Obama congratulates Biden, warns he'll face challenges 'no incoming president ever has'
Former President Barack Obama applauded his old right hand man, President-elect Joe Biden, on Saturday, after the former vice president was projected to defeat President Trump in the race for the White House, setting him up to become the 46th chief executive of the United States.
In a statement, Obama said he "couldn't be prouder to congratulate" Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, as well as Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff. He also made it clear the celebration wouldn't last long, since Biden will go on to "face a series of extraordinary challenges no incoming president ever has — a raging pandemic, an unequal economy and justice system, a democracy at risk, and a climate in peril." But, he added, "we're fortunate that Joe's got what it takes to be president and already carries himself that way." Tim O'Donnell
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.
-
Political cartoons for December 23Cartoons Tuesday's political cartoons include an eye on CBS, cracking the middle class, and Donald Trump's name on everything
-
Why women are feeling the festive stressTalking Point As the Christmas frenzy ramps up, many mums feel the pressure of ‘keeping the whole sleigh on the road’
-
Is Keir Starmer being hoodwinked by China?Today's Big Question PM’s attempt to separate politics and security from trade and business is ‘naïve’
-
Israel approves new West Bank settlementsSpeed Read The ‘Israeli onslaught has all but vanquished a free Palestinian existence in the West Bank’
-
US offers Ukraine NATO-like security pact, with caveatsSpeed Read The Trump administration has offered Ukraine security guarantees similar to those it would receive from NATO
-
Hong Kong court convicts democracy advocate LaiSpeed Read Former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was convicted in a landmark national security trial
-
Australia weighs new gun laws after antisemitic attackSpeed Read A father and son opened fire on Jewish families at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing at least 15
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Benin thwarts coup attemptSpeed Read President Patrice Talon condemned an attempted coup that was foiled by the West African country’s army
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
