Joe Biden elected president

By Meg Wagner, Fernando Alfonso III, Melissa Macaya, Melissa Mahtani, Veronica Rocha and Amanda Wills, CNN

Updated 10:29 a.m. ET, November 8, 2020
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2:04 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

World leaders congratulate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Reactions are beginning to come in from political leaders around the world to the news that Joe Biden has won the US presidential election.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson:

London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Facebook:

"Congratulations Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on your well-deserved win.

London looks forward to working with you — it's time to get back to building bridges, not walls. 🇺🇸 🇬🇧"

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg:

Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa:

Claudia Lopez, mayor of Bogota, Colombia:

"You did it!

How proud that a woman, Afro, Indian, Jamaican, great professional and extraordinary leader, became the Vice Presidency of the United States for the first time!

With every woman who wins, we all win! #TheChangeIsImparable

They won! We won!"

        

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo:

India:

Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader of India’s main opposition Congress party:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: 

Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland:

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford:

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, prime minister of Greece:

Robert Abela, prime minister of Malta:

Germany:

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Twitter:

"Good that finally we have some clear numbers. We look forward to working with the next US government. We want to invest in our cooperation for a new transatlantic beginning, a new deal."

President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa:

France:

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted:

Ireland: 

The Irish premiere – known as the Taoiseach – Michael Martin said on Twitter:

Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney:

1:09 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Van Jones on Biden transition: Grassroots groups that helped him win expect to have a seat at the table

On-air Analysis from CNN's Van Jones / Written by CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

CNN
CNN

The Biden campaign will have to focus on inclusion as they look forward to their transition team, CNN's Van Jones said.

"Not just the left, I'm talking about the grassroots of this party. The people that you see out here," Jones noted.

"This was the Avengers versus Thanos ... You had every grassroots organization standing up," he said.

Jones noted groups like Mi Gente, Lucha, Mi Familia Vota, The Latino Victory Fund, the Latino grassroots groups, "they expect to have a seat at the table."

Jones also highlighted how Native Americans groups played a big role in Arizona. "The Native American community played a tremendous role ... These are groups that expect to be treated with respect because they are responsible for the victory," he added.

Finally, Jones discussed the African American and Black communities across the country and how they "threw down."

"You have a new infrastructure in the Black community," Jones explained.

"You have a massive movement around Biden that's going to want to be respected and seen and included. Not just left, but bottom up. And I think part of what has to happen is the bottom-up inclusion from the left does not have to come at the expense of bottom-up inclusion from working folks and Trump country. Those things can go side by side," he said.  

Watch Van Jones:

12:40 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Pelosi: "It's a time to heal and a time to grow together"

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, talks to reporters about Election Day results in races for the House of Representatives, at Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC November 3.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, talks to reporters about Election Day results in races for the House of Representatives, at Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC November 3. J. Scott Applewhite/AFP/Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement praising Joe Biden's projected win.

“Today marks the dawning of a new day of hope for America. A record-shattering 75 million Americans cast their ballots to elect Joe Biden President of the United States – a historic victory that has handed Democrats a mandate for action," Pelosi said in the statement.

Pelosi also reacted on Twitter, saying "it's a time to heal and time to grow together."

See her tweet:

12:40 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

White House quiet in hour after Biden became President-elect

From CNN's Betsy Klein 

The White House in Washington, Saturday Nov 7.
The White House in Washington, Saturday Nov 7. Steve Helber/AP

It’s very quiet here at the White House in the hour after Joe Biden became President-elect. President Trump is out golfing at his Sterling, Virginia, club. On the North Lawn, where a small fraction of the election night press are assembled doing live shots, cheers and honking are very audible.

In the briefing room, a press aide is giving a tour.

At 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, an access point for press and staff to the currently fenced-in White House, cars are honking, with one parked and blasting Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration” at the intersection. Pedestrians are cheering every time the honking starts. Waves of cheering from the nearby Black Lives Matter Plaza are also audible. 

A Secret Service agent observing the scene joked that the honking was bad, but better than the alternative: “I had my riot gear.”

12:47 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Watch Harris' call with Biden: "We did it, Joe"

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

From Kamala Harris/Twitter
From Kamala Harris/Twitter

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris tweeted a video of herself on the phone with President-elect Joe Biden. She congratulated him on winning the US presidency and for the success of their campaign.

This video was taken by her husband Doug Emhoff, according to a Harris aide.

12:32 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

President-elect Joe Biden will address the nation at 8 p.m. ET

President-elect Joe Biden will address the nation at 8 p.m. ET Saturday in Wilmington Delaware, according to a press release from the Biden-Harris campaign.

1:16 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

This is the scene near the White House

Celebrations are taking place in the streets of Washington, DC, near the White House.

On a street near the White House known as "Black Lives Matter Plaza" — which has become a place of gathering and demonstrations — CNN's cameras captured crowds celebrating.

See it:

12:42 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Biden's victory speech is written, but he will spend time making adjustments

From CNN's Jeff Zeleny

In this Aug. 12, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., pass each other in Wilmington, Del.
In this Aug. 12, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., pass each other in Wilmington, Del. Carolyn Kaster/AP

Joe Biden intends to spend much of the day with his family at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, where is also expected to field calls from longtime allies and world leaders.

His victory speech for tonight has been written, but he will be making adjustments until the very end.

But even though the pandemic dramatically changed the course of the presidential campaign, his themes will be the same as when he announced his bid: To restore the soul of the nation.

“We must put the anger and the demonization behind us,” Biden said last night – in a line expected to be renewed tonight.

 

12:20 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Celebrations erupt around the US following Joe Biden's victory

People celebrate Saturday, Nov. 7, in Philadelphia, after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become 46th president of the United States.
People celebrate Saturday, Nov. 7, in Philadelphia, after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become 46th president of the United States. Rebecca Blackwell/AP

Americans have flooded the streets to celebrate President-elect Joe Biden crossing the 270 electoral vote threshold.

In Philadelphia, a woman was spotted crying and saying, “I’m so happy. I don’t know what to do," according to CNN's Kate Bolduan.

Pennsylvania was the state to push Biden over 270 electoral votes.

Other celebrations were seen in New York City, Chicago and Atlanta.

Watch the celebratory scenes: