5 August 2021, Washington DC, USA
Vice President Kamala Harris:
Good afternoon, everyone. It is an honor to be with you. Speaker Pelosi, Chairwoman, Amy Klobuchar, ranking member, Roy Blunt and all the members of Congress, including the Mayor of Washington DC. Thank you for being here with us this afternoon. Like so many gathered here, I was at the United States Capitol the morning of Wednesday, January 6th. I was in a classified meeting with Senator Blunt on national security with fellow members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and not long after I left, the chaos began. Like Americans everywhere, my husband Doug and I watched with absolute shock, as our Capitol was under siege and the people within it, afraid for their lives.
What we know now, is in the midst of that violent attack, there were countless acts of courage and we are here today, in the Rose Garden at the White House to recognize that courage. The officers of the United States Capitol Police and the DC Metropolitan Police risked their own lives to save the lives of others, both on January 6th and on April 2nd. They sacrificed so much to defend our nation and in securing our Capitol, they secured our democracy. These officers are heroes and these officers are patriots and they deserve today, and every day, this honor.
Our nation is grateful for your service and now there are some officers who of course continue to suffer from the injuries seen and unseen. Now, I want to make it clear that you know, that you are not alone and that we all stand with you and of course there are other officers who tragically lost their lives. There is nothing that we can do to bring these officers back or to take away the pain their families feel now, but it is my prayer that their sacrifice will serve as a constant reminder of the work we must all do together of the vigilance we must have in order to protect our democracy.
So I returned to the Senate at around 8:00 PM, the night of January 6th and we gathered in the Senate chamber, in the same chamber where the new deal was struck and the great society was forged, in the same chamber where the Interstate Highway System was started and voting rights were won and in that chamber just before 1:00 AM, as officers stood guard, the final vote was tallied, Democrats, Independents and Republicans came together and upheld the vote and the voice of the American people as those officers continued, even at that late hour, to secure our Capitol. They secured our democracy. So let us never forget that and let us always remember their courage. And it is my great honor to introduce a true champion for all those who serve in uniform, president Joe Biden.
President Joe Biden:
Good afternoon. Thank you Vice President Harris. Folks, not even during the Civil War did insurrectionists reach the Capitol of the United States of America, the Citadel of our democracy, not even then, but on January 6th, 2021, they did, they did. A mob of extremists and terrorists launched a violent and deadly assault on the people’s house and the sacred ritual to certify free and fair election. It wasn’t descent, it wasn’t debate, it wasn’t democracy. It was insurrection. It was rioting and mayhem. It was radical and chaotic and it was unconstitutional and maybe most important, it was fundamentally un American, an existential threat and a test of whether our democracy could survive, whether it could overcome lies and overcome the fury of a few who were seeking to thwart the will of the many.
While the attack on our values and our votes shocked and saddened the nation, our democracy did survive, it did. Truth defeated lives. We did overcome and that’s because of the women and men of the US Capitol Police, the Washington D.C Metropolitan Police Department and other law enforcement officials we honor today. Speaker Pelosi, who led the effort in the House, Senator Klobuchar and Blunt, co-sponsors of the legislation of the Senate, they’re all my colleagues, Pat Leahy in-house members that are here, thank you. Thank you. Today, I’m going to sign in law, the bill you sent to me that awards the Congressional Gold Medal to the United States Capitol Police, the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department and other law enforcement for their service and defense of our democracy on January 6th, to all of them on behalf of a grateful nation. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for protecting our Capitol. Maybe even more importantly, for protecting our constitution in saving the lives of duly elected members of the Senate and the House and their staffs.
In these moments where we’re still debating, these are tragic hours back then. You stood in the breach, you did your duty, duty to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The events that transpired were surprising, but not your character, your courage chief and all of your men. I didn’t grow up with any of you, but I know you and just like all the women and men I grew up with, particularly at that time it was men in Scranton and Claremont, places where the neighborhood I lived in you became a cop, a firefighter or a priest.
