Vice President Kamala Harris, conceding defeat to President-elect Donald J. Trump on Wednesday, sought to allay her supporters’ deep fears about the future of American democracy, vowing that the fight for pluralism and equality would continue. “It’s going to be OK,” she assured them.
“For everyone who is watching, do not despair,” she told a cheering crowd at her alma mater, Howard University, a historically Black institution in Washington, D.C. “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
Mr. Trump’s victory in one of the most tumultuous campaigns in recent memory — including two failed assassination attempts — makes him, at 78, the oldest man to be elected president.
When she delivered her speech on Wednesday, Ms. Harris took a moment to address the young people watching.
“It is OK to feel sad and disappointed, but please know it’s going to be OK,” she said. “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.”