Former Vice President Kamala Harris thanked her supporters for "standing up for our democracy" and the "rule of law" on Friday at the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) annual winter meeting in Los Angeles.
Harris, who became the party's 2024 presidential nominee without a primary election after former President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, said Democrats express gratitude toward her because she is the "public face of a lot of the work that we do."
"People then come up to me in various places, and when they thank me, they are thanking you for standing up for our democracy, for the rule of law, for values and principles, for community, for the breadth and depth of who we are with all of our beautiful differences as a nation," she said during her remarks.
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Harris continued, "When they thank me, they are thanking you for the work that you do that are about upholding basic principles that are at the foundation of the declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. So thank you for everything that you have done, that you are doing and you will do."
Harris recently passed on launching a 2026 gubernatorial campaign in her home state of California, but is keeping the door wide open to a 2028 presidential run.
"Obviously, we must focus on the midterms," she said on Friday. "But Democrats, we must also have a clear vision for what comes after the midterms. And then after Trump. We need to answer the question. We need to answer the question: what comes next for our party and our democracy?"
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"And in so doing, we must be honest that for so many, the American dream has become more of a myth than a reality," she added. "Whether it's the cost of food, energy, health care, transportation or housing, America is facing an affordability crisis, a crisis that we are witnessing is fueling a system fear, frustration, and a lack of confidence in our systems."
The former vice president also addressed Democrats' recent wins in key local races.
"From Jackson to Atlanta, from Sacramento to New York. The American people sent a message they want leaders who fight yes for affordability, for health care, for the right of people to participate in their democracy," Harris said.
Harris also took jabs at President Donald Trump, as well as his policies and his "Make America Great Again" movement.
"We all know that in the midst of all this, the truth and reality of the moment that just a few days ago, he said the economy was, I had to count the pluses there. A plus, plus, plus, plus, plus. That's what he said when asked to rate the economy - a plus, plus, plus, plus, plus. There is nothing A plus about any of this," she said.
"We must be candid and clear. Donald Trump is not the only source of our problems," Harris added. "He and the rise of the MAGA movement, I believe, are a symptom of a failed system that is the result of years of outsourcing and offshoring, financial deregulation, growing income inequality, a broken campaign finance system and endless partisan gridlock all contributing to how we got here today."
