Uphill battle Kamala Harris now faces in key battleground states to beat Donald Trump

Kamala Harris said and did all the right things at the Democratic National Convention — but the big unknown, however, is whether she can convince swinging voters to get ahead of Donald Trump.

ANALYSIS: The odd thing worth understanding about American political conventions is that they are not about the thousands of party devotees inside the arena.

The mood was electric in Chicago’s United Center this week, and why wouldn’t it be? The Obamas and the Clintons reprised their greatest hits, performers Pink and John Legend did the same, and Democrats celebrated it all safe in the knowledge that Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the election race has given them a genuine chance to beat Donald Trump.

Balloons fall after US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris concluded her remarks on the fourth and last day of the Democratic National Convention. Picture: AFP

But when Kamala Harris took the stage on the final night, she was not really speaking to them, but to tens of millions of Americans tuning in on TV and scrolling through social media.

The Vice President’s party is positively giddy about her presidential campaign, to the point that it is being compared to Barack Obama’s historic run 16 years ago. The big unknown, however, is whether their enthusiasm is shared by swinging voters in battleground states.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff, Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz. Picture: AFP

For many of them, Ms Harris remains an unknown quantity. So instead of trying to sway them with detailed policies, she told her life story: the daughter of a hard-working immigrant mother, the prosecutor who took on predators and cheaters, the Vice President who stood with America’s allies and believed in America’s power.

US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Picture: AFP

Interestingly, she sidestepped any mention of the glass ceiling she hopes to smash once and for all. Instead, she framed her campaign as a distinctly American story, at a convention that sought to claim the upper hand on patriotism over the Republicans.

The crowd chanted “USA, USA”, and the 100,000 red, white and blue balloons that dropped at the end appeared to be more than those released to crown Mr Trump at his convention.

Her speech did little to tamp down Republican attacks that she is Kamala the chameleon, a political shape-shifter who would govern far more liberally than she is campaigning.

If Mr Trump can prosecute that between now and November, it could be damaging. But judging by his lack of discipline since she became his opponent, that remains a big if.