Less than 24 hours into Donald Trump re-claiming The White House and VP Kamala Harris handing over the keys in a concession speech. Now, politicians have begun weighing in on the results of the 2024 presidential election. Keep scrolling for reactions from President Joe Biden, the Obamas, Bernie Sanders, Gov. Gavin Newsome, and more!
President Biden Praises Kamala Harris Campaign Run
In her concession speech on Nov. 6, Harris spoke about feeling proud of her campaign run, which lasted 108 days. Biden reportedly watched his vice president concede from the White House’s West Wing, per AP News. However, after Kamala wrapped her speech on Howard University’s campus, Biden released a statement praising his White House partner.
“What America saw today was the Kamala Harris I know and deeply admire. She’s been a tremendous partner and public servant full of integrity, courage, and character. Under extraordinary circumstances, she stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans,” Biden wrote in his statement.
As previously reported, Biden dropped out of the presidential race on July 21. Shortly after, he endorsed his vice president. She reacted by swiftly unifying the Democratic Party around her candidacy — though Democrats did not have the opportunity to vote for her in the primaries.
“As I’ve said before, selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made when I became the nominee for president in 2020. It was the best decision I made. Her story represents the best of America’s story. And as she made clear today, I have no doubt that she’ll continue writing that story. She will continue the fight with purpose, determination, and joy. She will continue to be a champion for all Americans. Above all, she will continue to be a leader our children will look up to for generations to come as she puts her stamp on America’s future.”
AP previously reported that President Biden had spoken to Kamala Harris ahead of her concession speech. He also reportedly spoke to Donald Trump via phone, congratulating him on W and inviting him to the White House to begin the transition process.
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AP’s Zeke Miller reports that the White House is urging Trump’s team to enter into the required agreements for transition. The president-elect’s team has yet to sign the paperwork that the White House and General Services Administration need to give them access to federal facilities, documents, and personnel.
Meanwhile, his campaign confirmed that president-elect Trump has accepted Joe Biden’s invite to meet. While no date has been set, Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, said it will “take place shortly.” Cheung also said Donald “very much appreciated” Biden’s phone call.
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Barack & Michelle Obama Speak Out
After VP Harris conceded, former President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama released a joint statement. The Obamas went hard behind endorsing Kamala in the remaining weeks of her campaign, from Michelle’s spicy jabs at Trump to Obama’s messaging about Black male voters supporting Harris.
The third sentence of the Obamas’ statement about the election results congratulates Donald Trump and his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, “on their victory.” The couple clarified that this election result was not what they hoped for but praised Kamala and Gov. Tim Walz’s “remarkable campaign.”
“…living in a democracy is about recognizing that our point of view won’t always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power,” the statement said, echoing Kamala Harris’ concession speech sentiments.
Swipe below to see their entire statement.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom Says California Will Work With Trump
California was the biggest contributor to the 226 electoral college votes Kamala Harris managed to lock in. On Wednesday (Nov. 7), its governor, Gavin Newsom, spoke out about the election results via social media.
Like the Obamas, California’s governor says the outcome is not what he had hoped for. Still, he praised Kamala Harris’ efforts. Additionally, he vowed to work with the president-elect but clarified that California intends to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution.
“@KamalaHarris set out to fight to defend our fundamental freedoms and build a country that works for everyone. She stood up for working families, decency, and opportunity. Though this is not the outcome we wanted, our fight for freedom and opportunity endures. California will seek to work with the incoming president — but let there be no mistake: we intend to stand with states across our nation to defend our Constitution and uphold the rule of law. Federalism is the cornerstone of our democracy. It’s the United STATES of America.”
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Bill & Hillary Clinton Wish Trump-Vance "Well"
Bill and Hillary Clinton also posted a statement on social media after Kamala Harris conceded the presidential election to Trump. The Clintons credited Harris-Walz with running a “positive, forward-looking campaign to be proud of.”
Additionally, Bill and Hillary acknowledged that Americans chose Trump-Vance as their next leaders and extended well wishes to the president-elect and vice president-elect.
“We wish them well and hope they will govern for all of us. We must remember that America is bigger than the results of any one election, and what we as citizens do now will make the difference between a nation that moves forward or one that falls back.”
See their full statement on the election results below.
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Bernie Sanders Drags Democrats For Election Results
Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders took a moment on Nov. 6 to blame Democrats for the election outcome. He accused the party of abandoning the working-class people, starting with white Americans and then Black and Latino workers.
“It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right,” Bernie wrote.
Unlike President Biden and the Obamas’ statements, Bernie’s shared no praise for the Harris-Walz campaign. Instead, the senator called their efforts “disastrous.”
“Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign? Will they understand the pain and political alienation that tens of millions of Americans are experiencing?”
Swipe below to see Bernie Sanders clocking the Dems’ alleged tea!
Note that on Nov. 5, Sanders revealed that he was “proud” to have voted for Kamala and Tim. He called the election “one of the most consequential in the history of our country.”
Two days before Election Day, Sanders compared what a Kamala vs. Trump presidency could mean.
