Kamala Harris looks to the stars in light of defeat

Losing is never easy. A vanquished vice-president appeared to be looking to the heavens after the darkness of defeat in her formal concession speech, writes James Morrow.

Let us have, for a moment, a bit of sympathy for Kamala Harris.

Losing is never easy.

And after a life of important-sounding but ultimately mediocre public service, America’s vice president for the next few weeks came this close to snatching the brass ring of the presidency - only to fall short, a victim of the very democratic process she campaigned to defend.

So, it is only natural that emotions might have been running high.

But you’d have to go back at least to Malcolm Turnbull’s near-concession speech of 2016 to find a politician so seemingly reluctant to face the music.

After leaving her supporters hanging until well after midnight on election night and letting them cool their heels for another 30 minutes after the appointed hour the next day, Harris finally fronted her people.

US Vice President Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris waves at supporters at the end of her concession speech, Picture: AFP

“Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win,” she said, delivering an appeal directly to her young supporters.

Harris continued, “Do not despair. This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”

Whether in homage to former president George H.W. Bush’s “thousand points of light” or the shining light of Mao Tse-Tung we’ll never know, but Harris (or at least her speechwriters) was looking to the heavens.

“Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars,” she said, echoing the wisdom of a million suburban Cantonese restaurant fortune cookies.

People react as US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at Howard University in Washington, DC.

“But here’s the thing, America, if it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a billion brilliant stars, the light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service.”

To her credit, Harris also formally conceded the election, saying “we accept the results.”

As she finished her speech and supporters streamed away, some tearfully hugging, others – members of her sorority – wearing pink and forming a circle of support, election models were being updated.

With some states still to be officially called, Donald Trump’s electoral vote count looks to be well north of 300 when only 270 are due.

Cynics would be excused for asking whether Harris delayed her concession because she was overcome by emotion … or because she wanted to make sure there was no way to kick up a legal stink and try to turn this thing over.