Twice-failed Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris has taken veiled swipes at President Donald Trump’s agenda during her first major speech since her crushing election loss in November.
On Saturday, Harris spoke at the 56th NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles.
Harris appeared to accept the NAACP’s Chairman’s Award after several months out of the spotlight.
She used her appearance to take jabs at Trump and the efforts of his Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut federal government waste and fraudulent abuse of taxpayer funds.
The former vice president called for a “sense of urgency” as she urged the Pasadena crowd to “stay alert, to seek the truth and to actively participate in the fight for America’s future.”
She warned the crowd that “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”
“The organization came into being at a moment when our country struggled with greed, bitterness, and hatred,” Harris said.
“And those who forged the NAACP legacy, those who carried its legacy had no illusions about the forces they were up against.
“No illusions about how stony the road would be.
“But some look at this moment and rightly feel the weight of history,” Harris said.
“Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy and ask, what do we do now?
“But we know exactly what to do because we have done it before, and we will do it again.
“We use our power. We organize, mobilize.
“We educate, and we advocate.
“Because you see, our power has never come from having an easy path.”
“Our strength flows from our faith,” Harris continued.
“Faith in God, faith in each other, and our refusal to surrender to cynicism and destruction.
“Not because it is easy, but because it is necessary.
“Not because victory is guaranteed, but because the fight is worth it.
Appearing to reference Trump and Musk, who is the wealthiest person in the world, Harris said:
“And while we have no illusions about what we are up against in this chapter in our American story, this chapter will be written not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office, nor by the wealthiest among us.
“The American story will be written by you, written by us, by we, the people.”
WATCH:
Her speech comes at a time when the Democratic Party is in a messaging crisis.
Democrats have been left scrambling for a direction after Trump soundly defeated Harris in November’s presidential election.
Like former President Joe Biden did earlier this month, Harris signed with the powerful Hollywood talent agency, Creative Artists Agency, days ago.
The agency said in its announcement on Instagram that it would focus on “speaking engagements and publishing.”
The post added that the agency will work closely with Harris “on her post-White House initiatives, creating strategic opportunities that expand her platform in support of the issues she has championed through her decades-long career in public service.”
In his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump referenced Harris as Biden’s border czar.
The president told the Washington D.C. area crowd:
“I haven’t said that name in a while.”
