What Went Down On Night 3 Of The DNC

There are echoes of Harris’s presidential announcement speech in this — both the overall themes and some specific lines. However, that speech was delivered with a lot more oomph. Of course, the fact that 20,000 people came out to see her announcement speech probably helped increase her energy levels.

During the primaries, voters perceived Harris as more liberal than Biden. Past running mates have sometimes changed voters’ ideological impressions of the candidates. For example, choosing Paul Ryan made Mitt Romney seem more conservative (which helped him with conservatives but hurt with moderates). Choosing a non-centrist running mate is a departure for Democrats, but Harris’s nomination may not change impressions of Biden much. This speech is not ideological in tone. Biden and Harris both endorse liberal policies without selling an ideological revolution, running instead more on restoration.

This is her chance to introduce herself to many voters. She’s leaning into the autobiography to make herself more relatable.