AND WELCOME WE ARE LIVE
IN MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
THIS IS A CNN PRESIDENTIAL TOWN HALL THE FIRST WITH
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
I'M ANDERSON COOPER 500
000 FELLOW CITIZENS
HAVE DIED FROM COVID
19 MILLIONS OUT OF WORK
AND A NATION DANGEROUSLY DIVIDED
TONIGHT WE WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS
FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
THE PRESIDENT WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ON
HIS FIRST OFFICIAL TRIP SINCE TAKING OFFICE
SOME OF THE QUESTIONERS HERE VOTED FOR HIM SOME DID
NOT THE PRESIDENT AND I WILL NOT BE WEARING MASKS
ON THIS STAGE
HE HAS BEEN VACCINATED
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS I REPEATEDLY
TESTED NEGATIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS
AS EARLY AS YESTERDAY AND THIS MORNING AS WELL
WE WILL
BE KEEPING OUR DISTANCE FROM ONE ANOTHER AND THE AUDIENCE
IS
LIMITED SOCIALLY DISTANCED AND ALL WEARING MASKS WHEN THEY'RE SEATED
WITH THAT I WANT TO WELCOME THE 46th PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
APPLAUSE HOW ARE YOU SIR
HEY
FOLKS
HOW
ARE
YOU
GOOD
TO
BE
BACK MAN IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU SIR
AND
YOU KNOW YOU ENJOY BEING HOME WITH THE BABY MORE
I DO YES
HE'S 9 1 2 MONTHS SO I'M VERY HAPPY NO
NO EVERYBODY KNOWS I LIKE KIDS BETTER THAN PEOPLE I
SAW A PICTURE OF YOU WITH YOUR GRANDSON RECENTLY THAT'S
RIGHT
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN THE AUDIENCE WE
HAVE ABOUT 50 OR SO PEOPLE HERE THEY'RE ALL SOCIALLY
DISTANCED WE HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO VOTED FOR YOU AND
SOME FOLKS WHO DID NOT
WE WANT TO GET IN AS MANY QUESTIONS
AS POSSIBLE BEFORE WE GET TO THAT I WANT TO
START WITH A COUPLE OF
BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PANDEMIC AND WHERE WE ARE
RIGHT NOW SURE
NEW CASES OF COVID 19
HOSPITALIZATIONS
HAVE FALLEN BY HALF THIS LAST MONTH SO HAVE NEW
CASES
THERE'S THIS POTENTIAL
THREAT POTENTIAL SURGE FROM
THE VARIANTS
COMING DOWN THE PIKE POTENTIALLY
WHEN IS EVERY AMERICAN WHO WANTS IT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A VACCINE
BY THE END OF JULY THIS YEAR WE HAVE
WE CAME INTO OFFICE THERE WAS ONLY
50 MILLION
DOSES THAT WERE AVAILABLE
BY THE END OF JULY WE'LL HAVE OVER 600
MILLION DOSES
ENOUGH TO VACCINATE EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN
WHEN YOU SAY
APPLAUSE
WHEN YOU SAY BY THE END OF JULY
DO YOU MEAN
THAT THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE
OR THAT
PEOPLE WILL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET THEM BECAUSE
DR FAUCI THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE
THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE BE AVAILABLE
HERE LOOK
WHAT WE DID WE GOT INTO OFFICE AND FOUND OUT
THE SUPPLY THERE WAS NO BACKLOG
I MEAN
THERE WAS NOTHING
IN THE REFRIGERATOR
FIGURATIVELY AND LITERALLY SPEAKING
AND THERE ARE 10 MILLION
DOSES A DAY THAT WERE AVAILABLE
WE'VE UPPED THAT IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS THAT WE
WERE IN OFFICE
TO
SIGNIFICANTLY
MORE THAN THAT
WE'VE MOVED OUT WENT TO THE PFIZER
AND MODERNA AND SAID CAN YOU PRODUCE MORE VACCINE
AND MORE RAPIDLY
THEY NOT ONLY AGREED TO GO
FROM 200 TO 400
THEN THEY'VE AGREED TO GO TO 600 MILLION
DOSES
AND WE GOT THEM TO MOVE UP THE TIME BECAUSE
WE USED THE NATIONAL DEFENSE ACT TO BE ABLE TO
HELP
THE MANUFACTURING
PIECE OF IT TO GET MORE EQUIPMENT AND SO ON
SO IF END OF APRIL
EXCUSE ME END OF JULY
THEY'RE AVAILABLE
TO ACTUALLY GET THEM IN THE ARMS OF PEOPLE WHO
WANT THEM THAT WILL TAKE WHAT A COUPLE MORE MONTHS
WELL NO A LOT WILL BE VACCINATED IN THE MEANTIME
THERE'S JUST NOT ALL OF A SUDDEN 600 MILLION DOSES
