“This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves,” she said, before addressing the possible “dark times” ahead.
Kamala Harris addressed the nation on Wednesday, after Donald Trump’s election win to become the 47th President of the United States.
The current Vice President spoke at her alma mater, Howard University in Washington DC, after canceling the election night speech on Tuesday when it became apparent the votes weren’t going in her direction.
Stepping out onto the stage to thunderous applause and chants of “Kamala!” from her supporters, Harris began with a smile as she addressed the crowd and thanked them all.
“Let me say, my heart is full today. Full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country and full of resolve,” she said. “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”
“To my beloved Doug and our family, I love you so very much,” she continued, before thanking the Bidens, the Walz family and her team of supporters.
“I am so proud of the race we ran and the way we ran it. Over the 107 days of this campaign, we have been intentional about building community and building coalitions,” she went on. “Bringing people together from every walk of life and background. United by love of country, with enthusiasm and joy in our fight for America’s future. And we did it with the knowledge that we all have so much more in common than what separates us.”
“I know folks are feeling a range of emotions right now, I get it,” Harris said with a laugh, before adding, “But we must accept the results of this election.”
She said she spoke with Trump earlier today and congratulated him, while promising to help with a “peaceful transfer of power.” She also insisted that, as a nation, “we owe loyalty not to a president or a party, but to the Constitution of the United Sates. And loyalty to our conscience and our god.”
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“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign. The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people. A fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation. The ideals that reflect America at our best,” she then promised. “That is a fight I will never give up. I will never give up a dight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams.”
She also vowed to never give up the fights for “women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body” or to “protect our schools and streets from gun violence,” as well as the fight for “our democracy, the rule of law, for equal justice and the sacred idea that every one of us — no matter who we are or where we start out — have certain fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld.”
Though she said that fight for freedom would be “hard work,” she added, “but as I always say, we like hard work.”
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“To the young people who are watching, it is okay to feel sad and disappointed. But please know it’s gonna be okay,” she shared. “On the campaign I would often say, ‘When we fight we win.’ Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. The important thing is don’t ever give up. Don’t ever stop trying to make the world a better place. You have power. And don’t you ever listen when anyone tells you something isn’t possible because it has never been done before. You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world.”
Telling supporters to not “despair,” she added, “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”
She then closed with an adage, saying, “Only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.”
“I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time. But for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case,” said Harris. “If it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, billion stars. The light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service. And may that work guide us even in the face of setbacks, toward the extraordinary promise of the United States of America.”
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On late Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, Trump was declared the winner of the election. Trump cinched the presidency after he won multiple battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin.
“We overcame obstacles that nobody ever thought we could,” Trump said in part during his acceptance speech from West Palm Beach alongside his running mate JD Vance. “This will truly be the golden age of America.”
Both Harris and President Joe Biden have spoken with Trump, calling him on Wednesday.
“President Biden expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together,” the White House said of Biden this afternoon.
Biden also reportedly invited Trump to meet with him at the White House.
