Confident Harris in New Orleans avoids Biden

President Biden says he will stay in the election race, but Vice President Kamala Harris is gaining attention. Her poll numbers are up, and her speeches are more confident.

At the 30th annual Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans, Harris looked different from her 2019 appearance. Back then, she wore a plain brown suit and spoke in technical terms. Now, she wore a bright teal suit and spoke confidently to a large, standing-room-only crowd.

In a talk with Essence CEO Caroline Wanga, Harris highlighted the achievements of the Biden-Harris administration. She warned about the dangers of a possible second term for Trump and the importance of the upcoming election. Harris avoided discussing Biden’s fitness for office, focusing instead on women’s empowerment. She encouraged the audience to embrace ambition and not let others tell them they can’t achieve their goals.

Harris was introduced as a strong, smart, and proven fighter. She entered and exited to the song “Freedom” by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. Despite Biden’s insistence on staying in the race, Harris’s public presence has grown stronger. She has traveled across the country, speaking on issues like reproductive rights, economic opportunities, and inclusion. Harris described the election as crucial, warning that democracy might not survive another Trump term.

She also spoke about the administration’s efforts to help Americans, such as capping insulin prices for Medicare recipients, expanding access to public health insurance for new mothers, and forgiving student loan debt. When she asked who had received student loan forgiveness, many hands went up. Harris told the audience they got that help because they voted in 2020.

Harris has more work planned, like reducing childcare costs and removing medical debt from credit scores. Leshelle Henderson, a nurse practitioner from Cleveland, came to hear Harris speak. She liked what she heard and felt Harris could be the next president.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Guardian.