Joe Biden has once again claim to come out as a victor as he closes in on Trump to replace him at WH. Biden also leads the Republican in the swing states of Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Former vice-president’s triumph will oust Trump from WH in January where he was an inmate for four years.
“We’re going to win this race,” Biden said while addressing his supporters in Wilmington, Delaware, on Friday night. The race is not over yet but he can take a sigh of relief and strike a confident tone as vote tallies showed his lead extending. With the Democratic challenger continues the charge to collect 270 electoral college votes, he said he was on a path to clinch over 300 electors. Reflecting the rejuvenated confidence, he pointed out that more had voted for him – 74mn+ – than any other candidate in US Presidential election history.
The Democrat projecting himself as a binding force after a very polarized campaign said it was time to “get the vitriol out of our politics” and “be civil to one another”.
“We may be opponents but we’re not enemies, we’re Americans,” said Biden, who did not mention his Republican opponent, Trump.
Trump will not concede
Biden who ran twice for WH in 1988 and 2008 would be the oldest president ever to take oath at 78. If the septuagenarian clinches the victory this weekend, his team is expected to begin the transition on Monday. The Secret Service has dispatched reinforcements to Delaware to robust the security of former vice-President. The Federal Aviation Administration has declared the Wilmington’s airspace restricted. However, there is still no hint that Trump will accept the defeat any time sooner.
“Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President,” he tweeted on Friday afternoon. “I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!”
Trump has also been making unfounded claims of voter fraud prompting some fellow Republicans to point out that he should not derange democratic process in the country.
The mood in WH right now
The Republican White House inmate is spending his time between the Oval office and his residence. Certainly not in a good mood, he is angry at his proponents for not demonstrating the backing he expected. Trump has been watching TV and making phone calls to his campaign offices that failed in bringing support rallies to the ground according to WH. On Friday, a number of his administration aides did not show up at the office on Friday and the WH was displaying a somber picture.
Adding the emptiness of his office was the bad news on Friday reporting that Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, 61 has screened positive for COVID-19. The news came a t a day when United States registered a daily caseload of over 125,000. The President talking to his senior advisers has vowed to not bow down and fight the legal battle despite having not firm strategy for a legal challenge.
One senior aide to the Trump described his mood on Friday as “somewhere between sullen and hopeful”. The source added that President “was the last one to think he could win in 2016”, despite his team telling him that he would.
The present status of the race
Biden is leading Trump by 4mn votes out of a record 145mn ballots cast. As he inches closer to the victory the contest is getting closer in the key battleground states. Biden holds 253 Electoral College votes while Trump maintains 214. To land WH, a candidate needs a minimum of 270. Some new outlets have tallied higher number for Biden, projecting his triumph in Arizona. However, the non-partisan sources say it would be too early to declare a final winner in the state.
Pennsylvania, the birthplace of Biden offers 20 Electors. If the Democrat clinches it, he would cement the victory with 273 Electoral College votes. The Rust Belt state favored Democrats in 6 consecutive races before turning the tide to back Trump in 2016.
Biden at present looks to trump the Trump in Georgia where he has a lead of over 4,000 votes with 99% of ballots tallied. Georgia’s secretary of state announced that there would be a recount because the margin was so slim. Georgia having 16 electoral college votes and traditionally a Republican state has not conciliated with a Democrat since 1992. Biden is also looking to edge out the Republican in Nevada having already gained a lead of 22,000 votes for 6 electors. In Arizona, where 11 electoral votes are up for grabs, Biden is ahead with just below 30,000 votes. Trump currently leads in North Carolina for 15 electoral college votes by over 76,000 votes.
