Former Vice President Kamala Harris criticizes President Donald Trump in speech

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(AP) Former Vice President Kamala Harris used a high-profile speech Wednesday to sharply criticize President Donald Trump amid speculation about whether she will mount another presidential campaign or opt to run for California governor. Harris addressed the 20th anniversary gala for Emerge America, an organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office that grew in part from Harris’ run for San Francisco district attorney in the early 2000s. Her speech came the day after Trump reached 100 days in office. It was expected to be her most extensive public remarks since leaving office in January following her defeat to Trump, with planned critiques of the Republican president's handling of the economy, U.S. institutions and foreign policy. “Instead of an administration working to advance America's highest ideals, we are witnessing the wholesale abandonment of those ideals,” Harris said. Before Wednesday, Harris had barely mentioned Trump by name since she conceded defeat to him in November, but she recently addressed the anxiety and confusion that have gripped many of her supporters since Trump took office. “Fear has a way of being contagious, and we are witnessing that, no doubt,” she said at the Leading Women Defined Summit in early April, a forum for Black women leaders. “But courage is also contagious,” she added, urging her audience to speak out against Trump. The current moment highlights “the power of kindness, the power of sisterhood, the power of self care.” The speech was delivered below luminous chandeliers in a gold-trimmed ballroom in the landmark Palace Hotel in downtown. Trump went after Harris in a campaign-style rally Tuesday marking his 100th day in office. He sarcastically called her a “great border czar" and a “great candidate," and repeated some of the applause lines he routinely delivered during the campaign. Until Harris replaced Joe Biden atop the Democratic ticket last summer, Trump said, “I knew nothing about her." Harris is ramping up her public presence as Democrats nationally search for a path forward after November's election, in which Republicans also won control of Congress. While a slate of high-profile Democrats — from governors to businessmen — seek leadership roles within the party, the former vice president retains unique influence and would reshape any future race she chooses to enter. Full coverage: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/nation-world/kamala-harris-speech-sharply-criticizing-donald-trump-policies/507-5ddd72c5-c084-416d-8f6c-18ab2bf68929 #shorts --- At 3News, we’re here to share your voice and tell your story. Share your ideas, thoughts, concerns and engage in conversations about the communities in which we all call home. Follow 3News on Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wkyc.channel3/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wkyc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wkyc3/ Visit our site: https://www.wkyc.com/ And be sure to download our app here: https://wkyc.com/app