I wouldn’t qualify for any of them. So here I am but look, all kidding aside, I got to know you. You’re the same ones after a ballgame in a visiting field, come walking out of the gym if you wanted, you’d make a jump by the other team or their supporters. You may be all by yourself. The only one standing there, when you watch six people jump one of our teammates, what the hell would you do? You jump in, you jump in knowing you’re going to get the hell beat out of you too. Police officers are not what you do, it’s who you are.
I got to know you after 36 years in the Senate, eight years as the vice president, you’re always there. It’s not a joke. It’s not some high privilege. It’s just duty, honor, service. That’s who you are. That’s who your dad was. That’s who your dad was and America owes you a debt we can never fully repay, but I know receiving this award is bittersweet. On that day more than 140 law enforcement officers suffered physical injuries, an untold number suffered an emotional toll, 15 of you were hospitalized and others were lost forever. May their souls rest in peace in rising glory. I know each time you put on that shield in the morning wherever you show up for work, your families wonder whether they’re going to get a call that day, a call they don’t want to receive, hoping you come home safely.
It breaks my heart, it breaks the heart of the nation to remember that you were assaulted by thousands of violent insurrectionists at the Capitol of the United States of America. Jill and I would never have thought we’d have to join you in the Capitol Rotunda, not once, but twice. Once to honor Officer Brian Sicknick who lost his life and the second time to honor Billy Evans, who lost his defending the Capitol as well. Both gave the full measure of their devotion to their country at the United States Capitol. Their families are here today. I know from similar… Yes. We should clap for the families.
I know like others and I know from personal experience, getting that phone call. It’s nice to be honored and have those that you lost remembered, but it’s tough to be here because it brings back everything like it happened 10 minutes ago. So I offer you, [inaudible 00:13:29] our condolences, to recognize your courage, the courage of your children and you have our most profound gratitude. You know, the fallen in my view are casualties of a struggle, literally for the soul of American, a struggle that they didn’t start, a struggle we didn’t seek and a struggle that by the grace of God, we’ll win. As I said, I know this is a bittersweet moment, as proud as Brian and Billy, as you are, it still brings back pain the moment it happened and also we offer our prayers for the families of the Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood.
For those who’ve been around a while, we knew his dad, knew his dad well. He was Secretary of the United States, a sergeant in arms in the United States Senate. We also pray for the families of the Metro Police Officer Jeffrey Smith. For anyone out there facing trauma for anyone still struggling, please know there is help available. My fellow Americans, the tragedy of that day deserves the truth above all else. We cannot allow history to be rewritten. We can’t allow the heroism of these officers to be forgotten. We have to understand what happened, the honest and unvarnished truth. We have to face it. That’s what great nations do and we are a great nation.
In the past weeks and months, we’ve heard the officers themselves, some of whom are here today, describe what happened, the threats, the violence, the savageness. When asked what he was fighting for, Officer Hodges, who’s here today, stated it eloquently, one word, “Democracy.”
My fellow Americans, let’s remember what this was all about. It was a violent attempt to overturn the will of the American people, to seek power at all cost, to replace the ballot with brute force, to destroy, not to build. Without democracy, nothing is possible, with it, everything is. So my fellow Americans, we must all do our part to perfect and preserve our democracy. It requires people of goodwill and courage to stand up to the hate, the lies, the extremism that led to this vicious attack, it requires all of us working together Democrats, Republicans, Independents on behalf of the common good to restore decency, honor and respect, for our system of government and above all it requires all of us to remember who we are at our best as a nation as we see it in the law enforcement officers that are here today, the best of our nation. The Congressional Gold Medal Awards today will be housed in four locations.
Two medals will be displayed at the US Capitol Police Department and the Washington DC Metro Police Department so that every morning, as you officers walk by seeing those medals and remember the heroism of their colleagues and the importance of their work. The third medal will be displayed at the Smithsonian Museum with a plaque honoring all law enforcement who protected the capital on January 6th so all visitors can understand what happened that day and the fourth one will be displayed at the Capitol itself to remind us all who served and currently serve there and all who visit the honor and the service of those who protect and preserve all of us.
