Kamala Harris has conceded the 2024 election to Donald Trump, which he himself failed to do when he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020.
Speaking at her alma mater, Howard University in Washington D.C., where her election festivities had taken place, Harris came out to her campaign song, "Freedom" by Beyoncé, smiling and waving to cheering crowds.
"The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we wanted, 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," she began.
The Vice President spoke to her supporters on Wednesday afternoon, after former reality star Trump — who as most outlets have noted, has been impeached twice, found liable for "rape," convicted of several felony charges, and incited a violent insurrection that left several dead when he refused to accept the 2020 election results — won both the popular vote and electoral college, in an increasingly divided and right wing America.
In doing so, he became the first convicted criminal to be elected United States president. In contrast, the vice president would have been not only, of course, the first female president, but also the first president in U.S. history to have worked in all three branches of government.
"To my beloved Doug and our family, I love you so very much," she continued, thanking President Biden and Dr. Biden for their "faith and support," and "Governor Walz and the Walz family, I know your service to our nation will continue".
"And to my extraordinary team, to the volunteers who gave so much of themselves to the poll workers and the local election officials I thank you, I thank you all."
Prior to speaking on Wednesday afternoon, Harris conceded to Trump over a phone call, in which according to a senior Harris aide, she congratulated him, and discussed the "importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans."
"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, and anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it. At the same time, in our nation, we owe loyalty not to a president, not to a party, but to the constitution of the United States," the speech continued.
Harris then turned to her mission, emphasizing: "While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.
"The fight 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. That is a fight I will never give up, I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions and aspirations, where the women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and not have their government telling them what to do.
"We will never give up the fight to protect our schools and our streets from gun violence, and America , we will never give up the fight for our democracy, for the rule of law, for equal justice and for the sacred idea that every one of us, no matter who we are or where we start out has certain fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld and we will continue to wage this fight in the voting booth in the courts and in the public square."