Biden and Harris Talk to the American People For the First Time as President and Vice President Elect

 President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris spoke to the American People for the first time since the calling of the 2020 Presidential Race.

Please click on the link below to watch the speeches.

The themes both emphasized were:

• Healing.
• Saving the Soul of the Nation and Protecting Democracy.
• Inclusion and a place at the table for everyone.
• Ending the Demonization of Opponents.
• Leaving no one behind.
• Combatting the Coronavirus.
• Breaking Glass Ceilings.

Among the best passages from Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris's speech were:

 

• "Congressman John Lewis before his passing wrote, 'Democracy is not a state, it is an act.' And what he meant was that America's democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it. To guard it, and never take it for granted and protecting our democracy takes struggle. It takes sacrifice. But there is joy in it. And there is progress. Because we the people have the power to build a better future. And women, our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake. And the world watching you ushered in a new day for America."
• "You (the voters) marched and organized for equality and justice. For our lives, and for our planet. And then you voted. You delivered a clear message. You chose hope, unity, decency, science and yes, truth."
• "We are so grateful to Joe and Jill for welcoming our family into theirs in this incredible journey, and to the woman most responsible for my presence here today, my mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris who is always in our hearts. When she came here from India at the age of 19. She maybe didn't quite imagine this moment. But she believed so deeply, and in America, where a moment like this is possible. And so I'm thinking about her, and about the generations of women, black women, Asian, white, Latina Native American women who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight. Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality and liberty and justice for all, including the black women who are often too often overlooked, but so often prove they are the backbone of our Democracy."
• "But 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 have 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."
• "To the American people, no matter who you voted for, I will strive to be a vice president, like Joe was to President Obama. Loyal, honest, and prepared, waking up every day, thinking of you and your family. Because now is when the real work begins, the hard work, the necessary work, the good work, the essential work to save lives, and beat this epidemic. To rebuild our economy, so it works for working people. To root out systemic racism in our justice system and society. To combat the climate crisis. To unite our country and heal the soul of our nation."

Among the best remarks from President-Elect Joe Biden's address were:

• "Folks, the people of this nation have spoken. They have delivered us a clear victory. A convincing victory. A victory for we, the people."
• "And I’m humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me. 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."
• "And for that is what I believe America is about. It is about people. And that is what our administration will be all about. I sought this office to restore the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation, the middle class, and to make America respected around the world again. And to unite us here at home."
• "It is time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again, and to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as an enemy. They are not our enemies: They are Americans — they are Americans."
• "I believe it is this — America has called upon us to marshal the forces of decency, the forces of fairness, to marshal the forces of science and forces of hope in the great battles of our time. The battle to control the virus. The battle to build prosperity. The battle to secure your family’s health care. The battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country. And the battle to save our planet by getting climate under control."
• "Folks, I am a proud Democrat. But I will govern as 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."
• "Folks, we stand at an inflection point. We have the opportunity to beat despair, to build prosperity and purpose. We can do it. I long talked about the battle for the soul of America. We must restore the soul of America. Our nation is shaped by the constant battle between our better angels and our darkest impulses. It’s time for our better angels to prevail."
• " I have always believed, and many heard me — heard me say we can define America in one word: Possibility. That in America everyone should be given an opportunity to go as far as their dream and God-given ability will take them. You see, I believe in the possibility of this country."

Towards the end of his speech, President-Elect Biden announced:

"On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisers to help take the Biden-Harris plan and convert it into an action blueprint that will restore it on January 20, 2021. That plan will be constructed out of compassion, empathy, and concern. I will spare no effort, none, or any commitment to turn around this pandemic."

The Washington Post also reported that the Biden/Harris team is preparing a series of Executive Orders for President Biden's first days in office. These orders will include:

• Restoring DACA for Dreamers.
• Rescinding the Muslim Travel Ban.
• Rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement.
• Rejoining the World Health Organization.

A new dawn with the incoming Biden/Harris Administration is emerging for the United States as the darkness represented by the current administration is approaching its end.

The Lincoln Project, in its latest ad, "Dawn," captures the mood of the moment. Please click below to watch.