We're going to win this race for White House: Joe Biden
Washington: Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has said that it was "clear and convincing" that he is going to win the closely-fought race for the White House against incumbent Republican President Donald Trump.
Biden is on the cusp of being declared as the winner of the November 3 presidential elections, as the 77-year-old former US vice president was leading in the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Georgia where counting of votes is continuing.
As of Friday night, Biden had 264 of the 538 electoral college votes. He requires another six electoral college votes to reach the magical number of 270, to be declared elected as the next US president.
Given that counting of votes has not concluded in some key battleground states, Biden refrained from declaring victory but exuded confidence that he will be the winner when final results are out.
"My fellow Americans, we don't have a final declaration of victory yet, but the numbers tell a clear and convincing story: We are going to win this race, Biden said in his address to the nation from his campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware on Friday night.
His running mate Senator Kamala Harris, 56, was also present at the podium during his remarks. But she did not speak.
Reflecting on the progress made in the vote count in the states of Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia in the last 24 hours, Biden asserted that he is on track for over 300 electoral college votes.
And look at the national numbers: We're going to win this race with a clear majority of the nation behind us. We've gotten over 74 million votes. That's more votes than any presidential ticket has gotten in the history of the United States of America, and our vote total is still growing. We're beating Donald Trump by over 4 million votes, and that margin is still growing as well, he said.
We are going to be the first Democrat to win Arizona in 24 years. We are going to be the first Democrat to win Georgia in 28 years. And we re-built the Blue Wall in the middle of the country that crumbled just four years ago. Pennsylvania. Michigan. Wisconsin. The heartland of this nation, he said.
Trump, 74, has not yet conceded defeat. Infact, he went on to say that his Democratic rival should not wrongfully claim victory.
"Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning! Trump said in a tweet on Friday.
In his address, Biden acknowledged that the counting of votes was slow. However, he assured the people that those who exercised their fundamental right to have their voice heard will not be disappointed.
"Your vote will be counted, I don't care how hard people try to stop it, I will not let it happen."
And what is becoming clearer each hour is that record numbers of Americans from all races, faiths, religions chose change over more of the same, he said.
They have given us a mandate for action on COVID and the economy and climate change and systemic racism. They made it clear they want the country to come together not pull apart. The people spoke. More than 74 million Americans. And they spoke loudly for our ticket, Biden said.
He announced that he will introduce his plans to contain the COVID-19 pandemic on his first day in office.
"On day one, we're going to put our plan to control this virus into action, he said.
The virus has killed more than 236,000 Americans and infected over 9 million others, making the US the worst-hit nation.
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Tell US President Donald Trump to stop West Asia conflict: Owaisi to PM Modi
Hyderabad (PTI): AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "break his silence" on the conflict in West Asia and ask US President Donald Trump to end the war.
Addressing a gathering here, he also asked the PM to provide a full account of the sinking of an Iranian ship, IRIS Dena, off Sri Lanka by a US military submarine two days ago.
Taking strong exception to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent announcement regarding Indian oil imports, he said the BJP-RSS should give a strong response to the American official and assert that India would purchase oil according to its own will.
He accused the BJP-RSS combine of being "scared" of US President Donald Trump.
"This war should end. Prime Minister should break his silence. Take the phone and tell Trump to stop this tamasha. They (US) are not suffering any losses. Our citizens are suffering. Who is dying there? Indians are dying. You maintained silence over Gaza," he said.
Owaisi dismissed the argument that the Iranian vessel sank outside the Indian waters, saying it is important to realise that it occurred close to India.
"If a Chinese ship comes close to our nation, what would you do? You say that it was not in Indian waters. Water does not have borders. You see how close the enemy has come. It is the Constitutional responsibility of the Prime Minister to tell the country what happened. We are with America in Quad," he said.
Pointing to India's strategic agreements with the US, the AIMIM leader said the Iranian frigate had visited Visakhapatnam at the invitation of India, while America had refused to participate in the naval exercise there.
Highlighting that one crore Indian citizens work in the Gulf region, a widening war lead to job losses for Indian diaspora.
He alleged that Israel aims to create a 'Greater Israel', encompassing much of the Arab region.
"The evil eye of these oppressors extends up to the holy city of Madinah."
Responding to US Treasury Secretary's comments that America is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil, Owaisi wondered if India truly is a sovereign country.
"Have you mortagaged India before US. Speak out BJP-RSS people. A (US)minister says you purchase for a month. Is this what we have secured freedom from the English that a white-skinned person says you purchase for a month ? But, they will not speak. They are scared of Trump," he said.
Quoting America's trade minister as saying that the US would not let India emerge like China, the AIMIM leader asked whether "India is a slave of America?"
He further questioned, "What is America's role in the progress of India?"
"BJP and RSS people are terrified of speaking against the white-skinned officials," he alleged.
He also hit out at the Centre for allegedly providing funds to a right-wing organisation to hold an event.
The organisation has openly favoured making India a 'Hindu Rashtra', "converting the religion of Muslims and throwing away 25 crore people," he alleged.
