The United States of America leads the world in innovation, as the birthplace of some of the most incredible technological advancements of the last century. It also remains a cultural powerhouse around the world, with American movies, TV shows and books reaching nearly every country on the planet.
But not all American exceptionalism is positive. In the entire history of the U.S., voters have yet to elect a single female president. More than 70 countries around the world have already had a female head of state, including several in Western Europe and South America. And just months ago, Mexico elected its very first female head of state, Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office this month.
Now, with Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president, we as Americans have a long overdue chance to correct this imbalance in the White House. A Harris presidency would be historic for a number of reasons, with her victory making her the first woman, first Black woman and first Asian American to hold the office.
As this country has demonstrated time and again, however, it’s hard to be a woman in politics, meaning the road to victory will not be an easy one. Despite Harris’s incredible fundraising prowess and the overwhelming energy she’s brought to her campaign and to Democrats across the country, misogyny still runs deep among some of the electorate, more than a century after women got the right to vote.
Altanta rally with VP and Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris. Photo credit: Jana Lawrence.
Nowhere was that more apparent than in former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign for president in both 2008 and 2016. Regardless of what one thinks of her, her history or her policy positions, the vitriol and hate she faced when she ran for president was unlike anything I have seen directed at any male candidate in the last 30 years. Much of that negative tone was set by her 2016 opponent, Donald Trump, who has a history of misogyny and disrespect for women that predates his run for president by decades.
It’s no different this time around. Barely a week after Harris became the Democratic candidate, Trump’s allies took aim at her because of her race and gender. References to her being a “DEI candidate” began spreading among his most toxic supporters at lightning speed.
What they fail to understand is that as a Black woman, Harris has already broken countless barriers to get to where she is today. Despite diversity, equity and inclusion efforts picking up traction in recent years, people of color still face higher barriers to success and are held to higher standards, especially women.
Harris’ meteoric rise in politics, from San Francisco district attorney to attorney general of California to U.S. senator to vice president, was not the result of her gender or skin color. She broke down every one of those barriers and won because she connected with voters who recognized her as the best person for the job.
The skills that brought her to where she is today are part of the reason her campaign for president is doing so well, after kicking off just months ago. Voters across the political spectrum are more energized than ever for Harris because she brings a wealth of experience and an inspiring, uplifting vision to her campaign. I am truly excited about the possibility of the country being led by someone with a completely new perspective than any leader who has come before her.
In a nation where critics once pilloried its first Black president for daring to wear a tan suit, I have no doubt that Harris will face even more slings and arrows for the next four years if she is elected. I also know she can take it, even if she shouldn’t have to. She has led alongside President Joe Biden with dignity, grace and wisdom, even as the same people attacking her now have tried to undermine her, from the moment she dared to be a woman of color running for national office. She embodies the country’s spirit of freedom, particularly in her work to ensure a woman’s right to choose, and she is fearless.
This campaign has featured some of the nastiest attacks I have ever seen, and as Election Day grows closer, you can expect them to get worse. Harris has remained above the fray, which only demonstrates further that she is the right person to lead our country for the next four years. She has been preparing for this job for her entire life, and now, it’s her time. 
Tharon Johnson can be seen Sunday mornings on The Georgia Gang on Fox 5 Atlanta. He received a Green Eyeshade award in journalism in 2023.
