Biden And Trump Offer Jarring Contrast Minutes Apart On Thanksgiving Eve

"[The virus has] divided us, angered us, set us against one another," Biden said while speaking at the Queen theater. "I know the country has grown weary of the fight. But we need to remember: We're at war with the virus, not with one another."

Citing the sacrifices of doctors, nurses and other frontline workers, Biden called on Americans to redouble their efforts in combating the virus, referring to basic health safety measures such as social distance and mask-wearing as a "patriotic duty."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging people to stay home and not travel for Thanksgiving to help prevent the spread of the virus. Nevertheless, millions of Americans are still traveling for the holiday.

To Combat The Pandemic, Biden Will Aim To Depoliticize Mask-Wearing
POLITICS
To Combat The Pandemic, Biden Will Aim To Depoliticize Mask-Wearing
Biden said he will go without his traditional large family gathering on Thursday, opting instead to celebrate Thanksgiving with a small group of his wife, daughter and son-in-law.

"I know how hard it is to forgo family traditions, but it is so very important," Biden said. "Our country is in the middle of a dramatic spike in cases. ... That is the plain and simple truth, and I believe you deserve to always hear the truth from your president."

Trump spoke at a Gettysburg, Pa., hearing as one of his attorneys, Jenna Ellis, held her phone up on speakerphone. He recited false claims including that Republican poll observers were denied access to voting sites and threatened by Democrats, and that voting machines were tampered with.

The Trump campaign and GOP allies have filed nearly three dozen post-election lawsuits, and nearly every case has been dismissed, mostly because none of the claims have stood up to legal scrutiny and conventional standards of evidence.

As States Certify Ballot Totals, An Extraordinary Election Comes To An End
ELECTIONS
As States Certify Ballot Totals, An Extraordinary Election Comes To An End
Trump has touted his administration's response to the pandemic, including halting some travel from China and getting vaccines on the cusp of approval.

Biden acknowledged the Americans who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus, reflecting on the loss of family members he's experienced in his own life.

"I remember that first Thanksgiving, the empty chair, the silence — [it] takes your breath away. It's really hard to care. It's hard to give thanks. It's hard to even think of looking forward, it's so hard to hope," he said.