Democrat Kamala Harris delivered her presidential election concession speech Wednesday — and her remarks had some parallels to the speech from Hillary Clinton, the first woman presidential nominee for a major political party.
Harris gave a more defiant speech at Howard University in Washington, D.C., than Clinton did in 2016 — Clinton was noticeably more emotional and highlighted the historic nature of her candidacy for women and girls, while Harris steered clear of the subject. But both candidates hit some similar themes:
Harris: “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for.”
Clinton: “This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for.”
Harris: “Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition.”
Clinton: “Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country.”
Both also praised how their campaigns brought different coalitions together, and urged young people to remain politically motivated despite the stinging defeat to Donald Trump.
Harris: “To the young people who are watching: It is okay to feel sad and disappointed. But please know: It's gonna be okay. On the campaign, I would often say, ‘When we fight, we win.’ But here's the thing, here's the thing: Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn't mean we won't win. That doesn't mean we won't win.”
Clinton: “To the young people in particular, I hope you will hear this: This loss hurts, but please never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it.”
