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President-elect Joe Biden called for healing and cooperation in his victory speech on Saturday night, striking an optimistic tone about the prospects for a renewed and reunited America. 

"I sought this office to restore the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation," Biden said at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. "And to make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home. It is the honor of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for that vision. And now, the work of making that vision real — it's a task, 

"I've long talked about the battle for the soul of America," he said. "It's time for our better angels to prevail." 

Read a full transcript of Biden's remarks below

Biden did not directly acknowledge President Trump's 

"The people of this nation have spoken," Biden declared. "They've delivered us a clear victory, a convincing victory, a victory for 'we the people'."

But the former vice president, who pledged throughout his candidacy that he would represent the Americans who voted for Trump as well as those who voted for him, reiterated that promise in his address Saturday.

"Let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end here and now," he said, calling for Democrats and Republicans in Congress to cooperate with each other.  

He also emphasized the vital importance of controlling the coronavirus, 

, promising to bring experts onto his transition team beginning on Monday.  

"I will spare no effort ... to turn around this pandemic," he said.

As a grim and difficult year draws to a close, Biden hearkened back to history with calls of American exceptionalism and laid out a hopeful vision for the future.

"Now together on eagle's wings, we embark on the work that God ... called us to do," Biden said, citing a hymn he said has brought comfort to his family.

"With full hearts and steady hands, with faith in America and each other, with love of country, a thirst for justice, let us be the nation that we know we can be – a nation united, a nation strengthened, a nation healed, the United States of America."

 as the first woman, first Black person and first Asian American to serve as vice president, 

 ahead of Biden's speech. She thanked election workers as well as the voters who participated in an election with record turnout.

"You chose hope and unity, decency, science and, yes, truth," she said. "You chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States of America." 

Harris celebrated the groundbreaking nature of her victory, too: "Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities." 

Biden and Harris spoke Saturday night in Wilmington, Del. Like many of their campaign stops, the event was held as a drive-in rally to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Masked supporters were cheering and waving flags from car hoods and pickup beds. 

The former vice president's path to being elected the 46th president of the United States was a tumultuous one, marked by unprecedented campaign challenges because of the coronavirus pandemic and an incumbent opponent who 

 in an attempt to deny Biden's victory.  

Trump did not speak publicly on Saturday, but in written remarks, he 

. In a statement, he vowed to take the election to the courts and falsely accused Biden of seeking to violate election laws. On Twitter, he inaccurately claimed victory and asserted that observers had not been allowed access to vote counts, which is false. 

Some prominent Republicans have congratulated Biden and pushed back on Trump's false claims of fraud, while others have either remained silent or 

 for Trump's legal challenges to the voting process.   

Biden empathized with those who supported the outgoing president.

"To those who voted for President Trump, I understand your disappointment tonight," Biden said in his speech. "I've lost a couple of elections myself. But now, let's give each other a chance." 

Read the transcript of Biden's prepared remarks below. 

My fellow Americans, the people of this nation have spoken.

They have delivered us a clear victory. A convincing victory.

We have won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of this nation — 74 million.

I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me.

I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide, but to unify.

Who doesn't see Red and Blue states, but a United States.

And who will work with all my heart to win the confidence of the whole people.

For that is what America is about: The people.

And that is what our Administration will be about.

I sought this office to restore the soul of America. 

To rebuild the backbone of the nation — the middle class. 

To make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home.

It is the honor of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for this vision. 

And now the work of making this vision real is the task of our time. 

As I said many times before, I'm Jill's husband. 

I would not be here without the love and tireless support of Jill, Hunter, Ashley, all of our grandchildren and their spouses, and all our family. 

Jill's a mom — a military mom — and an educator. 

She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn't just what she does — it's who she is. For America's educators, this is a great day: You're going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great First Lady.

And I will be honored to be serving with a fantastic vice president — Kamala Harris — who will make history as the first woman, first Black woman, first woman of South Asian descent, and first daughter of immigrants ever elected to national office in this country.

It's long overdue, and we're reminded tonight of all those who fought so hard for so many years to make this happen. But once again, America has bent the arc of the moral universe towards justice.

Kamala, Doug — like it or not — you're family. You've become honorary Bidens and there's no way out.

To all those who volunteered, worked the polls in the middle of this pandemic, local election officials — you deserve a special thanks from this nation. 

To my campaign team, and all the volunteers, to all those who gave so much of themselves to make this moment possible, I owe you everything.

And to all those who supported us: I am proud of the campaign we built and ran. I am proud of the coalition we put together, the broadest and most diverse in history. 

Democrats, Republicans and Independents. 

Progressives, moderates and conservatives. 

And especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest — the African American community stood up again for me. They always have my back, and I'll have yours.

I said from the outset I wanted a campaign that represented America, and I think we did that. Now that's what I want the administration to look like.

And to those who voted for President Trump, I understand your disappointment tonight. 

But now, let's give each other a chance. 

It's time to put away the harsh rhetoric.

To make progress, we must stop treating our opponents as our enemy. 

The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season — a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow. And a time to heal.

Now that the campaign is over — what is the people's will? What is our mandate?

I believe it is this: Americans have called on us to marshal the forces of decency and the forces of fairness. To marshal the forces of science and the forces of hope in the great battles of our time. 

The battle to secure your family's health care. 

The battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country.

The battle to restore decency, defend democracy, and give everybody in this country a fair shot.

Our work begins with getting COVID under control. 

We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish life's most precious moments — hugging a grandchild, birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us — until we get this virus under control.

On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as Transition Advisors to help take the Biden-Harris COVID plan and convert it into an action blueprint that starts on January 20th, 2021.

That plan will be built on a bedrock of science. It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy, and concern.

I will spare no effort — or commitment — to turn this pandemic around.

I ran as a proud Democrat. I will now be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn't vote for me — as those who did.

Let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end — here and now. 

The refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another is not due to some mysterious force beyond our control. 

And if we can decide not to cooperate, then we can decide to cooperate. And I believe that this is part of the mandate from the American people. They want us to cooperate.

That's the choice I'll make. And I call on the Congress — Democrats and Republicans alike — to make that choice with me.

The American story is about the slow, yet steady widening of opportunity. 

Make no mistake: Too many dreams have been deferred for too long. 

We must make the promise of the country real for everybody — no matter their race, their ethnicity, their faith, their identity, or their disability.

America has always been shaped by inflection points — by moments in time where we've made hard decisions about who we are and what we want to be. 

Lincoln in 1860 — coming to save the Union. 

FDR in 1932 — promising a beleaguered country a New Deal. 

JFK in 1960 — pledging a New Frontier. 

And twelve years ago — when Barack Obama made history — and told us, "Yes, we can."

Politics and Government News

Election 2020

Barbara Sprunt

Author

Camila Domonoske

Biden's path to being elected the 46th president was a tumultuous one, marked by unprecedented campaign challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic and an opponent who falsely declared an early victory. 

Biden, Harris make victory speeches

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