Kamala Harris

Subterms

    More stories

    • 188 Shares189 Views

      in Elections

      'We must restore the soul of America': Joe Biden's victory speech in full – video

      by

      President-elect Joe Biden promised to ‘restore the soul of America’ as he declared victory in front of a crowd of supporters on Saturday night in his home town of Wilmington. ‘I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide but unify, who doesn’t see red states or blue states but who only sees the United States.’
      Addressing Trump supporters, Biden said he understood their disappointment because he had lost before. But now, ‘let’s give each other a chance’, he said. Biden and Kamala Harris hardly mentioned Donald Trump directly in their speeches – instead, they focused on the challenges ahead, including tackling the coronavirus pandemic
      Full report: Biden wins US election after four tumultuous years of Trump
      The path to Joe Biden’s victory: five days in five minutes – video highlights More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Elections

      'You chose truth': Kamala Harris's historic victory speech in full – video

      by

      Kamala Harris, the first Black woman and first South Asian American woman to become vice-president-elect, began her victory speech by quoting the late congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, who said, ‘Democracy is not a state, it is an act.’
      A century after women won the right to vote, Harris, wearing suffragette white, spoke about her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. ‘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,’ she said.
      Joe Biden was declared the president-elect after the AP announced he had won Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes, putting him over the threshold of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House and beat Donald Trump
      The path to Joe Biden’s victory: five days in five minutes – video highlights
      Kamala Harris makes history as first woman of color elected VP More

    • 138 Shares109 Views

      in Elections

      Bernie Sanders offers congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris – video

      by

      Bernie Sanders, the progressive senator of Vermont who put up a strong challenge to Joe Biden in the Democratic primaries before helping him campaign, has offered congratulations to the president-elect and his running mate, Kamala Harris. Sanders called this election the most important in modern American history
      The path to Joe Biden’s victory: five days in five minutes – video highlights
      US election live: Joe Biden wins and says ‘It’s time for America to unite’ More

    • 200 Shares179 Views

      in Elections

      ‘She represents the best of us’: Black women reflect on Kamala Harris’s historic win – video

      by

      Kamala Harris made history as the first woman of color to be elected US vice-president. ‘It brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart,’ said the former US national security adviser Susan Rice, while Atlanta’s mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, said: ‘She represents the best of us.’
      Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage, is the first woman to be elected to such a position in the White House.
      Kamala Harris makes history as first woman of color elected US vice-president
      US election live: Joe Biden wins and says ‘it’s time for America to unite’ More

    • 175 Shares159 Views

      in US Politics

      US election live: Joe Biden wins and says 'It’s time for America to unite'

      by

      Key events

      Show

      4.00pm EST16:00
      Today so far

      1.54pm EST13:54
      Jill Biden: ‘He will be a president for all of our families’

      1.17pm EST13:17
      Obama congratulates Biden: ‘Our democracy needs all of us more than ever’

      1.09pm EST13:09
      Johnson congratulates Biden and Harris

      12.44pm EST12:44
      President-elect Biden to address the nation tonight

      Live feed

      Show

      4.51pm EST16:51

      Julia Louis-Dreyfus, an actress who played a female vice president for the TV show, Veep, is celebrating how fiction has become reality.

      Julia Louis-Dreyfus
      (@OfficialJLD)
      “Madam Vice President” is no longer a fictional character. @KamalaHarris pic.twitter.com/rg1fErtHGX

      November 7, 2020

      4.45pm EST16:45

      Ben Doherty

      The prime minister of Australia, one of the US’ closest allies, has offered his congratulations to the president-elect and vice-president elect.
      Scott Morrison, a conservative who has built a strong relationship with Donald Trump during his term, said Australia wished the incoming administration “every success in office”.“The Australia-US alliance is deep and enduring, and built on shared values. I look forward to working with you closely as we face the world’s many challenges together.”

      Scott Morrison
      (@ScottMorrisonMP)
      Congratulations to @joebiden and @kamalaharris – Australia wishes you every success in office. The Australia-US Alliance is deep and enduring, and built on shared values. I look forward to working with you closely as we face the world’s many challenges together.

      November 7, 2020

      4.40pm EST16:40

      Joe Biden won more votes than any other presidential candidate in US history, approaching 75 million. However, Donald Trump also beat previous records.
      So how did Biden and the vice president-elect, Kamala Harris, take the White House?
      This visual guide will take you through some of the key states and demographics that show how the election was won.

