Joe Biden has vowed to train 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 bitterly contested campaign and promising an orderly transfer of power despite President Donald Trump’s refusal to give in.
“The people, 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 by precaution against the coronavirus. “I am honored by the trust you have placed in me. I pledge to be a president who does not seek to divide, but to unify.”
In his remarks, the former vice president aimed at the uproar of the past four years under Trump while reaching out to supporters of the president, 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. “In order to progress, we must stop treating our adversaries as our enemies. We are not enemies. We are Americans.”
“We the people have the power to build a better future,” said Kamala Harris, wearing a white pantsuit, the favorite color of suffragists who fought for women’s suffrage.
Biden vowed to appoint a select team of scientists and experts on Monday to craft a plan to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, saying experts will get started as quickly as possible, led by science, not politics.
“This plan will be built on a scientific basis. It will be built out of compassion, empathy and concern,” he said.
He was greeted on stage by applauding the fans chanting “We love you, Joe!” as they honked in support. In the parking lot, a huge American flag hung in the sky as participants danced and waved signs of support before Biden appeared.
Biden, 77, was joined by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, 56, the first black and Native American woman to hold the post. They greeted each other on stage with masks and did not shake hands, acknowledging the peril of the pandemic they are committed to fighting.
“Protecting our democracy takes struggle. It takes sacrifice, but there is joy. We the people have the power to build a better future,” said Harris, wearing a white pantsuit, a favorite color of suffragists who fought for women’s suffrage.
“Although I am the first woman to hold this position, I will not be the last because all the little girls watching tonight see that this is a land of possibilities,” she said, noting the history of his election.
Television networks and the Associated Press on Saturday called the 2020 presidential race for Biden after days of counting slowed by record turnout and 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 hold the post.
Trump rejected the results, won and vowed to fight in court, citing unsubstantiated allegations of widespread fraud.
“From Monday, our campaign will begin to take our cause to 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: it means counting all legal ballots and not counting illegal ballots. . This is the only way to ensure that the public has full confidence in our election, ”the president said in a statement released just after the start of the race.
Biden’s speech to the nation culminated in a long journey for the former vice president, who had run for the White House twice before but never made it past the first primaries in 1987 and 2008. He considered running for office after serving eight years as Vice President to President Barack Obama. president, but the death of his son, Beau Biden, and the merger of Democrats around Hillary Clinton led him not to participate in this election.
Biden’s victory pushed many Americans through the city streets, dancing and marching to celebrate the end of Trump’s presidency. A crowd even greeted Trump as he walked back to the White House from his golf club in northern Virginia, shouting and waving signs.
By being declared the winner in Pennsylvania, Biden crossed the threshold of the 270 electoral college votes needed to win the presidency. He could end up with 306 votes if he wins in every state he currently leads, a slightly larger advantage than Trump in 2016, when he garnered 304 electoral votes. As the ballots continue to be counted, Biden and Harris won nearly 75 million votes, more than any ticket in US history and about 4 million more than Trump.
Biden will officially take over the presidency on inauguration day, Jan.20.
