On Thursday night, Kamala Harris took on the task of making the final case for why Democrats deserved another four years in the White House. In her keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, which had the lively atmosphere of a giant block party, Harris spoke of resisting global tyranny and shared lessons from her single mother. She criticized former President Donald J. Trump as an “unserious man” and highlighted the “awesome responsibility” that comes with being an American.Her speech left Democrats at the convention feeling euphoric and determined, confident that her words would energize the Democratic base for the upcoming November election.However, outside the arena and the circle of staunch Democratic supporters, some voters, particularly Republicans, said they didn’t even bother to watch the speech. Among those still undecided—voters who could tip the scales in a close race—Harris’s speech didn’t immediately win them over. They wanted more specifics.Bob and Sharon Reed, who watched Harris’s speech from their farm in central Pennsylvania, were among those feeling conflicted. Both had voted for Trump in previous elections and appreciated some of his policies, if not his personality. But after hearing Harris, they felt a bit more open-minded.“I wasn’t happy with the Biden administration,” said Ms. Reed, a 77-year-old retired schoolteacher.
“But listening to her tonight, maybe it’s not as hard to vote for her. And, you know, I’m a little scared of what Trump will do if he’s back in power.”Ms. Reed appreciated the clear contrasts Harris drew between her potential presidency and Trump’s. Mr. Reed, who had been leaning toward Trump, found Harris’s optimism and determination appealing. “This sounded presidential,” he said.Yet, the Reeds remained undecided, hoping the debates would provide the clarity they needed.“I want some concrete answers and some substance in those debates,” Ms. Reed said. “I don’t know if I’m going to get either.”Meanwhile, others weighed Harris’s words against the Biden administration’s record. Craig Scott, a Republican, watched the speech from his patio in High Point, N.C., pizza in hand.Mr. Scott, who has written about how his experience with incarceration as a Black man led him to support Trump, was put off by other parts of the convention, especially the Democrats’ rhetoric on race and their framing of the election as a battle of good versus evil, which he found patronizing.“Their whole message is always, ‘You need to vote for us because we’re the good white folks, and they’re the bad white folks,’” Mr. Scott said. “That’s been their pitch for decades.”As he watched Harris’s speech, he added his own running commentary. When she criticized Trump’s stance on abortion, he responded, “Well, Trump mentioned he supports exceptions.” And when she vowed to maintain “the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world” as president, he laughed.