Biden Wants to Show Trump What a Peaceful and Orderly Transfer of Power Looks Like

TIME

President Joe Biden stepped into the Rose Garden Thursday to acknowledge Donald Trump’s victory over his Vice President Kamala Harris.

Transcript

00:00It's good to see you all, particularly good to see my granddaughter sitting in the front

00:05row here.

00:06Hi, Finn.

00:07How are you, honey?

00:08For over 200 years, America has carried out the greatest experiment in self-government

00:15in the history of the world.

00:17That's not hyperbole.

00:18That's a fact.

00:19We're the people.

00:21The people vote and choose their own leaders, and they do it peacefully.

00:26When we're in a democracy, the will of the people always prevails.

00:31Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and I

00:38assured him that I'd direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful

00:44and orderly transition.

00:48That's what the American people deserve.

00:50Yesterday, I also spoke with Vice President Harris.

00:55She's been a partner and a public servant.

00:58She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early

01:03on to respect so much, her character.

01:06She has a backbone like a ramrod.

01:08She has great character, true character.

01:11She gave her whole heart and effort, and she and her entire team should be proud of the

01:16campaign they ran.

01:19You know, the struggle for the soul of America, since our very founding, has always been an

01:26ongoing debate and still vital today.

01:31I know for some people, it's a time for victory, to state the obvious.

01:36For others, it's a time of loss.

01:40Campaigns are contests of competing visions.

01:43A country chooses one or the other.

01:47We accept the choice the country made.

01:51I've said many times, you can't love your country only when you win.

01:58You can't love your neighbor only when you agree.

02:04Something I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, is see each other not as adversaries,

02:11but as fellow Americans, bring down the temperature.

02:15I also hope we can lay to rest the question about the integrity of the American electoral

02:19system.

02:21It is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent, and it can be trusted, win or lose.

02:31I also hope we can restore the respect for all our election workers who busted their

02:36necks and took risks at the outset.

02:40We should thank them.

02:42We should thank them for staffing voting sites, counting the votes, protecting the very integrity

02:47of the election.

02:49Many of them are volunteers who do it simply out of love for their country.

02:55And as they did, as they did their duty as citizens, I will do my duty as president.

03:02I'll fulfill my oath, and I will honor the Constitution.

03:06On January 20th, we'll have a peaceful transfer of power here in America.

03:12I know it's a difficult time.

03:15You're hurting.

03:16I hear you and I see you.

03:18But don't forget, don't forget all that we accomplished.

03:23It's been a historic presidency, not because I'm president, because what we've done, what

03:28you've done, a presidency for all Americans.

03:32Much of the work we've done is already being felt by the American people, but the vast

03:37majority of it will not be felt over the next 10 years.

03:42We have legislation we passed that's just only now just really kicking in.

03:47And so much more is going to take time, but it's there.

03:54The road ahead is clear, assuming we sustain it.

03:57There's so much, so much we can get done and will get done based the way the legislation

04:03was passed.

04:04And it's truly historic.

04:07You know, we're leaving behind the strongest economy in the world.

04:13I know people are still hurting, but things are changing rapidly.

04:19Together we've changed America for the better.

04:22Now we have 74 days to finish the term, our term.

04:27Let's make every day count.

04:30That's the responsibility we have to the American people.

04:32Look, folks, you all know it in your lives.

04:35Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable.

04:41Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable.

04:46We all get knocked down.

04:48But the measure of our character, as my dad would say, is how quickly we get back up.

04:53Remember, a defeat does not mean we are defeated.

04:58We lost this battle.

05:01The America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up.

05:07That's the story of America for over 240 years and counting.

05:13It's a story for all of us, not just some of us.

05:17The American experiment endures.

05:20We're going to be okay, but we need to stay engaged.

05:25We need to keep going.

05:27And above all, we need to keep the faith.

05:30I'm so proud to have worked with all of you.

05:34I really mean it.

05:35I sincerely mean it.

05:37God bless you all.

05:40God bless America.

05:41And may God protect our troops.

05:43Thank you, thank you, thank you.

05:44Peace.

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