Vice President Harris signs his desk drawer while Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff takes a photo on January 16, 2025.
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Vice President Harris sat at her ceremonial desk Thursday afternoon for a tradition that began in the 1940s: signing the top drawer.
In her final public event before her political opponent’s inauguration on January 20, Harris pulled out a Sharpie and became the first woman to sign the office, capping four historic years of breaking barriers as the first woman elected to office. vice-presidency.
Assistants and former staffers who worked with her over the years applauded her. Harris thanked them for their work and told them she wasn’t done yet.
“I will tell you that everyone here has a lot to be proud of and our work is not done,” Harris said. “And as you all know me – because we have spent long hours, long days, months and years together – it is not in my nature to go quietly into the night, so don’t worry about That.”
It is a tradition for the vice president to sign inside the top desk drawer before leaving office.
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Harris returns to California
Harris’ term didn’t end the way she hoped. If she had won the election in November, Harris would be packing her bags to move into the West Wing.
But instead, she has spent the last few weeks packing her bags and carrying out her constitutional obligations in Washington, like certifying the Jan. 6 election. She announced the tally of the Electoral College votes, officially cemented her defeat to Donald Trump to the cheers of congressional Republicans, and ensured a peaceful transfer of power – something Trump himself attempted to overturn years ago four years.
“I firmly believe that American democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it…otherwise it is very fragile and will not be ready to withstand times of crisis. And today, American democracy has stood firm,” she said after certifying the results.
Vice President Harris certifies the Electoral College vote as President Mike Johnson applauds during a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2025, ratifying the 2024 presidential election.
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By the time Inauguration Day rolls around, boxes of documents from her four years in office will be headed to the National Archives — and the vice president herself will move to Los Angeles.
His home was evacuated last week as a precaution due to the wildfires. Harris is moving to another location in town where she will stay while she figures out her next steps. Her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, will return to work at a yet-to-be-announced law firm.
This VP expert sees 3 options for Harris
Harris leaves office in a somewhat unique position. His national profile grew during his short-lived presidential campaign last year. She now enjoys a higher approval rating than when she launched her campaign, although it is lower than when she took office.
Joel Goldstein, a law professor at St. Louis University and an expert on the modern vice presidency, said Harris is well-positioned to run for office again.
“She has had experiences as vice president and as a presidential candidate that no Democratic figure under 75 has had,” he said.
Goldstein said Harris likely had three options: run for governor of California in 2026, run for president in 2028 or choose what he called “door number three”: something else that doesn’t involve not to run for office.
Vice President Harris speaks to staff, former aides and friends before signing her desk drawer in the Vice President’s Ceremonial Office at the White House on January 16, 2025.
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She plans to stay in the public eye
Two Harris aides who spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity to protect private conversations said she has made no decisions about her options — one source said there have been no discussions yet in-depth. A second source said she felt her candidacy for governor would be “too weak” — a resignation for Harris after serving as vice president.
But Harris intends to remain in the public eye, whether in speeches or on social media, according to a third source. And she’s keeping a small group of advisors with her to decide how to intervene over the coming months.
One of the sources close to Harris said she will likely have to make a decision by this summer whether she wants to run for office again, to begin fundraising and campaign work.
When she leaves office Monday, it will be the first time in more than 20 years that Harris will not work as a public servant, which will be a big adjustment for her, those who know Harris say.
Rep. Lateefah Simon, Democrat of California, went to work for Harris in her first elected position as San Francisco district attorney. Today, Simon is a new congresswoman representing Oakland, where her old boss grew up — and she says Harris is far from retiring.
“I’m excited about what she’s going to do,” Simon said.
“There’s no way – I’ll say this again and again – that I think she’s done. Did she tell me what she was going to do? No. But I know this woman, and I know it’s just getting started, really,” she said.
