Opinion | Kamala Harris Has Her Rival Rattled

Kamala Harris is some 70 days away from possibly making history as not only the first woman President of the United States but also the first president of Black and South Asian origin. 

At last week's Democratic Party convention, however, she made it clear that these firsts are not badges she needs to acknowledge, especially against an opponent whose platform relies heavily on "othering." In her acceptance speech, she did not mention her skin colour at all, except to note that her father was from Jamaica, and only referenced the word "woman" when speaking about her mother, whom she described as a "brilliant five-foot-tall woman with an accent." 

Kamala Harris has recognised that this short, 100-day campaign gives her a chance to transcend her gender, her identity, and even her tenure as the nondescript Vice President under a deeply unpopular President. It also allows her to remain deliberately vague on policies while still positioning herself as a representative of all that is best in the United States.