Biden wins election 2020: ‘Time for era of demonisation to end’

Joe Biden has pledged to unite the nation and lead for all Americans in his first speech as president-elect for the country.

Joe Biden has pledged to unite the nation and lead for all Americans in his first speech as president-elect for the country.

In a strongly worded speech, the 77-year-old former vice president stressed the need for the country to heal its partisan divides and come together for the greater good.

“I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide but to unite, who doesn’t see red or blue states but just sees the United States,” he said in a speech in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

“Let this grim era of demonisation in America begin to end, here and now … this is the time to heal in America.”

Mr Biden reached out to Donald Trump’s supporters, saying: “I understand the disappointment 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.”

Mr Biden was speaking hours after media networks called the election in his favour after winning enough votes to take the decisive states of Pennsylvania and Nevada.

The president has refused to concede the election, claiming that he won it and that he has been robbed of victory by corrupt vote counting.

Mr Trump says his legal team will mount challenges against the result in the courts.

Mr Biden, speaking in front of hundreds of supporters waving American flags at the Chase Centre in Wilmington, Delaware, said he was humbled by the trust placed in him by voters.

“The people of this nation have spoken, they have delivered us a clear victory, a convincing victory,” he said.

‘It is the honour of my lifetime that so many Americans have voted for (my) vision.”

“I’m 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 for this who did,” he said.

Mr Biden said his work would begin with trying to get the coronavirus under control, saying it was impossible to return to normal life unless the pandemic was tamed.

He said he would name a Taskforce to begin planning, based on “bedrock science” to tackle the virus as soon as he becomes president in January.

“I sought this office to restore the soul of America … to make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home,” he said. “Let us being the nation we know we can be.”