New Delhi:

In her acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination, Kamala Harris vowed to resist the influence of authoritarian leaders, who she implied have allegedly manipulated Donald Trump’s foreign policy by appealing to his autocratic tendencies. In a bid to position herself against Republican frontrunner Trump, Harris is stressing her resolve on national security, portraying the billionaire as a riskier alternative.

In her speech, Harris made it abundantly clear that her presidency would mark a definitive break from the Trump era, particularly in foreign policy. “I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators,” she declared.

As Dr Sweta Chakraborty, a Climate Surrogate for the Harris campaign, explains, Harris’s approach to policy formation is rooted in a clear-eyed assessment of the threats facing the country, both from foreign adversaries and from within. Dr Chakraborty, who has been closely involved in the campaign and was present at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, noted that Harris’s message is resonating strongly with Indian-Americans and other minority communities who see in her as their leader.

Indian-American Perspective

“Kamala Harris is polling a few points ahead of Donald Trump and will surely get a surge following the DNC. Indian-Americans like myself are banding together and supporting her through various efforts and speciality collaborations. For example, we are raising funds through ‘South Asians in Climate’ after the DNC and ahead of the ‘Harris for President Climate Group’ official launch this September. South Asians are in. Climate voters are in, and as a South Asian climate surrogate, I represent both voter groups that broadly support Kamala Harris for President,” Dr Chakraborty told NDTV.

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Born in Oakland, California in 1964, Harris’s father is Donald Harris, a man of Afro-Jamaican descent while his mother is Shyamala Gopalan, who emigrated to the US at the age of 19 to pursue her doctorate in nutrition and endocrinology.

“Having a President who shares ancestry with South Asians in America shows that South Asian immigrants and their offspring have a clear place in America. A daughter of India can make it to the highest elected office in the United States, which shows that the sky is the limit for the Indian diaspora in the US. Indians in the US already enjoy the status as the highest-earning demographic. An Indian will elevate that status and make history for minorities and women more broadly,” Dr Chakraborty said. 

The Usha Vance Factor

However, Harris is not the only Indian-American whose name and image are plastered across the US presidential campaign. Over at the Republican camp, Trump’s Vice President pick JD Vance’s wife is Usha Vance who traces her roots to Andhra Pradesh’s Vadluru. 

Usha’s father, Chilukuri Radhakrishnan, was brought up in Chennai but went to the US to pursue higher studies. Usha was raised in San Diego, California and she met JD Vance at Yale Law School before getting married in 2014. 

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“Usha Vance and her husband are trading in their morals for power,” Dr Chakraborty alleged. “It is clear they had authentically shared liberal values with friends and classmates from university, but edited and adjusted their stances to maneuver in the conservative party, which they perceived would be the easier route to power.”

Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump 

Dr Chakraborty highlighted a stark contrast between Harris and Trump: where Trump has prioritised tax breaks for billionaires and deregulation of corporate polluters, Harris has pledged to hold the oil and gas industry accountable, invest in a clean energy economy, and ensure that the benefits of climate action are shared by all Americans, not just the wealthy elite.

When Harris ran for vice president in 2020, her climate plan was even more aggressive than what ultimately passed during Joe Biden’s presidency as the Inflation Reduction Act – a landmark climate legislation in American 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 Chakraborty said. 

“As an Indian woman, she also represents members of American society that have been historically disenfranchised. She is physically the opposite of Biden and represents the ascendency of women and a future society that is more equitable and fair to all genders and races,” she said. 

On the third night of the Democratic National Convention, actress and producer Mindy Kaling captivated the audience with her heartfelt support for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

Kaling began with a lighthearted remark, saying, “The real reason I’m here is that deep down, I truly believe that as a woman of colour and a single mother of three, it is incredibly important that I be appointed ambassador to Italy.”

Mindy Kaling: “The real reason I’m here is that deep down, I truly believe that as a woman of color and a single mother of three, it is incredibly important that I be appointed ambassador to Italy.” pic.twitter.com/Wx3thFxCes

— Reda (@RedaMor_) August 22, 2024

Moving on, the actress, known for her roles in The Office and The Mindy Project, shared a personal story, shedding light on her connection to Harris and their shared Indian heritage. 

She introduced herself as “the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video”. This light-hearted remark referred to an event several years ago when Harris, then a California senator, visited Kaling’s home to film a cooking segment. 

“She wasn’t Madam Vice President then; she was my senator, and we were filming a video where she came to my home to cook dosas, a South Indian dish,” Kaling recounted. 

