Joe Biden under no illusions on succeeding Trump as President; 'It's time to heal America'

Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th President of the United States on Saturday. Addressing the country on Saturday (local time), the President-elect said that the citizens of America have spoken and "delivered us a clear victory." Biden added that "we have won with the most votes ever cast on the presidential ticket in the history of the nation, 74 million."

'This is the time to heal in America'

"I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide but unify. Who doesn't see red states and blue states, only sees the United States," Biden said. He further said that he understands the disappointment of all the people who voted for Donald Trump and asked for "a chance." "It's time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again," he added. 

Biden went on to thank his family and wife and mark having the honour of working with the first African American Vice President who is also of Indian descent. “Don’t tell me it’s not possible in the United States of America,” Biden said, sparking cheers from the crowds and honks from cars. He also said that on Monday he will announce a task force on COVID-19 and will spare no effort to turn around this pandemic. 

Biden has become the President-elect of the United States after victory in the battleground state of Pennsylvania which took him past the electoral college threshold of 270 votes. He is the oldest person elected President in the history of the US. In this, his third attempt at the White House, Biden, received more than 74 million votes, 4 million more than Trump, and more than any other presidential candidate.

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Meanwhile, addressing the public for the first time as VP-elect, Kamala Harris said, "While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities and to the children of our country regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message -- Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."

Harris also reminisced about her mother Shyamalan Gopalan Harris, saying that she did not imagine this moment but believed in America.

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(With agency inputs)