Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged to her supporters Tuesday that her loss to President-elect Donald Trump still “feels heavy” in widely mocked remarks delivered after her post-Election Day vacation.
“I know this is an uncertain time. I’m clear eyed about that,” Harris, looking dejected, said during a virtual meeting with her grassroots supporters.
“I know you’re clear eyed about it, and it feels heavy,” she continued in her first public remarks since her concession speech at Howard University earlier this month.
“I just have to remind you, don’t you ever let anybody take your power from you,” Harris added. “You have the same power that you did before November 5th, and you have the same purpose that you did, and you have the same ability to engage and inspire.”
“So don’t ever let anybody or any circumstance take your power from you.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz preceded Harris on the call and also appeared glum.
“Candidly, it’s a bit scary,” he said of Trump’s win.
“I hope all of you take care of yourselves, take care of your families, find a place in your community to heal – both yourselves and your community,” Walz added, before introducing the vice president.
Neither offered an explanation on how their well-funded campaign (Harris raised more than $1 billion between July and November) managed to lose every swing state, the Electoral College and the popular vote to Trump.
A snippet of Harris’ 10-minute-long pep talk to supporters was shared on X by the Democratic National Committee and roundly ridiculed.
“The dial-up modem sound played on an infinite loop is more bearable than 28 seconds of whatever this is,” Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) wrote on X.
“I’d read a 5,000 word article on how this got approved for release,” Ben Williamson, a House GOP staffer and former Trump White House aide, tweeted.
“A final 30 seconds of circular references for the road,” another social media user remarked, referencing Harris’ frequent “word salad” on the campaign trail.
“No video like this would ever have been released by a politician who is not hated by her staff,” Dan McLaughlin, a writer for National Review, wrote.
RNC staffer Gates McGavick suggested that Harris’ “best play is to lay low for like 6 months” but noted that ”the fact she doesn’t realize that is perfectly on-brand.”
Last week, Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff jetted off to Hawaii for a vacation – opting to skip the so-called “losers party” at the White House during which donors and insiders converged at the executive mansion over the weekend.
“We are all in this together, all right? We are all in this together,” Harris said near the end of remarks, before wishing her supporters “a Happy Thanksgiving.”
“I wish for you that you are surrounded by the people you love and who love you –
I encourage you to be around family in whatever way you compose that family,” she continued.
“We are powerful, those of us who love our country, and we’ve got a lot of work to do.”