ARE GOING TO APPEAR
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO
INCREASE AS WE MOVE ALONG
AND
WE'LL HAVE REACHED 400
MILLION
BY THE END OF MAY AND 600 MILLION BY THE
END OF BY THE END OF JULY
AND
THE BIGGEST THING THOUGH AS YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU AND
I
I SHOULDN'T SAY IT THAT WAY AS YOU REMEMBER
WE TALKED ABOUT
IT'S ONE THING ABOUT THE VACCINE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE
WHEN WE CAME INTO OFFICE
BUT A VACCINATOR
HOW DO YOU GET
IT INTO SOMEONE'S ARM YOU
NEED THE NEEDLE YOU NEED THE
MECHANISMS
TO BE ABLE TO GET IT IN YOU HAVE TO
HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN INJECT
IT INTO PEOPLE'S ARMS THAT'S BEEN A PROBLEM JUST GETTING
ENOUGH PEOPLE NOW
WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT
STRIDES
INCREASING
THE NUMBER OF VACCINATORS
I ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER ALLOWING
FORMER RETIRED DOCS AND NURSES TO DO IT WE HAVE
OVER A THOUSAND MILITARY PERSONNEL
THE CDC
EXCUSE
ME THE
WE HAVE GOTTEN THE
NATIONAL GUARD ENGAGED
SO WE HAVE
SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF
VACCINATORS PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY
BE THERE PLUS WE'VE OPENED UP A CONSIDERABLE
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS
WHERE YOU CAN GET THE VACCINATION
I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO
A MECHANICAL ENGINEER FOR A VEHICLE COMPANY WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION
WELCOME TO WAUKEE
HOW YOU DOING GOOD MY QUESTION IS REGARDING
EDUCATION
CONSIDERING THE HYBRID AND VIRTUAL SCHOOL INSTRUCTION HAVE BEEN IN
PLACE FOR NEARLY A YEAR NOW
WHAT IS THE PLAN AND RECOMMENDATION
TO GET STUDENTS BACK INTO THE BRICK AND MORTAR BUILDINGS
AS A PARENT OF FOUR CHILDREN I FIND IT IMPERATIVE
THEY GET BACK TO SCHOOL AS SAFELY
AS POSSIBLE
MY MOTHER WOULD SAY GOD BLESS YOU SON NO PURGATORY
FOR YOU
FOUR KIDS AT HOME I MEAN IT
THE LOSS OF BEING ABLE TO BE IN SCHOOL IS
HAVING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE CHILDREN
AND PARENTS AS WELL
WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT
MAKE IT RATIONAL
AND EASY TO GO BACK TO THE BRICK AND MORTAR
BUILDING
ONE FIRST OF ALL MAKING SURE EVERYBODY
IS WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR IT'S AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS
AS WELL AS TO TEACHERS
THE
JANITORS
THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE CAFETERIA
THE BUS DRIVERS
SECONDLY
ORGANIZING
IN SMALLER PODS WHICH MEANS THAT'S WHY WE NEED MORE
TEACHERS INSTEAD OF A CLASSROOM
OF 30 KIDS IN IT YOU HAVE THREE CLASSES OF
TEN KIDS EACH
I'M MAKING THE NUMBER UP
LESS
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LITERALLY
TEN
IN ADDITION TO THAT
WE ALSO HAVE INDICATED
THAT IT IS MUCH BETTER
AND IT'S MUCH EASIER
TO SEND KIDS K THROUGH 8 BACK
BECAUSE THEY ARE LESS LIKELY
TO COMMUNICATE
THE DISEASE TO SOMEBODY ELSE
BUT BECAUSE KIDS
IN SOPHOMORES
JUNIORS AND SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL
THEY SOCIALIZE
A LOT MORE AND THEY'RE OLDER AND THEY TRANSMIT
MORE THAN YOUNG KIDS DO
IT'S HARDER TO GET THOSE SCHOOLS OPEN
WITHOUT HAVING
EVERYTHING FROM
THE VENTILATION
SYSTEMS
AND
HAVING FOR EXAMPLE
SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS
YOU KNOW WE GOT
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE
60 KIDS OR HOWEVER MANY
DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL BUS
SITTING TWO ABREAST IN EVERY SINGLE SEAT
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO
SHORT OF AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE VACCINATING
TEACHERS
WE SHOULD MOVE THEM UP IN THE HIERARCHY AS WELL
WELL LET ME ASK YOU
