Kamala Harris bookends Biden's national security team unveiling

NEW YORK: US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris took the stage on Tuesday to bookend US President-elect Joe Biden's first big "America is back" announcement of top appointments to the country's incoming national security team. The carefully curated show was a study in contrast to four years of Donald Trump events, where the audience almost never know the rundown. Below is the full transcript of Harris' remarks, delivered in Wilmington, Delaware:

"Thank you, Secretary Kerry. And congratulations Mr President-elect on bringing together this extraordinary team. I have always believed in the nobility of public service, and these Americans embody it. Their lives and careers are a testament to the dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to civic responsibility that have strengthened our democracy — and kept America's promise alive — for more than two hundred years.

President-elect Biden and I have long known that when we were elected, we would inherit a series of unprecedented challenges upon walking into the White House.

Addressing these challenges starts with getting this pandemic under control, opening our economy responsibly, and making sure it works for working people.

And we also know that overcoming our challenges here at home is a necessary foundation for restoring and advancing our leadership around the world. And we are ready for that work.

We will need to reassemble and renew America's alliances; rebuild and strengthen the national security and foreign policy institutions that keep us safe and advance our nation's interests; and confront and combat the existential threat of climate change that endangers us all.

I take these issues very seriously. My whole career has been about keeping people safe, from serving as District Attorney to California's Attorney General to the United States Senate, where I have served on the Intelligence and Homeland Security Committees. I have come to know firsthand the gravity of the challenges and threats facing the United States.

And, over the past few months, I have also come to know the sound judgment, expertise, and character of the people on this stage.

I can say with confidence that they are a" to a person a" the right women and men for these critical positions.

And I look forward to working alongside them on behalf of the American people, and on behalf of a President who will ask tough questions; demand that we be guided by facts; and expect our team to speak the truth. No matter what.

A President who will be focused on one thing and one thing only: doing what's best for The People of the United States of America.

When Joe asked me to be his running mate, he told me about his commitment to making sure we selected a cabinet that looks like America that reflects the very best of our nation.

That is what we have done.

Today's nominees and appointees come from different places. They bring a range of different life and professional experiences and perspectives. And they also share something else in common: an unwavering belief in America's ideals.

An unshakeable commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

And they understand the indispensable role of America's leadership in the world. These women and men are patriots and public servants to their core, and they are the leaders we need to meet the challenges of this moment, and those that lie ahead. Thank you." (IANS)

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