With the White House behind her, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a passionate final speech to the American people. In an incredibly accelerated election cycle in which Harris only had three months define oneself To voters outside of the Biden administration, she used the speech to draw a stark contrast between her values ​​and vision for the country and those of Donald Trump. Even the location she chose, the Ellipse (the site of the infamous January 6 speech in 2021, where he urged his supporters to “fight like hell” and preceded the insurrection), appears to serve as a symbol of the different type of government she proposes.

Here are the 5 main takeaways.

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Harris says Donald Trump is thinking of himself

Harris wasted no time laying out the issues in the election, declaring: “This election is more than just a choice between two different parties and two different candidates. It’s about choosing whether we have a country rooted in freedom for all Americans or ruled by chaos and division. » She then defined Donald Trump as deeply selfish and focused on revenge against his perceived enemies. “Donald Trump intends to use the US military against US citizens who simply disagree with him, those he calls, quote, the ‘enemy within’. ‘America. This is not a presidential candidate thinking about how to improve your life. He is someone who is unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed by grievances and seeking unchecked power. Unlike Trump, who has an “enemies list,” Harris has defined herself as someone who has a “bucket list” of things she wants to accomplish for the country.

It’s time to turn the page on division

Unity was another theme of Harris’ speech. While the country has been “riddled with too much division, chaos and mutual distrust,” she said, “it doesn’t have to be this way.” Harris encouraged Americans to imagine a united country with her at the helm: “We need to stop pointing fingers and start shaking hands. It is time to turn the page on drama and conflict, fear and division. It is time for a new generation of leaders in America, and I am ready to provide that leadership as the next President of the United States. » If elected, Harris also vowed to be a president for everyone, even for those who disagree with her: “Here’s what I promise you: I will always listen to you even if you don’t. don’t vote for me. I will always tell you the truth, even if it is difficult to hear. I will work every day to build consensus and compromise, to move things forward, and if you give me the chance to fight on your behalf, nothing in the world will stand in my way.

Harris says middle-class education inspires presidential priorities

Harris presented herself as someone who cares about and can relate to the average American because of her middle-class upbringing. “There’s something about people being treated unfairly or neglected and, frankly, it gets to me. I don’t like it. This is what my mother instilled in me: the desire to hold accountable those who use their wealth or power to take advantage of others, the desire to protect hard-working Americans who are not always seen or heard and who deserve a voice. At several points in her speech, she discussed memories of her mother and how that would inform her priorities as president. For example, in presenting her economic plan, she recalled: “I will never forget how our mother saved and how excited she was when she could finally afford to buy our first house. I remember how excited she was, and I know that owning a home isn’t just a measure of financial security. It’s about taking pride in your hard work, and as President, I will fight to help first-time home buyers with their down payments, take on companies that raise rents, and build millions of new homes. Because of her experience caring for her mother as she battled cancer, she is aware of how expensive it can be. So Harris also proposed Medicare coverage of home health care for seniors to ease the financial burden on families.

Harris vows to take action on abortion and immigration

Since becoming a Democratic presidential candidate, Harris has repeatedly defended reproductive rights, and in this speech she once again asserted that it was a woman’s right – not the government’s – to make her own choices about her body. Contrary to what she said was Trump’s plan to ban abortion nationwide, she vowed that “when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom nationwide, As President of the United States, I will proudly sign it. » On the heels of humiliating remarks Trump on immigrants at his controversial Madison Square Garden rally last week, Harris said: ‘Politicians need to stop treating immigration as an issue designed to scare away votes in an election, and instead treat it as the serious challenge we face. finally come together to solve. In addition to promising to sign the previously scuttled bipartisan immigration bill, she also recognized the value of immigrants. She promised comprehensive immigration reform: “We must recognize that we are a nation of immigrants, and I will work with Congress to pass immigration reform, including an earned path to citizenship for hard-working immigrants like farm workers and Dreamers. »

In a landmark campaign, Harris ended on an optimistic note

Reflecting on her extraordinary journey to arrive at this moment, Harris said: “I grew up as a child of the civil rights movement. My parents would take me to stroller marches where crowds of people of all races, faiths, and backgrounds came together to fight for the ideals of freedom and opportunity. I lived the promise of America. I saw how hard our mother worked to give her daughters the same opportunities this country offered her. She continued: “This United States of America, we are not a vessel for the plans of would-be dictators… Let’s fight for this beautiful country that we love, and in seven days we will have power.” Each of you has the power to turn the page and begin writing the next chapter of the most extraordinary story ever told. Although this speech was presented as her final plea, it is far from the last time voters will see her on the campaign trail. On Wednesday, Harris is scheduled to visit three cities in the battleground states: Raleigh, North Carolina; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Madison, Wisconsin.