Joe Biden: Victory Speech
Learn English with Joe Biden. Watch President-elect Joe Bidenβs full speech delivered from Wilmington, Delaware. Joseph R. Biden Jr., a 77-year-old former vice president, and longtime senator delivered his victory speech on November 7, 2020. After days of vote counting and uncertainty, Mr. Biden renewed his promise to be a president for all Americans in a polarized time. The man who served alongside the first Black president for eight years is making history again, bringing along the first female vice president in Kamala Harris, riding a shift in independent voters, many of whom chose Trump in 2016 but made a different choice this time around. Enjoy our Speeches with subtitles, and keep your English learning journey.
Joe Biden Quote:
“Fear never builds the future β hope does.” Joe Biden
Joe Biden – FULL TRANSCRIPT:
“Hello, my fellow Americans and the people who brought me to dance, Delawareans. I see my buddy Senator Tom Carper down there and I think Senator Coons is there and I think the governorβs around. Is that Ruth Ann? Yes, it is!
And now former governor Ruth Ann Minner. Most importantly, my sisters-in-law and my sister Valerie. Anyway, folks, the people of this nation have spoken. Theyβve delivered us a clear victory, a convincing victory, a victory for we the people. Weβve won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of the nation, 74 million.
Well, I must admit it surprised me. Tonight, weβve seen all over this nation, all cities in all parts of the country, indeed across the world, an outpouring of joy, of hope, renewed faith, and tomorrow bring a better day. Iβm humbled by the trust and confidence youβve placed in me.
I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide but unify, who doesnβt see red states and blue states, only sees the United States, and work with all my heart, with the confidence of the whole people, to win the confidence of all of you. For that is what America, I believe, is about. Itβs about people. And thatβs 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. Itβs the honor of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for that vision. Now the work of making that vision is real. Itβs a task, the task, of our time.
Folks, as I said many times before, Iβm Jillβs husband, and I would not be here without her love and tireless support of Jill, and my son Hunter and Ashley, my daughter, and all our grandchildren and their spouses and all our family. Theyβre in my heart.
Jillβs a mom, a military mom, an educator. Sheβs dedicated her life to education. But teaching isnβt just what she does. Itβs who she is. For American educators, this is a great day for you all. Youβre going to have one of your own in the White House. Jillβs going to make a great First Lady. Iβm so proud of her.
Iβll have the honor of serving with a fantastic vice president. You just heard from Kamala Harris, who makes history as the first woman, first Black woman, the first woman from South Asian descent, the first daughter of immigrants ever elected in this country.
Donβt tell me itβs not possible in the United States. Itβs long overdue. Weβre reminded tonight of those who fought so hard for so many years to make this happen. But once again, Americaβs bent the arc of the moral universe, more toward justice. Kamala, Doug, like it or not, youβre family. Youβve become an honorary Biden. Thereβs no way out.
To all those of you who volunteered and worked the polls in the middle of this pandemic, local elected officials, you deserve a special thanks from the entire nation. To my campaign team and all the volunteers, and all who gave so much of themselves to make this moment possible, I owe you. I owe you. I owe you everything.
All those who supported us, Iβm proud of the campaign we built and ran. Iβm proud of the coalition we put together, the broadest and most diverse coalition in history. Democrats, Republicans, independents, progressives, moderates, conservatives, young, old, urban, suburban, rural, gay, straight, transgender, white, Latino, Asian, Native American. I mean it, especially in those moments and especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest ebb, the African American community stood up again for me. Youβve always had my back, and Iβll have yours.
I said at the outset I wanted this campaign to represent and look like America. Weβve done that. Now thatβs what I want the administration to look like and act like.
For all those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight. Iβve lost a couple of times myself. But now letβs give each other a chance. Itβs time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again. To make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies. Theyβre Americans. Theyβre Americans.
The Bible tells us to everything, thereβs a season, a time to build, a time to reap and a time to sow, and a time to heal. This is the time to heal in America.
Now this campaign is over, what is the will of people? What is our mandate? I believe itβs this: American have called upon us to marshal the forces of decency, the forces of fairness, to marshal the forces of science and the 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 familyβs healthcare, 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. The battle to restore decency, defend democracy, and give everybody in this country a fair shot. Thatβs all theyβre asking for: a fair shot.
Folks, our work begins with getting COVID under control. We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish lifeβs most precious moments, hugging our grandchildren, our children on our birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us until we get it under control.
On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisors, to help take the Biden-Harris COVID plan and convert it into an action blueprint that will start on January the 20th, 2021. That plan will be built on bedrock science. It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy, and concern. I will spare no effort, none, or any commitment to turn around this pandemic.
Folks, Iβm a proud Democrat, but I will govern as an American president. Iβll work as hard for those who didnβt vote for me as those who did. Let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end here and now.
The refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another is not some mysterious force beyond our control, itβs a decision, a choice we make. If we can decide not to cooperate, then we can decide to cooperate.
I believe that this is part of the mandate given to us from the American people. They want us to cooperate in their interests, and thatβs the choice Iβll make. Iβll call on Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, to make that choice with me.
The American story is about slow yet steadily widening the opportunities in America. Make no mistake, too many dreams have been deferred for too long. We must make the promise of the country real for everybody, no matter their race, their ethnicity, their faith, their identity, or their disability.
Folks, America has always been shaped by inflection points by moments in time where weβve made hard decisions about who we are and what we want to be: Lincoln in 1860 coming to save the union, FDR in 1932 promising a beleaguered country a new deal, JFK in 1960 pledging a new frontier, and 12 years ago when Barack Obama made history and told us, yes, we can.
Well, folks, we stand at an inflection point. We have an opportunity to defeat despair, to build a nation of prosperity and purpose. We can do it. I know we can.
Iβve 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, and what presidents say in this battle matters. Itβs time for our better angels to prevail.
Tonight, the whole world is watching America, and I believe, at our best, America is a beacon for the globe. We will lead not only by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.
I know Iβve always believed, and many of you heard me say it, Iβve always believed we can define America in one word: possibilities. That in America everyone should be given an opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them.
You see, I believe in the possibilities of this country. Weβre always looking ahead, ahead to an America thatβs freer and more just, ahead to an America that creates jobs with dignity and respect, ahead to an America that cures diseases like cancer and Alzheimerβs, ahead to an America that never leaves anyone behind, ahead to an America that never gives up, never gives in.
This is a great nation. Itβs always been a bad bet to bet against America. Weβre good people. This is the United States of America. Thereβs never been anything, never been anything, weβve been not able to do when weβve done it together.
Folks, in the last days of the campaign, I began thinking about a hymn that means a lot to me and my family, particularly my deceased son, Beau. It captures the faith that sustains me and which I believe sustains America. I hope, and I hope, we can provide some comfort and solace to the 230,000 Americans whoβve lost a loved one due to this terrible virus this year. My heart goes out to each and every one of you. Hopefully this hymn gives you solace as well.
It goes like this. βAnd he will raise you up on eagleβs wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, and make you just shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand.β Now together on eagleβs wings, we embark on the work that God and history have called upon us to do.
With full hearts and steady hands, with faith in America and in each other, with love of country, a thirst for justice, let us be the nation that we know we can be, a nation united, a nation strengthened, a nation healed, the United States of America.
Ladies and gentlemen, thereβs never, never, been anything weβve tried weβve not been able to do. Remember, as my grandpappy said when I walked out of his home, when I was a kid up in Scranton, he said, βJoey, keep the faith.β And our grandmother, when she was alive, she yelled, βNo, Joey. Spread it.β
Spread the faith. God love you all. May God bless America and may God protect our troops. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”[/read]
Joe Biden
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