Joe Biden promised a smooth transfer of power to Donald Trump in an address to the nation on Thursday, as he implored Americans to “bring down the temperature” of partisan divisions and keep their faith in democratic systems following Kamala Harris’s loss in the presidential race.
“For over 200 years, America has carried on the greatest experiment in self-government in the history of the world,” Biden said in the White House Rose Garden on a sunny morning, the weather ill-fitted to the mood among Democrats. “The will of the people always prevails.”
Biden noted he spoke with Trump on Wednesday to congratulate the president-elect on his victory and promise his administration’s full cooperation to “ensure a peaceful and orderly transition”.
“That’s what the American people deserve,” Biden added.
Biden delivered his remarks to a crowd of senior administration officials and family members, including his granddaughter Finn, who all greeted him with an extended round of applause as he approached his podium. In a speech that combined reflectiveness with surprising optimism, Biden suggested the end of one of the most bitter presidential contests in US history should serve as an opportunity for building unity among the American people.
“Campaigns are contests of competing visions. The country chooses one or the other, and we accept the choice the country made,” Biden said. “Something to hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, is see each other not as adversaries but as fellow Americans – bring down the temperature.”
After Harris’s devastating defeat that left many of her supporters distressed over the trajectory of the nation, Biden took a moment to commend his vice-president on an exemplary campaign. Harris had roughly 100 days to win the White House, after Biden withdrew from the presidential race in July. Although she fell short, Harris offered an important example of true public service, Biden said.
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“She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early on to respect so much: her character,” Biden said. “She gave her wholeheart[ed] effort, and she and her entire team should be proud of the campaign they ran.”
The president similarly applauded the thousands of poll workers who ensured a safe and smooth election day, pointing to their work as an example of the country’s “honest”, “fair” and “transparent” election system. Trump and his allies have repeatedly raised baseless doubts about the integrity of the US election system, although they were notably quiet on that subject after Republicans’ strong performance on Tuesday.
Biden did not shy away from addressing Democrats’ disappointment and sorrow over the election results, which gave Republicans control of the White House and the Senate. The House of Representatives remained too close to call on Thursday afternoon, but Republicans expressed confidence that they would maintain their narrow majority in the lower chamber.
Biden commended his administration on a “historic presidency” that included the passage of several landmark bills addressing infrastructure, the climate crisis and healthcare. Those laws would continue to reap benefits for the American people for years and even decades into the future, Biden said on Thursday.
“I know it’s a difficult time. You’re hurting. I hear you and I see you,” Biden told his colleagues. “But don’t forget. Don’t forget all that we accomplished.”
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Turning his attention to the final weeks of his presidency, Biden pledged to continue doing the work of the American people over the next 74 days.
“Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable,” Biden said. “We all get knocked down, but the measure of our character, as my dad would say, is how quickly we get back up.”
Biden, who has repeatedly asserted that America’s best days are still ahead, leaned on his trademark optimism to offer a pep talk to the nation. History is long, Biden reminded his country, and Trump’s victory serves as only one chapter in a much more expansive story.
“A defeat does not mean we are defeated. We lost this battle. The America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up. That’s the story of America for over 240 years and counting,” Biden said.
“The American experiment endures. We’re going to be OK, but we need to stay engaged. We need to keep going. And above all: we need to keep the faith.”
Read more of the Guardian’s 2024 US election coverage