Joe Biden Asks Americans to 'Hang on' as Pandemic Hijacks Holiday Celebrations

Joe Biden is asking Americans to 'hang on' as the coronavirus pandemic hijacks holiday [...]

By Stephen Andrew

Joe Biden is asking Americans to "hang on" as the coronavirus pandemic hijacks holiday celebrations around the country. In a video clip shared to his Twitter account, the president-elect and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, wished everyone a "Happy Thanksgiving," adding, "Thanksgiving has always been a special time for the Biden family. For us, we've had a long, long tradition of traveling to Nantucket with our big family — a large family — every Thanksgiving."

The former vice president then explained how the pandemic is affecting their family directly, saying, "We won't be doing that this year. This year, we'll be staying in Delaware with just a small group around our dinner table." He then added that the "small act of staying home" should be seen as "a shared sacrifice for the whole country — a statement of calm and purpose that says we care about one another, and we're all in this together." Jill then offered, "This has been a year filled with heartache and loss, yet there's still so much to be thankful for." She also gave her thanks for the many frontline workers who have been doing so much and "met this moment with kindness."

The video message comes as the couple also issued a joint op-ed for CNN, wherein they expounded on the need for Americans to practice social distancing during a time when COVID-19 cases are spiking, even though it can be tough. "It is not a small sacrifice. These moments with our loved ones -- time that's lost -- can't be returned," they wrote. "Yet, we know it's the price of protecting each other and one we don't pay alone. Isolated in our own dining rooms and kitchens, scattered from coast to coast, we are healing together."

The Bidens concluded their heartfelt message by writing, "May the emptiness at our tables and in our hearts be filled with memories of love and laughter. May we cherish our traditions, even when they are out of reach, and hold on to the hope of what's still to come. We're going to get through this together, even if we have to be apart."

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