Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday sought to encourage Democratic staffers facing layoffs at the Democratic National Committee, telling them "their spirit will not be defeated."
Harris made the remarks during the meeting Democratic National Committee Holiday Celebration Sunday in Washington, D.C. She spoke alongside President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at an event that hosted staffers who were fired from the Democratic National Committee without severance after the election.
"This holiday, like any time of year, is a time for us to truly realize all the blessings we have. Let us celebrate the blessings we have; let us celebrate and advance the blessings we have yet to create," Harris said. Let us always remember that our country is worth fighting for and our spirit cannot be defeated."
"Please hear me when I say this, this is the spirit that fuels the countless hours, days and months you put in. It can never be defeated. Our spirit is not defeated. We are not defeated.
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Vice President Kamala Harris delivers her concession speech following the 2024 presidential election on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, Nov. 6 (AP/Jacqueline Martin)
Biden took office after Harris, defending their legacies as the two prepared to leave office. He believes the country is in a "clearly" better place today than when he and Harris were in the White House.
"One of the things I've always believed about public service, especially about the presidency, is the importance of asking ourselves, are we leaving this country better than we found it? Today, I can use every moment of my "I wholeheartedly, the answer to that question is yes," he said.
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He continued to encourage employees to "stay engaged" in the coming years.
"Son, you're not going anywhere," 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 holiday party. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Some DNC staffers expressed frustration with the post-election layoffs, which are relatively common in Washington, D.C.
"We think it's extremely cruel that DNC management is trying to claim that layoffs are just part of the job," a DNC union member told Mother Jones. "We feel strongly that an election loss does not absolve the organization of the basic The responsibility to treat workers with dignity.”
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) Executive Committee will hold its first meeting since the presidential election on December 13, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Fox News-Paul Steinhauser)
Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison There are no plans to seek re-election, leaving a field of potential leaders vying for the top job.
The next chair will be selected by approximately 450 voting members of the national party committee at the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, in early February.
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Candidate list Those seeking to replace Harrison include former two-term Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Ben Wikler, who led the Wisconsin Democratic Party for five years, and Minnesota Democratic Party Chairman Ken Martin.