YOUR ADMINISTRATION
HAD SET A GOAL TO OPEN THE MAJORITY OF SCHOOLS
IN YOUR FIRST 100 DAYS
YOU'RE NOW SAYING THAT MEANS THOSE SCHOOLS MAY ONLY BE
OPEN FOR AT LEAST ONE DAY A WEEK NO THAT'S
NOT TRUE THAT'S WHAT WAS REPORTED
THAT'S NOT TRUE
IT WAS A MISTAKE IN THE COMMUNICATION
BUT
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT
IS I SAID OPENING
THE MAJORITY
OF SCHOOLS
IN K
THROUGH
8th GRADE
BECAUSE THEY'RE THE EASIEST TO OPEN
THE MOST NEEDED TO BE OPEN IN TERMS OF THE
IMPACT ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
HAVING TO STAY HOME SO WHEN DO YOU THINK THAT
WOULD BE K THROUGH 8 AT LEAST FIVE DAYS A
WEEK IF POSSIBLE I THINK WE'LL BE CLOSE TO THAT
AT THE END OF THE FIRST 100 DAYS WE HAVE
A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THEM BEING ABLE TO BE OPENED
MY
GUESS IS THEY'RE GOING TO PROBABLY BE PUSHING
TO OPEN
ALL
SUMMER TO CONTINUE LIKE IT'S A DIFFERENT SEMESTER
DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE FIVE DAYS A WEEK
OR JUST A COUPLE I THINK
MANY OF THEM FIVE DAYS A WEEK THE GOAL WILL
BE FIVE DAYS A WEEK
NOW IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER
TO OPEN UP THE HIGH SCHOOLS
FOR THE REASONS I SAID
JUST LIKE IF YOU NOTICE
THE CONTAGION FACTOR IN COLLEGES
IS MUCH HIGHER
THAN IT IS IN HIGH SCHOOLS OR GRADE SCHOOLS
I WANT YOU TO MEET
THIS IS JUSTIN
HE'S A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FROM MILWAUKEE HE'S A DEMOCRAT
JUSTIN
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION WHAT DO
YOU TEACH
I TEACH ENGLISH
HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH THAT'S WHAT MY WIFE TEACHES GOD
BLESS YOU
THANK YOU MR PRESIDENT
SO
WHEN'S YOUR TRANSITION TO IN PERSON LEARNING
WHILE THERE ARE NUMEROUS WARNINGS NOT TO BE IN LARGE
GROUPS OR HAVE DINNER PARTIES WHY IS
IT OKAY TO PUT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY
TO EACH OTHER
FOR AN ENTIRE DAY DAY AFTER DAY WITH LARGE CLASS
SIZES
AND OUTDATED
VENTILATION SYSTEMS
HOW AND WHEN DO YOU SUPPOSE THIS WILL OCCUR
AND
DO YOU BELIEVE ALL STAFF SHOULD BE VACCINATED
BEFORE DOING SO
NUMBER ONE
NOBODY IS SUGGESTING
INCLUDING THE CDC IN ITS RECENT
REPORT
THAT YOU HAVE LARGE CLASSES
CONGESTED
CLASSES
IT'S SMALLER
CLASSES
MORE VENTILATION
MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS MASKS AND IS SOCIALLY DISTANCED
MEANING YOU HAVE
LESS
FEWER STUDENTS IN ONE ROOM
MAKING SURE THAT
EVERYONE FROM THE SANITATION
WORKERS WHO WORK
IN THE LAVATORIES AND THE BATHROOMS AND DOING
THE MAINTENANCE
THAT THEY ARE IN FACT
ABLE TO BE PROTECTED AS WELL
MAKING SURE YOU'RE IN A SITUATION
WHERE
YOU DON'T HAVE THE CONGREGATION
OF A LOT OF PEOPLE AS I SAID INCLUDING THE
SCHOOL BUS
INCLUDING GETTING ON A SCHOOL BUS SO IT'S ABOUT
NEEDING TO BE ABLE TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE
SMALLER CLASSES
MORE PROTECTION
AND I THINK THE TEACHERS AND
THE FOLKS WHO WORK IN THE SCHOOL THE CAFETERIA WORKERS
AND OTHERS SHOULD BE ON THE LIST OF PREFERRED TO
GET A VACCINATION
I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO
KARI AN INDEPENDENT FROM OAK CREEK KARI WELCOME GO AHEAD
KARI
HOW ARE YOU
VERY GOOD THANK YOU
OUR 19 YEAR OLD SON WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH PEDIATRICS
COPD
AT THE AGE OF 14
WE'RE TOLD HE HAS THE LUNGS OF A 60 YEAR
OLD
HE DOES ALL HE CAN TO PROTECT HIMSELF
LAST MONTH HE EVEN REMOVED HIMSELF FROM THE CAMPUS OF
U W MADISON
AS HE FEELS IT'S SAFER
AND HE HAS LESS EXPOSURE
HERE AT HOME
WE'VE TRIED ALL WE CAN TO GET HIM A VACCINE
I HEAR OF OTHERS WHO ARE LESS VULNERABLE
GETTING IT BASED ON FAR LESS
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN TO VACCINATE
THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE SOONER
TO GIVE THEM A PRIORITY
