Biden delivered remarks to the nation following Trump’s victory in the election on Wednesday.
He congratulated Trump on his victory, and stated his task is to create a pleasant transfer of office.
“I assured him that I would direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition,” Biden said. “That’s what the American people deserve.”
Biden also congratulated Kamala Harris on fulfilling her duties as Vice President. “She’s been a partner and a public servant,” he said. Biden also admires her character and fortitude. “She has a backbone like a ramrod, she has great character. True character,” he said.
Biden emphasized that the election should not be divisive, and asked Americans to come together, rather than seeing this moment as a reason to hate each other. He also accepted the results of the election.
“A country chooses one or the other. We accept the choice the country made. I’ve said many times, you can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t love your neighbor only when you agree. Something I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, you see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans,” he said. “Bring down the temperature.”
He trusts the validity of the results too, saying “I also hope we can lay to rest the question about the integrity of the American electoral system. It is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent.”
Biden also praised the work of the poll workers, commending their humility and selflessness.
“We can restore the respect for all our election workers… We should thank them for staffing voting sites, counting the votes, protecting the very integrity of the election. Many of them are volunteers, who did it simply out of love for their country,” he said.
Harris conceded to Trump on Wednesday in a speech at Howard University. She also stressed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power.
“A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results,” Harris said. Despite conceding the election, “I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” she said.
Biden capped off his speech with a quote about perseverance. “Setbacks are unavoidable but giving up is unforgivable,” he said. “We all get knocked down, but the measure of our character is how quickly we get up.”
This serves as a reminder that despite how divisive the election may be, we should still push to see each other as friends, family, and neighbors rather than enemies. As Biden said, we should all attempt to “bring down the temperature.”