Kamala Harris: 'But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last', Vice President acceptance - 2020
7 November 2020, Wilmington, Delaware, USA
Good evening.
So Congressman John Lewis, Congressman John Lewis, before his passing, wrote: “Democracy is not a state. It is an act.” And what he meant was that America’s democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it and never take it for granted. And protecting our democracy takes struggle. It takes sacrifice. But there is joy in it, and there is progress. Because we the people have the power to build a better future.
And when our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, with the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America.
To our campaign staff and volunteers, this extraordinary team — thank you for bringing more people than ever before into the democratic process and for making this victory possible. To the poll workers and election officials across our country who have worked tirelessly to make sure every vote is counted — our nation owes you a debt of gratitude as you have protected the integrity of our democracy.
And to the American people who make up our beautiful country, thank you for turning out in record numbers to make your voices heard. And I know times have been challenging, especially the last several months — the grief, sorrow and pain, the worries and the struggles. But we have also witnessed your courage, your resilience and the generosity of your spirit.
For four years, you marched and organized for equality and justice, for our lives, and for our planet. And then, you voted. And you delivered a clear message. You chose hope and unity, decency, science and, yes, truth.
You chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States of America. And Joe is a healer, a uniter, a tested and steady hand, a person whose own experience of loss gives him a sense of purpose that will help us, as a nation, reclaim our own sense of purpose. And a man with a big heart who loves with abandon. It’s his love for Jill, who will be an incredible first lady. It’s his love for Hunter, Ashley, and his grandchildren, and the entire Biden family. And while I first knew Joe as vice president, I really got to know him as the father who loved Beau, my dear friend, who we remember here today.
And to my husband, Doug, our children Cole and Ella, my sister Maya, and our whole family — I love you all more than I can ever express. We are so grateful to Joe and Jill for welcoming our family into theirs on this incredible journey. And to the woman most responsible for my presence here today — my mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who is always in our hearts.
When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn’t quite imagine this moment. But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible. And so, I’m thinking about her and about the generations of women — Black women, Asian, White, Latina, Native American women who throughout our nation’s history have paved the way for this moment tonight. Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality, liberty and justice for all, including the Black women, who are often, too often overlooked, but so often prove that they are the backbone of our democracy. All the women who worked to secure and protect the right to vote for over a century: 100 years ago with the 19th Amendment, 55 years ago with the Voting Rights Act and now, in 2020, with a new generation of women in our country who cast their ballots and continued the fight for their fundamental right to vote and be heard.
Tonight, I reflect on their struggle, their determination and the strength of their vision — to see what can be, unburdened by what has been. And I stand on their shoulders. And what a testament it is to Joe’s character that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his vice president.
But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they’ve never seen it before, but know that we will applaud you every step of the way.
And to the American people: No matter who you voted for, I will strive to be a vice president like Joe was to President Obama — loyal, honest and prepared, waking up every day thinking of you and your family. Because now is when the real work begins. The Hard work. The Necessary work. The Good work. The essential work to save lives and beat this pandemic. To rebuild our economy so it works for working people, to root out systemic racism in our justice system and society. To combat the climate crisis. To unite our country and heal the soul of our nation.
And the road ahead will not be easy. But America is ready, and so are Joe and I. We have elected a president who represents the best in us. A leader the world will respect and our children can look up to. A Commander in Chief who will respect our troops and keep our country safe. And a President for all Americans. It is now my great honor to introduce the President-elect of the United States of America, Joe Biden.
Kamala Harris: 'We don’t have to accept the failed government of Donald Trump and Mike Pence', first speech as Democratic Nominee for Vice President - 2020
13 August 2020, Delaware, USA
As I said Joe, when you called me, I am incredibly honored by this responsibility and I'm ready to get to work. I am ready to get to work. After the most competitive primary in history, the country received a resounding message that Joe was the person to lead us forward. Joe, I'm so proud to stand with you, and I do so mindful of all the heroic and ambitious women before me whose sacrifice, determination and resilience makes my presence here today even possible.
