Vice President Kamala Harris tried to encourage Democratic staffers facing layoffs from the Democratic National Committee on Sunday, telling them their “spirit will not be defeated.”
Harris made the comments during DNC celebrates the holiday In Washington, D.C., on Sunday. She spoke alongside President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the event, which hosted staffers who were laid off from the Democratic National Committee without severance packages after the election.
“This holiday season, like any time of year, let's truly realize all the blessings we have. Let's celebrate the blessings we have; let's celebrate and enhance the blessings we have yet to create,” Harris said. And let us always remember that our country is worth fighting for, and that our spirits will not be defeated.”
“And hear me when I say this, that spirit that fuels the countless hours and days and months of work you put into this, that spirit. It can never be defeated. Our spirits are not defeated. We are not defeated. Let us be defeated. Be clear about it. We are clear “On why we are in this, and because you are here now, I say again, thank you, because not only are you clear about all of this, but you are also willing to put in the hard work and that work must continue.” He said.
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Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a concession speech after the 2024 presidential election, Wednesday, November 6, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. (AP/Jacqueline Martin)
Biden took the stage after Harris and defended the duo's legacy as they prepare to leave office. He said the country is “surprisingly” better off today than it was when he and Harris entered the White House.
“The one thing I've always believed about public service, and especially about the presidency, is the importance of asking yourself, 'Did we leave the country better than we found it?' Today, I can say with every fiber of my being with all my heart, the answer to that question is A resounding yes.”
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He continued to encourage employees to “stay engaged” in the years ahead.
“You're not going anywhere, kid,” Biden said of Harris. “Because we won't let you.”
President Joe Biden defended his administration's legacy during a speech at the Democratic National Committee's holiday party. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Some DNC staffers have expressed frustration with post-election layoffs, which are relatively common in Washington, D.C. The DNC union objected to the lack of severance packages and other benefits when the layoffs were announced in late November.
“We find it extremely harsh that NDP management is trying to claim that layoffs are just part of the job,” one DNC member told Mother Jones. “We feel strongly that losing the election did not absolve the organization of its responsibility to treat its workers with basic dignity.”
The Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee meets for the first time since the presidential election, on December 13, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison He does not plan to seek re-election to his position, leaving a pool of potential leaders to vie for the top job.
The next chair will be chosen by approximately 450 voting members of the National Party Committee when they meet in early February in National Harbor, Maryland, for the winter meeting of the National Party Committee.
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Long list of candidates Those seeking to succeed Harrison include former Chicago mayor and current US ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, as well as Martin O'Malley, the former two-term governor of Maryland. Ben Wikler, who led the Wisconsin Democratic Party for five years, also threw his hat in the ring.
