Biden crosses threshold to clinch Democratic presidential nomination

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a rally in Philadelphia May 18, 2019. Joe Biden on Saturday kicked off his running campaign for the 2020 presidential election in Philadelphia. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"I am going to spend every day between now and Nov. 3 fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along," says Joe Biden.

WASHINGTON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Friday crossed the threshold for Democratic presidential nomination, according to an estimate by the Associated Press, locking up a contest for the White House with incumbent President Donald Trump later this year.

The AP projected that Biden, now the sole remaining presidential candidate in the Democratic Party -- thus its presumptive nominee -- has won 1,993 delegates to the national convention, surpassed the benchmark number of 1,991 needed for nomination.

The estimate came as Biden swept primaries in seven states and the District of Columbia Tuesday. Although the votes were still being counted, Bernie Sanders, the senator from Vermont who suspended his presidential campaign in April but remained on the ballot to gain delegates, failed to reach the 15 percent threshold to receive delegates in several contests, yielding more delegates to Biden.

"It was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded -- and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party," Biden said in a statement Friday night.

"I am going to spend every day between now and Nov. 3 fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along," he said.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, former U.S. vice president, attends a caucus night rally with his wife Jill Biden at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, the United States, Feb. 3, 2020. Iowa, a state in the Midwestern United States, is holding Democratic and Republican caucuses Monday night, kicking off the 2020 U.S. presidential primary. (Photo by Joel Lerner/Xinhua)

This year's presidential election came at a time when the United States is plagued by the coronavirus pandemic that has frozen the national economy, and when protests against racial injustice erupted and persisted nationwide following the killing of George Floyd, a black man, under the custody of white police in Minneapolis.

"This is a difficult time in America's history. And Donald Trump's angry, divisive politics is no answer," Biden said, as Trump threatened deploying active-duty military forces to quell the unrest.

"The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together," the 77-year-old former senator from Delaware said. "We need an economy that works for everyone -- now. We need jobs that bring dignity -- now. We need equal justice -- and equal opportunities -- for every American now. We need a president who cares about helping us heal -- now."

U.S. President Barack Obama(2nd R), Vice President Joe Biden(2nd L), Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford(1st L), and Defense Secretary Ash Carter(1st R), attend an Armed Forces Full Honor Farewell Ceremony for the president at Joint Base Myer-Henderson in Washington D.C., the United States on Jan. 4, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

There are still primaries to be held in eight states and three U.S. territories before the Democratic Party holds its national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in August, at which Biden will officially accept the nomination.

Biden has served in the U.S. Senate for 36 years before becoming Vice President of the United States in 2009, serving two terms in former President Barack Obama's administration.

Bidding for presidency for the third time, he has vowed to choose a female running mate. Among the potential choices are senators Kamala Harris of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts -- all of whom used to be his rivals in the Democratic race during this election circle.

Biden has been leading Trump in most of the national polls and in battleground states over recent months, according to data compiled by polling website RealClearPolitics. The Election Day falls on Nov. 3.  ■