Trump to meet Biden the White House, president commends Harris for her campaign

Washington: Democrat Kamala Harris urged unity in a concession speech at Howard University following her defeat to Republican Donald Trump. The election results prompted foreign leaders and President Joe Biden to congratulate Trump and left Democrats downtrodden after the former president scored victories in swing states.

Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign says he has accepted President Biden’s invitation to meet at the White House to discuss the presidential transition. No date has been announced yet but Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, said it would “take place shortly.” Cheung said Trump “very much appreciated” Biden’s congratulatory call on Wednesday.

Biden, in a White House-issued statement, praised Harris as “a tremendous partner and public servant full of integrity, courage, and character.” It was Biden’s first public comment in the aftermath of Trump’s victory.

The president also noted that Harris entered the campaign under “extraordinary circumstances,” a nod to his dropping out of the race 108 days before Election Day amid growing pressure from within his party after his cataclysmic debate performance against Trump.

Biden added that Harris “stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans.”

American presidential elections are a moment when the nation holds up a mirror to look at itself. They are a reflection of values and dreams, of grievances and scores to be settled.

The results say much about a country’s character, future and core beliefs. On Tuesday, America looked into that mirror and more voters saw former president Donald Trump, delivering him a far-reaching victory in the most contested states.

Even as Trump prevailed, most voters said they were very or somewhat concerned that electing Trump would bring the U.S. closer to being an authoritarian country, where a single leader has unchecked power, according to the AP VoteCast survey. Still, 1 in 10 of those voters backed him anyway. Nearly 4 in 10 Trump voters said they wanted complete upheaval in how the country is run.

Trump’s victory was felt down ballot, with the GOP reclaiming control of the Senate by flipping seats in Montana, West Virginia and Ohio. In the House, Republicans and Democrats are still battling for the majority, with both party leaders exuding confidence.

Trump has already appointed three Supreme Court justices. In his second term, he could well have a chance to name two more, creating a high court with a Trump-appointed majority that could serve for decades.

The decisive outcome spares the court from having to wade into election disputes. It also seems likely to change the tenor of cases that come before the justices, including on abortion and immigration.

The two eldest justices — Clarence Thomas, 76, and Samuel Alito, 74 — could consider stepping down knowing that Trump, a Republican, would nominate replacements who might be three decades younger and ensure conservative domination of the court through the middle of the century, or beyond.

Bill Clinton congratulates Trump

Former President Bill Clinton and former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton wished Trump and running mate JD Vance well on Wednesday, writing that they “hope they will govern for all of us.”

The Clintons had been some of the most outspoken Democratic critics of Trump. The former Democratic president stumped across the country for Harris and running mate Tim Walz, while the former secretary of state, Trump’s opponent in 2016, had criticized her one-time rival throughout the entire election. The two commended Harris and Walz for running “a positive, forward-looking campaign to be proud of.”

“We must remember that America is bigger than the results of any one election, and what we as citizens do now will make the difference between a nation that moves forward and one that falls back,” they wrote. “We need to solve our problems and see our opportunities together. The future of our country depends on it.”

A pair of closely-watched House races in Virginian have been decided, but with neither party gaining ground in a still tight race for House control.

Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans won reelection in the military-heavy southeast part of Virginia, while Democrat Eugene Vindman won a seat previously held by his party in the north of the state.

Vindman is filling the seat after Rep. Abigail Spanberger left Congress to run for governor.

Vindman and his twin brother, Alexander Vindman, played major roles in former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment.