[Comprehensive Report 2] "One America, Making America Respected" Biden Declares Victory... Trump Predicts Rejection

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Joeslgina] "I will be a president who pursues unity, not division. I will be a president who shows that America is one."

The message delivered by President-elect Joe Biden, who won the November 3 election to become the 46th President of the United States, was 'One America,' meaning unity. It was a declaration to restore the spirit of America by embracing the growing divisions during the election period, rebuild the middle class, and make the country respected again worldwide.

After three attempts, Biden, the oldest president-elect in history, is about to enter the White House. On the night of the 7th (local time) in Wilmington, Delaware, he gave a victory speech to the nation, stating, "We will come together again for all Americans." He said, "To those who supported President Donald Trump, you may be disappointed, but it is time to put aside the conflicts of the campaign and give each other a chance," appealing for unity by saying, "We must not treat each other as enemies. We are all Americans."

President-elect Biden also emphasized, "I believe in America's potential," and said, "We will move toward an America of respect and courtesy that excludes no one. We will build a country that never gives up and never quits halfway." He mentioned Vice President Kamala Harris, the first female vice president, declaring, "Now, do not say anything is impossible in America. Nothing is impossible in America."

Biden Secures Magic Number 270 on 5th Day of Vote Counting

On the fifth day of vote counting, Biden secured the majority of the Electoral College votes (270) needed to win the presidential election. Adding the 20 votes from Pennsylvania, a battleground state where counting resumed that day, to the 253 electoral votes already secured, he reached the magic number required for victory regardless of the results from other battleground states still being counted.

In particular, in Pennsylvania, which sealed his victory, Biden overtook President Trump with 95% of the votes counted. Biden is also leading in the remaining battleground states of Nevada (4 votes), Georgia (16 votes), and Arizona (11 votes), and it is expected that he will ultimately surpass 300 electoral votes.

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Local media reported, "The turbulent four years under Trump have ended (New York Times (NYT))," "Voters rejected a divisive and bullying president (Washington Post (WP))," and "Biden won in his birth state and secured more than 270 electoral votes (CNN)."

Former Democratic presidents including Barack Obama and Bill Clinton sent congratulatory messages to President-elect Joe Biden. Obama, considered a key figure in Biden's victory, stated in a press release, "I couldn't be prouder," calling it a "historic and decisive victory."

Trump, as Expected, Declares Refusal to Concede...Breaking 120-Year Tradition of Acceptance

While President-elect Biden appealed for unity and reconciliation, President Trump issued a refusal message as expected on the same day. This is expected to cause severe post-election aftereffects. If President Trump does not relent in his refusal, recounts and legal battles in some battleground states will have to be overcome.

After media reports that day, President Trump said, "Biden is rushing to pose as a false winner," and announced plans to file a lawsuit on the 9th. This broke the tradition since the 1896 election where the loser conceded. Trump has claimed election fraud without presenting clear evidence. According to the White House press pool, President Trump was playing golf near Washington D.C. that morning and hurried back to the White House upon hearing the news of Biden's confirmed victory.

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As a result, concerns are mounting that further chaos may unfold during the post-election period. The 2000 presidential election, recorded as the most intense in history, saw Republican candidate George W. Bush and Democratic candidate Al Gore separated by only a few hundred votes in Florida, and it took five weeks for the winner to be confirmed through Supreme Court rulings and concession declarations. If President Trump pursues persistent litigation, it will inevitably take even longer.

Major foreign media also pointed out these concerns, reporting that "the transfer of power from Trump to Biden could be more difficult." The interregnum period, the power vacuum from election day to the inauguration of the next president, could become an unpredictable time when anything might happen in the U.S. The situation could escalate beyond recounts and lawsuits to physical clashes among supporters.

The remaining schedule includes the Electoral College vote on December 14, the federal Congress's certification of the Electoral College results on January 6 next year, and the inauguration on January 20.

Biden Likely to End Trump Era...Unify Divided America and Restore Global Leadership

President-elect Biden is expected to initiate a major policy shift rejecting President Trump's America First approach, effectively ending the 'Trump era.'

First, he faces the challenge of uniting a deeply divided American society. Given the severe divisions throughout the election, policies that embrace not only supporters but also opponents are deemed necessary. If American society cannot overcome division, conflicts may persist throughout the next president's term.

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This is why President-elect Biden repeatedly mentioned 'unity' and pledged to be a president for all Americans. He said, "I am proud to have built a political coalition that includes progressives and conservatives, men and women, young and old, urban and rural, LGBTQ+, Native Americans, Latinos, Asians, and African Americans," emphasizing that the Biden administration will reflect this inclusiveness.

Besides unity, addressing disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic, considered the worst crisis since World War II, is also a top priority. He stated, "We must start by controlling the COVID-19 situation," and plans to appoint experts and scientists to key positions in the presidential transition team. Swiftly passing economic stimulus measures is also important.

On the international front, he is expected to accelerate restoring relations with allies damaged by President Trump's unilateral diplomacy over the past four years. President-elect Biden criticized the Trump administration's foreign policy, saying, "I will make America a country respected again worldwide." He emphasized, "With the world watching America, I am confident America will be the hope of the world," adding, "We will lead the world not just with power but by example."

Accordingly, it is anticipated that immediately after inauguration, Biden will rejoin multilateral agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord, from which Trump withdrew, rebuilding global multilateral cooperation systems and showcasing American leadership worldwide. He is also expected to push for renewed multilateral trade agreements and strengthen international cooperation in response to COVID-19.

Major foreign media expect that unlike the Trump era, which was plagued by discord to the point that joint declarations were difficult, the Biden era will see restored alliances and eased international frictions. The Washington Post (WP) reported, "The first thing Biden will do as president is call world leaders and say, 'America is back. Trust us.'" Biden, who served long on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is regarded as a "diplomat to the core" and a "multilateralist."

Biden, Senator for 36 Years, Vice President for 8 Years, Now President...First Incumbent President to Lose Re-election in 28 Years

Biden's presidential bids in 1988 and 2008 were followed by this third attempt. Starting with his election as Delaware's U.S. Senator in 1972, he won six consecutive terms and served as vice president for eight years under the Obama administration, boasting a distinguished political career. Based on his extensive experience and public recognition, he finally became the owner of the White House after his third presidential run.

Though active in Washington's mainstream, he is considered a politician who represented the lives of ordinary people and non-mainstream groups. He gained public sympathy through painful family stories and built his political base with support from people of color. On this day, President-elect Biden shared his past pain, saying, "So many Americans have lost their lives to COVID-19. I think of those who have passed and their families."

Regarding his political career, he is evaluated as a centrist pragmatist. He has taken a pragmatic approach, reaching across party lines to work with like-minded Republican lawmakers. He is also known for acting based on practicality rather than ideology. For example, he opposed the Gulf War in the 1990s but supported President George W. Bush's Iraq invasion in 2003.

On the other hand, President Trump, who aimed for re-election by building an 'economic president' image, ultimately became the first incumbent president in 28 years to fail in re-election. The last incumbent president to lose a re-election bid was George H. W. Bush in 1992. Since George Washington took office as the first president in 1789, only 10 out of 45 presidents over 231 years have failed to win re-election.