This is a moment of real consequence for America. Everything we care about–our economy, our health, our children, the kind of country we live in–it's all on the line. We're reeling from the worst public health crisis in a century. The president's mismanagement of the pandemic has plunged us into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. And we're experiencing a moral reckoning with racism and systemic injustice that has brought a new coalition of conscience to the streets of our country demanding change. America is crying out for leadership.
Yet we have a president who cares more about himself than the people who elected him. A president who is making every challenge we face even more difficult to solve. But here's the good news: We don't have to accept the failed government of Donald Trump and Mike Pence. In just 83 days, we have a chance to choose a better future for our country.
So Joe, Dr. Biden, thank you for the trust you've placed in me. Jill, I know you will be an incredible first lady and my husband, Doug, and I are so grateful to become a part of your extended family.
Ever since I received Joe's call, I've been thinking, yes, about the first Biden that I really came to know. And that of course is one of his beloved sons, Beau. In the midst of the great recession, Beau and I spoke on the phone practically every day, sometimes multiple times a day, working together to win back billions of dollars for homeowners from the big banks of the nation that were foreclosing on people's homes. And let me just tell you about Beau Biden. I learned quickly that Beau was the kind of guy who inspired people to be a better version of themselves. He really was the best of us. And when I would ask him, 'Where do you get that? Where did this come from?' He'd always talk about his dad. And I will tell you that the love that they shared was incredible to watch. It was the most beautiful display of the love between a father and a son. Beau talked about how Joe would spend four hours every day, riding the rails back and forth from Wilmington to Washington, so he can make breakfast for his kids in the morning and make it home in time to tuck them in bed each night. All of this so two little boys who had just lost their mom and their sister in a tragic accident would know that the world was still turning. And that's how I came to know Joe.
He's someone whose first response when things get tough is never to think about himself, but to care for everyone else. He's someone who never asks, 'Why is this happening to me?' and instead asks, 'What can I do to make life better for you?'
His empathy, his compassion, his sense of duty to care for others is why I am so proud to be on this ticket. And Joe and I–yes, we are cut from the same cloth. Family is everything to me, too. And I cannot wait for America to get to know my husband, Doug, and our amazing kids, Cole and Ella. Because whether I'm cheering in the bleachers at a swim meet or setting up a college room dorm or helping my goddaughter prepare for her school debate or building Legos with my godson or hugging my two baby nieces or cooking Sunday dinner, my family means everything to me. And I've had a lot of titles over my career, and certainly 'vice president' will be great. But 'Momala' will always be the one that means the most.
My mother and father, they came from opposite sides of the world to arrive in America, one from India and the other from Jamaica, in search of a world class education. But what brought them together was the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. And that's how they met, as students in the streets of Oakland marching and shouting for this thing called justice in a struggle that continues today. And I was part of it. My parents would bring me to protests strapped tightly in my stroller. And my mother, Shyamala, raised my sister Maya and me to believe that it was up to us and every generation of Americans to keep on marching. She'd tell us, 'Don't sit around and complain about things. Do something.' So I did something.
I devoted my life to making real the words carved in the United States Supreme Court: "Equal justice under law." And 30 years ago, I stood before a judge for the first time, breathed deep, and uttered the phrase that would truly guide my career and the rest of my career: Kamala Harris for the people.
The people, that's who I represented as district attorney fighting on behalf of victims who needed help. The people, that's who I fought for as California's attorney general when I took on transnational criminal organizations who were trafficking guns and drugs and humans beings. And it's the people who I have fought for as a United States Senator where I've worked every day to hold Trump officials accountable to the American people. And the people are who Joe and I will fight for every day in the White House.
And, let me tell you as somebody who has presented my fair share of arguments in court, the case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut. Just look where they've gotten us. More than 16 million out of work. Millions of kids who cannot go back to school. A crisis of poverty, of homelessness, afflicting Black, Brown, and indigenous people the most. A crisis of hunger afflicting one in five mothers who have children that are hungry. And tragically, more than 165,000 lives that have been cut short, many with loved ones who never got the chance to say goodbye.
