President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris delivered remarks at the Democratic National Committee holiday reception in Washington, DC, on Sunday.
Both Biden and Harris thanked party members for everything they have done for Harris’ presidential campaign and Biden’s presidency over the past four years.
Biden, who has just over a month left in office, spoke about his legacy and the lasting effect he wanted to leave on America.
“The one thing I’ve always believed about public service, and particularly the presidency, is the importance of asking, ‘Did we leave the country better than we found it? ‘” Biden said during his speech.
“Today I can say, with [every] fiber of my being, with all my heart, the answer to this question is a resounding “yes”. Thanks to all of you gathered here, we can be proud to leave America today in a better place than it was four years ago,” Biden continued.
Biden has tried to argue that many of the benefits of his actions in office won’t be fully felt by Americans for some time. He touted the success of the CHIPS and Science Act, but also argued that money invested in U.S. chip manufacturing plants would not generate economic benefits for many years.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, from left, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden at the Democratic National Committee holiday reception in Washington, DC, U.S., Sunday, December 15, 2024. The bank Biden’s $400 billion green deal has just weeks to close billions of dollars in deals to finance green technology before handing over the keys to the Trump administration. Photographer: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg via Getty Images
CHIPS stands for Creating Useful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors. The CHIPS and Science Act spends nearly $53 billion to spur research in and on the development of the U.S. semiconductor industry.
“Many of the laws we passed were so far-reaching that they couldn’t be implemented immediately. It takes time to build these factories – or these factors for chips. It takes time to get that construction going,” he said. Biden said during his speech on Sunday.
The president also urged Democrats in the room to “keep the faith.” His sentiment comes as the party lost the White House and faces a Republican-controlled House.
“It’s the journey, never giving up, keeping the faith. Knowing that what we do matters. I know I’ll stay committed. I know Kamala and Jill and Doug will too, and I know you will. We need you sorely,” Biden said.
During her remarks, Harris thanked attendees for their “tireless” work on her presidential campaign.
“When it mattered most, throughout the campaign, including these 107 days, you all stepped up. You rallied. You opened your homes. You reached out to your friends and family. You invested your personal capital and by that I mean your relationships at stake in talking with people, because you care so much about it,” Harris said.
Even though Harris lost to President-elect Donald Trump, she urged her party not to feel defeated.
“Our spirit is not defeated. We are not defeated. Let’s be clear about that. We are strong,” Harris said.
