Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States while Indian-origin Kamala Harris his deputy, with several news outlets projecting victory in the decisive state of Pennsylvania. Once sworn in January, Biden who turns 78 at the end of November will become the oldest US president. Soon after, Biden tweeted: “America, I’m honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country. The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not. I will keep the faith that you have placed in me.”
The Democratic Party also issued a statement. “ It is time to begin the work of uniting our country to heal our nation’s wounds, restoring our economy, and building back better to an America that works for everyone,” it said.But President Donald Trump showed no signs of conceding after Biden was declared the winner of the US presidential election.
“We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don’t want the truth to be exposed. The simple fact is this election is far from over,” Trump said.On Friday night, Biden urged his fellow countrymen to remain calm and patient as the vote counting process is still going on in some key battleground states.
“And let the process work out as we count all the votes. We are proving again what we have proved for 244 years in this country. Democracy works. Your vote will be counted. I don’t care how hard people try to stop it. I will not let it happen,” he said in his address to the nation.“In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America,” Biden said. “It was now time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation. It’s time for America to unite. And to heal,” he added.
Americans had given him a mandate to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, the struggling economy, climate change and systemic racism, he said. On Friday for the third straight day the US set a fresh record for new Covid-19 cases, with more than 127,000 infections. Presenting himself as the candidate of unity after a bitterly fought campaign, Biden said it was time to “get the vitriol out of our politics” and “be civil to one another”.The delay in counting was due to reasons such as high turnout, a massive number of mail-in ballots.