President-elect Joe Biden speaks with the pope, the latest world leader to acknowledge his win of the U.S. election.
Biden thanked Pope Francis for his “blessings and congratulations.”
“The president-elect expressed his desire to work together on the basis of a shared belief in the dignity and equality of all humankind on issues such as caring for the marginalized and the poor, addressing the crisis of climate change, and welcoming and integrating immigrants and refugees into our communities,” the readout said.
Biden is the second Roman Catholic president, 60 years after Democrat John F. Kennedy was the first member of the Catholic faith to become president.
The communication between Biden and Pope Francis comes as President Donald Trump protests against the integrity of the U.S. presidential election 2020 with lawsuits across battleground states.
Biden has been proud of his Catholicism.
In September, Biden told Americans during a campaign to “be not afraid,” referencing a passage of scripture repeatedly quoted by Pope John Paul II.
During his victory speech, Biden also offered a Catholic hymn that he reflected on following the death of his son Beau Biden. The hymn “On Eagle’s Wings” is anchored on Psalm 91 and is often heard at funerals.
“In the last days of the campaign, I began thinking about a hymn that means a lot to me and my family, particularly my deceased son Beau. It captures the faith that sustains me and which I believe sustains America,” Biden said.
“My heart goes out to each and every one of you,” he said to those who had lost a loved one to coronavirus. “Hopefully this hymn gives you solace as well. It goes like this,” he said before launching into the refrain.
“And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hand,” Biden said.
Biden's governance
Biden announced that his first agenda is to form a Covid-19 task force.
The Biden Covid task force will be co-chaired by former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith of Yale University, according to a Biden campaign official who talked to NBC. Axios first mentioned the announcement.
Biden, in his initial speech, said that he will introduce “a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisors” to help execute his coronavirus pandemic management plan.
“Our work begins with getting Covid under control,” he said. “That plan will be built on a bedrock of science. It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy, and concern. I will spare no effort — or commitment — to turn this pandemic around.”
According to CNBC, the announcement suggests that Biden is prioritizing the pandemic response.
He will not be sworn into office until January 20, when epidemiologists and medical experts believe the U.S. could be suffering from a dangerous condition if current trends remain. When NBC News predicted Biden’s victory, the U.S. posted its third-straight record increase in daily new Covid-19 infections, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Average daily new cases are increasing by at least 5% in 47 states and the District of Columbia, based on a CNBC analysis of Hopkins data.
