President-elect Joe Biden implored Georgians to turn out in great enough numbers so “it’s not even close” during a campaign stop in Atlanta on Tuesday, a candid assessment of the new undemocratic normal.
“Turn out the vote so it’s not even close,” Biden told a sea of cars at his COVID-19-proofed event. “Don’t give them any excuse.”
It’s a sobering assessment about where the country is weeks into President Donald Trump’s attempt to toss out election results in every single swing state he lost. A day after the Electoral College confirmed Biden to be the incoming President, the window has closed on Trump’s attempts to get the result of the election voided. Trump would have had to get legally cast ballots thrown out in multiple states to alter the outcome.
Biden spent much of his brief remarks — punctuated by coughs brought on by his reported cold — discussing the attempts to hijack the election, specifically by Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA).
He mentioned Loeffler and Perdue supporting an absurd lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton seeking to get the election results tossed in Georgia, along with Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan — in short, all of the swing states Trump lost. The Supreme Court opted not to hear the case last week, citing Texas’ lack of standing.
“You might want to remember that come January 5,” Biden quipped.
Loeffler and Perdue have been keen to retain the support of Trump and his followers, calling for the resignation of Georgia’s outspoken Secretary of State and backing up Trump’s baseless accusations of “irregularities” in the presidential contest.
Biden also used much of his time to impress upon listeners how integral electing Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock is to any kind of liberal legislative agenda. Without them, Republicans retain Senate control. If they win, the Senate is split 50-50 and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris gets the tie-break vote.
Biden ticked off issue areas on his legislative wishlist: COVID-19 relief, economic stimulus, climate change legislation, criminal justice reform and racial justice.
Showing how differently his administration will handle the COVID-19 pandemic than the current one, he spoke directly to people who have lost loved ones to the disease, tapping into his well-known empathy.
“Like many of you, I know what it feels like to lose someone who’s part of your heart,” said Biden, who’s lost two children and his first wife. “I know how especially hard it is at this time of year, when you look across the table and see that empty chair at Christmas or New Years.”
But there’s a light in the darkness, Biden said, pointing to the COVID-19 vaccine and the economic relief that could come about with a Democratically-controlled Senate.
“There’s no limit to America’s future,” he said, raising his voice. “The only thing that can tear America apart is America itself. Let’s choose hope over fear.”
