Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off her presidential campaign Monday with what some members of the media hailed as a speech that left them with “chills,” “blown away” and arguing over who jumped higher from their seat.
Harris became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee on Sunday after President Biden announced via X that he was withdrawing from the race and would endorse her. On Monday, she delivered her first campaign speech in what will now be her campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.
Harris spoke about her relationship with Biden, who visited the headquarters and spoke publicly, and focused on attacking former President Trump.
“In these [past] “In my roles, I’ve faced criminals of all kinds. Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say: I know the Donald Trump type,” she said.
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The speech, delivered after weeks of infighting within the Democratic Party, was hailed by left-wing media as the perfect reintroduction of Harris to the country.
“There was a twinkle in her eye. There was a wiggle in her step that, you know, when you’re vice president… you’re not a coward. There’s somebody above you, somebody you don’t want to upstage. And it was quite a revelation. I got chills when she said, ‘Donald Trump: I know your type.’ It was like, ‘Wow, she’s going to pursue this,’” said MSNBC pundit Donny Deutsch.
He continued: “And I was blown away. I was like falling in love with her. I thought she was smart, she was endearing. She's funny, she's feisty, she's got twinkle in her eye, she punches you in the gut. I mean, you name it. And I just thought she was a great opening act.”
“Bear with me, I’m jumping out of my seat watching this. People are hungry for this,” exclaimed Tim Miller, host of “The Bulwark” podcast.
MSNBC guest Maya Wiley agreed: “I'm with Tim. Tim, I jump out of my seat higher than you, bro. I'm just gonna say that.”
Wiley added that she had “tears in her eyes” during part of Harris’ speech when she discussed her relationship with Biden.
“These are not people who come before the public to put on a show. This is what you see behind closed doors. This is not just civility for political expediency. This is civility because civility is something that matters deeply to both of these leaders,” Wiley said.
On CNN, more pundits hailed the speech as a direct attack and threat against Trump.
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“What struck me most was that she's fighting Kamala Harris. She's coming out with guns in her hands,” CNN correspondent Jamie Gangel noted.
“If I were sitting in Trump’s office and watching that speech, I would be very, very concerned. Kamala Harris gave what I thought was a perfectly crafted, well-delivered introduction to the country, an introduction, a reintroduction of herself, not as vice president, but as a standard-bearer,” said former Obama adviser David Axelrod.
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He continued: “She seemed completely comfortable tonight with the words that she was saying. They seemed natural and authentic. I think every Democrat should be encouraged by that speech. I think if I'm the Trump campaign, I think the message was very clear. The game is on and it's not going to be easy.”