Joe Biden tells America: 'You can't love your country only when you win'

thank you please thank you good to see this cabinet and staff together thank you thank you thank you thank you please thank you thank you thank you uh it's good to see you all particularly good to see my granddaughter sitting in the front row here I fin how are you honey for over 200 years America has carried on the greatest experiment in self-government in history of the world that's not hyperbole that's a fact we're the people the people vote and choose their own leaders and they do it peacefully and we're in a democracy the will

of the people always prevails yesterday I spoke with president-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory and I assured him that I direct my entire Administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition that's what the American people deserve yesterday I also spoke with vice president Harris she's been a partner and a public servant she ran an inspiring campaign and everyone got to see something that I've learned early on to respect so much her character she has a backbone like a ramrod she has great character true character she gave her whole

heart effort and she and her entire team should be proud of the campaign they ran you know the struggle for the soul of America since our very founding has always been an ongoing debate and still vital today I know for some people it's a time for victory to State the obvious for others it's a time of loss campaigns or contest of competing Visions the country chooses one or the other we accept the choice the country made I've said many times you can't love your country only when you win you can't love your neighbor only when

you agree something I hope we can do no matter who you voted for you see each other not as adversaries but as fellow Americans bring down the temperature I also hope we can later rest the question about the Integrity of the American electoral system it is honest it is fair and it is transparent and it can be trusted win or lose I also hope we can restore the respect for all our election workers who busted their necks and took risks at the outset we should thank them thank them for Staffing voting sites counting the votes

protecting the very Integrity of the election many of them are volunteers who do it simply out of love for their country and as they did as they did their Duty as Citizens I will do my duty as president I'll fulfill my oath and I will honor the constitution on January 20th we'll have a peaceful transfer of power here in America to all our incredible staff supporters cabinet members all the people who been hanging out with me for the last four years God love you as my mother would say thank you so much you put so

much into the past four years I know it's a difficult time you're hurting I hear you and I see you but don't forget don't forget all that we accomplished it's been a historic presidency not because I'm president because what we've done what you've done a presidency for all Americans much of the work we've done is already being felt by the American people the vast majority of it will not be felt we felt over the next 10 years we have a we we have legislation we passed that's just only now just really kicking in we're going

to see over a trillion dollars worth of infrastructure work done changing people's lives in rural communities and communities that are in real difficulty because it takes time to get it done and so much more it's going to take time but it's there the road ahead is clear assuming we sustain it there's so much so much we can get done and will get done based the way the legislation was passed and it's truly historic you know we're leaving behind the strongest economy in the world I know people are still hurting but things are changing rapidly together

we've changed America for the better now we have 74 days to finish the term our term let's make everyday count that's the responsibility we have to the American people look folks you all know it your lives setbacks are unavoidable but giving up is unforgivable setbacks are unavoidable but giving up is unforgivable we all get knocked down but the measure of our character as my dad would say is how quickly we get back up remember a defeat does not mean we are defeated we lost this battle America of your dreams is calling for you to get

back up that's the story story of America for over 240 years and counting it's a story for all of us not just some of us the American experiment endures we're going to be okay but we need to stay engaged we need to keep going and above all we need to keep the faith so proud to have worked with all of you I really mean it I sincerely mean it God bless you all God Bless America and may God protect our troops thank you thank you thank you [Applause] [Music]