'We're going to win 2022': Biden and Harris tell DNC Holiday party they WILL win next year's midterms despite rampant inflation and the ongoing pandemic because the GOP are 'against everything'
President Joe Biden headlined the Democratic National Committee's glamorous holiday party on Tuesday night, giving a speech in which he touted his administration's agenda and railed against Republican objection to Democrats' voting rights legislation.
He said the GOP was following Donald Trump 'into the abyss' by fueling baseless claims the 2020 election was rigged.
'As Democrats, we stand for the people,' his VP Kamala Harris said in her own speech. 'And we will fight for the people.'
Hours after speaking to a 400-person audience full of top Democrats and DNC donors the president struck a more somber tone in a statement memorializing the 800,000 Americans who have died of COVID-19 so far.
He also expressed optimism for the upcoming 2022 midterm elections - despite his party's underwhelming performance in this year's races and his own sinking poll numbers.
President Joe Biden headlined the Democratic National Committee's glamorous holiday party on Tuesday night,
President Joe Biden speaks as first lady Jill Biden stands next to him at a Democratic National Committee holiday party
Biden points to first lady Jill Biden as she smiles as she pulls away from the podium at the DNC holiday party
Biden gave a speech in which he touted his administration's agenda and railed against Republican objection to Democrats' voting rights legislation
He said the GOP was following Donald Trump 'into the abyss' by fueling baseless claims the 2020 election was rigged
The remarks were delivered at the Hotel Washington. The event was held outdoors over Omicron concerns.
After spending several minutes talking about the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure investment and thanking his wealthy donors, Biden turned his attention to Democrats' struggle to pass federal voting rights legislation.
'The right to vote is under unrelenting assault by Republican governors, attorney generals, secretaries of state, state legislators. They're following my predecessor deep into the abyss,' Biden said.
'The struggle is no longer just who gets to vote or make it easy for eligible people to vote. It's about who gets to count the vote - whether your vote counts at all.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a holiday celebration for the Democratic National Committee at the Hotel Washington, in Washington, DC, USA, 14 December
Harris told the DNC Holiday party that she and Biden will win next years midterms despite rampant inflation and the ongoing pandemic because the GOP are 'against everything'
The VP appeared to be in good spirits, laughing and smiling during her speech at the holiday party
'It's a sinister combination of voter suppression and election subversion. It's un-American, it's undemocratic, it's unpatriotic and sadly, it is not unprecedented now.'
Attempts to safeguard voting rights on the federal level have been stymied by opposition from Republicans and some moderate Democrats.
Biden said the GOP was 'afraid even just to debate the bill.'
'This battle's not over, this door is not closed, we have to keep up the fight and get it done because our democracy depends on it,' the president warned.
He also took aim at Republican opposition to his agenda more broadly.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) pumps her fist she speaks at holiday celebration for Democratic National Committee
She made her remarks at the Hotel Washington. The event was held outdoors over Omicron concerns
fter spending several minutes talking about the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure investment and thanking his wealthy donors, Biden turned his attention to Democrats' struggle to pass federal voting rights legislation
'We know what we're for. But republicans don't seem to be for anything. Name me something they are for - they're against everything,' Biden said derisively.
He also predicted Democrats would keep their majority in next year's election, declaring: 'Now we look at 2022 - I want to tell my republican friends, get ready pal, you're in for a problem.'
He repeated himself a short while later, 'Let me say this again for the press: We're going to win in 2022.'
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also spoke at the event and praised Biden as the 'perfect' president to handle the inflation crisis and pandemic.
'Our country could not be better served than with this most experienced and capable hands than yours, President Biden,' she told the crowd. 'He's just perfect. The timing couldn't be better.'
Earlier during his speech Biden thanked donors and Democratic officials, telling them his 'biggest regret' was not granting them as much White House access as he'd hoped in his first year in office.
'It's a genuine regret, we haven't had the chance to personally thank so many of you who broke your neck for us, broke your neck for us when things didn't look good at all,' Biden said.
He likely won't get the opportunity until the new year, after the White House revealed it was canceling lavish holiday celebrations in lieu of limited 'tours' of First Lady Jill Biden's holiday decor.
The change, which was first reported by DailyMail.com, was made due to concerns over the Omicron variant.
Biden acknowledged the newest coronavirus mutation in a somber statement marking 800,000 COVID deaths since the pandemic began early last year.
During his speech Biden also took aim at Trump - without mentioning him by name
'As we head into the winter and confront a new variant, we must resolve to keep fighting this virus together. This means getting vaccinated and getting your booster shot, and taking other prevention measures, such as masking,' Biden wrote in the statement released by the White House.
'As we mark the tragic milestone of 800,000 American deaths due to COVID-19, we remember each person and the lives they lived, and we pray for the loved ones left behind.
'I know what it's like to stare at an empty chair around the kitchen table, especially during the holiday season, and my heart aches for every family enduring this pain.'
The staggering figure is now double the 400,000 deaths reached on Donald Trump's last full day in office on January 19.
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