above the law.”
The “freedom” line is quickly becoming a mantra for the Harris campaign—she opened her first campaign speech in Wisconsin on Tuesday by telling the crowd the election will be “a choice between freedom and chaos” on Tuesday and walked onto the stage as the Beyoncé track played.
The upbeat digital ad, airing across the campaign’s social media platforms, also mentions several key issues championed by Democrats, including curbing gun violence, preserving women’s reproductive rights, reducing child poverty and expanding affordable health care.
Crucial Quote
“In this election, we each face a question. What kind of country do we want to live in?” Harris begins the ad. “We believe in the promise of America and we are ready to fight for it. Because when we fight, we win. So join us.”
Key Background
Harris debuted the ad less than four days after launching her presidential campaign in the minutes after President Joe Biden’s historic decision to exit the race. She is all but certain to become the nominee after Biden endorsed her and the majority of his delegates vowed to support her when they vote to formalize the party’s nominee during the first week of August. Harris, in her campaign speech Tuesday, has touted her record as a prosecutor (she served as California attorney general prior to her election to the Senate) in drawing contrast with Trump, who was convicted earlier this year of 34 counts of falsifying business records, found liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in a separate civil case last year, and ordered to pay more than $450 million for defrauding lenders in a third civil case earlier this year. “I took on perpetrators of all kinds . . . so hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type,” she said.
Contra
Trump has coined the nickname “Lyin’ Kamala” for Harris, calling her “a radical, crazy person” and an “ultra liberal” during his first rally since Biden dropped out of the race in North Carolina on Wednesday. Trump also blamed Harris for an influx of illegal immigration, calling her Biden’s “border czar” in reference to her role working with Central American countries to curb migration to the U.S. border
Tangent
Early polls taken after Biden’s announcement Sunday show Harris losing to Trump by a narrow margin, but performing slightly better than Biden, including an online CNN/SSRS survey that shows Harris trailing Trump by three points, a three-point improvement from Biden’s performance against Trump in polls taken in April and June.
Further Reading
Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Trump Narrowly Leads In Most Polls After Biden Drops Out (Forbes)
Everything To Know About Kamala Harris (Forbes)
Major Democratic Donors Split On Kamala Harris’ Presidential Run—As Small Donations Surge (Forbes)
Kamala Harris’ VP Shortlist: Campaign Reportedly Vetting These Running Mate Hopefuls (Forbes)
2022 midterms, 2024 presidential campaign, the January 6 House committee investigation, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster, the 2023 State of the Union Address, former President Donald Trump’s federal election interference and classified documents cases and his Manhattan hush money case. Dorn graduated in 2012 from the University of Dayton with a degree in journalism. Prior to joining Forbes, she covered New York City and state politics for the New York Post and City and State magazine. Follow her for updates and analysis on the 2024 presidential race, key Senate and House races and developments in Congress and at the White House.
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