CHICAGO − At a pivotal moment during the Democratic National Convention, Kamala Harris officially began her surprising and closely contested campaign against Donald Trump, aiming to be the first woman in U.S. history to secure the presidency.

While the audience reacted with enthusiasm, the tone of her address was often serious, underscoring the challenges that lie ahead.

“We know what a second Trump term would entail,” Harris stated. “In many respects, Donald Trump is an unserious individual. The implications of placing him back in the White House are very grave.”

She portrayed Trump as dishonest, deceitful, and a danger to democracy, suggesting he would impose a nationwide abortion ban, give tax breaks to the wealthy, and align with dictators. “They understand that Trump won’t challenge autocrats,” she continued, “because he aims to be one himself.”

Harris called the upcoming November election “a unique and fleeting chance to move beyond the resentment, skepticism, and divisive conflicts of the past. A moment to forge a new path forward, not merely as members of a single party or faction, but as united Americans.”

She mentioned her Indian mother and Jamaican father but did not emphasize the significance of her candidacy in terms of race and gender.

Nonetheless, her status as the first woman of color to be nominated for president, and the possibility of being the first woman to win the presidency, energized the crowd at Chicago’s United Center. Most delegates wore white, a color associated with the suffragist movement.

The enthusiasm in the room echoed the excitement of past Democratic conventions, such as when Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman nominated for vice president in 1984, Barack Obama broke barriers as the first Black presidential nominee in 2008, and when Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated for president in 2016.

Although Obama successfully won two terms in the White House, memories of Clinton’s unexpected defeat by Trump reminded attendees of the real challenges the party faces in the upcoming 75 days.

Since Harris emerged as the leading Democratic candidate, polls indicate a tightening race in key battleground states, with some surveys even showing Harris slightly ahead of Trump nationally.

Out of View and Surpassing: Where’s Biden?

Just thirty-three days ago, Harris was part of a team that was not leading the race.

Then everything shifted.

Harris kicked off her acceptance speech by expressing gratitude first to her husband, Doug Emhoff, and then to President Joe Biden for “your enduring leadership and your faith in me.”

An hour before, the president had shared on the social media platform X a picture showing him and first lady Jill Biden in front of a large-screen TV watching the convention. “Jill and I just talked to @KamalaHarris − we are excited to see her accept this historic nomination,” he wrote.

Biden’s unexpected choice to withdraw from his reelection campaign allowed Harris’s ascent and harmonized a Democratic Party that had been anxious about potential defeats in November.

The baton has now been passed from the 81-year-old Biden to the 59-year-old Harris, altering the Democrats’ narrative about incumbency. Harris enjoys more freedom than Biden to connect her campaign with the administration’s accomplishments while also putting distance from some of its more challenging aspects.

In her address, she promised to develop an “opportunity economy” and tackle the housing crisis, though she lacked specific proposals. She committed to reviving a bipartisan initiative to manage illegal immigration along the southern border that had been stymied by Trump’s resistance.

However, her agenda did not present a notably progressive or particularly detailed plan. Rather, she aimed her comments at independents and even disillusioned Republicans, stating she would be a president who “listens, remains realistic, practical, and exhibits common sense.”

This reflects a practical approach from the Democrats, showcasing their eagerness to win despite some progressive issues being overlooked.

Convention organizers turned down requests from a minority of delegates to permit a Palestinian-American to speak about the situation of Palestinians in Gaza, where civilians have suffered greatly due to Israeli military actions against Hamas, the terrorist group responsible for a deadly attack on Israel last October.

Harris dedicated a significant portion of her speech to address the conflict.

“Let me be clear: I will always stand by Israel’s right to defend itself and will ensure it has that capability,” she emphasized. “However, the events in Gaza over the past 10 months have been devastating.” She described the extent of the suffering as “heartbreaking.”

How to Properly Pronounce ‘Kamala’

The speech at the convention was crucial and likely attracted the largest audience of Harris’ career. Only the upcoming televised debates this autumn, where the questions will be posed by moderators and Trump will share the stage, are expected to influence the election more significantly.

With the event organized by the campaign, the four-day agenda focused heavily on presenting Harris, not just to the loyal Democrats in attendance but also to the millions of viewers tuning in via television and social media.

Her husband, sister, stepchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, and colleagues all provided testimonials. They shared stories about her mother, who worked tirelessly for years to buy a home, highlighting a stark contrast to Trump’s inherited wealth.

“A strong middle class has always been essential to America’s success, and building back that middle class will be a key objective of my presidency,” she stated. “This is deeply personal for me. The middle class is my background.”

The event also included performances by celebrities, such as Pink (although the anticipated appearance by Beyonce did not occur) as well as some sharp humor.

Prior to Harris’ address, actress Kerry Washington hosted a nationally broadcast tutorial on how to say Harris’ first name correctly, which became an issue since Trump often mispronounces it, seemingly on purpose.

“Understanding may be confusing,” Washington remarked. “But disrespect is not acceptable.”

She invited Kamala Harris’ grandnieces, Amara and Leela Ajagu, to demonstrate the correct pronunciation. (For clarity, Kamala is pronounced like “comma” followed by “la.”)

The nation will be hearing her name frequently over the next 75 days.