In her acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination, Kamala Harris vowed to resist the influence of authoritarian leaders who have allegedly used Donald Trump’s autocratic tendencies to manipulate his foreign policy. In an effort to pit herself against Trump, the Republican front-runner, Harris is stressing her resolve on national security, painting the billionaire as a risky choice.
In her speech, Harris made it clear that her presidency would be a decisive departure from the Trump era, particularly when it comes to foreign policy. “I will not mix with dictators and autocrats,” she said.
As Dr. Sweta Chakravarti, climate representative for the Harris campaign, explains, Harris’ approach to policymaking is based on a clear assessment of the threats facing the country, whether from foreign adversaries or from within the country. Dr. Chakravarti, who has been closely involved in the campaign and was present at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, said Harris’ message is resonating strongly with Indian-Americans and other minority communities, who see her as their leader.
Indian-American Perspective
Dr Chakravarti told NDTV, “Kamala Harris is leading Donald Trump by a few points and will definitely gain an edge after the DNC. Indian-Americans like me are unitedly supporting her through various efforts and special collaborations. For example, we are raising funds through ‘South Asians in Climate’ after the DNC and before the official launch of the ‘Harris for President Climate Group’ this September. South Asians are involved in this. Climate voters are involved in this and as a South Asian climate representative, I represent both voter groups who broadly support Kamala Harris for president.”
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Born in Oakland, California, in 1964, Harris’s father, Donald Harris, is of African-Jamaican descent, while her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, moved to the United States at the age of 19 to pursue a doctorate in nutrition and endocrinology.
Dr Chakravarti said, “Having a President who shares ancestry with South Asians in the US shows that South Asian immigrants and their offspring have a clear place in America. That a daughter of India can reach the highest elected office in the United States shows that the sky is the limit for Indian immigrants in America. Indians already have the status of the highest income earning demographic in the US. An Indian will take that status even higher and make history for minorities and women at large.”
The Usha Vance Factor
However, Harris is not the only Indian-American whose name and image have dominated the US presidential election campaign. In the Republican camp, there is Usha Vance, wife of Trump’s vice-presidential candidate JD Vance, who hails from Vadluru in Andhra Pradesh.
Usha’s father Chilukuri Radhakrishnan grew up in Chennai but moved to the US for higher education. Usha was raised in San Diego, California and met JD Vance at Yale Law School before marrying in 2014.
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“Usha Vance and her husband are trading their morality for power,” Dr Chakravarty alleged. “It is clear that they authentically shared liberal values with university friends and classmates, but edited and adjusted their stances to manoeuvre into the conservative party, which they saw as an easier route to power.”
Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump
Dr. Chakravarti highlighted a sharp contrast between Harris and Trump: While Trump has prioritized tax breaks for billionaires and deregulation of corporate pollution, Harris has pledged to hold the oil and gas industry accountable, invest in the clean energy economy, and ensure that the benefits of climate action accrue to all Americans, not just the wealthy elite.
When Harris ran for vice president in 2020, her climate plan was even more aggressive than what was passed during Joe Biden’s presidency as the Inflation Reduction Act – a landmark climate law in US history. Now, as she prepares to release her full climate agenda in September, Harris is positioning herself as the ‘climate president’ for the United States, Dr Chakravarti said.
“As an Indian woman, she also represents members of American society who have been historically disadvantaged. She is physically the opposite of Biden and represents women’s supremacy and a future society that is more equitable and fair for all genders and races,” he said.