WELL THE ANSWER IS YES THERE ARE BUT HERE'S HOW
IT WORKS
THE STATES
MAKE THE DECISIONS
ON WHO IS
IN WHAT ORDER
I CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS
AND FOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS I CAN DO THAT AS PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES
BUT I CAN'T TELL THE STATE YOU MUST
MOVE SUCH AND SUCH A GROUP OF PEOPLE UP BUT
HERE'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO
IF YOU'RE WILLING I'LL STAY AROUND AFTER THIS IS OVER
AND MAYBE WE CAN TALK A FEW MINUTES AND SEE
IF I CAN GET YOU SOME HELP
APPLAUSE
LET ME JUST ASK YOU THOUGH
JOHNSON JOHNSON COULD BE AUTHORIZED A NEW VACCINE FROM THEM
COULD BE AUTHORIZED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT WOULD
BE A BIG DEAL
YES IT WOULD BRINGING A LOT MORE VACCINES
ON MILLIONS OF MORE DOSES TO THE SUPPLY
ONCE THAT HAPPENS GIVEN THE URGENCY
OF THESE VARIANTS AND THE POTENTIAL THREAT
SHOULD STATES STOP
GIVING PRIORITY TO CERTAIN GROUPS AND START OPENING VACCINE ACCESS
FOR EVERYBODY IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH THEY HAVE AVAILABLE
I THINK THERE STILL SHOULD BE PRIORITY GROUPS IN CASE
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE
AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY
AND LOOK
WE DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN LET ME TELL YOU WHAT
MY
NATIONAL COVID TEAM
HAS SAID
THAT THE VARIANTS
BY VARIANTS YOU MEAN THE BRAZILIAN STRAIN THE SOUTH AFRICAN
STRAIN THE BRITISH STRAIN LONDON ET CETERA
THUS FAR
THUS FAR THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE EXISTING
VACCINATIONS
AVAILABLE FROM
MODERNA AND PFIZER
DO NOT
EITHER
MAKE SURE THAT THEY APPLY
THEY WORK AS WELL AGAINST THE STRAIN IN THE UNITED
STATES
AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THEY'RE NOT HELPFUL SO
IF YOU CAN GET A VACCINATION
GET IT WHENEVER YOU CAN GET IT REGARDLESS
OF THE OTHER STRAINS THAT ARE OUT THERE THERE ARE
STUDIES
GOING ON TO DETERMINE
IT'S NOT ONLY MORE COMMUNICABLE
BUT
DO THE VACCINES
NOT
PROVIDE
HELPFUL
PROTECTION
BY GETTING THE VACCINE
THERE ARE SOME SPECULATION
I SHOULDN'T I GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL HERE BECAUSE
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THIS
IT MAY BE THAT
A CERTAIN VACCINATION
FOR A CERTAIN STRAIN
MAY
REDUCE
FROM 95
TO A LOWER PERCENTAGE
OF
CERTAINTY
THAT IT WILL KEEP YOU FROM GETTING
IT MAY NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE
AS THAT MAY NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE AGAINST A VARIANT
BUT IT WOULD STILL BE EFFECTIVE STILL BE EFFECTIVE
SO THE CLEAR NOTION IS
IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE
IF IT'S AVAILABLE
GET
THE VACCINE
GET THE VACCINE
I WANT YOU TO MEET THIS IS
DESI
LEVY A DEMOCRAT FROM MILWAUKEE
A REGISTERED NURSE FORMER ACADEMIC DEAN SHE'S ALSO CURRENTLY THE
DIRECTOR OF A FAITH BASED NONPROFIT
IF
THERE'S ANY ANGELS IN HEAVEN
THEY'RE ALL NURSES
MALE AND FEMALE
DOCTORS LET YOU LIVE NURSES MAKE YOU WANT TO LIVE
I CAN TELL YOU
AS A CONSUMER OF HEALTH CARE
IN MY FAMILY YOU'RE WONDERFUL THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU
DO
GOD BLESS YOU
MR PRESIDENT
HELLO
MY NAME IS DR
DESSIE LEVY
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS CONSIDERING
COVID
19
AND ITS SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT
ON BLACK AMERICANS
ESPECIALLY
HERE IN MILWAUKEE
AND THUS THE EXACERBATION
OF OUR RACIAL DISPARITIES
IN HEALTH CARE
WE HAVE SEEN LESS THAN 3
OF BLACKS
AND LESS THAN
5 OF HISPANICS
GIVEN
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VACCINES THAT HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED
TO THIS POINT
IS THIS A PRIORITY
FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
AND HOW WILL THE DISPARITIES
BE ADDRESSED
AND
THAT'S BOTH LOCALLY
AND NATIONALLY
WELL FIRST OF ALL IT IS A PRIORITY
NUMBER ONE
NUMBER TWO THERE'S TWO REASONS
FOR
IT BEING THE WAY IT IS
NUMBER ONE
THERE IS SOME HISTORY
OF BLACKS BEING USED AS GUINEA PIGS IN OTHER EXPERIMENTS
AS I NEED NOT TELL YOU DOCTOR OVER THE LAST
50 TO 75 100
YEARS IN AMERICA
SO THERE'S A CONCERN
ABOUT GETTING
THE VACCINE WHETHER IT'S AVAILABLE OR NOT
BUT THE BIGGEST PART OF IT IS ACCESS
PHYSICAL ACCESS THAT'S WHY
LAST WEEK I OPENED UP I MET WITH THE BLACK
CAUCUS IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
AND AGREED THAT I WOULD ALL
OF
THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
NOW
WHICH TAKE CARE OF THE
TOUGHEST OF THE TOUGHEST
NEIGHBORHOODS
IN TERMS OF
ILLNESS
THEY ARE GOING TO GET
A MILLION DOSES
YOU KNOW A WEEK IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
FORWARD
BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SECONDLY
WE HAVE OPENED UP AND I'M MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S
DOSES OF VACCINE
FOR
OVER 6
700
PHARMACIES
BECAUSE ALMOST EVERYONE LIVES WITHIN
NOT ALWAYS WALKING DISTANCE BUT WITHIN
THE DISTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE PHARMACY
LIKE WHEN YOU GOT YOUR FLU SHOT
THAT IS ALSO NOW BEING OPENED
THIRDLY
I ALSO AM PROVIDING FOR
MOBILE
VANS MOBILE
UNITS TO GO INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE HARD TO GET
TO
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
FOR EXAMPLE
EVEN THOUGH
EVERYONE IS WITHIN
YOU KNOW BASICALLY
FIVE MILES
OF A WALGREEN'S
LET'S SAY
THE FACT IS IF YOU'RE 70 YEARS OLD YOU DON'T
HAVE A VEHICLE
AND YOU LIVE IN A TOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD
MEANING
IT'S A HIGH CONCENTRATION
OF COVID
YOU'RE NOT LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO WALK FIVE MILES
TO GO GET A VACCINE
THE OTHER THING WE FOUND IS I'M SORRY TO GO
ON BUT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME
THE
OTHER
PORTION IS A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO
REGISTER NOT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY
IN THE HISPANIC
AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
PARTICULARLY IN
RURAL AREAS THAT ARE DISTANT AND OR INNER CITY
DISTRICTS
KNOW HOW TO USE
KNOW HOW TO GET ONLINE TO DETERMINE HOW TO GET
IN LINE
FOR
THAT COVID VACCINATION
AT THE WALGREEN'S
OR AT THE PARTICULAR STORE
SO WE'RE ALSO
I'VE COMMITTED TO SPEND A BILLION DOLLARS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION
TO HELP PEOPLE FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN GET IN
THERE WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO SET UP MASS
VACCINATION
CENTERS
LIKE PLACES IN
STADIUMS
AND THE LIKE ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT
THE ROLLOUT OF THIS ONLINE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY
CONFUSING FOR
A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT JUST YOU KNOW OLDER PEOPLE
IT'S YOUNGER PEOPLE JUST TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO
GET A VACCINE YES AND I HAVE BECAUSE LOOK AT
WHAT WE INHERITED
WE INHERITED A CIRCUMSTANCE
HERE
WHERE
NOW FOR THE FIRST WE DID A LOT IN THE
FIRST TWO WEEKS
A CIRCUMSTANCE
WHERE NUMBER ONE
THERE WEREN'T MANY VACCINATORS
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHERE YOU COULD GO GET A VACCINE
ADMINISTERED TO YOU BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE TO PUT
IT IN YOUR ARM NUMBER ONE
NUMBER TWO
THERE WAS VERY LITTLE FEDERAL
GUIDANCE AS OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR
HOW TO FIND OUT WHERE IN FACT YOU COULD GO
YOU CAN GO ONLINE
AND EVERY SINGLE STATE NOW
