Vice President Joe Biden is walking back his dire warnings about what a Trump administration would mean for the country, telling reporters Wednesday he is confident the Obama administration is leaving Americans “in good hands” come Jan. 20 when President-elect Trump is sworn into office.
“No administration is ready on day one. We weren’t ready on day one,” Biden said, speaking next to Vice President-elect Mike Pence from the Naval Observatory on Wednesday afternoon. “But I’m confident on day one everything will be in good hands.”
Biden’s positive prediction was a significant change in rhetoric from weeks earlier when he was warning Democratic supporters that Trump was “unfit” for office and would be a “nightmare” if elected. President Obama had also issued similar warnings while campaigning for Hillary Clinton last month, telling voters “progress” was at risk if Trump won.
Since the election, Obama has spoken optimistically about Trump and offered advice to the incoming president.
Biden said Wednesday he is “not worried about” Trump and Pence undoing the Obama administration’s eight years of work.
“Look: They ran on a platform they’re going to try to move,” Biden said. “I think there’s a lot of things that were done where [they] can reach some accommodation.”
Biden, touting his experience in foreign affairs as the former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offered to counsel Pence if he feels he ever needs it.
“I told Mike — the vice president-elect — that I’m available to him 24/7,” Biden said. “He’d be smart to reject most of my ideas … but I think he’ll listen.”
Pence’s wife, Karen, along with one of their children, Charlotte, were also in attendance for the lunch, where they were given a tour of their future home.
