President Joe Biden stepped into the Rose Garden Thursday to acknowledge Donald Trump’s victory over his Vice President Kamala Harris.
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00:00It's good to see you all, particularly good to see my granddaughter sitting in the front
00:05row here.
00:06Hi, Finn.
00:07How are you, honey?
00:08For over 200 years, America has carried out the greatest experiment in self-government
00:15in the history of the world.
00:17That's not hyperbole.
00:18That's a fact.
00:19We're the people.
00:21The people vote and choose their own leaders, and they do it peacefully.
00:26When we're in a democracy, the will of the people always prevails.
00:31Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and I
00:38assured him that I'd direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful
00:44and orderly transition.
00:48That's what the American people deserve.
00:50Yesterday, I also spoke with Vice President Harris.
00:55She's been a partner and a public servant.
00:58She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early
01:03on to respect so much, her character.
01:06She has a backbone like a ramrod.
01:08She has great character, true character.
01:11She gave her whole heart and effort, and she and her entire team should be proud of the
01:16campaign they ran.
01:19You know, the struggle for the soul of America, since our very founding, has always been an
01:26ongoing debate and still vital today.
01:31I know for some people, it's a time for victory, to state the obvious.
01:36For others, it's a time of loss.
01:40Campaigns are contests of competing visions.
01:43A country chooses one or the other.
01:47We accept the choice the country made.
01:51I've said many times, you can't love your country only when you win.
01:58You can't love your neighbor only when you agree.
02:04Something I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, is see each other not as adversaries,
02:11but as fellow Americans, bring down the temperature.
02:15I also hope we can lay to rest the question about the integrity of the American electoral
02:19system.
02:21It is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent, and it can be trusted, win or lose.
02:31I also hope we can restore the respect for all our election workers who busted their
02:36necks and took risks at the outset.
02:40We should thank them.
02:42We should thank them for staffing voting sites, counting the votes, protecting the very integrity
02:47of the election.
02:49Many of them are volunteers who do it simply out of love for their country.
02:55And as they did, as they did their duty as citizens, I will do my duty as president.
03:02I'll fulfill my oath, and I will honor the Constitution.
03:06On January 20th, we'll have a peaceful transfer of power here in America.
03:12I know it's a difficult time.
03:15You're hurting.
03:16I hear you and I see you.
03:18But don't forget, don't forget all that we accomplished.
03:23It's been a historic presidency, not because I'm president, because what we've done, what
03:28you've done, a presidency for all Americans.
03:32Much of the work we've done is already being felt by the American people, but the vast
03:37majority of it will not be felt over the next 10 years.
03:42We have legislation we passed that's just only now just really kicking in.
03:47And so much more is going to take time, but it's there.
03:54The road ahead is clear, assuming we sustain it.
03:57There's so much, so much we can get done and will get done based the way the legislation
04:03was passed.
04:04And it's truly historic.
04:07You know, we're leaving behind the strongest economy in the world.
04:13I know people are still hurting, but things are changing rapidly.
04:19Together we've changed America for the better.
04:22Now we have 74 days to finish the term, our term.
04:27Let's make every day count.
04:30That's the responsibility we have to the American people.
04:32Look, folks, you all know it in your lives.
04:35Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable.
04:41Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable.
04:46We all get knocked down.
04:48But the measure of our character, as my dad would say, is how quickly we get back up.
04:53Remember, a defeat does not mean we are defeated.
04:58We lost this battle.
05:01The America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up.
05:07That's the story of America for over 240 years and counting.
05:13It's a story for all of us, not just some of us.
05:17The American experiment endures.
05:20We're going to be okay, but we need to stay engaged.
05:25We need to keep going.
05:27And above all, we need to keep the faith.
05:30I'm so proud to have worked with all of you.
05:34I really mean it.
05:35I sincerely mean it.
05:37God bless you all.
05:40God bless America.
05:41And may God protect our troops.
05:43Thank you, thank you, thank you.
05:44Peace.