Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tried to appear job-ready for the White House as election officials in crucial battleground states tally votes.
“Democracy is sometimes messy. It sometimes requires a little patience as well,” he said during brief remarks Thursday in Wilmington, Delaware.
The two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator told his supporters and the rest of the country to “stay calm,” describing the ballot process as “sacred” and one that would end “very soon.”
But Biden remained adamant that he and running mate California Sen. Kamala Harris would reach the 270-vote threshold needed for the White House.
“We have no doubt that when the count is finished, Sen. Harris and I will be declared the winners,” he said.
Biden touted how he and Harris have attended coronavirus and economic briefings as they wait for returns, while President Trump has scheduled no public events for two days.
Biden leads Trump in the electoral vote race, 253 to 214, having patched up parts of the “blue wall” that runs through Michigan and Wisconsin.
Of the outstanding states, Biden has an edge in Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. Trump has the advantage in North Carolina, while Georgia is still too close to call. Officials expect to have a better hold on the contest Friday, but Trump has already launched legal actions challenging different counts.
Biden’s remarks come as his campaign is in a holding pattern. He’s reluctant to claim prematurely that he’s won the White House but clearly wants to proceed with transition plans.
On Wednesday, the United States set a new record for average daily confirmed coronavirus cases. More than 240,000 people have died in the U.S. due to the novel respiratory illness.
