Biden promises to focus on spreading 'decency and honor' if he loses election


Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has a plan — albeit a not too hopeful one — for his potential loss to President Trump.
During his Thursday town hall with ABC News, a voter asked Biden how he would fight for a "more perfect union" should he lose the 2020 election. "To be honest with you, I think that's very hard," Biden said, as Trump doesn't seem to learn from mistakes or criticism — or even his impeachment.
Still, Biden said he would return to being a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and keep "focusing on ... what constitutes decency and honor in this country. It's the thing that got me involved in public life to begin with." Biden continued his point by talking about race, declaring "everyone's entitled to be treated with dignity," and that's something he'd fight for as "a defeated candidate for president" or in the White House.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Moderator George Stephanopoulos then asked Biden what a loss would tell him "about where America is today." "It could say that I'm a lousy candidate, that I didn't do a good job," Biden responded. "But I hope that it doesn't say we're as racially, ethnically, and religiously at odds with one another as it appears the president wants us to be."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
June 14 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include Donald's 30 dolls, a Flag Day fail and a MAGA Mayflower
-
5 jackbooted cartoons about L.A.'s anti-ICE protests
Cartoons Artists take on National Guard deployment, the failure of due process, and more
-
Some of the best music and singing holidays in 2025
The Week Recommends From singing lessons in the Peak District to two-week courses at Chetham's Piano Summer School
-
Israel strikes Iran, killing military and nuclear chiefs
Speed Read Israeli officials said the attack was a 'preemptive' strike on Iran's nuclear program
-
Israel deports Thunberg after seizing Gaza aid boat
speed read The Swedish activist was delivering food and medical aid to Palestine, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis there
-
Colombian senator shot on streets of Bogotá
speed read Miguel Uribe Turbay, who has announced his candidacy for next year's presidential election, was shot at a rally
-
Trump says Putin vowed retaliation for Kyiv strike
speed read The Russian president intends to respond to Ukraine's weekend drone strikes on Moscow's warplanes
-
Dutch government falls over immigration policy
speed read The government collapsed after anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders quit the right-wing coalition
-
South Korea elects liberal Lee as president
speed read Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, was elected president following months of political instability in the wake of Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment
-
Nationalist wins tight Polish presidential election
speed read Karol Nawrocki beat Rafal Trzaskowski in Poland's presidential runoff election
-
Ukraine hits Russia's bomber fleet in stealth drone attack
speed read The operation, which destroyed dozens of warplanes, is the 'biggest blow of the war against Moscow's long-range bomber fleet'