Exactly four years ago, President-elect Joe Biden welcomed Vice President Mike Pence to the White House and said the meeting should provide support “for a smooth, seamless transition of power.
A picture of the meeting was posted on the former vice president’s Obama administration’s Twitter account, which is now archived.
It shows Biden with one hand on Pence’s shoulder during the meeting on November 10, 2016 – just one week after Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton to become president-elect and Pence became vice president-elect.
I have just met with @VP-elect Pence at @WhiteHouse to offer our support for a smooth, seamless transition of power: https://t.co/yKj1JyiOD3 pic.twitter.com/3bFdQjuQ6K
– VP Biden (Archived) (@VP44) November 10, 2016
In a statement issued after the meeting and linked in this Tweet, Biden and Pence said that they had talked about “their time together in Congress and their longstanding friendship.
He added that Biden also discussed with his successor “a number of specific policy portfolios” that “were a critical focus for him during his tenure, including NATO and Eastern Europe and broadening access to the middle class.
The statement also affirmed that Biden had offered “his full support” to ensure a smooth transition of power at the end of President Barack Obama’s second term in office in early 2017, and that he had also extended an invitation to dinner to Pence and his family.
Four years later, Pence is now the outgoing Vice President, but he still has to show the same courtesy to Biden or Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Just days after the Associated Press and major networks had declared the race for Biden, assuming he would receive more than the 270 votes the electoral college needed to win, Trump did not give in but vowed to fight the election results in court.
Told @VP Team Today, âit ainât over til itâs over… and this AINâT over!â President @realDonaldTrump never stopped fighting for us and we will continue to fight until every LEGAL vote is counted! ðºð¸
– Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) November 9, 2020
Instead of working towards a smooth transfer of power in January, the president has prevented government officials from working with Biden’s transition team, the AP reported.
Few in the Republican Party have acknowledged Biden’s victory, as the president continues to falsely claim that the election was stolen and make unsubstantiated allegations of widespread election fraud.
Attorney General Bill Barr on Monday authorized the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the allegations of election fraud. Barr’s authorization prompted Richard Pilger, the director of the DOJ’s Voter Crimes Unit, to tender his resignation hours later, the New York Times reported.
Meanwhile, Pence has been keeping a low profile since election day, but has rallied behind the president on Twitter.
“Told @VP Team Today, “it’s not over until it’s over… and this AIN’T over! President @realDonaldTrump has never stopped fighting for us, and we will continue to fight until every LEGAL vote is counted! Pence tweeted Monday….
