President Joe Biden stepped into the Rose Garden Thursday to acknowledge 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 the Democrats suffered a stinging defeat from Donald Trump. Then, Biden wore a red tie, an outward sign of civility toward Republicans. This time it was Biden’s turn to be the gracious 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. “That’s what the American people deserve.”
As for Harris’ loss, Biden praised her for running an “inspiring” campaign and said the country got to see what he had learned early on about Harris, that she has “true character” and “a backbone like a ramrod.” Biden said “we accept the choice” the country made.
Read More: How Trump Won
Biden made a pointed rebuke to Trump’s unwillingness to accept his electoral loss in 2020. “You can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t love your neighbor only when you agree.” He implored his fellow Americans to “bring down the temperature.”
Biden has invited Trump to meet him in the White House, as Obama did, and promised, in the interest of the country, to open up federal agencies to Trump’s incoming team so they are prepared to take over when Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20.
Biden’s openness is in stark contrast to Trump’s actions after Biden defeated him. Trump denied he lost, launched scores of unfounded legal challenges, pressured state election officials to find him votes, created slates of fake electors, and encouraged his supporters to storm the Capitol Building in a violent and failed attempt to overturn his loss on Jan. 6, 2021. During Trump’s manufactured turmoil, his Administration refused to allow Biden’s team to be briefed on the work of the federal agencies,…
