WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden spoke at the Democratic National Committee’s holiday party on Sunday, urging Democrats to quickly recover from the election loss and engage with the American people.
“We all get knocked down. My dad was saying, ‘When you get knocked down, you just got to get up. Get up,'” Biden said. “The measure of a person or a party is how fast they get back up.”
He urged party members to keep organizing and engaging with voters.
“What we believe in is really worth fighting for. That’s the road ahead, to never give up, to keep the faith.”
Biden has about five weeks left in office, with Republicans preparing to take control of the House, Senate, and White House next year.
The president said he hadn’t planned on running for presidency in 2020 and changed his mind because there was “a lot at stake.”
The president defended his record, stating that he took office during a crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and that he is leaving America in a better place than when he arrived four years ago.
First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff also delivered remarks at the DNC holiday party.
Biden praised Harris and thanked her for her partnership.
“You’re not going anywhere, kid, because we’re not gonna let you go,” Biden told Harris, drawing laughter and applause from the crowd.
“The bad news for you all is I ain’t going nowhere. We’re going to stay engaged,” Biden said before wrapping up his speech.
Speaking at the event, Harris said despite the election loss, the party’s spirit remains strong.
“Our spirit is not defeated. We are not defeated. Let’s be clear about that we are strong,” Harris said. “We here believe in the promise of America. We believe in the promise of freedom, of justice, of opportunity and dignity, not just for some, but for all.”
According to the memo, the president wants to expand clemency, provide more student debt relief, and allocate remaining funds from his signature law during his final weeks in office. On Monday, the president is expected to give a speech highlighting his pro-worker and pro-union policies.
