Vice President Kamala Harris said her heart was ‘full’ in her concession speech after losing the US election to former President Donald Trump.
Harris voiced words of hope and optimism in brief remarks lasting less than 10 minutes. Wearing a dark-colored suit, she emerged smiling, waving and clapping shortly before 4.30pm ET on Wednesday.
‘Good afternoon,’ she said multiple times. ‘Thank you all.’
She responded to cheers from the crowd by saying, ‘I love you back’.
‘Let me say, my heart is full today, my heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me,’ she said.
‘Full of love for our country and full of resolve.’
Harris told young people watching that ‘it’s OK’ to be sad or disappointed with the election results.
‘Sometimes the fight takes a while. 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 a place.’
She added, ‘Don’t let anyone tell you something is impossible because it has never been done before.’
Harris’ voice cracked slightly as she said, ‘I am so proud of the race we ran, and the way we ran it’.
She said she congratulated Trump on his victory and that the Biden administration will ‘engage in a peaceful transfer of power’.
The vice president closed her speech with an adage on darkness and light.
‘I know a lot of people feel we are entering a dark time,’ she said.
‘But here’s the thing America: If it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, brilliant billion of 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. I thank you all may God bless you and may God bless the United States of America.’
She joined with Second Gentleman and waved and they walked off together.
The music playing as Harris walked off was Freedom by Beyoncé, the star singer-songwriter who had endorsed her and joined her at a Texas rally.
Harris spoke from Howard University, her alma mater and where she had planned to speak at an election night party. Instead, as the results showed a narrow path to victory late Tuesday into early Wednesday, the Democratic nominee did not leave the Naval Observatory, prompting her disappointed supporters to leave.
Harris called Trump shortly after the critical swing state of Michigan was called for the former president on Wednesday afternoon. She stressed the ‘importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans’, according to asenior aide.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung confirmed the phone call.
‘President Donald J Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier today where she congratulated him on his historic victory,’ he stated.
‘President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country.’
As of 4pm ET, Trump had 292 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win, while Harris had only 224. Harris was on track to earn the fewest electoral votes of any Democratic nominee since 1988.
Trump tore down the ‘blue wall’ by winning the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
In a campaign message to his supporters on Wednesday afternoon, Trump promised US citizens: ‘I will fight for you, for your family, and your future. Every single day I will be fighting for you with every breath in my body.
‘I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America.
‘Together, we’re going to unlock America’s glorious destiny. We’re going to achieve the most incredible future for our people.’
In a speech declaring victory early Wednesday, Trump said ‘God spared my life for a reason’, referring to surviving two assassination attempts, ‘and that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness’.
Trump achieved arguably the greatest comeback in American political history, four years after refusing to accept defeat in the 2020 election, enduring four criminal convictions and surviving two assassination attempts.
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