Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) is criticizing former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for saying Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden “should not concede under any circumstances” if he loses the November election.
“I disagree with Hillary Clinton. I respect her, I like her, but I think she’s just flat out wrong. The election itself is going to be announced, the winner will be announced at some point,” Durbin said.
He added, “It will take longer with all the paper ballots that are being cast. But at some point, I hope by choice, Joe Biden is elected president. But, if we are going to maintain a democracy, peaceful transition through an election is the only way to do it.”
Durbin explained whoever wins, if it is both fair and legal, the results should be announced and the opposing party should concede.
Watch his remarks below:
“I think she's flat out wrong,” Sen. Durbin tells @GStephanopoulos on Hillary Clinton saying Biden “should not concede under any circumstances.”
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 27, 2020
“If we are going to maintain a democracy, peaceful transition through an election is the only way to do it.” https://t.co/YZvScZngRe pic.twitter.com/IBcvLXGAH5
Durbin’s comments follow President Donald Trump’s failure to commit to ensuring there is a peaceful transfer of power after the presidential election, as IJR previously reported.
During an interview with MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle on Friday, Biden took a swing Trump for his remarks, as IJR previously reported.
“The whole notion of him talking about this…is to take our eye off the ball,” Biden said.
Trump has expressed concerns over the results of the election due to the influx of mail-in ballots.
The president said on Friday voters might not know the winner for months.
“It’s very unlikely that you’re going to hear a winner that night,” Trump said.
He added, “I could be leading and then they’ll just keep getting ballots, and ballots, and ballots and ballots. Because now they’re saying the ballots can come in late.”
Despite Trump’s criticism of mail-in ballots, FBI Director Christopher Wray dismissed claims of widespread mail-in voter fraud in significant elections.