In a poignant address delivered at her alma mater, Howard University, Vice President Kamala Harris formally conceded the 2024 presidential election to former President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Her speech, delivered amidst thunderous applause and the stirring melody of Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” marked what is widely anticipated to be her final act in the 2024 campaign cycle.
While acknowledging the election’s outcome, Harris emphasized the unwavering strength of America’s promise and the importance of sustained activism. “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,” she declared, her voice imbued with both determination and a touch of melancholy. “I am so proud of the race we ran and the way we ran it,” she added, offering a tribute to the campaign’s efforts.
Harris went on to clarify that while she conceded the election, she would not concede the underlying principles that fueled the campaign. “I am here to say that 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,” she stated emphatically. “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.”
Harris’s address was not a mere resignation but a rallying cry for continued engagement. “This is not a time to throw up our hands, this is a time to roll up our sleeves,” she urged, imploring viewers to stay politically active despite the campaign’s conclusion. Her speech concluded with a stirring ode to “the extraordinary promise of the United States of America.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Harris had privately called Trump to concede and offer congratulations. According to NBC News, campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon relayed to staff that Harris had told the president-elect she would “work with President Biden to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, unlike what we saw in 2020.” President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to address the nation on Thursday following the Harris/Walz campaign’s loss, also contacted Trump on Wednesday, extending an invitation to meet at the White House.
