Deconstructing Joe Biden’s Victory Speech — Line by Line

As millions around the world watched the 46th President-elect of the United States deliver his victory speech, every single word spoken by the soon-to-be President mattered.

"Hello, my fellow Americans. Folks, the people of this nation have spoken. They’ve delivered us a clear victory. A convincing victory. A victory for “We the People.” We’ve won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of the nation. 74 million."

It’s an overwhelming relief that we, the people were able to defeat the monstrosity that is Donald Trump by a margin of over 5 million people. However, in a nation Biden now envisions to unite, not 1, not 2, but 70 million people voted for that very monster — an even higher number than in 2016. His mandate is to understand that the grievances of those 70 million won’t disappear unless he fights to make material, lasting improvements in their lives and livelihoods. Even then it won’t be quite enough to unite us, but it will be a step in the right direction.

"What I must admit has surprised me: tonight, we’re seeing all over this nation, all cities and all parts of the country, indeed across the world — an outpouring of joy, of hope, of renewed faith in tomorrow — to bring a better day."

There is always faith that tomorrow can bring a better day, and he now has the opportunity to bring one.

"…and I’m humbled by the trust and confidence you’ve placed in me. I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide, but unify. Who doesn’t see Red and Blue states — only sees the United States. And I’ll work with all my heart to win the confidence of all of you."

On one hand, it’s dangerous to have a cognitive dissonance of sorts and minimize the very real moral and ideological differences that the left and the right have by not seeing “red vs. blue” — a politically colorblind approach, so to speak. On the other hand, much of the realities of the left and right are indeed shared. Stagnated wages, living paycheck-to-paycheck, increasing costs of living, and growing unemployment aren’t trials experienced only by one party. Divided as we are, we are united in this.

"For that is what I believe America is about. It’s about people. And that’s what our Administration will be all about."

He had better mean this as in ‘people’ people, and not as in “Corporations, billionaires, and the Pentagon are people, too!”

"I sought this office to restore the soul of America. To rebuild the backbone of this nation: the middle class."

The problem with “restoration” is that it’s effectively a non-fascist version of making America “great again”. With the largest civil rights movement in U.S. history rising up against systemic racism this summer, the highest levels of corporate power influencing public life, drastically delayed action on the existential threat of climate change, and an authoritarian government trying to end democracy as we speak, we cannot afford to restore all that much. We are at the brink of societal collapse. To rescue ourselves, we must build a new soul, especially one that addresses the sins of America’s past and present. “Rebuilding the backbone of the nation — the middle class” will be possible, in part, by drastically reigning in corporate rule. Will he be up for the fight?

"… and make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home."

This time around, let’s make the rest of the world respect America not for our misguided pursuit of capitalistic growth, wealth, materialism, and hegemonic power, but for how we treat, look after, and fight for the most marginalized within our communities.

"It’s the honor of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for that vision. And now the work of making that vision real. It’s the task of our time."

Agreed, we have a lot to do. Let’s get to work.

"Folks, as I said many times before: I’m Jill’s husband. And I would not be here without the love and tireless support of Jill, and my son Hunter, and my daughter Ashley, all of our grandchildren and their spouses, and all our family. They’re my heart. Jill’s a mom — a military mom, an educator. She’s dedicated her life to education. But teaching isn’t just what she does — it’s who she is. For America’s educators, this is a great day for ya’ll: You’re going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great First Lady. I’m so proud of her."

One of the deepest and most meaningful investments we can make in securing a just, equitable future for generations to come lies within educating our children. It’s great that the new First Lady will have the chance to spur a renewed sense of excitement and curiosity for learning, particularly in this dangerous post-truth era.

"And I’ll have the honor of serving with a fantastic Vice President who you just heard from — Kamala Harris — who makes history as the first woman, first Black woman, the first women from South Asian descent, and first daughter of immigrants ever elected to this country. Don’t tell me it’s not possible in the United States!"

Millions of young Black girls around the world will be able to look at the new VP-elect and see someone that looks like them, someone they could aspire to be one day, too. This is incredibly powerful in a world that has always told women we are less than men. That said, what matters even more is what VP Harris will now do to uplift the lives of all Black girls and women not only by representation, but by substantive policy.

"It’s long overdue, and we’re reminded tonight of all those who fought so hard for so many years to make this happen. But once again, America has bent the arc of the moral universe more towards justice."

Thank you to the Black activists and freedom fighters of our past who sacrificed their lives for the tireless, radical pursuit of justice.

