(Washington) The midterm legislative elections represented “a good day for democracy”, welcomed President Joe Biden on Wednesday, whose Democratic camp limited the damage despite predictions that gave the Republicans a large lead in representatives room.
Posted at 4:33 p.m.
Updated at 6:25 p.m.
“We had an election yesterday. And it was a good day, I think, for democracy. And I think it was a good day for America,” he said at a press conference.
And “while the press and pundits were predicting a giant red wave, it didn’t happen,” he added, alluding to the color of the Republican Party.
The Conservatives were well placed on Wednesday to narrowly take control of the House after Tuesday’s poll, but their rivals held up better than expected, even maintaining their chances of keeping the Senate.
Joe Biden, however, acknowledged that “there are still a lot of people who are suffering”.
“Voters spoke clearly about their concerns, rising prices […] and the need to bring inflation down,” he said, also citing concerns about “crime and safety,” all of which Republicans have campaigned hard on.
But the Americans have also “sent a clear and unambiguous message that they want to preserve our democracy and protect the right to choose in this country”, he stressed, while the right to abortion, blasted this summer at the federal level by the Supreme Court, was one of the main themes of the campaign.
“I especially want to thank the young people in this country, of whom I have been told […] that they still voted at historic rates, just like two years ago,” the near octogenarian president said.
The Democrat also said he was “ready to work” with the Republican opposition and said he was open to all “good ideas”, indicating that the leaders of the other camp would soon be invited to the White House.
“The American people have made it clear, I think, that they expect the Republicans to be willing to work with me too,” he said.
US President Joe Biden reiterated on Wednesday “intends” to run for a second term in 2024, but will confirm it “early next year”.
“My intention is to represent myself,” said the Democratic leader during a press conference, specifying that it was however a “family decision”
Elon Musk’s links to consider
Elon Musk’s ties to foreign countries “deserve consideration”, added Joe Biden, in response to a question about whether the billionaire’s takeover of Twitter poses a threat to US national security.
“I think Elon Musk’s cooperation, and/or technical relationships with other countries are worth considering,” he said, visibly considering carefully the words used in his response.
The Democratic leader was responding to a question about the involvement of Saudi Prince Al-Walid bin Talal in the takeover of Twitter by the boss of the car manufacturer Tesla.
Prince al-Walid has indeed brought Elon Musk the almost 35 million shares he already held in the social network, directly and through his holdings in KHC, making him the group’s second largest shareholder.
Shortly after the takeover of Twitter in late October, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy tweeted that “we should be concerned that the Saudis, who have a clear interest in suppressing political expression and influencing American politics , are now the second owner of a major social media platform.
The senator also announced that he would ask the Senate Foreign Investment Committee to open an investigation into “the national security implications of the takeover of Twitter by Saudi Arabia”.
For Joe Biden, whether or not Mr. Musk “is doing something inappropriate, and I’m not implying that he is, it deserves to be looked at, that’s the only thing I can say about it “.
Until now little concerned with political and geopolitical questions, Elon Musk gave his opinion on several important subjects, in particular the war in Ukraine and the tensions between China and Taiwan.
In a first case, the billionaire proposed a solution involving the definitive cession of Crimea to Russia, “in order to repair the historic error of (Nikita) Khrushchev” as well as a real referendum in the predominantly Russian-speaking regions of the country in order to to decide on the future of these parts of Ukrainian territory.
Regarding Taiwan, Elon Musk spoke out in favor of a reunification of the two Chinas following negotiations between the two sides of the strait.
China is Tesla’s first market where the group has a factory in Shanghai.
In both cases, the businessman’s comments elicited positive reactions from both Moscow and Beijing.