WASHINGTON, D.C. (KGO) — On Wednesday night, Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged the shortest presidential campaign in American history. In just 107 days, she made efforts to confront former President Donald Trump. Harris addressed a deeply divided country from her alma mater Howard University after Trump won the popular vote and the Electoral College in decisive fashion.
This was not the speech Vice President Harris wanted to give at her alma mater, but it was the speech she had to make — to move the country forward together, to unite the country, and to respect the peaceful transfer of power.
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Harris stepped out in front of a supportive and awe-inspiring crowd at Howard University as she addressed the nation.
“My heart is full today. Full of gratitude for the trust you placed in me,” Harris said. She continued: “The result of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, and not what we voted for.”
In front of a crowd of thousands and in front of millions of her supporters who were watching her at home, Harris called for unity and the peaceful transfer of power.
“Now I know that people are going through a range of emotions right now. I understand that. But we have to accept the results of this election,” she said.
Video: Harris acknowledges the presidential election but not “the battle that fueled this campaign” | Complete speech
Harris pledged that she would “never give up the fight for a future… where American women are free to make decisions about their bodies.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Vice President Harris called President-elect Trump to concede the election. The White House also confirmed to ABC News that President Biden has called Trump to offer his support.
“Although I recognize this election, I do not acknowledge this battle that fueled this campaign,” Harris said amid a wave of applause.
Her husband, First Gentleman Doug Emhoff, her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and his wife Gwen, were in attendance.
The crowd of supporters moved from sadness to a glimmer of hope. Some waved American flags, others recorded a piece of history on their cell phones.
The Vice President concluded her speech by challenging everyone listening to act.
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“So, to everyone watching, don’t despair – this is not the time to throw up our hands, this is the time to roll up our sleeves,” she said.
This message resonated with the crowd of supporters, lifelong friends, and Howard University alumni.
“She concluded her talk by inviting us to also reflect in our daily lives, on ‘Truth and Service,’ which is the motto of Howard University. As an alumna, this really filled me with a sense of pride,” said Jori Fortson.
For Chuck Collins, a longtime friend and supporter of Vice President Harris, it was like swallowing a hard pillow.
“I had to wake up and think about the future of my grandchildren,” he said. “It is emotionally difficult for us to comprehend the enormity of this loss, but we cannot stop at our grief. We must move through our grief into action.”
As for what’s next, an email Harris sent to campaign staff to ABC News showed that Harris and her lieutenant Governor Walz hosted a call to speak directly to her staff to thank them for their hard work on this unprecedented 107-day White House tour.
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