Kamala Harris on Monday performed her constitutional role as vice president to preside over the Jan. 6 proceedings to certify her 2024 presidential election loss to President-elect Donald Trump.
In a video posted on social media prior to the congressional proceeding, Vice President Harris called the peaceful transfer of power “one of the most fundamental principles of American democracy.” She added, “As much as any other principle, it is what distinguishes our system of government from monarchy or tyranny.”
Harris declared, “This duty is a sacred obligation, one I will uphold guided by love of country, loyalty to our Constitution and my unwavering faith in the American people.”
Harris’ participation in Monday’s peaceful transfer of power continues a long history in American politics. Regardless of political party or election outcomes, the incumbent vice president ceremoniously presides over congressional proceedings. However, not every vice president has chosen to do so throughout U.S. history.
The significance of Harris’ role in the Jan. 6 certification of the 2024 election is glaring, considering that after Trump lost the presidential contest against now-President Joe Biden in 2020, he falsely claimed there was mass voter fraud and demanded then-Vice President Mike Pence reject the certification. Pence, citing that he did not have the legal authority to do so, rebuffed Trump, resulting in Trump’s lashing out.
Most notably, on Jan. 6, 2021, Trump gathered tens of thousands of his supporters for a rally intended to “stop the steal” of the 2020 election. After urging the crowd to march to the U.S. Capitol to thwart the certification of Biden and Harris’ election win, the mob infamously assaulted Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police officers and broke inside the federal building.
Though Trump was later impeached and criminally charged for his actions related to that day, he was ultimately acquitted by the U.S. Senate, and after winning the 2024 election, the Justice Department moved to dismiss the federal charges against him due to an agency policy that states it is unconstitutional to pursue prosecutions against sitting presidents.
Acknowledging what happened at the Capitol four years ago, Vice President Harris said on Monday, “As we have seen, our democracy can be fragile, and it is up to then each one of us to stand up for our most cherished principles.” She added, “And to make sure that in America, our government always remains of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
Though Harris’ role on Capitol Hill garnered attention as the presidential nominee who ultimately lost to Trump, Democratic strategist Joel Payne told theGrio that he “resents” the “macabre fascination” with whether she will exhibit feelings of disappointment or sadness. Not to mention, former vice presidents Richard Nixon in 1960 and Al Gore in 2000 also certified their own presidential election defeats. Similarly, Walter Mondale in 1981 and Dan Quayle in 1993 had to certify elections after losing their bids for re-election.
“She’s going to be a professional and she’s going to be exactly who she’s demonstrated herself to be at every step in her public life,” Payne told theGrio of Harris.
Contrastingly, the Democrat and former congressional staffer noted that “if the shoe was on the other foot, we know that the person that she will be certifying today would not do that,” referencing Trump.
By all accounts, Jan. 6 also reflects stark differences between the Democratic and Republican parties, as Republicans for the past four years have pushed falsehoods about voter integrity. As Democratic House Minority leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., declared during a floor speech last week after thunderous applause by Republicans when he affirmed Trump is the duly elected 47th president of the United States, “There are no election deniers on our side of the aisle.”
Payne admits that as a Democrat, it’s “disappointing” that Republicans’ election denialism has “not proven to be something that is politically damaging to them in a way that would be a deterrent.” He explained, “They’ve been given no incentive to not behave in that way.” As a result, Democrats should not be “building all of [their] political infrastructure” on the idea of upholding democratic norms.
“When many of the American people hear things like [that] …what’s intended is a discussion about the importance of the rule of law, the importance of constitutional order, the importance of respecting the will of the people,” said Payne. “But instead, what is heard is you guys are defending a broken system.”
As disappointing as that may be, he added, “That’s a reality that Democrats are wrestling with. And I’d imagine that Democrats, over time, will have a better answer to that.”
Gerren Keith Gaynor is a White House Correspondent and the Managing Editor of Politics at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C.