US Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has released a childhood photo of herself and her mother and revealed that she worked at fast-food chains as a teenager to earn money.
In an emotional social media post, the 59-year-old recalled her childhood in a middle-class household where her mother “saved for over a decade to buy a house”. “I was a teenager when the day finally came – and I can still remember how excited she was,” she revealed in a post on X. Ms Harris also recounted her own experience working at McDonald’s to “earn pocket money” while in college.
“That will only get more difficult as the cost of living goes up,” she said, emphasizing that many Americans are struggling more as the cost of living increases. She promised that she would make cutting costs and “increasing economic security” for everyone her top priority if elected president.
I grew up in a middle-class household. We spent most of my childhood as renters.
My mother saved for over a decade to buy a house. I was a teenager when the day finally came – and I can still remember how excited she was.
While I was studying, I worked at McDonald’s to earn some money… pic.twitter.com/rQu2uVTkVQ
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) 17 August 2024
The pledge comes ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where Harris is set to become the party’s official presidential nominee. Her candidacy was sealed after she received overwhelming support in a virtual vote of delegates, the Democratic National Committee confirmed.
However, with the convention fast approaching, voters are keen to hear where the Democratic presidential candidate stands on key issues. According to the BBC, on economic issues, Kamala Harris supports policies that benefit the middle class, such as mortgage assistance and tax credits for parents. On immigration, Ms. Harris has advocated for bipartisan border security solutions that address the root causes of migration from Central America.
Ms. Harris is a strong advocate for reproductive rights and has promised to defend those rights across the country if elected president. She also supports NATO and continued aid to Ukraine, while upholding Israel’s right to self-defense.
On taxes, Ms. Harris opposes increases for people earning less than $400,000 and supports a corporate tax increase. She wants to expand access to health care without eliminating private health insurance. Ms. Harris also supports gun safety regulations, including so-called “red flag laws” to prevent gun violence.
