Biden after Trump’s Election Win: Setbacks Are Unavoidable

US President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, November 7, 2024, after Donald Trump won the presidential election. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
US President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, November 7, 2024, after Donald Trump won the presidential election. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
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Biden after Trump’s Election Win: Setbacks Are Unavoidable

US President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, November 7, 2024, after Donald Trump won the presidential election. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
US President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, November 7, 2024, after Donald Trump won the presidential election. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

Seeking to console fellow Democrats, US President Joe Biden delivered remarks to the nation Thursday in what was his first appearance on camera following Republican Donald Trump’s decisive victory.

"Setbacks are unavoidable. Giving up is unforgiveable," Biden said at the White House Rose Garden as he addressed staff who were disappointed in Vice President Kamala Harris' defeat. "A defeat does not mean we are defeated."

Biden said Tuesday's election had proven the integrity of the US electoral system and said he would preside over an orderly transfer of power.

"We lost this battle. The America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up," he said.

The president reiterated that the US election system “is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent. And it can be trusted, win or lose.”

“America endures,” he said. “We’re going to be ok, but we need to stay engaged.”

Some Democrats have blamed Biden, 81, for Harris' defeat, saying he should not have sought reelection. Biden only dropped his reelection bid in July after a disastrous TV debate with Trump raised alarm bells about his mental fitness.
Trump's campaign said Biden had invited him to meet at the White House at an unspecified time. In the weeks ahead, Trump will select personnel to serve under his leadership.



Netanyahu's Popularity Further Declines

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara (File/Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara (File/Reuters)
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Netanyahu's Popularity Further Declines

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara (File/Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara (File/Reuters)

The coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost three seats it earned during the past three weeks, including two seats earned last week and one seat this week, according to this week’s Maariv poll.
In return, the Israeli opposition made a slight advancement, which indicates that if elections were to be held today, Netanyahu is far from securing the needed seats to form a government.
The Religious Zionist Party, New Hope-United Right led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich remained below the electoral threshold of 3.25%, scoring only 1.6%.
After survey respondents were asked for whom they would vote if new Knesset elections were held today, Netanyahu’s Likud and the rest of the ruling coalition parties emerged with a combined 48 seats, one fewer than last week. The coalition has 64 seats and therefore needs at least 13 more seats to form a government.
In return, the opposition earned 72 seats, including 10 for Arab parties.
The poll also revealed that a party led by Naftali Bennett has weakened by one seat this week, now standing at 24, still three more seats ahead of Likud's 21.
The opposition bloc lost one seat this week but still retained a majority of 65 seats, without the Arab parties, which gained one seat this week.
In this scenario, the government of Netanyahu will definitely not remain in power.
The polling, published by Maariv every Friday, is done by “Lazar Research” and conducted in collaboration with Panel4All.
After survey respondents were asked for whom they would vote if new Knesset elections were held today, Netanyahu’s Likud emerged with 23 seats (lost one third of its current 32 seats), National Unity, 20 (currently 8), Yesh Atid, 16 (currently 24), Yisrael Beiteinu, 15 (currently 6), The Democrats, 11 (currently four), Shas, 10 (currently 10), Otzma Yehudit, 8 (currently 6), United Torah Judaism, 7 (currently 7), Hadash-Ta’al, 6 (6), and Ra’am 4.
In this scenario, Netanyahu's coalition would gain 48 seats, and the opposition bloc would gain 72 seats, including 10 seats for Arab parties.
Meanwhile, a majority of the Israeli public (52%) opposes the judicial reform being reintroduced by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, 35% support it, and 13% are undecided.
Politically, most coalition voters (72%) support the reform, while opposition voters (85%) are strongly opposed to it.