Biden’s speech at the White House is dedicated to Trump’s election victory

PResident Joe Biden entered the Rose Garden Thursday to express his gratitude. Donald Trump’s victory over his vice president Kamala Harris.

Biden has been here before. Eight years ago, he stood in the same spot next to outgoing President Barack Obama after Democrats were soundly defeated by Donald Trump. At the time, Biden wore a red tie, an outward sign of politeness toward Republicans. This time it is Biden’s turn to be the merciful loser. “In a democracy, the will of the people always prevails,” Biden said. He promised a “peaceful and orderly” transition from his administration to Trump’s. “This is what the American people deserve.”

Regarding Harris’ defeat, Biden praised her for running an “inspiring” campaign and said the country needs to see what he learned about Harris early on, that she has “true character” and a “ramrod spine.” Biden said “we accept the choice” the country has made.

Read more: How Trump won

Biden sharply rebuked Trump’s unwillingness to accept his 2020 election defeat. “You can’t love your country only when you win. You cannot love your neighbor only when you agree.” He implored his fellow Americans to “bring down the temperature.”

Biden invited Trump to meet with him at the White House, as Obama did, and promised, in the best interest of the country, to open federal agencies to Trump’s new team so they will be ready to take over when Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20. .

Biden’s openness stands in stark contrast to Trump’s actions after Biden defeated him. Trump rejected he lost, filed numerous frivolous lawsuits, pressured state election officials to find him votes, created lists of fake voters and encouraged his supporters to storm the Capitol building in a violent and failed attempt to overturn his election defeat. January 6, 2021. During Trump’s fabricated riot, his administration refused to allow Biden’s team to be briefed on the work of federal agencies, including critical national security agencies such as the Pentagon, CIA and the Department of Homeland Security tasked with keeping the country safe.

But for Biden, contrast is key. The main reason Biden launched his bid for the presidency in 2019 was to restore faith in the country’s democratic process, which Trump had destroyed. Biden made good on his promise that he would “restore the soul” of the country. Accepting the results of Trump’s victory, encouraging Democrats to follow his lead, and working in the best interests of the country to help Trump begin his second presidency with the information and preparation Trump denied him are all part of Biden’s larger civic project.

Biden wants to end the cycle of politicians undermining the integrity of elections if they lose them. The country’s elections are secure and produce true results, Biden said. The electoral system is “fair, transparent, and you can trust it, whether you win or lose.” He made sure to thank election workers, many of whom volunteered their time and faced threats while performing routine vote-counting duties.

Biden said that just as election officials have done their civic duty, he will do his duty as president to ensure Trump can take office in January. “I will fulfill my oath to honor the Constitution, and on January 20th we will have a peaceful transition of power here in America.”

Concluding his short remarks, Biden appealed to the Trump administration and congressional Republicans to preserve his investments in the country’s infrastructure and transition of the economy away from fossil fuels. Trump and Republicans have vowed to roll back many of the investments Biden signed into law. Many measures are “just getting started,” Biden said, and Americans will begin to see new bridges, improved broadband and other projects built over the next decade.

When Biden finished speaking, he stood and waved to his staff, family and Cabinet secretaries gathered on the Rose Garden lawn, then walked through the open door of the Oval Office. After he walked inside, a Marine sentry closed the door behind him.