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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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:

12:19 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Don't expect Trump to accept reality anytime soon and concede the race, sources say

From CNN's Jim Acosta

President Donald Trump speaks in the briefing room at the White House on November 5, in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump speaks in the briefing room at the White House on November 5, in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Sources inside and outside the campaign say don’t expect President Trump to accept reality and concede the race anytime soon.

Trump is dug in, sources say, feeling embittered that he has lost the race. Advisers describe Trump as grasping any straw that he sees reported on Fox News.

He may never accept this reality, one adviser conceded.

Another indication of how alone Trump is at the moment: Vice President Mike Pence's advisers are not eager to get the vice president behind Trump as he drags this out. 

A source familiar with the situation said Pence wants to preserve his options for 2024. 

12:28 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

How do you feel about Biden’s victory? Write us or leave us a voicemail.

Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States, CNN projects, after a victory in the state where he was born put him over the 270 electoral votes needed to win.

With Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes, Biden now has a total of 273 electoral votes.

Kamala Harris will be the United States’ next vice president.

She will be the first woman to hold the office. She will also be the nation’s first Black and South Asian vice president.

We want to know how you feel. Leave us a message in the text box below or leave us a voicemail with your thoughts.