      4.27pm EST16:27

      Tom Lutz

      Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 US presidential election has been celebrated by athletes across America.
      Trump has been involved in several clashes with high-profile athletes, such as NBA superstar LeBron James and World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe, during his presidency and the former was quick to react to the news that Joe Biden will take power in January.
      James tweeted a video of himself smoking a victory cigar alongside a link to More Than A Vote, a campaign he has headlined to harness the power of black voters. The 16-time All-Star also posted a photo of one of the most famous moments of his glittering career, when he pulled off a spectacular block of Andre Iguodala during the 2016 NBA finals.
      However, in Saturday’s tweet he had superimposed Biden’s head on his body with Trump as Iguodala. “Your pettiness level is through the roof and I’m here for it,” wrote WNBA star A’ja Wilson in response.
      James, one of the most famous athletes in America, has repeatedly tangled with the president. James has been critical of Trump throughout his term in office. In September 2017, James called Trump a “bum” for rescinding his invitation to the Golden State Warriors to celebrate their NBA championship with a visit to the White House.
      Meanwhile, shortly after Saturday’s result came in Rapinoe tweeted a thank you to “Black Women”, who voted overwhelmingly for Biden in this year’s election. Rapinoe was one of the first white athletes to kneel during the US national anthem and has called Trump sexist and misogynistic. Before the 2019 World Cup she said she would not go to the White House celebrations if the US lifted the trophy, a promise she kept.

      4.16pm EST16:16

      Tom Phillips

      The Guardian’s Tom Phillips reports from Rio de Janeiro:
      Latin American leaders, including the presidents of Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay, have started offering their congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.But so far there has been a deafening silence from Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who was one of Trump’s most fervent international supporters and had been openly rooting for his reelection.
      Sources with Brazil’s presidential palace told the Estado de São Paulo newspaper Bolsonaro was waiting for a “concrete situation” before making any comment.
      Foreign policy experts believe Biden’s victory will force Bolsonaro to replace his pro-Trump foreign minister, Ernesto Araújo, who has described the outgoing US president as a Godly “saviour” of western civilisation.

      4.10pm EST16:10

      Oliver Holmes

      Hello, Oliver Holmes here, logging on to run the Guardian live blog following a peaceful transfer of power with my colleague, Joan E Greve.
      It is just after 4pm US Eastern Time, 1pm US Pacific Time, and 9pm UK time.
      Joe Biden has won the White House, and Donald Trump refuses to concede.
      Our reporters across the US – and the world – will be keeping you updated with the latest.

      Updated
      at 4.23pm EST

      4.00pm EST16:00

      Today so far

      That’s it from me today. I’m handing over the blog to my Guardian colleague, Oliver Holmes, for the next few hours.
      Here’s where the day stands so far:
      Joe Biden has won the US presidential election, defeating Donald Trump. Biden was declared the president-elect after the AP announced he had won Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes, putting him over the threshold of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. The AP has also since announced Biden won Nevada as well.
      Kamala Harris will become the first woman, the first African American and the first Asian American to serve as vice president. As people in major US cities took to the streets to celebrate Biden’s victory, many specifically mentioned Harris’ historic achievement as a source of immense pride.
      Biden called on the nation to unite and heal now that the election is over. “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation,” Biden said. “It’s time for America to unite. And to heal.” The president-elect is expected to deliver an address to the nation at 8 pm ET tonight.
      Trump has so far refused to concede. Shortly after Biden was declared the winner, Trump released a statement saying, “The simple fact is this election is far from over.” Although a concession is considered a hallmark of the peaceful transfer of power, Trump does not need to concede for Biden to be sworn in as president in January.
      Foreign leaders offered their congratulations to Biden and Harris. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “The US is our most important ally and I look forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security.”
      Oliver will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

      Updated
      at 4.11pm EST

      3.57pm EST15:57

      The Guardian’s Nina Lakhani reports from Harlem, New York City:
      A couple hundred people are celebrating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ victory at Frederick Douglass square on the northwest corner of Central Park.
      Mavis Edgehill, 90, is here with her son Bill, 63, to celebrate the moment. “Trump is out, Biden is in,” she said. “We’re so happy, we had to come and celebrate. We couldn’t have taken four more years of his division. He’s instigated racism, and divided the people. We hope Joe Biden and Kamala Harris can bring people together as one.”