Mindy Kaling welcomed the crowd to the DNC, joking with the audience that they might recognize her as “the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video.” https://t.co/20OHIVmDXCpic.twitter.com/TWadpAx5T7

— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) August 22, 2024

Reflecting on their meeting, Kaling described the immediate bond they formed, despite her initial nervousness about hosting a senator. “It’s not every day that a senator comes over, and I was pretty nervous, but when she arrived, we immediately hit it off,” she shared. 

She recalled how they connected over their shared love for their mothers, both of whom died from cancer. “Both of our mothers were immigrants from India who came to America and committed their lives to serving others,” Kaling said. Mindy Kaling’s mother was an OB-GYN, while Harris’ mother was a scientist dedicated to finding a cure for cancer.

One of the memorable moments for Kaling was discovering Harris’ culinary skills. “But the thing I remember the most about the Vice President is that Kamala Harris can cook,” Kaling said. She fondly recalled Harris’ thoughtfulness, particularly towards Kaling’s daughter, Kit. “She was so much better than me, but she also knew my family was watching. So as she gently corrected my sloppy dosa, she was complimenting me every step of the way, making sure that my daughter heard how good of a cook I am.” 

I had so much fun cooking masala dosa with @mindykaling, and even got to meet her dad.pic.twitter.com/9dgQUjKeZF

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 27, 2019

Kaling used this anecdote to highlight Harris’ character. “She had no desire to be seen as better than anyone else. She just wanted my kid to be impressed with her mom,” the actress said.  “It is that warmth, that generosity of spirit that I know she will bring to the White House as our next president,” she endorsed.

Taylor Swift may have been absent from the Democratic National Convention (DNC), but her presence was still felt through her music. On the second night of the convention, her chart-topping hit Shake It Off took centre stage during the roll call vote. 

The event featured a unique musical twist, with DJ Cassidy curating a playlist of 62 songs to represent each state and territory. From Lil Jon’s Turn Down for What for Georgia to Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough for Indiana, the music selections brought a lively spirit to the proceedings.

Shake It Off was a fitting choice for Rhode Island, given Taylor Swift’s ties to the state. She owns a home in Watch Hill on the island. The home has become a cultural landmark, celebrated in her music and famous for its star-studded Fourth of July parties.

for everyone who still somehow thinks taylor is a republican, she approved shake it off for the dnc pic.twitter.com/36jSZFAMCy

— E M I L Y (@mleshep) August 21, 2024

But that wasn’t the only Taylor Swift reference of the night.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “Donald Trump is like an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away. He spent the last four years trying to get back into a relationship with the American people. Bro, we broke up with you for a reason!” There is no reason for us to “get back together,” he said, quoting Swift’s hit song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

“Bro, we broke up with you for a reason!”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries goes after Donald Trump on the DNC stage and drops a Taylor Swift lyric in the process. pic.twitter.com/FtVgugWKxl

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 22, 2024

Colorado Governor and ‘Swiftie’ Jared Polis also referenced the song during his address at the DNC. “As a Redditor, gamer, entrepreneur and Swiftie from the free state of Colorado, I’m excited by Kamala Harris’ vision of protecting and expanding our personal freedom, internet freedom and economic freedom,” he said, adding the Democratic party does not consist of “weirdos who can tell people who can and can’t have kids.”

“We’re never going back like never ever ever ever,” he stated.

Jared Polis at the DNC: “As a Redditor, gamer, entrepreneur and Swiftie from the free state of Colorado, I’m excited by Kamala Harris’ vision of protecting and expanding our personal freedom, internet freedom and economic freedom.” pic.twitter.com/dEL9uHVPNH

— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 21, 2024

This comes as Swift has yet to officially endorse a candidate in the 2024 race, despite polls suggesting her support could significantly boost the chances of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. 

Earlier, Mississippi delegate Kelly Jacobs handed out thousands of Taylor Swift-themed bracelets at the event. Jacobs also made a statement on the first day of the convention, wearing a body-length sign that read “Storm the ballot box like they stormed the Capitol on Jan 6” and distributing homemade “Swifty Voter” friendship bracelets. 

Kelly Jacobs (political fashionista) has been turning heads at the @DNC – She puts Taylor Swift’s face on her outfits to attract new voters. If you see her at the convention – she’ll hand you a friendship bracelet. She gave out 250 of them yesterday. @WGNNewspic.twitter.com/KzV8IkjO83

— Lourdes Duarte (@LourdesWGN) August 20, 2024

Taylor Swift recently finished the UK leg of her wildly successful The Eras Tour and is heading to Nashville next.