"Kamala, Doug — like it or not — you’re family. You’ve become an honorary Biden, there’s no way out."

Cute.

"To all those who volunteered, worked the polls in the middle of this pandemic, local election officials — you deserve a special thanks from the entire nation. To my campaign team, and all the volunteers, and all those who gave so much of themselves to make this moment possible, I owe you, I owe you everything."

Wholeheartedly second this. Thank you for helping save democracy, especially in this deadly pandemic.

"And to all those who supported us: I’m proud of the campaign we built and ran. I’m proud of the coalition we put together, the broadest and most diverse coalition in history. Democrats, Republicans, Independents. Progressives, moderates, conservatives. Young, old. Urban, suburban, rural. Gay, straight, transgender. White, Latino, Asian, Native American."

This was the first time a U.S. President-elect recognized transgender people in a victory speech — the significance of this is not something to be understated, and I bet millions of transgender people around the world felt seen and heard for the first time. I hope the new administration’s policy on transgender rights will match this inaugural recognition.

"…and especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest ebb — the African American community stood up again for me. You’ve always had my back, and I’ll have yours."

Millions of African-Americans, in a deadly pandemic disproportionately killing them due to systemic racism rampant within all our systems, sacrificed their lives to vote for him. I cannot understate just how much he had better live up to this promise in particular.

"I said at the outset, I wanted this campaign to look and represent like America. We’ve done that. Now that’s what I want this administration to look and act like. And to those who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight. I’ve lost a couple of times myself. But now, let’s give each other a chance. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric. Lower the temperature. See each other again. Listen to each other again. And to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies. They are Americans. They are Americans."

“Put away the harsh rhetoric”. “Lower the temperature”. All this leads to is racism receding back behind closed doors, not to its ultimate eradication. Most Trump supporters have never seen or listened to anyone non-white person ever, let alone “again”, as they time and time again refuse to recognize our humanity. Now that Biden has won, we urgently need so much more than these meaningless platitudes for any real shot at unity.

"The Bible tells us, to everything there is a season — a time to build, a time to reap, and a time to sow, and a time to heal. This is the time to heal in America."

“If you stick a knife nine inches into my back and pull it out three inches, that is not progress. Even if you pull it all the way out, that is not progress. Progress is healing the wound, and America hasn’t even begun to pull out the knife.” — Malcolm X.

"Now this campaign is over — what is the will of the people? What is our mandate? I believe it’s this: Americans have called on us to marshal the forces of decency, the forces of fairness. To marshal the forces of science and the forces of hope in the great battles of our time."

He consistently focuses far too much on personal decency and not enough on structural fairness. That’s fine if you’re Mr. Rogers, not President of the United States. That, on top of so many other reasons, is why I don’t believe he’s the right person to lead us in this uniquely fragile moment. That said, kudos to him for marshaling the forces of science, now more than ever, to end this pandemic.

"The battle to control the virus. The battle to build prosperity. The battle to secure your family’s health care. The battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country. The battle to save our planet by getting climate under control. The battle to restore decency, defend democracy, and give everybody in this country a fair shot. That’s all they’re asking for — a fair shot. Folks, our work begins with getting COVID under control. We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish life’s most precious moments — hugging our grandchildren, our children, our birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us, until we get it under control. On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisors to help take the Biden-Harris COVID plan and convert it into an action blueprint that will start on January the 20th, 2021. That plan will be built on bedrock science. It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy, and concern. I will spare no effort—none, or any commitment, to turn around this pandemic."

He likely will be able to chart a new and hopeful course for the country with respect to COVID-19, and I look forward to giving him credit if and when he does. The most credit, by far and away, will forever go to the doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and essential workers that are risking their lives for us every day.

"Folks, I’m a proud Democrat. But I will govern as an American president. I’ll work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me, as those who did. Let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end here and now. The refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another is not some mysterious force beyond our control. It’s a decision. A choice we make. And if we can decide not to cooperate, then we can decide to cooperate. And I believe that this is part of the mandate given to us from the American people. They want us to cooperate in their interest. That’s the choice I’ll make. And I’ll call on Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, to make that choice with me."

Again, he misdiagnoses the most consequential societal crisis of our lifetime. It is not merely about a failure of “cooperation”, but a failure of securing shared ideals, values, morals, and terrifyingly, facts, truth, and science. This is why his pitch to lead through bipartisanship over transformative systemic change will never work as a long-term solution. It might hold us over for a few more years, but that’s about it.

