Joe Biden: 'The people of the nation have spoken, they have delivered us a clear victory'
8 November 2020, 01:55 | Updated: 8 November 2020, 06:45
"The people of the nation have spoken, they have delivered us a clear victory," Joe Biden told supporters as he addressed the USA for the first time as President-elect.
Mr Biden told supporters in Wilmington, Delaware that the people of the USA have spoken and "they've delivered us a clear victory. A convincing victory."
He said he seeks to be "a president who seeks to unite and unify" and wants to "restore the soul of America".
Looking to the future, Mr Biden said there is "renewed faith tomorrow will bring a better day".
Mr Biden branded it a "victory for you the people. We've won with the most votes ever cast in a presidential ticket in history."
Mr Biden said: "I'm humbled by the trust and confidence you've placed in me."
The President-elect pledged to supporters "to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify. Who doesn't see red and blue states, only sees the United States.
"And who will work with all my heart to win the confidence of all of you, and for that, I believe, is what America is all about."
President-elect Joe Biden’s victory speech
With yells of "we love you, Joe" echoing in the background supporters waved American flags and danced as the President-elect spoke.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris took to the stage in Wilmington, Delaware, ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's first official speech since clinching the 2020 US election.
The victory speech was made on a stage at the Chase Centre bedecked with US flags and surrounded by large screens that said: "The People Have Chosen Empathy."
"I may be the first woman to hold this office. But I won’t be the last"
Introducing Mr Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris told supporters: "When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, with the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America."
The VP-elect thanked Black, Asian, Native and white women “throughout our nation’s history have paved our way for this moment tonight … all the women who have worked to secure and protect the right to vote for over a century."
She pledged that while she "may be the first women in this office, I will not be the last."
The Democratic candidate has promised to be a president for all Americans, regardless of who they voted for after he defeated Donald Trump in the nail-biting race for the White House.
Mr Biden told supporters and the nation: "For all those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight. I've lost a couple of times myself.
"But now let's give each other a chance.
"It's time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again."
Mr Biden clinched victory after winning the key battleground of Pennsylvania on Saturday - some four days after polls closed - pushing him over the 270 electoral college votes threshold.
Mr Biden said one of his priorities would be to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
He said: "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 it under control."
Washington DC reacts to Joe Biden becoming President-Elect
The former vice president said he is "honoured" that America has "chosen me to lead our great country", adding that it is time for the US to "unite" and "heal".
A little earlier, Mr Trump, who is refusing to concede, left the White House to play golf.
How the US election unfolded
As the news broke on Saturday morning US time, many Americans took to the streets to express their joy after the knife-edge election.
In New York City, crowds gathered in the streets and in Times Square, banging pots and pans together in impromptu parties to celebrate Mr Biden's win.
Car horns were sounded in the streets of many cities, including Los Angeles, while fireworks erupted in Atlanta, Georgia.
