CASEY HUBER
Special to The Leader
Healing. Getting the virus under control to start the economy. Equality between all races. No more blue and red. One America.
These are some of the talking points Joe Biden hit in his acceptance speech Saturday evening.
Hopeful of unity, Biden continues to push that he is an American president, not a Democratic president.
Such a goal is necessary in these partisan times.
The closeness of the election shows just how many people are apt to see the others as the enemy, rather than their fellow Americans.
Unity is what we need right now.
America needs to put aside our differences and see each other for who we really are at the end of the day: proud Americans.
This will not be easy, nor will it be fast, but I believe that America can forgive.
Trump was a symptom of a greater systemic partisanship fight that has bled into every community and home, and his failure to be reelected shows that America is willing to exhibit the good parts of our cultural identity rather than stew in the bitter rivalries instilled by Washington.
In helping to heal the country, we now have a history-making vice president elect.
Kamala Harris will become the first woman, Black and Asian-American vice president.
Now, more young women can aspire to hold one of the highest offices in the land, with a role model to lead them there.
Biden at one point quoted a Bible hymn during his acceptance speech, “On Eagles’ Wings.”
“It captures the faith that sustains me and which I believe sustains America,” he said.
This took me aback for a moment.
I realized, with dread and despair, that Trump’s rhetoric worked on me.
I forgot Biden was a man of faith.
I was truly happy to hear the hymn.
I couldn’t tell you why, but it warmed my heart.
As far as presidential acceptance speeches go, this one was no piece by Barack Obama.
But Biden was fired up and delivered his points well.
The elephant in the room is how Biden will handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
On his website, the plan states: “A decisive public health response that ensures the wide availability of free testing,” and, “A decisive economic response that starts with emergency paid leave for all those affected by the outbreak and gives all necessary help to workers, families, and small businesses that are hit hard by this crisis,” as the two main tenants.
Personally, I prefer ANY plan to the state of which our country has been in for the past several months.
The only concession speech we got from Donald Trump was Alec Baldwin’s “victory piano song” on Saturday Night Live, but at this point, that is to be expected.
I’m confident that Biden will be an able, steady hand at the tiller.
I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Let’s just hope Trump actually leaves office.