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Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech on Tuesday encouraging young voters to remain politically engaged as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House. It marked her first extended public remarks since conceding last month following a significant election loss.
“The true test of our commitment is whether in the face of an obstacle: Do we throw up our hands — or do we roll up our sleeves?” Harris said at Prince George’s County Community College in Maryland. She then appeared to reference Trump’s victory, adding with a laugh, “Yeah, I did that. Uh-huh.”
“We must stay in the fight, every one of us,” Harris urged the audience before leaving the stage to TLC’s “No Scrubs,” which some interpreted as a jab at the incoming Republican president.
Harris’s remarks included her often-cited reflections on generational responsibility. “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you,” she told the crowd of students, echoing a phrase she previously shared during another speech in 2023. “Your work is about the optimism that comes with knowing that one individual can make a difference in the lives of so many people.”
She reinforced this message by quoting her mother: “My mother said to me, ‘Kamala, don’t just complain about what is wrong. Do something about it, make it right.’ That’s a life you all are living.”
Harris also called for unity and perseverance, warning against political complacency in challenging times. “The United States of America itself would never have come to be if people had given up their cause after a court case or a battle or an election did not go their way,” she said. “It has been driven by those who love our country, cherish its ideals and refuse to sit passive while our ideals are under assault.”
She further emphasized the importance of decency and fairness, stating: “It is not based on who you beat down, it’s based on who you lift up.”
Harris’s remarks come amid speculation about her future in Democratic leadership. President Biden recently affirmed Harris’s role within the party, telling the Democratic National Committee that she was “not going anywhere.” However, her path forward could face challenges, with figures like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who joined her at the event, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom widely viewed as potential 2028 contenders.
Harris concluded her speech with a call for resilience and determination, urging young voters to take an active role in shaping the country’s future.
