Washington, Nov 7 (IANS ) President Joe Biden on Thursday told fellow Democrats, devastated by the crushing defeat of Vice-President Kamala Harris, that everyone gets knocked down but the true test of character is ‘how quickly we get back up’.
The President also had a word for Republicans without naming them specifically. “You can't love your country only when you win. You can't love your neighbour only when you agree, something I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, see each other, not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans, bring down the temperature,” he said.
Biden said the American electoral system is sound, can be trusted and transparent, contrary to what President-elect Donald Trump and his allies have sought to drill into American voters since his 2020 election.
“I also hope we can later restate the question about the integrity of the American electoral system. It is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent and it can be trusted, win or lose.”
President Biden spoke briefly from the White House, just over six minutes, with a clear message to bring down the temperature of a politically divided country.
“Campaigns are contests of competing visions. A country chooses one or the other,” he said.
The President said he had called President-elect Trump to congratulate him and on January 20 the transfer of power will take place peacefully as it is meant to. He did not mention, but hurt and angry by his defeat in 2020, Trump had skipped Biden’s inauguration and left straight for his Florida home.
Biden also had a word of praise for Harris. “She's been a partner and a public servant. She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early on to respect her character so much. She has a backbone like a ram. She has great character, true character. She gave her whole heart and effort, and she and her entire team should be proud of the campaign they ran.”
Harris was thrust into the presidential race in July after Biden was forced to quit following a disastrous presidential debate with Trump. She inherited the Biden campaign and funds but she had built her own campaign largely in a little over three months.
The President also spoke of his administration’s achievements, acknowledging not all results are visible at this time.
“It's been a historic presidency, not because I'm present, but because what we've done, what you've done, is a presidency for all Americans. Much of the work we've done is already being felt by the American people, with the vast majority of it will not be felt over the next 10 years. We have legislation (that) we passed. It's just only now, just really kicking in, we're going to see over a trillion dollars worth of infrastructure work done, changing people's lives in rural communities and communities that are real difficult because it takes time to get it done, and so much more it's going to take time, but it's there,” he said.
He added that the road ahead is clear, assuming we sustain it, adding that there's so much, “so much we can get done, and we'll get done based on the way the legislation was passed, and it's truly historic.”
“You know, we're leaving behind the strongest economy in the world. I know people are still hurting, but things are changing rapidly together, we've changed America for the better. Now we have 74 days to finish the term, our term,” he said.