Kamala Harris concedes the election, not her fight

Kamala Harris, daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, both immigrants, acknowledged her loss to Donald Trump in her historic bid for the White House, but vowed to continue the fight for democracy.

“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” said Harris, first woman, first South Asian and first African American Vice President, in an emotional speech at Howard University, her alma mater, in Washington.

“Hear me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright,” she added. “As long as we never give up. And as long as we keep fighting.”

READ: Trump trips Kamala Harris as he storms back to power (November 6, 2024)

“Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect (Donald) Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power,” she said.

In reaching out to her Republican opponent, Harris did something Trump refused to do in the aftermath of the 2020 election: Accept his defeat to Joe Biden and Harris.

“A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results. … At the same time, in our nation, 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. My allegiance to all three is why I am here to say: While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” she said.

Speaking to her supporters one last time, 108 days after her campaign began with President Biden handing over the baton in mid stride, the self-described “joyful warrior” sought to reassure the American people. “I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now. I get it. But we must accept the results of this election,” she said.

Closing a chapter in the history books after a tense campaign, the vice president offered a call to supporters to “roll up our sleeves” in response to the election results.

READ: From tech giants to venture capitalists, corporate leaders welcome Trump’s win (November 6, 2024)

“Do not despair. 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 said in her 12-minute remarks.

She vowed to wage that fight “in the voting booth, in the courts, and in the public square,” as well as in “quieter ways: By treating one another with kindness and respect … by always using our strength to lift people up.”

She also sent messages to her more youthful supporters. “To the young people who are watching, it is okay to feel sad and disappointed, but please know it’s going to be OK. On the campaign, I would often say, ‘When we fight, we win.’ But here’s the thing, here’s the thing, sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. That doesn’t mean we won’t win,” she said.

“The important thing is don’t ever give up. Don’t ever give up. Don’t ever stop trying to make the world a better place,” she continued. “You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world.”

“Don’t you ever listen when anyone tells you something is impossible because it has never been done before,” she said at the end of her historic run as the first South Asian and African woman at the top of the presidential ticket.

Harris wore a dark suit late Wednesday afternoon and walked out to Beyoncé’s up-tempo anthem, “Freedom,” as she has throughout her time on the campaign trail, pausing for several moments as the crowd applauded her.

She officially conceded the race earlier Wednesday afternoon, offering her congratulations to Trump in a call that lasted only a few minutes, CNN reported. Harris, a senior aide said, “discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans.”

In a twist of irony, Harris would officially certify her own loss on January 6, 2025 as the vice president, as president of the Senate, “presides over the count and announces the results of the Electoral College vote” according to the National Archives.

In a laudatory message, President Joe Biden saying that Harris’ “story represents the best of America’s story”  expressed confidence that she “will continue the fight with purpose, determination, and joy. She will continue to be a champion for all Americans.”

“What America saw today was the Kamala Harris I know and deeply admire,” he stated. “She’s been a tremendous partner and public servant full of integrity, courage, and character.”

“Under extraordinary circumstances, she stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans,” Biden stated.

Noting that selecting Harris was the very first decision he made when he became the nominee for president in 2020, Biden stated, “It was the best decision I made. Her story represents the best of America’s story. And as she made clear today, I have no doubt that she’ll continue writing that story.”

“She will continue the fight with purpose, determination, and joy. She will continue to be a champion for all Americans. Above all, she will continue to be a leader our children will look up to for generations to come as she puts her stamp on America’s future,” he concluded.