Joe Biden has committed to putting together a team of scientists to devise a plan to deal with the pandemic.
President-elect Joe Biden declared victory in the 2020 election on Saturday, calling on Americans to reconcile after a close campaign and promising an orderly transfer of power despite President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede.
“Friends, the people of this nation have spoken. They have given us a clear victory,” he said in a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, which was delivered at a rally of supporters wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus. “I am honored by the trust you have placed in me. I promise to be a president who does not seek to divide, but to unify.”
In his remarks, the former vice president pointed to the tumult of the past four years under Trump, but extended a hand to the president’s supporters, saying he understood their disappointment.
“But now, let’s give ourselves a chance. It’s time to put aside the harsh rhetoric. To lower the temperature,” he said. “To progress, we must stop treating our opponents as enemies. We are not enemies. We are Americans.”
“The people have the power to build a better future,” said Kamala Harris, dressed in a white pantsuit, a favorite color of suffragettes who fought for women’s right to vote.
Biden promised on Monday to appoint a select team of scientists and experts to devise a plan to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, saying the experts would get started as quickly as possible, led by science, not politics.
“That plan will be built on the foundations of science. It will be built on compassion, empathy and concern,” he said.
He had been greeted on stage by fans yelling “We love you Joe!” while they blew their horns in support. In the parking lot, a huge American flag hung from the sky as attendees danced and waved signs of support before Biden’s appearance.
Biden, 77, was joined by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, 56, the first black and Native American woman to hold that position. They greeted each other on stage with masks and did not shake hands, acknowledging the danger of a pandemic that they had vowed to fight.
“Protecting our democracy requires struggle. It requires sacrifice, but there is joy in it. We, the people, have the power to build a better future,” said Harris, dressed in a white pantsuit, a favorite color of the suffragettes who fought for. the right of women to vote.
“While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last because all the girls who watch tonight see that this is a country of possibilities,” she said, highlighting the story of her choice.
Television networks and the Associated Press called the 2020 presidential race for Biden on Saturday after days of ballot counting, held back by record turnout and an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden, 77, was joined by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, 56, the first black and Native American woman to serve in that role.
Trump dismissed the results, claimed victory and vowed to fight in court, citing unsubstantiated allegations of widespread fraud.
“Starting Monday, our campaign will begin prosecuting our case in court to ensure that election laws are fully respected and that the rightful winner is seated. The American people have the right to an honest election – that means counting all legal ballots. and not counting the illegal ones.. This is the only way to guarantee that the public has full confidence in our election, “the president said in a statement released immediately after the contest was called.
Biden’s speech to the nation capped a long journey for the former vice president, who had run for the White House twice before but never made it past the 1987 and 2008 primaries. He considered running after serving eight years as President Barack’s vice president. Obama President, but the death of his son, Beau Biden, and the union of the Democrats around Hillary Clinton led him to sit in that election.
Biden’s victory brought many Americans to the streets of the city, dancing and marching to celebrate the end of the Trump presidency. A crowd even greeted Trump as he returned to the White House from his northern Virginia golf club, shouting and waving signs.
Upon being declared the winner in Pennsylvania, Biden surpassed the 270 Electoral College vote threshold required to take office. He could end up with 306 votes if he wins in every state where he currently leads, a slightly larger lead than Trump had in 2016, when he garnered 304 electoral votes. As the ballots continue to be counted, Biden and Harris had obtained nearly 75 million votes, more than any ballot in American history and about 4 million more than Trump.
Biden will formally assume the presidency on inauguration day, January 20.
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