‘EMPTY PROMISES’: Kamala Harris Launches Biggest Attack On Donald Trump — US News — World News

[0:00] We must see what is happening. [0:04] People are done with the status quo. [0:07] And they're ready to break things to force change. [0:13] And so, real talk, right? [0:16] So in comes Donald Trump, [0:18] casting himself as the change agent, [0:21] but with empty promises to the American people. [0:26] Under his leadership, we all know prices are up, [0:29] inflation is up, unemployment is up, [0:31] healthcare costs for millions of Americans [0:34] are about to double. [0:38] We all know that in the midst of all this, [0:40] the truth and reality of the moment, [0:43] that just a few days ago, he said the economy was, [0:46] I had to count the pluses, they're fine. [0:50] A plus, plus, plus, plus, plus. [0:53] That's what he said when asked, rate the economy. [0:56] A plus, plus, plus, plus, plus. [0:59] There is nothing A plus about any of this. [1:04] Thank you, thank you. [1:09] So it's great to see you all, welcome to California. [1:13] How's the temperature treating you? [1:18] So let me just say, let me just start by saying thank you, [1:21] thank you, thank you, thank you, all of you. [1:26] Not only for the support you have given me [1:31] and our campaign in 2024, but most importantly, [1:34] thank you for what you do for our country. [1:37] You know, I know the hard work that you all do every day. [1:41] It is the work that is about the weekends that just vanish. [1:48] It's about the work that does not trend on social media. [1:53] It's about the work that may not garner you a standing ovation [1:57] after you have completed an important task [2:00] that is in furtherance of what is best for our country. [2:04] But you all are changing lives. [2:07] We are changing lives, and we are shaping elections, [2:14] and all of that strengthens our country. [2:18] So I start by just saying thank you, [2:22] because I am a public face of a lot of the work that we do, [2:28] and people then come up to me in various places, [2:32] and when they thank me, they are thanking you [2:36] for standing up for our democracy, for the rule of law, [2:42] for values and principles, for community, [2:47] for the breadth and depth of who we are [2:50] with all of our beautiful differences as a nation. [2:54] When they thank me, they are thanking you [2:56] for the work that you do that are about upholding basic principles [3:01] that are at the foundation of the Declaration of Independence [3:05] and the Constitution of the United States. [3:09] So thank you for everything that you have done, [3:15] that you are doing, and you will do. [3:19] And I know, look, this year has not been easy, [3:22] certainly for any of us. [3:26] But the leaders here, you've not been deterred. [3:31] And last month provides proof of that. [3:34] Last month provides proof of that. [3:37] In Virginia, Abigail Spanberger will be the first woman governor [3:42] in that state's history. [3:46] In New Jersey, Mikey Sherrill won the governor's mansion. [3:52] In New York, Zorin Mamdani is mayor-elect, [3:55] having inspired a broad coalition. [4:00] In California, we passed Proposition 50. [4:08] In the Deep South, we're mapped. [4:11] We're intentionally, over a long period of time, [4:15] been drawn to silence black voters. [4:19] The people were undeterred. [4:21] In Mississippi, Democrats broke the Republican supermajority [4:27] in the state Senate. [4:30] In Georgia, Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard, [4:34] out here over there, my Georgia friends, [4:37] flipped two statewide seats from Richmond to Trenton, [4:42] from Jackson to Atlanta, from Sacramento to New York. [4:49] The American people sent a message. [4:52] They want leaders who fight for affordability, for health care, [4:59] for the right of people to participate in their democracy. [5:05] Americans want leaders who fight for them. [5:11] And that is what we will continue to do in 2026, [5:16] as we compete in every state, in every district, [5:21] and every level of government. [5:24] And obviously, we must focus on the midterms. [5:29] But Democrats, we must also have a clear vision [5:34] for what comes after the midterms and then after Trump. [5:42] We need to answer the question, [5:45] we need to answer the question, [5:47] what comes next for our party and our democracy? [5:53] And in so doing, we must be honest that for so many, [5:59] the American dream has become more of a myth than a reality. [6:06] Whether it's the cost of food, energy, health care, [6:10] transportation or housing, [6:13] America is facing an affordability crisis. [6:16] A crisis that we are witnessing is fueling cynicism, [6:24] fear, frustration, [6:28] and a lack of confidence in our systems. [6:32] At the same time, AI has started to displace jobs, [6:37] reshape the future of work, [6:40] and cause Americans across the country [6:44] to fear being left behind. [6:50] Meanwhile, social media, which once promised us [6:54] to make us feel more connected, [6:58] is increasingly making us feel more isolated and divided. [7:05] And all of this is happening against the backdrop [7:09] of a political system [7:12] that appears to not only be fractured, but broken. [7:18] Both parties have failed to hold the public's trust. [7:24] Government is viewed, [7:29] the government is viewed as fundamentally unable to meet [7:34] the needs of its people. [7:37] In these and in so many other ways, [7:41] the people feel that the very institutions [7:45] that were designed to support them have failed them, [7:50] and they are not wrong. [7:53] We must see what is happening. [7:56] People are done with the status quo, [8:00] and they're ready to break things to force change. [8:06] And so, real talk, right? [8:08] So in comes Donald Trump, [8:11] casting himself as the change agent, [8:14] but with empty promises to the American people. [8:19] Under