Published 20:51 IST, November 8th 2020
Set to be America's 1st-ever woman Vice President, Kamala Harris grateful to her mother
Kamala Harris scripted history on Saturday when she became America's first-ever woman Vice President-elect as Joe Biden trumped his Republican opponent
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Kamala Harris scripted history on Saturday when she became America's first-ever woman Vice President-elect as Joe Biden trumped his Republican opponent and incumbent Donald Trump to win the White House race.
Addressing supporters at Delaware on Saturday, Harris lauded the people of America for usheringa a new day in America when the 'whole world was watching' and when democracy was 'at stake'.
"Thank you for turning out in large numbers. You delivered a clear message. You chose hope, decency, science, truth. You chose Joe Biden as the president of USA", Harris said thanking her supporters.
'Grateful to her'
The US Vice President-elect reflected on the struggle of women who fought for and protected equality and the right to vote.
"I'm grateful to the woman most responsible for my presence here today, my mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't imagine this moment. But she believed so deeply in America where moment like this is possible", said Kamala Harris.
"I am thinking about her and the generations of women, black women, Asian, White, Latina, Native American women who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight", Harris added.
Harris lauded Joe Biden for having “the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exist in our country” by selecting a woman as his running mate. Further, Harris categorically said that she was the first Black-Asian Vice President but not the last.
"While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities and to the children of our country regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message -- Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way", Harris said.
Biden to be 46th US President
After four days of vote counting, Democratic nominee Joe Biden has been elected as the 46th US President, as called by the Associated Press (AP). Projecting Biden winning 284 electoral college votes, AP called the presidential race with Biden projected to win four swing states - Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania - which were all still too close to call. Biden has also won the popular vote, winning 50.6% of the votes - amassing 7,48,47,834 ballots.
With Joe Biden's win, his Vice-Presidential pick Kamala Harris has made history as the first Black woman to become Vice President. Donald Trump lost the presidential race after he secured only 214 electoral college votes and 47.7% of the votes - 7,05,91,531 ballots. Though Trump is gearing to challenge the election results in six swing states, the Republicans have retained the Senate and the Democrats have retained the House, as per AP's projections. Biden won his home state of Pennsylvania which made him cross the 270-halfway mark. Trump is yet to concede the race.
(With agency inputs)
20:51 IST, November 8th 2020