Vice President Joe Biden was reassuring world leaders nervous about a possible Donald Trump presidency when he said that America’s “better angels” will prevail on Election Day, during a speech Wednesday in Sydney, Australia, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
“So don’t worry about our election. Don’t worry about our election. The better angels in America will prevail,” Biden said. “So at a time like this, when the forces of xenophobia, nationalism and demagoguery are once again being trumpeted around the world, including in my country, when reactionary politicians seek to erode those values our nations hold most dear — tolerance, equality, opportunity for all — we have to remember who we are as Australians and as Americans, and reflect our best selves back to the world.”
Earnest said Biden was within his rights to make such a comment during an official trip.
“I think the vice president is offering up some reassurance to people around the world who have been a little unsettled by the tone and tenor of the political debate back here in the United States,” Earnest said Wednesday afternoon.
“But his effort is to reassure our close allies, including those in Australia, that the United States and the American people are committed to a set of principles that form the basis of our alliances and our relationships with countries around the world,” Earnest said, echoing Biden’s remarks. “And even despite some of the tension, and dysfunction, and ‘colorfulness’ of the political debate, the American people remain committed to those institutions and to those values.
“And we are hopeful that people around the world, particularly our allies, will be reassured by that,” Earnest said.
