In an op-ed for The New York Times, Hillary Clinton said she believes in Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to win against Donald Trump, her former political opponent whom she lost the presidential election to in 2016.
“[Harris] is talented, experienced and ready to be president. And I know she can defeat Donald Trump,” she wrote.
The vice president launched her presidential campaign following President Joe Biden’s decision to end his bid for reelection on Sunday. Harris set a record by gaining $81 million in donations within the first 24 hours of her campaign, and has surpassed $100 million as of Tuesday. She has also garnered enough support from delegates to become the Democratic nominee, according to an Associated Press survey.
Clinton, who made history as the first woman in the U.S. to win a presidential nomination by a major political party, said Harris “represents a fresh start for American politics” and can offer a “hopeful, unifying vision.”
“[Harris] and the campaign will have to cut through the noise, and all of us as voters must be thoughtful about what we read, believe and share,” Clinton wrote.
Clinton also acknowledged the challenges that Harris will face during her campaign as a Black and South Asian woman. Trump has escalated attacks against Harris this week, and Clinton noted the “flood of disinformation and the kind of ugly prejudice we’re already hearing from MAGA mouthpieces.”
In the op-ed, Clinton drew parallels between her own experience as a woman who ran in the 2016 presidential election.
“I know a thing or two about how hard it can be for strong women candidates to fight through the sexism and double standards of American politics,” Clinton wrote in the Times. “I’ve been called a witch, a ‘nasty woman’ and much worse.”
“Ms. Harris is chronically underestimated, as are so many women in politics, but she is well prepared for this moment … I look forward to hearing her prosecute a compelling case against Mr. Trump, who failed as a president the first time and is running on a dangerous agenda,” Clinton wrote.