HAS A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT
MECHANISM
BY WHICH THEY SAY WHO'S QUALIFIED
WHERE YOU CAN GET THE VACCINES
AND SO ON SO IT'S ALL ABOUT TRYING TO
MORE
RATIONALIZE
IN DETAIL
SO
ORDINARY
PEOPLE LIKE ME CAN UNDERSTAND
I MEAN THAT SINCERELY
MY
GRANDCHILDREN
CAN USE
THAT ONLINE
YOU KNOW MAKE ME LOOK LIKE I'M
YOU KNOW THE SEVENTH CENTURY
BUT ALL KIDDING ASIDE
THIS IS A PROCESS
IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME
THINK OF WHAT WE DIDN'T DO
AND YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING THE CAMPAIGN
WE DIDN'T DO FROM THE TIME IT HIT THE
UNITED STATES
YOU'RE GOING TO INJECT SOMETHING IN YOUR ARM IT'S GOING
TO GO AWAY YOU'RE GOING TO BE
DONE BY EASTER
WE WASTED SO
MUCH
TIME
SO MUCH TIME
ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT VACCINES THIS IS JESSICA SALAS
SHE'S AN INDEPENDENT FROM MILWAUKEE A GRAPHIC DESIGNER JESSICA WELCOME
THANK YOU
AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS IS VERY REAL
AND VERY SCARY
AND IT'S ESPECIALLY SCARY FOR CHILDREN WHO MAY OR MAY
NOT UNDERSTAND
MY CHILDREN LEYLA 8 HERE AND MY SON MATEO 7
AT HOME
OFTEN ASK IF THEY WILL CATCH COVID AND IF THEY
DO WILL THEY DIE
THEY ARE WATCHING AS OTHERS GET THE VACCINE
AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN WILL KIDS BE
ABLE TO GET THE VACCINE WELL FIRST OF ALL HONEY
WHAT'S YOUR FIRST NAME
LEYLA
BEAUTIFUL NAME
FIRST OF ALL
KIDS DON'T
GET COVID VERY OFTEN IT'S UNUSUAL
FOR THAT TO HAPPEN
THEY DON'T
THE EVIDENCE SO FAR IS CHILDREN AREN'T THE PEOPLE MOST
LIKELY TO GET
COVID NUMBER ONE
NUMBER TWO
WE HAVEN'T EVEN DONE TESTS YET ON CHILDREN AS TO
WHETHER OR NOT
THE CERTAIN VACCINES WOULD WORK OR NOT WORK OR WHAT
IS NEEDED
SO
YOU'RE THE SAFEST GROUP OF PEOPLE
IN THE WHOLE WORLD NUMBER ONE
NUMBER TWO
YOU'RE NOT LIKELY
TO BE ABLE TO BE EXPOSED
TO SOMETHING AND SPREAD IT TO MOMMY OR DADDY
AND IT'S NOT LIKELY MOMMY AND DADDY ARE ABLE TO
SPREAD IT TO YOU EITHER SO
I WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT IT BABY I PROMISE YOU
BUT I KNOW IT'S KIND OF WORRISOME
ARE YOU IN FIRST GRADE SECOND GRADE
SECOND OH YOU'RE GETTING OLD
SECOND
GRADE
WELL
HAS YOUR SCHOOL HAVE YOU BEEN IN SCHOOL HONEY
NO
SEE
THAT'S KIND OF A SCARY THING TOO
YOU DON'T GET TO GO TO SCHOOL YOU DON'T GET
TO SEE YOUR FRIENDS
AND
SO WHAT A LOT OF KIDS
AND BIG PEOPLE TOO OLDER PEOPLE
THEY JUST THEIR WHOLE LIVES HAVE SORT OF CHANGED LIKE
WHEN IT USED TO IT USED TO BE YOU JUST
GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND GET IN
THE SCHOOL BUS AND GO TO SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING WAS
NORMAL
AND NOW WHEN THINGS CHANGE PEOPLE GET REALLY WORRIED AND
SCARED
BUT DON'T BE SCARED HONEY
DON'T BE SCARED YOU'RE GOING TO BE FINE
AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE MOMMY'S FINE TOO
APPLAUSE YOU KNOW LET ME ASK YOU
LET ME ASK YOU JUST FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING
OUT THERE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
SCARED AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HURTING
WHEN DO YOU THINK THIS PANDEMIC
IS
I MEAN WHEN ARE WE WHEN'S IT GOING TO BE
DONE WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL
WELL YOU KNOW
ALL THE EXPERTS
ALL THE COMMITTEE THAT I PUT TOGETHER OF THE LEADING
RESEARCHERS
IN THE WORLD IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ON THIS
COMMITTEE OF MINE
HEADED BY DR FAUCI AND OTHERS
THEY TELL ME BE CAREFUL
NOT TO PREDICT
THINGS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN BECAUSE THEN YOU'LL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE
I GET THAT
BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I THINK BASED ON
ALL THAT I'VE LEARNED
AND ALL THAT I'VE STUDIED
