Election 2020 updates: Biden warns of 'dark winter,' pushes masks in pandemic plan
The president-elect emphasized how he would handle the pandemic response.
Joe Biden is set to become the 46th president of the United States, capping a tumultuous and tension-filled campaign during a historic pandemic against President Donald Trump. ABC News characterized Joe Biden as the apparent winner of his home state of Pennsylvania, putting him over the 270 vote threshold needed to capture the presidency.
The hard-fought battle against the president was set against the backdrop of racial unrest and the coronavirus pandemic and bitter divisions among the electorate.
Trump had falsely declared on election night, when he held a lead in several key states, that he won the contest and alleged without evidence, after the count started to swing the other way, that the election was being stolen from him and that fraud had been committed.
Painting the election as a "battle for the soul of the nation," Biden won on a message of unity over division, compassion over anger, and reality over what he called Trump's "wishful thinking" as the coronavirus pandemic cast a heavy shadow over the campaign.
The 2020 election has shattered voting records with votes totaling 147 million and counting, surpassing the 138 million who voted in 2016.
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Bill and Hillary Clinton cast their votes
Former President Bill Clinton shared a photo of him and Hillary Clinton, both wearing masks, with "I voted" stickers after they headed to the polls Tuesday.
"Hillary and I just proudly cast our ballots for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” he captioned the photo. “They will work tirelessly to heal our divisions and build a better future for all of us. If you haven’t done so already, vote today!”
Biden visits his childhood home
Biden visited his childhood home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday where he was greeted by the current resident, Anne Kearns.
Kearns welcomed Biden’s grandchildren Finnegan and Natalie Biden and told them that they are “welcome anytime.”
The entire street was filled with supporters during his visit. Biden told the crowd it felt good to be home.
The former vice president then asked Kearns if he could show his granddaughters the kitchen, a location where he has recounted many memories while on the campaign trail.
Kamala Harris negative for COVID-19
Vice Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris underwent PCR testing for COVID-19 Tuesday and COVID-19 was not detected, an aid for Harris said.
- ABC News’ Averi Harper.
Joe Biden visits Scranton with his grandchildren, tells them 'welcome home'
Shortly after landing in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Joe Biden offered an enthusiastic, “Welcome home!” and quickly introduced his grandchildren to the press assembled on the tarmac.
“These are the only two of my grandchildren who have never been to Scranton,” Biden said. “So we’re going home.”
Biden then headed directly to a canvass kick off at the Carpenters Local Union Hall 445, where he was introduced by Sen. Bob Casey.
After he wrapped up his brief remarks, one supporter shouted “Bring it home tonight Joe!” which prompted Biden to say he’s going to “run through the tape.”
“Well I’ll tell ya... it feels good!” He said. “But you know, if you’ve got to run through the tape man, you got to go all the way through the tape!”
- ABC News’ Johnny Verhovek.
Biden warns of 'dark winter,' pushes masks in COVID plan
Biden warns of 'dark winter' ahead as he lays out COVID-19 plan, calls for unity on masks
President-elect Joe Biden in his first solo remarks to Americans since his victory speech over the weekend reminded Americans of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as cases and hospitalizations rise across the country, and said the country is “still facing a very dark winter” before offering his plan to combat it.
"We are ready to get to work addressing the needs of the American people. Today, that work begins," Biden said from The Queen Theater in Wilmington Delaware, following a briefing with his newly-announced COVID-19 advisory board. "It starts with doing everything possible to get the COVID-19 under control, so that we can reopen our businesses safely and sustainably, resume our lives, put this pandemic behind us."
While he praised the announcement from Pfizer Monday morning that the company has a vaccine in trial that looks "90% effective in preventing COVID-19," Biden reminded that even if the vaccine is approved, it will not be widely available for months. He went on to urge all Americans, regardless of whether they voted for him, to "end the politicization of basic responsible public health steps."
"This election is over. It’s time to put aside the partisanship and the rhetoric that’s designed to demonize one another," Biden said, reminding Americans to keep social distancing and wearing a mask.
"Doesn't matter who you voted for, whether you stood, where you stood before election day, doesn't matter your party, your point of view. We can save tens of thousands of lives if everyone would just wear a mask for the next few months. Not Democrat or Republican lives, American lives," he added. "A mask is not a political statement but it is a good way to start pulling the country together."
After pledging to rejoin the World Health Organization on "Day One," Biden also said his advisory board will include experts on global health security, "so that we can restore U.S. global leadership to fight this pandemic" -- in sharp contrast to Trump's isolationist approach to the virus and general policy.