Kamala Harris gave her concession speech in front of a crowd of supporters in Washington, DC. Earlier in the day, she conceded to Donald Trump in a phone call.
The following is the full text of Harris’ speech:
Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon. Good afternoon.
Thank you all. Thank you, thank you. Thank you, thank you. So let me say, I love you too, I love you too. So I would like to say that my heart is full today. Today my heart is filled with gratitude, for the trust you have placed in me, with love for our country, and with determination.
The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but listen to me, listen to me, as long as we never give up, as long as we keep fighting.
To my beloved Doug and our family, I love you so much. Thank you to President Biden and Dr. Biden for your trust and support. Governor Walz and the Walz family, I know you will continue to serve our country.
Thank you to my incredible team, to the volunteers who put in so much effort, to the poll workers and local election officials. I thank you. I thank you all.
I’m very proud of the games we competed in and the way we competed. Throughout the 107 days of this campaign, we have been committed to building community and coalitions, bringing together people from all walks of life and backgrounds, united by their love of country, and with passion and joy for America’s future And struggle, we made it we knew we had far more in common than we were different.
Now, I know people are feeling and going through a range of emotions right now. I understand, but we have to accept the results of this election. Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we would help him and his team through the transition and that we would have a peaceful transfer of power.
A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the result.
This principle, like others, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and it must be observed by anyone seeking public trust. At the same time, in our country, we are loyal not to a president or a political party, but to the Constitution of the United States, to our conscience and to God.
My loyalty to these three men is why I say here that while I acknowledge this election, I do not acknowledge the fight that drove this campaign. Struggle – the fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness and dignity for all. Fight for the ideals at the heart of our country that reflect the best of America. This is a fight I will never give up.
I will never give up fighting for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, aspirations, and ambitions, and where American women are free to make decisions about their bodies rather than having the government tell them what to do.
We will never give up the fight to protect our schools and streets from gun violence, and, America, we will never give up fighting for our democracy, the rule of law, equal justice, and the sanctity of every human being. No matter who you are or where you come from, you all have certain basic rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld.
We will continue to fight this fight at the polls, in the courtrooms, and in the public squares, and we will also do so in quieter ways, in the way we live our lives, with kindness and respect toward each other, to strangers and to our neighbors. , always using our power to inspire people and fight for the dignity that all people deserve.
Fighting for freedom takes hard work, but like I always say, we like to work hard. Hard work is good work. Hard work can also be happy work. Fighting for our country is always worth it. It’s always worth it.
For the young people watching, it’s okay to feel sad and disappointed, but please know that everything will be okay. During the campaign, I often said that when we fight, we win.
But here’s the thing – sometimes the battle takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win, that doesn’t mean we won’t win. The important thing is, never give up. Never give up. Never stop trying to make the world a better place. You have power. You have power. When someone tells you that something is impossible because no one has ever done it before, never listen.
You have the ability to make extraordinary contributions to the world.
So to all of you watching, don’t despair. Now is not the time for us to raise our hands. Now is the time for us to roll up our sleeves and get going. Now is the time to organize, mobilize, and remain engaged for freedom and justice and the future we all know we can build together.
Look, as many of you know, I started out as a prosecutor, and throughout my career I saw people at the worst moments of their lives, who suffered tremendous hurt and pain, but found in themselves of strength and power.
So let their courage be our inspiration. Let us take charge of their determination.
Let me finish by saying this: There is a maxim that a historian once called a law of history that applies to every society in every era. As the saying goes: “Only when it’s dark enough can you see the stars.”
I know many feel like we are entering a dark period, but for the sake of all of us, I hope that is not the case. But here’s the thing, America: If it is, let’s fill the sky with bright, bright, light from billions of stars. Light, the light of optimism, faith, truth and service, may this work lead us, even in the face of setbacks, to realize the extraordinary promise of the United States of America.
I thank you all and God bless you and God bless the United States of America. I thank you all.
Read more from The Guardian on the 2024 US election
