Janelle Irwin Taylor
Vice President Kamala Harris is out with a new ad touting her middle-class upbringing and making the case that she knows better than former President Donald Trump how to deliver results that work for those in search of the American Dream.
The 30-second spot, entitled “Knows,” is part of a $50 million paid media buy targeting battleground states ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which starts Aug. 19 in Chicago.
It begins with images of a young Harris in various family photos — as a baby on the doorstep to a modest home; as a toddler walking with her mother in a middle-class neighborhood; a senior photo; and again with her mother at her law school graduation. It then goes on to show footage of Harris interacting with voters, many at their working class jobs. In the footage, Harris is smiling, hugging voters and being well-received.
“She grew up in a middle-class home. She was the daughter of a working mom. And she worked at McDonald’s while she got her degree,” the ad’s narrator begins. “Kamala Harris knows what it’s like to be middle class. It’s why she’s determined to lower health care costs and make housing more affordable.”
The ad then takes a darker tone, pivoting to images of a stern-looking Trump, his vast Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida and a view of luxury yachts on a pristine waterfront.
“Donald Trump has no plan to help the middle class — just more tax cuts for billionaires,” the narrator continues.
“Being President is about who you fight for, and she’s fighting for people like you.”
A press release announcing the ad goes further.
“Vice President Harris is the daughter of a working mother and worked at a McDonald’s to put herself through college. She knows what middle class families go through. Now, she’s running for President to make it easier for families to not just get by, but get ahead,” Harris campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt said in a prepared statement.
“As President, Harris’ top priority will be taking on corporate greed to lower costs. Donald Trump, on the other hand, is running to give more handouts to his ultra-wealthy friends at the expense of working Americans. That’s the contrast voters are going to see between now and Election Day.”
The ad will air on local and national broadcast stations, cable programs, streaming platforms and social media channels, including on high-viewership programming such as The Olympic Games, The Bachelorette, Big Brother, The Daily Show and others.
It comes as the race between Harris and Trump — now complete with Harris’ pick of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Trump’s of U.S. Sen. JD Vance as running mates — looks to be close this November. A Marist Poll out this week showed Harris with a 3-percentage-point lead over Trump nationally. That poll came out Tuesday, the same day Harris announced Walz as her VP pick. But another recent CNBC All-America Economic Survey poll showed Trump with a 2-percentage-point lead and a major advantage on the economy over Harris.
The ad also comes just after ABC announced that Trump and Harris had both agreed to a Sept. 10 presidential debate. The date had previously been set for Trump and President Joe Biden, but Trump was slow to recommit after Biden exited the race and passed the torch to his No. 2.
8 comments
rbruce
August 9, 2024 at 10:19 am
VP Harris’s mother was a professional scientist and her father was a Stanford college professor. Following is from a Aug 22, 2020 New Yorker magazine article: “Growing up, Harris was surrounded by African-American intellectuals and activists. One of her mother’s closest friends was Mary Lewis, who helped found the field of black studies, at San Francisco State.”
How is that middle-class?
Tom
August 9, 2024 at 4:22 pm
Sounds like she has been exposed to a wide variety of people with differing ideas and opinions. That would seem like a useful skill on the world stage. Unlike her competitor, she probably doesn’t think she’s the smartest person in the room (his words, not mine).
Why do you think that’s an issue? Have you seen what scientists and professors earn? I’d call it middle class.
Michael K
August 9, 2024 at 5:10 pm
In today’s dollars, her mother’s salary as a biomedical scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory would be between $114k and $182k. In today’s dollars, a middle-class salary falls between $52k and $155k.
Yrral
August 9, 2024 at 11:05 am
JD Vance is worth 10 million dollars,he does not have anything common with the average hillbillies,maybe the Beverly Hillbillies
Day 19
August 9, 2024 at 12:44 pm
So are you criticizing him for working hard and achieving the American dream? Should we compare his hard work to get where he is compared to Kammy running around with the Mayor of San Francisco who is thirty years older? One worked hard, the other worked it hard.
Childless Cat Lady
August 9, 2024 at 1:58 pm
The Trump Campaign is embarrassed by Trump’s last minute decision to hold a presser yesterday! They’re also embarrassed that they never were permitted to vet JD Vance. As Harris’s polling accelerates Trump will turn his back on his campaign and publicly melt down for the world to see. Thank god for YouTube that resurrects ALL of Trump’s idiotic comments and videos!
Day 20
August 10, 2024 at 9:25 am
“Weapons in war that I carried in war” Said by Governor Tim Walz. You never went to war Governor. That is stolen valor in my book. Nice vetting there huh Michael H?
Michael K
August 10, 2024 at 10:42 am
Miss Spoke is now doing name-by-number. But still a disgrace by any measure.
Remember when Republicans claimed to own “Thank you for your service” to everyone who served in the armed forces?
Now, the MAGAs are turning on those who served. No surprise, coming from the former president who called soldiers “suckers” and “losers” and denigrated John McCain.
Disgusting.
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