Harris’ “concession” speech

Harris’ concession speech

Did you hear Kamala Harris “concession” speech? She disappointed her supporters by not showing up to console them at her watch party. She appeared the next day instead. Her speech was anything but gracious. It was a defiant call to resist. I cannot recall another losing presidential candidate not asking for unity and for bringing back together a country so deeply divided..

Here are some highlights of her speech:

“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, 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.”

“…. 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. A fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at our best. That is a fight I will never give up.”

“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.”

“And we will continue to wage this fight in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square.”

“This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”

“There’s an adage an historian once called a law of history true of every society across the ages. The adage is, only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time, but for the benefit of us all I hope that is not the case.”

Compare this to Donald Trump’s 2020 concession speech. Trump was upset, enraged even, over what he thought were irregularities in the vote counting. He felt cheated. His supporters demonstrated in Washington and invaded the Capitol on January 6 giving the democrats an excuse to prosecute Trump and his supporters for inciting a riot. Was Trump bitter? Yes, but here is his speech in its entirety.

“I would like to begin by addressing the heinous attack on the United States Capitol. Like all Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem. I immediately deployed the National Guard and federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders. America is and must always be a nation of law and order. The demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy. To those who engaged in the acts of violence and destruction, you do not represent our country. And to those who broke the law, you will pay.

We have just been through an intense election and emotions are high. But now tempers must be cooled and calm restored. We must get on with the business of America. My campaign vigorously pursued every legal avenue to contest the election results. My only goal was to ensure the integrity of the vote. In so doing, I was fighting to defend American democracy. I continue to strongly believe that we must reform our election laws to verify the identity and eligibility of all voters and to ensure faith and confidence in all future elections.

Now, Congress has certified the results. A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation. 2020 has been a challenging time for our people. A menacing pandemic has upended the lives of our citizens, isolated millions in their homes, damaged our economy and claimed countless lives. Defeating this pandemic and rebuilding the greatest economy on earth will require all of us working together. It will require a renewed emphasis on the civic values of patriotism, faith, charity, community and family. We must revitalize the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that bind us together as one national family.

To the citizens of our country, serving as your president has been the honor of my lifetime. And to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed, but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.”

Does that sound bitter? Did you know that he condemned the January 6 riot. Wasn’t that missing from the press coverage and subsequent inquisition? He also called for “healing and reconciliation” words that are absent from Harris’ speech. While Harris is calling for resistance, Trump asked us to “revitalize the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that bind us together as one national family.”

Harris has failed to try to bring us together. Rather she wants to keep us divided. She wants us to resist Trump over the next four “dark” years She failed her supporters when she did not appear at the watch party. She failed the country when she refused to graciously concede.