      Nina Lakhani
      (@ninalakhani)
      Harlem celebrates pic.twitter.com/ycoYsL9bMG

      November 7, 2020

      Stacy Steele, 50, a charity worker from Jamaica who’s been in the US for 35 years, said, “It’s very nice to see a vice president of Jamaican and south Asian descent. She didn’t fall into this; she earned it. She’s an intelligent, savvy, empathetic woman.”
      Stacy added, “I don’t believe the bigotry that Trump emboldened is what anyone wants for children and grandchildren.”The noise is quite something as people bang saucepans and drivers honk and cheer as they drive past. The party in Harlem is just getting started.

      3.42pm EST15:42

      It’s important to remember this was the third presidential bid for Joe Biden, who first ran for the office in 1987.

      Craig Caplan
      (@CraigCaplan)
      Joe Biden announced 1st POTUS bid at DE train stop intro’d by campaign chair/sister Val http://t.co/76Vizkc2Jr #TBT pic.twitter.com/XU14w330WQ

      October 6, 2015

      Now, 33 years after he launched his first bid for the White House and 12 years after he became vice president, Biden is a president-elect.

      3.37pm EST15:37

      Amanda Holpuch

      Joe Biden’s win means the White House will once again be home to a first pet – or in this case two. The Biden family includes two German shepherds: Major, a young rescue dog, and Champ, who lived in the vice presidential residence during Barack Obama’s administration. More

    • 113 Shares99 Views

      in US Politics

      Who will fill Kamala Harris's Senate seat in California?

      by

      With Kamala Harris officially headed to the White House, a fresh political battle in her home state of California looms: who will fill her US Senate seat?California law allows the governor to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of Harris’s term, and speculation over whom Gavin Newsom will nominate has been swirling for months.A range of politicians have been pitching themselves for the position – Newsom this summer joked with a reporter who asked if candidates had approached him: “You may be the only one who hasn’t – unless you just did.”Top contenders include Alex Padilla, California’s secretary of state, and Xavier Becerra, the state’s attorney general, either of whom would be the first Latino senator from California if appointed. Representatives Karen Bass of Los Angeles, who was a contender for the vice-presidential nomination, and Ro Khanna, who represents the Silicon Valley area, have also been singled out as strong candidates by political strategists.“This is going to be a huge, huge challenge for the governor because he’s got an embarrassment of riches,” said Nathan Barankin, Harris’s former chief of staff.Newsom’s decision could shape the US Senate for years, as whoever fills the seat would face re-election with the huge advantage of incumbency. And California senators can wield an outsize influence in Washington, said Aimee Allison, who heads She the People, a national network seeking to elevate women of color to political leadership.“If there’s one thing that was clarified during the Trump years it is that the policy and political leadership coming from California have been key in providing resistance,” said Allison.As a freshman senator from the nation’s most populous state, Harris played a key role in the hearings of two supreme court justices, and brought her sharp, prosecutorial style to interrogations of several Trump administration officials.Whoever takes her place in the Senate next could help shape how the US legislates on “reparations, the housing crisis, immigration”, Allison said.Newsom will probably seek to appoint an ally in Washington, Barankin said. However, it is unlikely he will find a candidate with whom he shares the same bond he has with Harris.Newsom and Harris came up together in California politics – he was the mayor of San Francisco while she was district attorney, and he served as lieutenant governor while she was the state’s attorney general. “Going through this common political and public life experience at the exact same time binds them together,” Barankin said. More

    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in Elections

      Biden's win marks the end of Trump's war on democracy and truth

      by

      Joe Biden has been elected the 46th US president, signalling a return to political norms in America after four years of raucous populism and administrative turmoil under Donald Trump.
      Thousands of Americans took to the streets, cheering, banging pots and pans and honking car horns to celebrate the outcome after four anxious days of waiting for votes to be counted. Trump was at his golf course in Virginia when the result was announced and refused to concede.
      Biden claimed the victory in the state where he was born, Pennsylvania, whose 20 electoral college votes put him over the threshold of 270. He had more than 74m votes in total, higher than any other presidential candidate in history.
      The former senator and vice-president said he was “honored and humbled” by the people’s verdict. “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation,” he said in a statement. “It’s time for America to unite. And to heal.
      “We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together.”
      Biden was due to address the nation from Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday evening.
      From Atlanta to New York, from Philadelphia to Washington, there were spontaneous explosions of joy. A crowd gathered on Black Lives Matter Plaza outside the White House, cheering and holding balloons depicting Trump’s face and hair. One person brandished a sign that, quoting Trump on his reality TV show The Apprentice, proclaimed: “You’re fired!”
      In Times Square, New York, people danced, whooped and punched the air at the realisation Trump would be consigned to the history books as an impeached one-term president. More