In his first national address as president-elect, Joe Biden Saturday set the tone for his incoming administration, appealing to Americans to work with him to bridge the nation’s deep political divides.
“For all those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand your disappointment tonight. I’ve lost a couple times myself,” Biden said. “But now, let’s give each other a chance.”
Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris celebrated their history-making victory in front of a drive-in crowd of thousands outside Chase Center on the Riverfront in Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. Earlier in the day, major news outlets declared them the winners of the race after it became clear there were not enough outstanding ballots in Pennsylvania to make up the then- 28,000-plus vote margin that separated Biden and Trump. Biden’s lead in Pennsylvania has since widened and was over 36,000 votes as of 10 p.m. Saturday.
Their speeches and victory celebrations were broadcast and streamed live and watched by millions of people worldwide.
“It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again, and, to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies. They are Americans. They’re Americans,” he stressed.
Biden, who will become only the second Catholic President in U.S. history – John F. Kennedy was the first – pulled from scripture as he appealed to “our better angels.”
“The Bible tells us to everything there is a season, a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow, and a time to heal. This is the time to heal in America.”
That message strongly resonates with many Americans eager to move beyond the nation’s seeming stalemate over how to address a deadly pandemic and swelling concern over pressing domestic issues.
“Americans have called upon us to marshal the forces of decency, the forces of fairness, to marshal the forces of science, and the forces of hope,” Biden said. After winning the popular vote by more than 4 million, the former Vice President sees a mandate for his incoming administration to tackle what he calls “the great battles of our time.”
“The battle to control the virus. The battle to build prosperity. The battle to secure your family’s healthcare. The battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country. The battle to save our planet by getting climate under control. The battle to restore decency, defend democracy, and give everybody in this country a fair shot; that’s all they’re asking for – a fair shot,” he said.
The coronavirus pandemic played a central role in this year’s presidential campaign, and Biden has made getting it under control his top priority. He said Monday he will name a group of leading scientists and experts to serve as transition advisors to help take the Biden-Harris COVID plan and convert it into an actionable blueprint that starts on his first day in office, January 20, 2021.
As they get to work and prepare to fend off legal challenges by President Donald Trump, who is contesting the election results, Biden took a moment to extend his thanks on behalf of the nation to “all who volunteered and worked the polls during this pandemic.”
Biden also acknowledged the historical significance of the election, as this marks the first time a woman has been elected on a presidential ticket. Before Biden’s speech, Harris addressed that, saying, “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.”
Building on the theme of possibilities and hope, Harris then addressed all the children watching, encouraging them to “Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they’ve never seen it before.”
