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Biden Pledges to Unify, Not Divide US in Address to Nation

Ken Bredemeier

   WASHINGTON - Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, the projected winner
   of the U.S. presidency, pledged to be "a president who seeks not to
   divide, but unify" the country during an address to the nation Saturday
   night from Wilmington, Delaware.

   Echoing earlier speeches, Biden said it is "time to put away the harsh
   rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each
   other again."

   Biden urged his supporters to reach out to those who didn't vote for
   him, and he acknowledged the disappointment of those who support
   President Donald Trump.

   "I've lost a couple times myself," Biden said. "Now, let's give each
   other a chance."

   The president-elect also announced that on Monday he will launch a
   COVID-19 task force "built on bedrock science" to begin the work of
   getting control over the pandemic, which Johns Hopkins University data
   says has infected more than 9.8 million Americans and killed more than
   237,000.

   A fixture in Washington political circles for nearly a half century,
   Biden is to be inaugurated Jan. 20, along with Vice President-elect
   Kamala Harris, currently a U.S senator from California.

   Biden was introduced on Saturday night by Harris, the daughter of
   immigrants who will be the first woman, first African American and
   first Indian American to serve as vice president.

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