Kamala Harris Loses: In Shock, Democrats Search for Answers | World News

Washington: Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, admitted that her Republican rival Donald Trump won the 2024 election. But she warned that while she was conceding the election, she was not conceding the fight for freedom “that fueled her campaign,” in a message seemingly aimed at boosting the morale of her base but also an interesting reference to her own future left behind.

Harris delivered her concession speech on Wednesday afternoon Eastern Time (Thursday morning IST) at Howard University, her alma mater and a historically black institution in Washington DC. For his part, President Joe Biden spoke to Trump and invited him to the White House, a meeting expected to take place soon, and promised a peaceful transition, something Trump failed to do in 2020.

Democrats in shock

Democrats remained shocked by the magnitude of Trump's victory and Republican takeover of the Senate on Wednesday and Thursday. The only hope Democrats have now of imposing any control on the president-elect is a majority in the House, but vote counting in the contested House seats was still underway as of press time.

In the presence of her husband, Doug Emhoff, her vice president, Tim Walz, and hundreds of supporters and volunteers, many of whom were seen crying and even sobbing, Harris said: “The result of this election is not what we wanted, not what we wanted wanted.” We fought, not what we voted for… Well, I know people are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now. I understand, but we have to accept the results of this election.”

Harris said she spoke with Trump, congratulated him, promised to help with the transition and told him they would work for a peaceful transition of power. “If we lose an election, we accept the results. This principle, like any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny. And anyone who seeks the public’s trust must respect it,” she said, making a clear reference to Trump for his actions in 2020.

Harris said her fundamental loyalties are to the Constitution, her conscience and God. “While I admit this election, I do not admit the fight that drove this campaign – the fight for freedom, opportunity, justice and the dignity of all people. A fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at its best. This is a fight I will never give up.”

Peaceful transition

Biden said Thursday morning in the Rose Garden of the White House that he had spoken to Trump and promised a peaceful transition. He praised Harris' character and said she should be proud of the campaign she ran. Biden said she accepted the decision the country had made. “You can’t just love your country when you win. You can’t love your neighbor if you agree… Lower the temperature.”

He also used the moment to say that this should reaffirm confidence in the American electoral process. He said: “On January 20th there will be a peaceful transfer of power here in America.”

Biden spoke of the accomplishments of his presidency, spoke of making good use of the remaining days and told his base that setbacks are inevitable but giving up is unforgivable.

While Biden and Harris' efforts to keep the base motivated at a time of devastating defeat for Democrats were obvious, they did not obscure the fighting and recriminations that have already begun in the Democratic ranks. Campaign officials provided background quotes to American media blaming Biden for not leaving the race soon enough; others pointed out that Democrats are not using newer forms of mass media communication, particularly popular podcasts, to spread their message; others said Harris did not define himself effectively. Some accused her of moving to the right, others said she was too left-wing.

At the heart of the struggle, however, was the party's future ideological direction.

From the left, Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats and ran for the nomination in 2016 and 2020, said that the Democrats had failed the working class and that the working class had therefore failed the Democrats. “First it was the white working class and now it's Latino and black workers too. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they're right.” Sanders accused major donors and consultants who control the Democratic Party of failing to recognize that pain and the indispensability of a progressive economic agenda.

But other Democrats talked about the need to stop listening to the left.

Ritchie Torres, a Democratic representative from a poorer part of the Bronx in New York, wrote about the Democratic Party with absurdities like “Defund the Police” or “From the River to the Sea” or “Latinx.” “There is more to lose than gain politically by joining a far-left that is more representative of Twitter, Twitch and TikTok than the real world. “The working class is not buying the ivory tower nonsense that the far left is selling,” Torres said.

Obama provides context

It was left to former president and strong Harris supporter Barack Obama to provide more context. In a statement, he talked about how much America has been through in the last few years, including the pandemic and the resulting price increases. “These conditions have created headwinds for democratic leaders around the world … and America is not immune.” Obama also spoke of the need to show mercy to those with whom one disagreed, saying progress has been made as a result.

Even as Democrats leave office and prepare for political turmoil the likes of which they may have never experienced before, it is clear that the party's soul-searching to understand what happened that Tuesday has only just begun.