Joe Biden and President Donald Trump delivered totally different messages on Christmas Day on Friday, with President-elect emphasizing in a video the pain that the Covid-19 pandemic caused and reminded Americans of “our common humanity”, while Trump made only a tenuous reference to the coronavirus.
“Jill and I wish you and your family peace, joy, health and happiness this season. But we know that for many of you in our country this has been a very difficult year,” said Biden in a video message with his wife. . “And we are remembered in this age of hope, our common humanity and what we are called to do for each other.”
“Many of our American citizens are struggling to find work, literally putting food on the table, paying rent or mortgage, remembering that we are on this earth to take care of each other, give what we can and be a source of help and hope for friends and strangers, “added Biden.
He also emphasized that he and Jill Biden would not see relatives this year, to honor public health guidelines made necessary by the pandemic.
“For the Bidens, we usually have 20 to 25 people for dinner on Christmas Eve, but not this year,” said the president-elect. “We are going to miss our family, but it is what we need to do to keep our families safe. We hope you will consider limiting travel to family reunions this year as well.”
Nearly 330,000 Americans died of Covid-19, and there are more than 18.7 million confirmed cases of the virus in the USA
Meanwhile, Trump issued a formal statement from the White House that did not specifically mention the pandemic.
His only acknowledgment was that “our meetings may look different from those of previous years”.
Instead, he sent “warm wishes” from himself and First Lady Melania Trump “to all Americans as we celebrate Christmas.”
“Although our meetings may seem different from previous years, this Christmas, like every Christmas, is an opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to show our sincere gratitude for the abundant blessings that God has bestowed on our lives and country”, said the message from the Trumps. “In this time of peace, we value the warmth, generosity and faith that bring our holiday meetings to life. The love we share with our family and friends fills our hearts with joy, just as the story of Christ’s birth inspires people all over the world the world. “
Trump also offered his thanks to the families of military personnel, first responders, police and medical professionals on the frontline who “work tirelessly to serve and protect our communities”.
In a video posted on Twitter on Christmas Eve, Trump and Melania Trump, however, addressed the pandemic at length.
“We are fighting a global pandemic that has affected us all,” said Melania Trump in that video, offering her thanks to rescuers, doctors, military personnel, teachers and many others.
Trump added that “we are delivering millions of doses of a safe and effective vaccine that will soon end this terrible pandemic.”