‘It’s time to heal’: Biden pledges to unify America
President-elect reaches out to Trump supporters; Kamala Harris invokes her heritage, speaks of breaking barriers
US Presidentelect Joe Biden called for an end to the “grim era of demonisation” and reached out to disappointed supporters of President Donald Trump, asking them to “give each other a chance” and saying “it’s time to heal” in a victory speech that was aimed unmistakably at unifying a bitterly divided country.
Biden, who was declared the victor of a bitterly fought presidential election with US President Donald Trump on Saturday, also said in his victory speech that he will announce a team of Transition Advisers on Monday to make a blueprint for his campaign’s Covid-19 plan that is ready for implementation from January 20, 2021 -- the day he is sworn in as President.
Hours after most news organisations called the November 3-election in favour of Biden, Senator Kamala Harris -- who notched up another first as the first black woman and Indiandescent American elected to the office of vice-president -too gave a speech in Delaware on Saturday, speaking fondly of her late mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris as the “woman most responsible for my presence here today”.
The vice president-elect paid tribute to the women, particularly Black women, whose shoulders she stands on as she shatters barriers that have kept mostly white men entrenched at the highest levels of American politics for more than two centuries.
“Tonight I reflect on their struggle, their determination and the strength of their vision to see what can be unburdened by what has been,” Harris said, wearing a white suit in tribute to women’s suffrage. Presidentelect Joe Biden had the character and audacity “to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country, and select a woman and his vice president.” she added.
“While I may be the first
woman in this office, I will not be the last,” Harris said in her first post-election address to the nation.
Biden also reached out to Trump’s supporters and voters. “To those who voted for President Trump, I understand your disappointment tonight. I’ve lost a couple of elections myself,” he said, adding, “But now, let’s give each other a chance. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric. To lower the temperature. To see each other again. To listen to each other again. To make progress, we must stop treating our opponents as our enemy. We are not enemies. We are Americans.”
He returned to the theme of unity again. “I ran as a proud Democrat. I will now be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me — as those who did. Let this grim era of demonisation in America begin to end — here and now.”
Biden and Harris spoke at a victory party in Wilmington, Delaware, amidst honking of cars — it was a drive-in rally — and much cheering. They were joined later by their spouses Jill Biden and Dough Emhoff and their families — including Biden’s son Hunter Biden, who had been targeted by the Trump campaign — for the ceremonial photo-ops, which were followed by fireworks.
Biden clinched the race after winning Pennsylvania, the tipping-point state that had kept the nation and indeed the world on edge as it took five days to count its votes, mainly the record high volume of mailed ballots.
Biden has won 290 electoral college votes — needed 270 to win — to Trump’s 214. But these numbers are likely to change as the remaining states wrap up their counting: Arizona, Alaska, Nevada, Georgia and North Carolina.
Biden won a record 74 million votes, which is the highest number of votes won by any American presidential nominee. Trump, with 70 million, is second.
These numbers will also change as remaining votes from the record turnout of 160 million are counted.
Biden’s victory speech would have followed a concession speech or a call from the losing candidate, as is the practice. But President Trump has not only refused to concede the election but has accused the president-elect of “rushing to falsely pose as the winner” pointing to pending recounts and lawsuits.
Wisconsin and Georgia were headed for recounts, but Trump’s lawsuits, and those filed by Republican allies have modest to no impact thus far. Undeterred, the campaign filed another one on Saturday in Arizona, hours after Biden was declared winner of the 2020 White House race.