May 1st, 2025 Story by: Publisher
In her first significant public address since leaving office, former Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a scathing critique of President Donald Trump’s administration, warning that the nation is witnessing a “wholesale abandonment of America’s highest ideals.”
Speaking at the 20th anniversary gala for Emerge America in San Francisco on April 30, 2025, Harris praised those resisting the administration’s agenda—including lawmakers, judges, and everyday citizens—emphasizing that “courage is contagious.”
“They are counting on the notion that, if they can make some people afraid, it will have a chilling effect on others,” Harris said. “But what they’ve overlooked is that fear isn’t the only thing that’s contagious. Courage is contagious.”
Harris condemned Trump’s tactics of fear and chaos, asserting that these were deliberate strategies to rapidly implement a conservative policy blueprint—Project 2025—intended to reshape government and society.
“Please, let us not be duped into thinking everything is chaos,” she said. “What we are, in fact, witnessing is a vessel being used for the swift implementation of an agenda that has been decades in the making.”
She applauded prominent Democrats’ resistance efforts and urged Americans to stay united and continue organizing.
Her speech marked a potential reemergence on the political stage, with speculation about a run for California governor or a 2028 presidential bid.
But the self-described “joyful warrior” also left room for hope. She commended leaders whose dissent has galvanized the public, including Democratic senators Cory Booker, who delivered a record-breaking 25-hour speech to show resistance to Trump, and Chris Van Hollen, who secured a visit with a man wrongly deported to El Salvador by the administration, as well Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who have been drawing crowds thousands-strong on their cross-country Stop Oligarchy tour.
Concluding with a metaphor from a viral video of elephants protecting their young during an earthquake, Harris called for collective solidarity in the face of adversity.
Harris’s address comes amid a backdrop of significant political developments, including the Trump administration’s controversial policies and actions during its first 100 days. These include sweeping tariffs, environmental rollbacks, and challenges to democratic norms, prompting widespread protests and legal challenges.
As Harris reenters the political discourse, her speech serves as a rallying cry for those opposing the current administration’s direction, emphasizing the importance of civic engagement and collective action to uphold democratic values.
Source: The Guardian
