By Meg Wagner, Fernando Alfonso III, Melissa Macaya, Melissa Mahtani, Veronica Rocha and Amanda Wills, CNN
President-elect Joe Biden has issued a statement, saying he is “honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed” in him and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
“With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation," the statement added.
Here's the full statement:
From CNN's Allison Gordon
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Joe Biden for his presidential victory on Twitter today.
"The voters have spoken, and they have chosen @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris to be our next president and vice president," Clinton tweeted. "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."
Read the tweet:
From CNN's Betsy Klein
Moments after networks, including CNN, called the presidential race for Joe Biden, President Trump said in a statement from his campaign that Biden is “rushing to falsely pose as the winner,” and call the race “far from over.”
The statement says the campaign’s legal battle will begin Monday:
“Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.”
"I will not rest until the American People have the honest vote count they deserve and that Democracy demands," Trump says in the statement.
Trump is currently at his Virginia golf course.
After days of waiting, CNN's Wolf Blitzer called the presidential race for Joe Biden at 11:24 a.m. ET.
"After four long tense days, we've reached a historic moment in this election. We can now project the winner of the presidential race. CNN projects Joseph R. Biden Jr. is elected the 46th president of the United States, winning the White House and denying President Trump a second term," Blitzer said. "We're able to make this projection because CNN projects Biden wins Pennsylvania."
Blitzer added: "The former vice president, in his third run for the highest office, pulling off a rare defeat of the sitting commander in chief. With this victory, Kamala Harris is set to become the first woman and the first person of color to be the vice president. Again, CNN projects Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States. Jake, he is now president elect Joe Biden."
Watch the moment Blitzer announced CNN's projection:
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
As Kamala Harris made history as the first woman of color to be Vice President, CNN's Dana Bash commented on Black women finally seeing representation:
"The Democratic Party has been alive on the backs of — and through the hard work of — Black women for many, many years, and now, they finally see representation. And that is a huge thing," she said. "100 years ago, this year, women got the right to vote. 55 years ago this year, Black Americans were told that it could be easier for them to vote with the Voting Rights Act. That was after so much bloodshed, so much protests, and now, after all of that time, a Black woman has made history. "
CNN's Abby Phillip commented on what this moment represents to millions in this country:
"Her path to this moment, I think, is fairly unconventional. She was one of the first major candidates to drop out of the Democratic field, but was someone who, I think, in the Party believed always had so much promise," she said. "One of the roles that she will play for Joe Biden is helping him bridge that gap between the Joe Biden who has been in Washington for decades and decades, the old guard, the 70 something-year-old White man, with the younger part of the party that is clambering to be heard. They feel like their futures are on the line, especially after the last four years. And I think a lot of them are looking to Kamala Harris to give voice to that."
CNN's Jake Tapper added:
"The son of Scranton and the daughter of immigrants are headed to the white house. It is a sign of what can happen in this country. You can become anything you want to be."
From CNN's Kaitlan Collins
Moments before CNN projected that Joe Biden will win the presidency, President Trump's campaign manager insisted to staff that their candidate still has a path to victory.
While providing an update on the legal challenges surrounding the election, Bill Stepien told officials:
"He is in this fight. He is in this fight...These are razor thin margins. We are not giving up the fight in these places. We are not giving up the fight."
It was a private call, but CNN was provided access by a source affiliated with the reelection effort.
Stepien argued Trump still has a path to victory in Arizona and Pennsylvania while providing an overview of where things stand as vote counting is ongoing.
He railed against the high volume of mail-in voting and insisted officials believe they stand “a very good chance” of emerging as the winner if the race proves to be close.
Stepien insisted the call wasn't about fundraising but then solicited donations to the legal defense fund. "Again, this is not a fundraising solicitation, but that is an avenue to help."
From CNN's Arlette Saenz and Sarah Mucha
Biden Campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon was on a run. Her mother called to tell her about CNN’s call for Joe Biden, she said told the print pool in Wilmington, Delaware, as she returned.
Asked how she felt about Joe Biden becoming the 46th president of the United States, she said:
"Ecstatic – a great day for this county."
From CNN's Jeff Zeleny
Joe Biden was spending the morning with his family at his home in Delaware when he saw the news that he was projected the winner of his native Pennsylvania and will be the 46th president of the United States.
He will address the nation tonight, an official tells CNN.
A line from Biden’s speech last night will be a theme of his remarks: “Never forget: the tallies aren't just numbers. They represent votes and voters, men and women who exercise the fundamental right to have their voice heard.”
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
After CNN projected Joe Biden to win the presidency, Dana Bash said the "conventional" Biden path has been "so unconventional."
“He’s the most conventional of politicians, but in this election cycle his path has been so unconventional. Remember, he beat out the biggest, most diverse field in the Democratic primary and he is an older white man who did that," Bash said.
"He lost Iowa, he lost new Hampshire, and it was Democratic Black voters who saved him and propelled him to this point," Bash added.
Bash noted that Biden's promise to "heal" the United States will be an uphill battle.
"He made a comeback just this year like we've never seen. And also remember, Joe Biden is defined by his personal loss. His calling card is knowing how to heal himself and what he ran on and what he says he's going to do is try to heal this nation. Now he's got to turn his attention to that and, can you imagine a more arduous task?”
Watch CNN's Dana Bash react to projection:
