The 2024 presidential election has been dramatic and historic. In a strikingly short time, Vice President Kamala Harris has launched a presidential campaign as the first woman of color to seek the presidency representing a major party. Ann Burnette will examine some of the rhetorical challenges Harris faces and some of the rhetorical strategies Harris has developed in her run for president.

Ann Burnette (Ph.D., Northwestern University) is a Minnie Stevens Piper Professor and Regents’ Teacher in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State University. She publishes scholarship on presidential rhetoric, freedom of expression issues, and political persuasion. Burnette has been recognized for her excellence in teaching by the Southern States Communication Association and the Texas State University System. She is a past president of the Southern States Communication Association and currently serves on the board of directors of the LBJ Museum of San Marcos.