After losing to Donald Trump, analysts have noted a stark difference in the body language of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as Harris gave her first speech post-election defeat.
Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election has led Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to concede to the Republican candidate. Trump secured 295 electoral votes, paving his way back to the White House in January 2025 as the 47th President of the United States.
Harris reportedly phoned Trump to concede the election before addressing the nation and her supporters at Howard University, her alma mater. Tim Walz attended the event but refrained from speaking.
Body language specialist Judi James discussed the contrasting approaches of Harris and Walz with Paddy Power Games.
Judi James noted, “[Harris’] muscle memory might have kicked in and taken over her delivery style but there were verbal and visual echoes of her buoyant campaign appearances, with the grinning, the giggling and the crowd-hailing repeated cry of ‘Good afternoon!’.
“There was little reason to verbally crowd-surf like this given the occasion, but Harris clapped them like a winner until the chuckling mood slowly evaporated.”
Conversely, Walz’s expression revealed his disappointment, with his emotions clearly visible.
James added, “Tim Walz’s tragic, tearful facial expression summed up the authentic mood of this crowd though. His lips were clamped, and his wide mouth was pulled down at the corners in a clown-like mask of misery.
“This was in direct contrast to Kamala Harris’s body language display of what looked at times like reflecting victory rather than defeat.”
James further commented that Harris’ body language seemed out of sync with the situation, suggesting ‘the impression was that the needle had got stuck in the record and she was somehow oblivious to what had happened earlier.’
She observed that moments of genuine emotion from Harris emerged as she thanked her supporters for accompanying her on her journey to the White House.
She expressed, “[Her phrases of] ‘My heart is full’ and ‘I love you guys’ came from a voice that appeared to be cracking with emotion. She appeared to be using some deep swallows to prevent actual tears breaking through.
“Her body language tone was still heavy with gestures of authority though. She wagged her finger and she performed constant head batons.
“She claimed to be ‘so proud’ with both hands held up, and the remainder of her speech contained a constant repetition of the word ‘fight’ with her finger raised in the air to emphasize a sense of cautious authority. She used the word ‘peaceful’ but said ‘I do not concede the fight’.
“Her smile dropped, and her face looked drawn as she spoke in her usual word-salad style before her sign-off.”
As the year progresses, several key dates are crucial to note.
Trump faces potential sentencing of up to four years in prison after a conviction on 34 counts of fraud related to a hush money case in May. He was found guilty of attempting to influence the 2016 election through a payment to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star who claimed they had a sexual encounter. Trump pled not guilty, maintaining that the allegations are not criminal.
Defense attorneys are expected to request a delay for his November 26 sentencing. Sentencing a president-elect before Inauguration Day would be unprecedented in US history.
The sentencing date, initially set for July 11, has already been postponed twice. A July ruling by the US Supreme Court indicated that presidents have extensive immunity from prosecution regarding their official actions.
Trump and 18 co-defendants face charges under Georgia’s racketeering laws for allegedly conspiring to overturn his narrow defeat in the 2020 election. All defendants are charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute, which carries a penalty of five to twenty years’ imprisonment. Trump maintains a plea of not guilty.
Trump may be the first president to face jail time before Inauguration Day (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Nine co-defendants, including President-Elect Trump, seek to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the case due to alleged misconduct involving a former deputy. The case is on hold while the Georgia Court of Appeals considers whether to disqualify Willis. Oral arguments are slated for December 5.
Trump’s legal team will seek to halt any proceedings against him, arguing that a sitting president should not be subject to criminal prosecution.
The electors from each state meet on the first Tuesday following the second Wednesday in December to select the President and Vice President. Each state appoints representatives to the Electoral College, based on the state’s population and congressional delegation. Electors must cast their votes for the candidate who won the most votes in their state.
Certificates recording the electoral vote results must be received by the president of the senate and the archivist by the fourth Wednesday in December, which this year falls on Christmas Day. The results are then sent to the newly elected Congress, sworn in on January 3.
Trump’s inauguration is set to take place at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Congress will convene to formally count and announce the electoral college votes. The previous two elections saw these counts announced on January 6, a date now infamous for the Capitol Riots by Trump supporters following his loss to President-Elect Joe Biden.
The 47th Presidential Inauguration will occur on the west front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. on Monday, January 20, 2025. The president-elect, along with vice-president-elect JD Vance, will be sworn in and officially take office. Inauguration Day will be a federal holiday.