US President Joe Biden has called for Americans to “bring down the temperature” of political debate in his first speech since Donald Trump’s comprehensive win in Tuesday’s election.
Mr Biden, who received a standing ovation in the White House Rose Garden from a crowd that included cabinet, staff and his granddaughter, paid tribute to his Vice-President Kamala Harris, who he said he spoke with yesterday.
“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 so much — her character. She has a backbone like a ramrod,” he said.
He said “a defeat does not mean we are defeated” and the challenge for Democrats was to get back up again. He didn’t reflect on his role in the election defeat.
“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 neighbour only when you agree on something,” he said.
“I hope we can, no matter who you voted for, see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans. Bring down the temperature.”
Mr Biden made several remarks in the speech that recalled the way Donald Trump left office in 2021, vowing that on January 20, “we’ll have a peaceful transfer of power”.
“Yesterday, I spoke with president-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and I assured him that I direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition,” he said.
“That’s what the American people deserve.”
He also said he hoped America can rest the questions about the integrity of its electoral system.
“It is honest, it is fair and it is transparent and it can be trusted, win or lose. Also hope we can restore the respect for all our election workers who busted their necks and took risks at the outset, we should thank them.”
Joe Biden blew a kiss as he finished his first public remarks since his vice-president, Kamala Harris, lost the election. (Reuters: Elizabeth Frantz)
Different views on economic record
Mr Biden said his had been a “historic” presidency “for all Americans” with work that will continue to be felt by Americans for the next 10 years.
“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,” he said.
But earlier in the day Donald Trump Jr, appearing on Fox and Friends, said the Democrats live in “some sort of vacuum that they just don’t understand”.
“If you look at the failures, there’s not a single metric where we’re better off today than we were four years ago, economically, geopolitically or otherwise,” he said.
“We went from a time of peace to a time of war. We went from a time of prosperity to a time of poverty, and everyone feels it.”
Donald Trump Jr is closely involved with his father’s transition team. (Reuters: Jeenah Moon)
Mr Trump Jr said he would be heavily involved with the transition, helping to pick his father’s cabinet and the 4,000-odd government positions that are political appointees.
It is expected that some of those positions will start to be announced in the coming days.
The transition is led by co-chairs Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon, who is a former wrestling executive who served in Trump’s first term, but a cast of Trump’s family and friends is expected to be involved, including vice-president elect JD Vance.
Trump said in his victory speech that former presidential hopeful and anti-vaccination and anti-fluoride activist Robert Kennedy Jr will be tapped to “help make America healthy again”. Trump has also pledged to make his vocal supporter Elon Musk a secretary of federal “cost-cutting”.
Senator Tom Cotton, who had previously been picked to be secretary of defence, has removed himself from consideration, Reuters reports.
About 1,200 positions need Senate confirmation, which will obviously be easier now that Republicans hold the Senate.
While Team Trump is busy building its future, Mr Biden remains in the White House with a job to do.
“Now we have 74 days to finish the term, our term, let’s make every day count. That’s the responsibility we have to the American people,” he said.
As he finished speaking, Mr Biden blew a kiss to the gathered crowd before retreating back into the White House to go back to work.