Stage dismantled, flags repacked, empty chairs in front of a huge giant screen… Disillusionment reigned at Kamala Harris’s HQ during the election night organized Tuesday evening, as the results came in. The Democratic candidate had planned to celebrate her potential victory at Howard University in Washington. But the celebrations planned by Kamala Harris, soundly defeated by Republican candidate Donald Trump, came to an end, causing great dismay for her supporters.
More than a dozen hours later, on Wednesday, Kamala Harris spoke to her supporters. She admitted defeat, while promising her supporters to “keep fighting”. “We will help (Donald Trump) and his team in the transition and we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power,” assured the outgoing vice-president, in the imposing setting of her former university, the historically black institution of Howard. “We must accept the results of this election,” said the unsuccessful Democratic candidate.
For CNNin making these remarks, Kamala Harris “did something her opponent refused to do after the 2020 presidential election: accept its results.” For his part, The Washington Post believes in an editorial that by making this promise “to help a peaceful transition of power” in such a “convincing way”, Kamala Harris signs the “mark” of a personality attached to democracy. “It was a refreshing contrast to 2020, when Donald Trump prematurely declared victory […] then incited a crowd to riot at the Capitol while Congress was counting the votes”, notes the famous American daily, which this year did not take sides in favor of a candidate.
“She didn’t make excuses.”
The major traditionally Democratic daily was full of praise for Kamala Harris, who conceded her defeat “with dignity and grace”. “She didn’t make excuses. Instead, she set the tone for how Democrats can responsibly resist Donald Trump over the next four years: defending their core values while cooperating to the interests of the country”, further asserts The Washington Post.
For his part, The New York Times notes that this “12-minute” intervention, “full of emotion”, was delivered “in a tone of defiance”. Kamala Harris “defended her campaign as a fight for democracy that she is committed to continuing, even if it is not from the Oval Office”, estimates the daily. As spotted International MailTHE political information site Politico for her part, evokes a speech “marking the end of her brief and historic run at the White House”, but which, Kamala Harris hopes, “will place her at the head of any resistance that the party will be able to muster” during the Republican’s second term.