Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the 2024 presidential election this afternoon from the campus of her alma mater, Howard University.
Harris, who gained 226 electoral college votes as of the time of writing, fell short of the requisite 270 total for victory by 44. That number will stand out to fans of Barack Obama, the 44th president who many claim has steered the presidency of Joe Biden with an invisible hand .
Harris took the outdoor stage with a smile, a few waves, and her signature clap-and-laugh. She opened with a claim that her heart is "full of love and gratitude."
"The light of America's promise will always be bright," Harris intoned, her voice catching in her throat. She then thanked her team, and Gov. Tim Walz, who looked as though he had been crying.
Harris expressed pride in the way her campaign had conducted themselves in language laced with platitudes. She then informed the crowd that she had spoken to president-elect Donald Trump. Boos arose from the crowd.
She claimed her team would help with the transition of power, and proceeded to take a few veiled shots at J6, and thereby at Trump's transition in 2021. Harris then transitioned into tired campaign planks, such as abortion and gun control.
Harris sounded more professional and sincere in defeat than she did on the campaign trail. That said, while her pleas to the assembled were tinged with emotion, one of those was relief.
"Don't ever stop trying to make the world a better place. You have power," she assured her audience. "Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars...let us fill the sky with a brilliant, brilliant billion of stars [sic]...HU [Howard University]!"
With that, her husband Doug Emhoff, an increasingly controversial figure as the campaign wore on, joined her onstage. They left together, as Brit Hume noted, perhaps "never to be heard from again."
