WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is looking to close his two-day virtual Summit for Democracy on Friday by shining a spotlight on the importance of election integrity, countering authoritarian regimes and bolstering independent media. Biden didn’t mention either China or Russia by name as he opened the summit. Biden underscored that even long-established democracies, like the United States, haven’t been immune to the strains. “Here in the United States we know as well as anyone that renewing our democracy and strengthening our democratic institutions requires constant effort,” Biden said. Thursday’s video gathering drew backlash from the United States’ chief adversaries and other nations that were not invited.
