New Delhi: After an acrimonious, turbulent and polarising campaign, the US Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the presidential election to Donald Trump. In her speech, the Democratic leader said though she has conceded the election, she has not conceded “the fight that fuelled this campaign.”
“While I concede the election, I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign. Fight for freedom, opportunity, dignity for all people,” Harris said in a speech that lasted less than 15 minutes.
Her supporters cheered, even though she admitted it was painful to lose. She told them to “keep fighting”.
“… I will close with this. Only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars. I know many people feel we are entering a dark time… Let us fill the sky with the light of billions and billions of stars, the light of truth, optimism and service,” she said.
“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 that the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting,” she told supporters.
“We must accept the results of this election. Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory,” Ms Harris told supporters in the concession speech at her alma mater Howard University in Washington.
“I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition, and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power,” she said.
Trump’s victory came after one of the most hostile campaigns in modern US history and was remarkable given an unprecedented criminal conviction, a near-miss assassination attempt, and warnings from a former chief of staff that he is a “fascist.”
At 78, Trump will be the oldest President during his inauguration scheduled on January 20.