"Yes, she can". This was the endorsement from former United States President Barack Obama for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris during his closing speech on the second day of the party's national convention. ''Hope is back'', echoed former First Lady Michelle. ''America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We're ready for a president, Kamala Harris,'' Obama told a cheering crowd in Chicago, calling ''Kamala a joyful warrior''.
''Kamala Harris is ready for this job", said the former president, stressing: "She has spent her life fighting for people who need a voice". "We have the opportunity to elect someone who has spent her entire life trying to give people the same opportunities that America gave her - he continued - Someone who sees you and hears you and who will stand up every single day and fight for you: the next President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris''.
Obama attacked his Republican successor, Donald Trump, who will face Harris in the race for the White House. ''Here's a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn't stopped complaining about his problems since he got off his golden escalator nine years ago. It's been a steady stream of gripes and grievances that has gotten worse now that he's afraid of losing to Kamala,'' Obama said. ''We don't need four more years of bragging, confusion, and chaos. We've seen that movie and we all know the sequel is usually worse,'' he added.
It was former First Lady Michelle Obama who gave the floor to her husband onstage, from where she said that she and Harris built their lives on the same founding values, even though their mothers were born on the other side of the ocean, making a veiled reference to Trump's statements about the vice president's origins.
''Harris is more than ready for this moment. She is one of the most qualified people ever to run for president. And she is one of the most deserving,'' she said. In that vein, she added that the vice president's story ''is that of the majority of Americans who are trying to build better lives,'' because ''no one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American.''
Last Tuesday, U.S. Democrats officially confirmed Harris as their presidential nominee for the November 5 election, in a purely ceremonial vote. Harris will deliver the keynote address at the convention tomorrow night, marking the grand finale of a four-day event meant to celebrate her and her running mate, Tim Walz.
