While the streets of many American cities erupted in joy Saturday at the news of Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election, hardcore Donald Trump supporters refused to accept the result, alleging fraud and conspiracy.

In cities including Phoenix, Philadelphia and Atlanta, the outgoing president’s loyalists gathered under the slogan of #StopTheSteal, repeating Trump’s unfounded allegations that Biden’s win was based on cheating.

They wore red Trump hats, held signs reading “Stop The Steal” and waved American flags or Trump banners bearing the slogan: “Keep America Great.”

The scenes were familiar to anyone who has attended or tuned in to a Trump rally.

Hundreds gathered in front of the Arizona state capitol building in Phoenix, Arizona, some with their dogs dressed in Trump shirts.

“I think they’re way too early,” said Donna McCollum, a retired 77-year-old who said she can trace her family history back to the American revolution.

“The electoral college is the one to decide. And that has not been decided just yet. And there’s a lot of fraud here. It needs to be either redone totally or recounted.”

She added: “Look at these people out here. There’s no way Biden won Arizona.”

Two news organizations have projected Biden as the winner in Arizona, but others have been more cautious with the vote totals close and counting continuing.

But either way, Biden has already obtained more than enough electoral votes to win, according to US media projections based on vote counts.

– ‘Ground zero for cheating’ –
Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes was the state that put him over the 270 needed for victory, and Trump supporters there also baselessly alleged fraud, following the lead of the outgoing president.

In Philadelphia, the biggest city in Pennsylvania, around 40 Trump supporters were outside a convention center where counting had been underway, blasting hard rock and staples of Trump rallies like “YMCA” and “God Bless the USA.”

Nearby Biden supporters were happily dancing to the same music.

“This is ground zero for cheating in this election. I thought it was important to be here,” said Steve Padgett, a 57-year-old who works in sales.

Sophia Rotunno, a 52-year-old administrative worker, said: “I have faith that our President Donald Trump did win a fair election.”

“But the Democrats are not allowing a fair election to be had,” she said, falsely. “So I feel it has to go to the courts.”

U.S. President-elect, Joe Biden, says his first task in office is to get the coronavirus pandemic under control.

Biden stated this in his acceptance speech, which he delivered before a crowd of supporters in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday night.

“Our work begins with getting Covid-19 under control.

“We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish life’s most precious moments: hugging a grandchild, our children, 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 advisers to help take the Biden-Harris Covid-19 plan and convert it into actual blue print that will start on Jan. 20, 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 said. Joined by the Vice President-elect, Ms Kamala Harris, and their families, Biden said with the campaigns over, it was time for unity to build back better.

“The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season — a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow. And a time to heal. “This is the time to heal in America. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric. To lower the temperature, to see each other again, to listen to each other again.

“The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: ‘I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not’. “I will keep the faith that you have placed in me

I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide, but to unify,” Biden added.

The president-elect said he believed part of the mandate from American voters is for all elected public officers to cooperate in their interest. Stating that this is the choice he had made, he called on members of Congress, regardless of party, to make the choice with him. Biden acknowledged the support of the African American community, which he said stood up for him when his campaign was faltering.

“They always have my back, and I’ll have theirs,” he said. Earlier, Harris thanked the American people for their confidence in the Biden candidacy, saluting their courage and resilience in the last four years. “For four years, you marched and organised for equality and justice, for our lives and for our planet and then you voted!

“And you delivered a clear message. You chose hope and unity, decency, science, and yes, truth! “You chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States of America!,” the Vice President-elect said, describing Biden as a “healer, uniter, tested and steady hand. According to her, the former Vice president is a “person whose own experience of loss gives him a sense of purpose that will help us as a nation reclaim our own sense of purpose”.

U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to concede after his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, secured the required number of Electoral College votes to win the presidential race.

In a defiant statement shortly after Biden was projected winner, Trump said the election was “far from over”, and criticised Biden for “rushing to falsely pose as the winner”.

“Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor.

“Legal votes decide who is president, not the news media.

“Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.

“The American people are entitled to an honest election, that means counting all legal ballots, and not counting any illegal ballots,” Trump said.

The President reiterated his allegation that his team was prevented from vote counting centres in key battleground states.

He singled out Pennsylvania, whose 20 Electoral College votes put Biden over the 270 required to clinch the seat.

“Only a party engaged in wrongdoing would unlawfully keep observers out of the count room – and then fight in court to block their access.

“I will not rest until the American People have the honest vote count that they deserve and that Democracy demands,” he said. (NAN)

Former U.S. President Barack Obama is among prominent Americans who have reacted to Joe Biden’s projected victory in Tuesday’s presidential election.

In a statement, Obama said Americans were lucky that Biden had what it took to be president and was already carrying himself that way.

“This is because when he walks into the White House in January, he will face 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.

“I know he will do the job with the best interest of every American at heart, whether or not he had their vote,” Obama said.

The former president, under whom Biden served as Vice, urged Americans to give him a chance and their support.

According to him, the election results at every level indicates the deep and bitter divisions in the country.

He noted that it would be up to all Americans, not just Biden and the Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, to “lower the temperature” and unite the country.

In a tweet, Harris said the election was “so much more than Biden and her.

“It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get started,” she said.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms Nancy Pelosi, issued a statement saying Americans have elected a president “ready on Day One to crush the coronavirus” to pave the way for economic recovery.

“In President-elect Biden, the American people delivered a mandate for lower health costs, a mandate for creating bigger paychecks by rebuilding America’s infrastructure, and a mandate for cleaner government that works for the public interest, not the special interests.

“And in President-elect Biden, they have elected a unifier who values faith, family and community, and who will work tirelessly to heal our nation.

“President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris won with a strong margin, and they will have a strong Democratic House Majority by their side.

“Working together, we have the opportunity to deliver extraordinary progress For The People,” Pelosi said.

Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, also reacted in separate

“America has spoken and democracy has won. Now we have a President-Elect and Vice President-Elect who will serve all of us and bring us all together.

“Congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on your momentous victory!,” the former president said.

For her part, Hilary, who lost the presidential race to Trump in 2016, described the Biden-Harris ticket as “history-making”.

“The voters have spoken, and they have chosen @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris to be our next president and vice president.

“It’s a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America.

“Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. Onward, together,” she said

.(NAN)

Democrat Joe Biden has been declared the president-elect of the United States by several major national media outlets, after defeating incumbent President Donald Trump at the 2020 polls.

Reacting to the projections on Saturday, Trump immediately accused Biden of “rushing to falsely pose as the winner”.

The Republican has made repeated claims of electoral fraud without providing evidence, and his campaign has pledged to challenge the result in some battleground states.

Read Trump’s full statement:
“We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don’t want the truth to be exposed. The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor. In Pennsylvania, for example, our legal observers were not permitted meaningful access to watch the counting process. Legal votes decide who is president, not the news media.

“Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated. The American People are entitled to an honest election: that means counting all legal ballots, and not counting any illegal ballots. This is the only way to ensure the public has full confidence in our election. It remains shocking that the Biden campaign refuses to agree with this basic principle and wants ballots counted even if they are fraudulent, manufactured, or cast by ineligible or deceased voters. Only a party engaged in wrongdoing would unlawfully keep observers out of the count room – and then fight in court to block their access.

“So what is Biden hiding? I will not rest until the American People have the honest vote count they deserve and that Democracy demands.”