For Harris, an Awkward Election Task: Certifying the Vote She Lost

The vice presidency comes with plenty of indignities, but probably none greater than the one that Kamala Harris endured on Monday when she presided over the certification of her own defeat.

Standing in the rostrum of the House of Representatives, a gavel in her hand and a look of imperturbable stoicism on her face, Ms. Harris officiated as the two houses of Congress met in joint session to formally count the Electoral College votes for president.

“The votes for president of the United States are as follows,” she declared after each state’s totals were read. “Donald J. Trump of the state of Florida has received 312 votes.” At that point, Republican lawmakers rose to their feet to applaud. Ms. Harris gave a small, polite smile as she let them have their moment.

Then she continued. “Kamala D. Harris of the state of California has received 226 votes,” she intoned. Now it was the Democrats’ turn to stand and applaud. Ms. Harris glanced over to that side of the chamber with a little smile of thanks, then gently gaveled the body to order. After reading the votes certifying JD Vance as vice president, she formally ordered the results entered in the record.

And with that, Kamala Harris the vice president officially put an end to Kamala Harris the candidate’s quest for the presidency — at least for this election. At that point, members of both parties rose to applaud, seemingly out of respect for the no-doubt-painful task she had just taken on without complaint or objection.

There was also certainly a little bit of relief that everyone had gotten through the moment peacefully, unlike the maelstrom visited upon the Capitol on this day four years earlier when Mr. Trump refused to accept defeat and inspired a mob that stormed the building to try to stop the count certifying it.