President Joe Biden addressed the nation Thursday morning from the Rose Garden, two days after an Election Day that gave Republicans their largest margin of victory in a presidential race since 1988.
Although President Biden had dropped out of the in July following a disastrous performance in his one and only debate against Donald Trump, the 2024 election could be seen as a rebuke of Biden's performance over the last four years. Trump garnered a projected 312 Electoral College votes versus 226 for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump is also ahead in the popular vote, which could mark just the second time in three decades that a Republican wins the popular vote.
During his address, President Biden said it was important for Americans to trust that the election was fair and to accept the results of the election, something Trump had not done following his defeat in 2020.
"You can't love your country only when you win. You can't love your neighbor only when you agree," President Biden added.
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On Wednesday, the White House said that President Biden called Trump to congratulate him on winning the presidency. The White House added that President Biden had invited President-elect Trump to the White House to begin the transfer of power.
President Biden also released a statement on Wednesday, calling Harris a "tremendous partner." The president endorsed Harris minutes after dropping out of the presidential race, all but assuring her the Democratic nomination without any competition.
"Under extraordinary circumstances, she stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans," President Biden said. "As I’ve said before, selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made when I became the nominee for president in 2020. It was the best decision I made. Her story represents the best of America’s story. And as she made clear today, I have no doubt that she’ll continue writing that story."
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Given Harris' poor showing in battleground states, it will be long debated whether President Biden should have dropped out of the race.
According to Gallup, President Biden's approval rating has hovered around 40% all year. As of mid-October, it was 41%.
