Kamala Harris, Democratic VP nominee says Trump's failure to lead 'cost lives, livelihoods'

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​Washington, Aug 20 (Canadian-Media): Senator Kamala Harris, the Democrats' presumptive vice presidential nominee, in her keynote speech on Wednesday, said that US President Donald Trump's failure of leadership has cost lives and livelihoods in the United States.

Kamala Harris. Image credit: Twitter handle

"Donald Trump's failure of leadership has cost lives and livelihoods," Harris said in excerpts of her speech published early on Wednesday and added that the US, being at an inflection point  must do better.

Harris and former US President Barack Obama topped the list of speakers at the party's national conference on Wednesday evening.  

US Democratic Party's presidential nomination was officially won by former US Vice President Joe Biden securing 3,558 delegates after the roll call vote on Tuesday in at the party's the four-day virtual Democratic National Convention, during which President Donald Trump's leadership was attacked by several speakers.

Joe Bidden. Image credit: Twitter handle

The second night of the Convention's theme was Leadership, especially on a global scale, during which  Trump's foreign policy was criticized by the Democrats.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry in his remarks said Trump is incapable of defending the country in contrast to Biden's steady hand.

"Joe understands that none of the issues of this world - not nuclear weapons, not the challenge of building back better after COVID, not terrorism and certainly not the climate crisis - none can be resolved without bringing nations together," Kerry said and added that Biden can make "America lead like America again."

"This moment is a fight for the security of America and the world," the Obama administration's top diplomat added.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who served under the George W. Bush administration, also made a case for supporting Biden.

"He will restore America’s leadership and our moral authority… and restore the alliances we need to address the dangers that threaten our nation from climate change to nuclear proliferation," Powell said and that Biden will stand up to adversaries and trust US diplomats and the intelligence community.

Trump was described by many of the Democrats throughout the night as selfish.

In the opening speech of the night, Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates described about Trump's alleged abuse of power.

"From the moment President Trump took office he's used his position to benefit himself rather than our country, he's trampled our rule of law," Yates said. "He treats our country like it's his family business, this time bankrupting our nation's moral authority at home and abroad."

Trump was also slammed by former President Bill Clinton for his mishandling of the US response to the domestic outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and his  ignoring the advice from medical experts.

"COVID hit us much harder than it had to," Clinton said.

Under the current challenges faced by the US, Biden is the right person to lead the US, former President Jimmy Carter said.

Trump said he will deliver his acceptance speech from the White House lawn during the  Republican National Convention scheduled to take place August 21-24 at Charlotte, North Carolina, US.

Biden is ahead nationally in the most recent ten polls by an average of about 7 percent, posted on realclearpolitics.com. The same site also shows Biden leading in the largest battleground states including Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. ​​