By DL White
Get ready, America—Vice President Kamala Harris will be the Democratic nominee. The former San Francisco District Attorney and Attorney General for California is ready to prosecute the case against Trump and the GOP.
Kamala Harris, the first woman and first woman of color to serve as Vice President, is poised to move to the front of the ticket and assume the role of President of the United States. First, however, Harris will need to secure the nomination during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This might be a mere formality, as she has secured enough delegates to have her name on the official roll.
Ironically, the last time Chicago hosted the DNC in 1968, then-President Lyndon Johnson had announced months prior that he would not seek or accept his party’s nomination for a second term.
President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., the 46th individual to occupy the Oval Office, made a monumental decision to withdraw his bid for re-election on Sunday, July 20, at approximately 1:40 pm, putting the country ahead of personal and professional interests.
In stark contrast to former President Donald J. Trump, who lost the 2020 presidential election by a landslide and then lied about the election outcome, even inspiring an insurrection to stay in power on January 6, 2021, President Biden, who had amassed enough delegates to continue as the nominee, chose to move aside and allow the process to continue without him.
Biden’s selfless act was reminiscent of two other individuals who served the nation in the highest office—George Washington, the first person to occupy the office, and President LBJ, both of whom declined to seek a second term. Conversely, President Biden was seeking a second term despite calls for him to pass the torch. The untimely contraction of COVID-19 slowed the Biden campaign and made an uphill run even more challenging.
Only a week prior, Biden was on a feverish campaign tour to demonstrate his fitness for a second term. He attended the National NAACP Convention in Las Vegas on July 16 and appeared focused, competent, and determined.
“It was exciting and heartwarming to see and hear President Biden address our National Convention,” shared former Arizona State President Charles Fanniel, who continues to serve the Civil Rights Organization as Region 1 Chairman. “We were in line and waited most of the morning to ensure we were present for President Biden’s appearance and address to the Convention delegates and those attending the event from all over the country,” shared Tucson Branch Chair Dr. Sheree Meeks.
“Biden’s message was strong, coherent, and specific to many of the things he has accomplished in the first four years of his administration. He was asking for, and those present were shouting, ‘four more years! Four more years!’ It was very clear to me that this gathering wanted to see Biden continue,” noted Dr. Camilla Westenberg, Political Action Chair for the Maricopa Branch of the NAACP, who added, “Now with his decision to step aside, I am ‘all in’ on VP Kamala Harris, my sorority sister, heading the ticket in November.”
While Biden bowed out in an act of humility and concern for the country, Trump, 78, a convicted felon, easily won the Republican presidential nomination despite splitting his time between the campaign trail and various courtrooms where he was a defendant in criminal and civil cases.
Neither age nor the uncertainty of criminal proceedings caused the Trump train to be detoured or derailed. Packing the blueprint (Project 2025) for another takeover attempt of the government, if elected, Trump would become king and pass the crown to his son or a family member.
The Steve Bannon’s and Alt-Right propaganda of 2016, including the Proud Boys and pro-Nazi groups, have given way to the ultimate takeover of democracy. If elected and an autocratic form of government is put in place, America would no longer exist as a democracy. Not enough is being said about the destructive nature of Project 2025—a complete takeover of government.
In May, a jury in Manhattan convicted Trump on thirty-four felony matters related to hush money payments to a porn star. His case in Florida was thrown out by a judge he (Trump) appointed to the bench, while Trump’s appointments to the Supreme Court handed him a victory by affirming his immunity.
It appears fragments of the “takeover” as listed in Project 2025 have already begun, as Trump-appointed judges are doing his bidding in the District and Supreme Courts. Harris’s nomination has caused increasing concern for Trump and his followers.
The Support for Harris’s Campaign Grows Quickly
On back-to-back evenings, first on Sunday night (July 20), California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote in a post on X that Biden “has been an extraordinary, history-making president—a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans.”
“He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents,” said Newsom, who was one of the most prominent Biden surrogates. Newsom has been floated as a possible Democratic presidential contender but threw his support behind Harris hours after the announcement, saying in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that “no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump’s dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America’s Vice President.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, another prominent Democrat spoken about as a future national candidate, called Biden a “great public servant” in a post on X.
“My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan,” Whitmer wrote.
Across the aisle, members of the GOP slammed the move, and many called on Biden to resign from office days after the completion of the Republican National Convention, where speaker after speaker slammed the Biden-Harris ticket.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president. He must resign the office immediately,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, with no basis or merit for such a move.
Harris, who at 59 broke a barrier as the first female vice president and first woman of color in that role, enjoys strong support among youth. Shortly after the announcement of Biden stepping down, more than $75 million in campaign donations poured into the DNC.
Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement: “In the coming days, the Party will undertake as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November. This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to seriously and swiftly deliver a candidate to the American people.”
Democratic lawmakers with strong allegiance to President Biden quickly affirmed their support for VP Harris following the President’s announcement that he was withdrawing from the race. Representatives James Clyburn of South Carolina, whose rousing support of Biden in 2020 provided the impetus that propelled Biden’s campaign to a new level, also voiced their support. The list included Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell of California, and Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Chris Coons of Delaware, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and Mark Kelly of Arizona. Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker, endorsed Harris later as well.
Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., and Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the chair of the group’s PAC, said they join Biden in “fully supporting” Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said in a statement, “I look forward to doing everything in my power to get her elected to the White House, so we can continue building on the progress of the last four years.”
Notably, former President Barack Obama did not immediately endorse Harris. “We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” shared the former President.
The dog whistle attacks by the GOP against Harris have begun. From Trump mispronouncing her name and saying she laughs too much and too loudly to former Counselor and political consultant Kellyanne Conway making the absurd statement that Harris does not speak clearly. Harris, a former District Attorney and Attorney General for California, speaks, writes, and thinks very clearly.
DL White, M.A., M.Ed, is a community servant/leader in the areas of education, journalistic research, community engagement, and youth and family advocacy. He is the author of Discovering The SAUNK In U, and the Sensational Letter S! He is based out of Phoenix, Arizona.