Kamala Harris Gives America Last Normal Speech It’ll Hear for 4 Years
Kamala Harris delivered a speech to supporters Wednesday conceding the election to Donald Trump, the last coherent speech Americans may hear from a major politician for the foreseeable future.
In her afternoon address at Howard University, her alma mater, Harris promised to assist Trump and his team with their transition, and to “engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”
“A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results. That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny,” Harris said. “And anyone who seeks the public trust should honor it.”
Trump notably has not honored that important principle, as he falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him and has yet to admit he lost the race. Tuesday night, the president-elect gave a particularly dark, unwieldy victory speech, and thanks to 72 million Americans, we will likely hear similar speeches for the next four years.
“We owe loyalty not to a president or a party, but to the Constitution of the United States. And loyalty to our conscience, and to our God,” Harris said.
“While I concede the election,” she continued, “I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.”
She urged her supporters to continue fighting for women’s bodily autonomy and against Republicans who would see it handed back to the states and legislated into oblivion. She also called on supporters to continue the fight against gun violence, in schools and on the streets.
“Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win,” she said. “Don’t ever give up.”
Watch her full speech here.