As the days pass since former Vice President Joe Biden was named the presumptive winner of the 2020 presidential election, people are reflecting on the 2016 election when Biden was part of the outgoing administration of President Barack Obama.
President-elect Biden reached the number of electoral votes needed to clinch the victory on Saturday. Also leading in the popular vote by more than 4 million at the time, the race was called in Biden's favor over incumbent President Donald Trump.
Biden's lead has since grown to 4.9 million.
In 2016, just two days after the race was called in Trump's favor, then Vice President-elect Mike Pence was welcomed by Biden to the vice presidential office in Washington DC.
On November 10, 2016, Biden posted on Twitter:
"I just met with [Vice President-elect Pence at the [White House] to offer our support for a smooth, seamless transition of power"
I just met with @VP-elect Pence at the @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
People noted the anniversary of the meeting on social media.
Four years ago today, President Obama and Vice President Biden met with Trump and Pence to ensure a peaceful transition of power. Instead of doing the same, Trump refuses to concede and his appointee is delaying the start of the transition.
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) November 10, 2020
12 years ago today, Laura Bush welcomed Michelle Obama to the White House.
4 years ago today, Joe Biden met with Pence to discuss a "smooth transfer of power."
Today, Biden is headed for 306 electoral votes, is outpacing Trump's 2016 vote count, and Trump refuses to concede.
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) November 10, 2020
It shows that @JoeBiden has 1,000 times more class than Trump or Pence!!
— Karen Marie Resists--Biden-Harris2020🇺🇸🎃💙 (@marie5483) November 9, 2020
Clinton lost PA by 44k votes, and graciously conceded. By this point, Obama/Trump & Biden/Pence had met, and the transition was in full forward motion. https://t.co/EiMKP2Syhy
— Steve Schale 🇺🇸🥁 (@steveschale) November 10, 2020
Funny, I remember Hilary conceding Wednesday morning after the election. I remember Obama welcoming Trump in the White House. I remember Biden meeting with vice President-elect Pence. And devote margins were narrower.
— from South (@TimSchmitz831) November 10, 2020
Don't bother explaining it, if they don't know that 4 years ago today, Obama and Biden met with trump and pence to facilitate there transfer of power they won't believe you. They can even look up pictures of the meeting. But they won't. That would require a brain
— Cheri P. (@CheriPatrick6) November 10, 2020
4 Years ago today President elect Biden showed the Trump administration what class and democracy looks like by meeting with Pence to ensure a smooth transfer of powerhttps://t.co/uGDB0sdXKm
— jack_ryan 🇺🇸 (@terror_studies) November 10, 2020
However in 2020, Pence has yet to extend such an invitation to Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
It's likely no such meeting will ever occur.
I think I have more anxiety now in the Transition time than I did last week when counting votes. It's from being worried what Trump, Barr, Pence, McConnell, Graham and SCOTUS will do to sabotage Biden's win. Each day is a new tactic by these power hungry men.
— Doc CB (@cbeidson) November 9, 2020
The Trump administration refused to concede Saturday.
In subsequent days, Trump—who also lost the popular vote in 2016—and his spokespeople made claims he could accomplish the statistically impossible task of snatching victory from the gaping maw of defeat.
As of Tuesday evening, Biden had 290 electoral votes to Trump's 214 with only 34 electoral votes left to be assigned. Georgia controls 16 of those votes, North Carolina controls 15 and Alaska controls just three.
Biden leads in Georgia while Trump leads in Alaska and North Carolina.
Y'all know I love a good conspiracy theory as all Aunties do. But....
Biden won. Harris won. Trump and Pence lost. And we've had to put up with the tweets & the threats and everything else.
It's time to move forward now. The transition team is in place.
Also.... #thread pic.twitter.com/6lyFz31tP3
— April (@ReignOfApril) November 10, 2020
A Republican hasn't had a mandate like Biden's in 32 years, no matter how long Trump and Pence cry about it. https://t.co/CBAxM2u3wP
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) November 9, 2020
As of Tuesday evening, Biden had won more than 76 million votes from across the United States, setting a new record for the most votes for any presidential candidate in U.S. history.
Trump became just the 10th President to be elected, serve his term, then be rejected by the American people in his reelection attempt.