his leadership, we all know prices are up, [8:22] inflation is up, unemployment is up, [8:24] healthcare costs for millions of Americans [8:27] are about to double. [8:30] We all know that in the midst of all this, [8:32] the truth and reality of the moment, [8:35] that just a few days ago, he said the economy was, [8:39] I had to count the pluses, they're five. [8:43] A plus, plus, plus, plus, plus. [8:46] That's what he said when asked, rate the economy. [8:49] A plus, plus, plus, plus, plus, plus. [8:52] There is nothing A plus about any of this. [9:03] But real talk, we must be candid and clear. [9:09] Donald Trump is not the only source of our problems. [9:14] He and the rise of the MAGA movement, [9:18] I believe, are a symptom of a failed system [9:23] that is the result of years of outsourcing [9:28] and offshoring financial deregulation, [9:33] growing income inequality, [9:37] a broken campaign finance system, [9:41] and endless partisan gridlock, [9:45] all contributing to how we got here today. [9:51] So, as we plan for what comes after this administration, [9:57] we cannot afford to be nostalgic [10:02] for what was, in fact, a flawed status quo [10:06] and a system that failed so many. [10:17] We cannot advocate for, nor settle for, [10:21] a simple return to what existed in the past. [10:26] The work ahead requires us to reinvent, [10:33] to innovate, to inspire, [10:38] and understand that the task before us [10:41] is not just a political project. [10:45] It must be a project of civic renewal. [10:51] It must be a project of civic renewal. [10:55] Many of you know, throughout my career, [10:58] I have invoked a consistent mantra, [11:01] the power is with the people. [11:04] Well, this idea, we all know, [11:05] comes from the founders. [11:06] It's not an original thought. [11:08] It comes from the founders, [11:10] that in a functioning democracy, [11:12] we, the people, have the power [11:16] to shape our own fate. [11:20] But today, Americans are skeptical [11:22] of whether this remains true. [11:26] Americans wonder whether hard work alone [11:30] is enough to ensure a good future [11:32] for themselves and their families. [11:36] They worry that the forces impacting [11:39] their day-to-day lives are beyond their control. [11:44] And is it any wonder when today, [11:48] so many of our nation's political [11:51] and economic power is concentrated [11:53] in the hands of the very few? [11:57] Is it any wonder that the people feel this way? [12:02] Is there any doubt that such concentration of power [12:07] is the mark of a corrupted system, [12:11] that it is corrosive to our democracy? [12:17] So a primary task, I believe, [12:21] must be to confront this excess concentration of power [12:28] and provide greater agency, [12:31] provide greater agency to everyday citizens. [12:37] We must reform our institutions in ways [12:42] that will put the people back in charge, [12:45] in a way that actually promotes the general welfare. [12:53] And while a project of civic renewal may sound lofty, [12:59] especially given the challenges of this moment, [13:03] I believe that it is a necessary endeavor [13:07] and that it be grounded in certain values [13:11] that I know we all share. [13:15] The values that all forms of work [13:19] contribute to the public good and deserve dignity. [13:24] And all Americans performing that work [13:28] deserve to be rewarded fairly. [13:34] That in addition to economic security, [13:38] Americans' well-being also depend on health, [13:42] safety and connection with family and community. [13:48] That technology should be harnessed [13:50] on behalf of the public interest. [13:54] And at its best, it should always seek [13:59] to enhance human ingenuity, not replace it. [14:05] To deepen our connections, not sow distrust among us. [14:14] That the government derives its legitimacy from the people. [14:21] And so it must be responsive [14:24] to the actual needs of the people, [14:27] be more transparent in its activities, [14:30] and most of all, [14:32] that it cannot be bought by outside interests. [14:43] That the advancement of justice and equality [14:47] strengthens society as a whole. [14:51] And upholding the rights of the marginalized [14:55] fortifies the rights of everyone. [15:02] That to reinstate a sense of civic solidarity, [15:07] we should provide more opportunities [15:10] to perform national service. [15:13] And we must invest in public education, public spaces, [15:18] and ambitious national projects that remind us [15:22] of what we can achieve together. [15:29] And that the strength of a pluralistic society [15:34] requires that we embrace our differences [15:38] with more than just tolerance, [15:45] but with mutual respect and trust. [15:49] With the belief that though we are different, [15:53] each of our fellow citizens is a neighbor. [15:58] These are the values that I believe must guide [16:04] our project of civic renewal. [16:08] So going forward, [16:10] let us make a new commitment to the common good. [16:14] One that declares our country will be commanded [16:20] not by big corporations or career politicians, [16:24] not by the elite or wealthy, [16:28] but by everyday citizens. [16:31] Each working to fulfill their potential, [16:34] not just for the betterment of themselves, [16:38] but for the betterment of the country. [16:41] A commitment that declares that the power of this country [16:47] does not belong to any king or set of oligarchs. [16:56] It belongs to we, the people. [17:02] And I'll close by saying the stakes have never been higher, [17:06] but we are clear eyed with grit, determination, [17:10] and fire that this moment demands. [17:15] That when you know what you stand for, [17:18] you go out and you fight for it. [17:20] We fight for the future. [17:22] We fight for the people. [17:25] And we love our country. [17:27] I thank you all very much. [17:29] Thank you.