Harris waiting to address base after loss shows 'lacking a grasp of American democratic tradition': analysts

The vice president is expected to deliver remarks at Howard University at 4 p.m. EST on Wednesday, where she will address Americans for the first time since losing the presidential race to Trump. However, analysts say she should not have waited until the afternoon after the election to address her base.

Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar and a Fox News contributor, said Trump's clear path to victory should have prompted her to concede sooner.

"The true test of leadership is to step forward when it is most needed. Half of this population is deeply aggrieved by this decision. Part of that angst and anxiety was fueled by the rage rhetoric and panic politics on the left, including the Harris campaign," Turley told Fox News Digital. 

"Just as voters were going to the polls, the New York governor declared a majority of voters to be 'unAmerican.' This is the call of leadership to step forward and acknowledge the victory. There are no major challenges or questions. The election is over," Turley added. "The only remaining matter is a concession. It has to be more than an afterthought in the late afternoon the following day. It needs to be rendered when it is most needed."

Legal analyst Andy McCarthy, a FOX News contributor and a senior fellow at the National Review Institute, suggested that remaining out of sight since the election results is a "graceless" misstep.

"I think this has less to do with democracy per se than with Harris's lacking a grasp of American democratic tradition," McCarthy continued. "Perhaps she figures Trump doesn't rate consideration due to his refusal to accept the 2020 election results. But if that's the case, it's not sensible, it's spiteful."

Harris was not present at her victory event at Howard University on Tuesday night, which came to an abrupt end ahead of Trump being named the winner of the presidential race.

Despite not making any public appearances or remarks since election night, Harris reportedly called Trump to congratulate him on winning the race ahead of her speech Wednesday afternoon, according to a senior Harris aide.

Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.