"The American story is about a slow, yet steadily widening opportunity of America. Make no mistake: Too many dreams have been deferred for too long."

“What is it that you wanted me to reconcile myself to? I was born here more than 60 years ago. I’m not going to live another 60 years. You always told me that it’s going to take time. It’s taken my father’s time. My mother’s time. My uncle’s time. My brother’s and my sister’s time. My niece’s and my nephew’s time. How much time do you want for your ‘progress’?” — James Baldwin

"We must make the promise of the country real for everybody — no matter their race, their ethnicity, their faith, their identity, or their disability. Folks, America has always been shaped by inflection points — by moments in time where we’ve made hard decisions about who we are and what we want to be."

Yes. Shoutout to saying “disability” as well — not something commonly mentioned in these kinds of speeches. Again, let’s see if the policy matches the prose.

"Lincoln in 1860, coming to save the Union."

Radical — unlike him.

"FDR in 1932, promising a beleaguered country a New Deal."

Radical — unlike him.

"JFK in 1960, pledging a New Frontier."

Meh. But perhaps we can be united in the fact that no one is worried about landing on the moon right now.

"…and 12 years ago, when Barack Obama made history, he told us ‘Yes, we can."

Barack Obama being elected the first African-American president in history is remarkable, and that’s an understatement given the dark legacy of this country’s racism that has not yet been reconciled. But “Yes, we can” only means something when we commit to fight corporate rule, transform our public systems, and abolish oppressive systems. Otherwise, “Yes, we can” becomes yet another meaningless platitude.

"We stand again at an inflection point. We have the opportunity to defeat despair and to build a nation of prosperity and purpose. We can do it. I know we can. I’ve long talked about the battle for the soul of America. We must restore the soul of America. Our nation is shaped by the constant battle between our better angels and our darkest impulses. And what presidents say in this battle matters. It’s time for our better angels to prevail. Tonight, the whole world is watching America. And I believe at our best, America is a beacon for the globe. We lead not only by the example of our power, but by the power of our example."

The question is, how does he plan to convert us into “better angels” and root out our “darker impulses” beyond pleading with us to “put away the harsh rhetoric”?

"I’ve always believed we can define America in one word: possibilities. That in America everyone should be given the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them. You see, I believe in the possibility of this country."

As someone who quite literally epitomizes the old guard, I wish he had passed the torch to someone new, someone who believes in far grander possibilities than he ever has or ever will.

"We’re always looking ahead."

His entire campaign was literally premised on returning to the past and “restoring” the country’s soul, but okay.

"Ahead to an America that’s freer and more just. Ahead to an America that creates jobs with dignity and respect. Ahead to an America that cures disease — like cancer and Alzheimers. Ahead to an America that never leaves anyone behind. Ahead to an America that never gives up, never gives in."

Of course I agree on creating jobs and curing diseases. But as always, still too many platitudes for such a historic, watershed moment as this.

"This is a great nation. It’s always been a bad bet to bet against America. We’re a good people."

Hmm. Yes and no.

"This is the United States of America. There’s never been anything we’ve not been able to do when we’ve done it together."

I’m willing to believe this is true. But again, how he plans to unite us has to go far, far beyond attempted bipartisanship with a racist, authoritarian opposition party and begging us to get along with people who literally want to strip away our rights.

"Folks, in the last days of the campaign, I began thinking about a hymn that means a lot to me and my family, particularly my deceased son, Beau. It captures the faith that sustains me, and which I believe sustains America. And I hope it can provide some comfort and solace to the 230,000 families who’ve lost a loved one to this terrible virus this year. My heart goes out to each and every one of you. Hopefully this hymn gives you solace as well. It goes like this:

‘And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, Make you to shine like the sun, And hold you in the palm of His Hand.”

Rest in peace to the now almost 240,000 individuals who have lost their lives to this ruthless disease.

"And now, together — on eagle’s wings — we embark on the work that God and history have called upon us to do. With full hearts and steady hands, with faith in America and in each other, with love of country — and a thirst for justice — let us be the nation that we know we can be. A nation united. A nation strengthened. A nation healed. The United States of America. Ladies and gentlemen, there’s never — never, been anything we’ve tried and not been able to do. Keep the faith. Spread the faith. God love you all. May God bless America. And may God protect our troops. Thank you."

After all that we have endured over the past 4 years, it is now our mandate to hold this new President to account to protect our most vulnerable and fight oppositional power (which he himself has been for much of his career) that blocks the transformative progress we so urgently deserve. At this fork in the road, anything less will not be good enough.

“We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.