JOE BIDEN has branded President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede defeat to the Democrat in the US election “an embarrassment”.
Trump is pursuing several lawsuits in the hope of several batches of votes in key swing states thrown out, having made several unsubstantiated claims of vote-rigging.
While none of the state-by-state results have been certified, all of the major TV networks have forecast the result in a practice entirely in keeping with the US electoral system.
However, Trump has so far refused to even contemplate handing over power to Biden.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meanwhile, told a news conference at the Department of State that once every "legal" vote was counted a "second Trump administration" would begin.
The president-elect appeared nonplussed by the claims and has even begun making contact with foreign leaders – including the Irish Taoiseach.
"I just think it's an embarrassment, quite frankly," Biden
"The only thing that, how can I say this tactfully, I think it will not help the president's legacy."
"At the end of the day, you know, it's all going to come to fruition on January 20 [inauguration day]," he added.
President-elect Joe Biden on Pres. Trump's refusal to concede the election: "I just think it's an embarrassment, quite frankly...How can I say this tactfully? I think it will not help the president's legacy." https://t.co/DGl9Mil15Q pic.twitter.com/G2nY6ClheS
— ABC News (@ABC) November 11, 2020
He also wasn’t fazed by the Republican reaction - four Senate Republicans out of 53 have congratulated him on his win- or Pompeo’s remarks.
“Look I am not pessimist. And I think there are enough Republicans who have already spoken out. I think there will be many more – not many more, there will be a larger number once the election is declared and I'm sworn in,” he said.
He also noted: “So far there is no evidence of any of the assertions made by the president or secretary of state Pompeo.”
The comments came on the same day Trump returned to Twitter to claim "massive ballot counting abuse" and "We will win!"
His comments are unlikely to bother Biden.
“The fact that they're not willing to acknowledge we won at this point is not of much consequence in our planning," the president-elect said.
Biden has so far spoken to the heads of state in Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and France.
“I'm letting them know that America is back,” he said.