It didn't have to be this way. Six years ago, in fact, we had a different health crisis. It was called Ebola. And we all remember that pandemic, but you know what happened then? Barack Obama and Joe Biden did their job. Only two people in the United States died. Two. That is what's called leadership. But compare that to the moment we find ourselves in now. When other countries are following the science, Trump pushed miracle cures he saw on Fox News. While other countries were flattening the curve, he said, the virus would just–poof–go away. Like a miracle.
So when other countries opened back up for business, what did we do? We had to shut down again. This virus has impacted almost every country, but there's a reason it has hit America worse than any other advanced nation. It's because of Trump's failure to take it seriously from the start, his refusal to get testing up and running, his flip-flopping on social distancing and wearing masks, his delusional belief that he knows better than the experts. All of that is the reason that an American dies of COVID-19 every 80 seconds. It's why countless businesses have had to shut their doors for good. It's why there is complete chaos over when and how to reopen our schools. Mothers and fathers are confused and uncertain and angry about childcare and the safety of their kids at school. Whether they'll be in danger if they go, or fall behind if they don't.
Trump is also the reason millions of Americans are now unemployed. He inherited the longest economic expansion in history from Barack Obama and Joe Biden. And then, like everything else he inherited, he ran it straight into the ground. Because of Trump's failures of leadership, our economy has taken one of the biggest hits out of all the major industrialized nations with an unemployment rate that has tripled as of today. This is what happens when we elect the guy who just isn't up for the job. Our country ends up in tatters. And so does our reputation around the world.
But let's be clear: This election isn't just about defeating Donald Trump or Mike Pence. It's about building this country back better. And that's exactly what Joe and I will do. We'll create millions of jobs and fight climate change through a clean energy revolution, bring back critical supply chains so the future is made in America, build on the Affordable Care Act so everyone has a peace of mind that comes with health insurance, and finally, offer caregivers the dignity, the respect, and the pay they deserve. We'll protect a woman's right to make her own decisions about her own body, root out systemic racism in our justice system, and pass a new Voting Rights Act–a John Lewis Voting Rights Act–that will ensure every voice is heard and every voice is counted.
The civil rights struggle is nothing new to Joe. It's why he got into public service. It's why he helped reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and restore employment discrimination laws. And, today, he takes his place in the ongoing story of America's march toward equality and justice as the only who has served alongside the first Black president and has chosen the first Black woman as his running mate.
But as Joe always points out, this election is about more than politics. It's about who we are as a country. And I'll admit, over the past four years, there have been moments when I have truly worried about our future. But whenever I think that there is a reason for doubt, whenever I've had my own doubts, I think of you, the American people: The doctors and nurses and frontline workers who are risking your lives to save others; the truck drivers and the workers in grocery stores, in factories and farms, working there, putting your own safety on the line to help us get through this pandemic; the women and students taking to the streets in unprecedented in numbers; the dreamers and immigrants who know that families belong together; the LGBTQ Americans who know that love is love; people of every age and color and creed who are finally declaring in one voice that, yes, Black lives matter.
All across this country, a whole new generation of children is growing up, hearing the cries for justice and the chance of hope on which I was raised, some strapped into strollers of their own. And trust me, it's a song you'll never forget. So to everyone keeping up the fight, you are doing something. You are doing something great. You are the heroes of our time. And you are the reason I know we are going to bring our country closer to realizing its great promise. But to do it, we'll need to work, organize, and vote like never before, because we need more than a victory on November 3rd. We need a mandate that proves that the past few years do not represent who we are or who we aspire to be.
Joe likes to say that character is on the ballot–and it's true. When he saw what happened in Charlottesville three years ago today, he knew we were in a battle for the soul of our nation. And together with your help, that's a battle we will win. Earlier this year, I said, "I'll do whatever Joe asked me to do." And so now I'm asking you to do the same.
So, visit JoeBiden.com to get involved in this campaign and vote, because electing Joe Biden is just the start of the work ahead of us. And I couldn't be prouder to be by his side, running to represent you, the people. Thank you. And may God bless the United States of America.