Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a holiday reception for her supporters, urging them not to lose hope despite her devastating 2024 loss in the presidential election.
Harris hosted a group of sympathetic activists, consultants, influencers and organizers at a holiday party at the Naval Observatory over the weekend.
During a speech to mark the event, Harris urged her supporters not to succumb to defeat, disappointment and depression.
But it quickly derailed into her signature ‘word salad’ gibberish as she droned on about food and the importance of getting rest.
‘Our work continues and so please everyone, look I know this election was not what we intended, certainly now what we wanted, I know there’s a lot of emotion that we are all feeling right now. I get it,’ she said with a knowing chuckle according to video clips published on social media.
‘Please I have to just, I have to insist, that please do not let your spirit or your purpose be defeated,’ she added.
Harris urged the group present to be grateful for their blessings during the holiday season and to rest and regroup for the upcoming fights ahead.
She promised to keep fighting in the new year, even as she leaves office on January 20 to make way for President-elect Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.
‘We will start this New Year invigorated, with purpose, with clarity, with a sense of optimism while being clear-eyed, and we will do what we have always done, born out of love by our country, and our knowledge that to live the promise of America, to achieve the promise of America takes work and it takes all of us and I promise I will be with you every step of the way.’
But the overall theme of Harris’ remarks was to focus on rest and being grateful. At one point, Harris shared some advice about the importance of eating good food during the holidays.
‘Try and get some good food on the table, you know and you go to other’ peoples house and they don’t cook so well bring your own dish, do what you gotta do to take care of yourself,’ she said, prompting many in the audience to laugh.
Harris also insisted that all of the work that Democrats had done during the election had not gone to waste.
‘You answered a calling to serve in so many ways, so in this season it is very important to make first room for you, for us that we celebrate each other, that we celebrate our work that has had and will continue to have meaning, ours has been the work that is intentional about building community, ours has been the work that has been intentional about building coalitions,’ she said.
Since losing the election, Harris has only made rare appearances to supporters to talk about her 2024 loss and her plans for the future.
Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff appeared at the lighting ceremony of the National Christmas Tree last week and the Kennedy Center awards on Sunday.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden did not acknowledge Harris or Emhoff when they were announced at arts awards show in Washington, D.C., and did not shake their hands or give them hugs when they arrived.
Her decision to address Democrats on a video prior to the Thanksgiving holiday was widely mocked, as she urged them not to let anyone take their power.
Harris also spoke last week to an event hosted by the National Black Caucus of State Legislators to thank them for their support.
‘I wanted to come by and say happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, Happy Hanukkah whatever you may celebrate but most important lets make sure we celebrate each other,’ she said.
She cautiously explained she was only there to offer ‘greetings’ and not a long speech.
‘This is the season for us to be thankful to celebrate our blessings and to reinvigorate ourselves about the blessings we have yet to create for each other and the people we represent,’ she said.