Biden sweeps 3 major primaries
Washington, March 18: Former vice president Joe Biden has claimed victory over rival Bernie Sanders by sweeping three key primaries in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, inching closer in the race to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee to face US President Trump in November’s election. Biden, 77, won the three primaries with an impressive margin, trouncing Vermont Senator Sanders, 78, to become the Democratic party’s presidential nominee.
Whereas Ohio, which was supposed to hold a primary on Tuesday, postponed it due to the coronavirus pandemic. As of Tuesday, Biden had 1,121 pledged delegate in his kitty with Sanders trailing behind with 839 delegates.
Either of the two presidential aspirants need 1,991 of the 3,979 pledged delegates to win the nomination during the Democratic National Convention in Wisconsin in July. In his speech, Biden laid out his vision for America, call on Americans to come together to address this global health pandemic, and describe how we will come out of the crisis stronger as one nation.
Biden spoke from his home in Delaware keeping the guidelines of avoiding a gathering of 10 or more people. He urged supporters of the Sanders campaign to join him. Commending the remarkable passion and tenacity of Sanders’ supporters, he said that they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country.
“I hear you. I know what's at stake. I know what we have to do,” Biden said in an impressive speech. “This is over. It's over. The election is over tonight. I think that is very clear,” former US president Barack Obama’s adviser David Axelrod said.
In his brief address, Biden said that tackling this pandemic is a national emergency akin to fighting a war. It will require leadership and cooperation from every level of government. “It will require us to move thoughtfully and decisively to quickly address both the public health crisis and the economic crisis we’re in. It will require us to pay attention to the medical and scientific and health experts”.