AND ALL THAT I THINK THAT I KNOW
IT'S
FAIRLY
IT'S A HIGH PROBABILITY
THAT THE VACCINATIONS
THAT ARE AVAILABLE
TODAY AND
THE NEW ONE
JOHNSON JOHNSON GOD WILLING WILL PROVE TO BE USEFUL
THAT
WITH THOSE VACCINATIONS
THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE
TO SPREAD THE DISEASE
IS GOING TO DIMINISH
CONSIDERABLY
BECAUSE OF THEY CALL HERD IMMUNITY
AND NOW THEY'RE SAYING SOMEWHERE
AROUND 70
OF THE PEOPLE HAVE TO CONSTITUTE SOME PEOPLE SAID 50
60
BUT A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER
HAVE TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY ARE
THEY HAVE BEEN VACCINATED
AND OR THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH IT
OR HAVE ANTIBODIES
HAVE ANTIBODIES SO
IF THAT WORKS THAT WAY
AS MY MOTHER WOULD SAY WITH THE GRACE OF GOD
AND THE GOODWILL OF THE NEIGHBORS
THAT BY
NEXT CHRISTMAS I THINK WE'LL BE IN A VERY DIFFERENT
CIRCUMSTANCE
GOD WILLING
THAN WE ARE TODAY
I THINK A YEAR FROM NOW
WHEN IT'S
22
BELOW ZERO HERE NO
A YEAR FROM NOW I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE
SIGNIFICANTLY
FEWER PEOPLE
HAVING
TO
BE SOCIALLY DISTANCED
HAVE TO WEAR A MASK
BUT WE DON'T KNOW
SO I DON'T WANT TO OVER PROMISE ANYTHING HERE
I TOLD YOU WHEN I RAN AND WHEN I GOT
ELECTED
I WILL ALWAYS LEVEL WITH YOU TO USE FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT'S
EXAMPLE I'LL SHOOT YOU GIVE IT STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER
STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER WHAT I KNOW
AND WHAT I DON'T KNOW
WE DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN BUT IT IS HIGHLY
UNLIKELY
THAT BY THE BEGINNING
OF NEXT YEAR SCHOOL TRADITIONAL SCHOOL YEAR IN SEPTEMBER
WE ARE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY
BETTER OFF THAN WE ARE TODAY
BUT IT MATTERS
IT MATTERS
WHETHER YOU CONTINUE TO WEAR THAT MASK
IT MATTERS
WHETHER YOU CONTINUE TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE
IT MATTERS WHETHER YOU WASH YOUR HANDS
WITH HOT WATER THOSE THINGS MATTER
THEY MATTER
AND THAT CAN SAVE A LOT OF LIVES
WHILE WE'RE GETTING TO THIS POINT WE GET TO HERD
IMMUNITY
APPLAUSE
YOU'VE MADE PASSING
COVID RELIEF BILL
THE FOCUS OF YOUR FIRST 100 DAYS THOSE ON THE
RIGHT SAY THE PROPOSAL IS TOO BIG
SOME ON THE LEFT SAY IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH ARE
YOU COMMITTED TO PASSING
1 9 TRILLION OR
IS THAT FINAL NUMBER STILL UP FOR NEGOTIATION
I'M COMMITTED TO PASS LOOK
HERE'S
SOME OF YOU ARE PROBABLY
ECONOMISTS
OR
COLLEGE PROFESSORS
OR YOU'RE TEACHING IN SCHOOL
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY CAREER
AND AS YOU CAN TELL I'M OVER 30
THE FIRST TIME IN MY CAREER
THAT
THERE IS A CONSENSUS
AMONG ECONOMISTS
LEFT RIGHT AND CENTER
THAT IS OVER AND INCLUDING
THE IMF AND IN EUROPE
THAT
OVERWHELMING
CONSENSUS
IS
IN ORDER TO GROW THE ECONOMY
A YEAR TWO THREE AND FOUR DOWN
THE LINE
WE CAN'T SPEND TOO MUCH NOW IS THE TIME
WE SHOULD BE SPENDING
NOW IS THE TIME TO GO BIG
YOU MAY RECALL
I MANAGED THE LAST
EXPERIMENT
WE HAD WITH STIMULUS
AND IT WAS 800 I DON'T MEAN IT THAT WAY
BUT IT WAS
800 BILLION
WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED MORE THAN THAT
AND WE THINK WE DID WE GOT IT
ENDED UP WORKING
BUT IT SLOWED THINGS UP BY ABOUT
AND DEPENDING WHO YOU TALK TO BETWEEN
SIX MONTHS AND A YEAR AND A HALF
WE CAN COME BACK WE CAN COME ROARING
BACK IT'S ESTIMATED
THAT IF WE BY MOST ECONOMISTS
INCLUDING
WALL STREET FIRMS AS WELL AS
YOU KNOW
THINK TANKS POLITICAL THINK TANKS LEFT RIGHT AND CENTER
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT IF WE PASS THIS BILL ALONE
WE'LL CREATE
7
MILLION
JOBS
THIS YEAR 7
MILLION
JOBS THIS YEAR APPLAUSE AND SO
THE THING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT
AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO ON BECAUSE I WANT
TO HEAR YOUR QUESTION I APOLOGIZE
WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT
REMEMBER YOU AND I TALKING DURING THE CAMPAIGN
AND YOU HAD
FORMER GUY SAYING THAT WELL YOU KNOW
WE'RE JUST GOING TO OPEN THINGS UP AND THAT'S ALL
WE NEED TO DO WE SAID NO YOU GOT TO
DEAL WITH THE DISEASE BEFORE YOU DEAL
WITH
GETTING THE ECONOMY GOING
WELL
THE FACT IS THAT
THE ECONOMY
NOW
HAS TO BE DEALT WITH AND LOOK AT ALL THE
PEOPLE YOU HAVE OVER
10 MILLION PEOPLE UNEMPLOYED
WE NEED UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE 40
OF THE CHILDREN IN AMERICA
TALK ABOUT FOOD SHORTAGE 60
OF DID YOU EVER THINK YOU'D SEE A DAY IN
MILWAUKEE
YOU'D SEE IN THE LAST
SIX MONTHS PEOPLE LINING UP IN THEIR AUTOMOBILES
FOR AN HOUR OR FOR AS FAR AS YOU COULD
SEE TO GET A BAG OF FOOD
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR GOD SAKES
WE CAN'T DEAL WITH THAT
LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE VERGE
OF BEING KICKED OUT OF THEIR APARTMENTS
BECAUSE THEY CANNOT
AFFORD
THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE RENT
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT HAPPENS
LOOK AT ALL THE MOM AND POP
LANDLORDS
THAT ARE IN REAL TROUBLE IF WE DON'T SUBSIDIZE
THIS IN THE MEANTIME
LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE VERGE
OF MISSING AND HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE MISSED THEIR LAST
TWO MORTGAGE PAYMENTS
AND ARE ABLE TO BE FORECLOSED ON THAT'S WHY I
TOOK EXECUTIVE ACTION TO SAY THEY CANNOT BE FORECLOSED
ON IN THE MEANTIME
LOOK AT WHAT THE IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY WOULD BE
YOU THINK IT'S BAD NOW
LET ALL THAT HAPPEN
LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR INSURANCE
I'M NOT ASKING FOR A SHOW OF HANDS HOW MANY
HAVE HAD JOBS WITH CORPORATIONS
OR COMPANIES
THAT PROVIDED HEALTH CARE COBRA HEALTH CARE WELL GUESS WHAT
THE COMPANY GOES UNDER AND GUESS WHAT YOU LOSE YOUR
HEALTH INSURANCE
WELL WE SHOULD BE MAKING SURE YOU'RE ABLE TO PAY
FOR THAT SO THAT WE KEEP PEOPLE
MOVING SO THERE'S A LOT
SO I THINK BIGGER
AND THE VAST MAJORITY
OF THE SERIOUS PEOPLE SAY BIGGER
IS BETTER
NOW NOT SPENDING LESS
THIS IS RANDY LANG AN INDEPENDENT WHO SUPPORTED DONALD TRUMP
IN 2020
RANDY IS THE CO OWNER OF A WOODWORKING COMPANY HERE
IN MILWAUKEE
WELCOME
YOU'RE PROPOSING A 15 MINIMUM WAGE
GIVING THE LOWER COST OF LIVING SPECIFICALLY IN THE MIDWEST
MANY BUSINESS OWNERS ARE CONCERNED
THAT THIS WILL PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS
FORCING THEM TO DOWNSIZE
OR CUT BENEFITS
HOW CAN YOU INSTILL
CONFIDENCE
IN SMALL BUSINESSES
THAT THIS WILL BENEFIT
THE MIDWEST
BUSINESS GROWTH WELL
FIRST OF ALL THE SOUTH IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAT
BE THE MIDWEST IN THAT REGARD AS WELL
BUT HERE'S THE THING
IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE LAST
40 YEARS AS MINIMUM WAGE HAS INCREASED
PEOPLE HAVEN'T THE END RESULT OF NET EMPLOYMENT HASN'T CHANGED
THE VAST MAJORITY
OF
THE ECONOMISTS
AND THERE ARE STUDIES THAT SHOW
BY INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE TO 15
AN HOUR
IT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON
A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES BUT IT WOULD BE DE MINIMIS
ET CETERA
HERE'S THE DEAL
IT'S ABOUT DOING IT GRADUALLY
WE'RE AT 7
25
AN HOUR
NO ONE SHOULD WORK 40 HOURS A WEEK AND LIVE
IN POVERTY
NO ONE SHOULD WORK 40 HOURS A WEEK AND
LIVE
IN POVERTY APPLAUSE BUT IT'S TOTALLY LEGITIMATE FOR SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS
TO BE CONCERNED
ABOUT
HOW THAT CHANGES
FOR EXAMPLE
IF IT WENT IF WE GRADUALLY
INCREASED IT WHEN WE INDEXED IT AT 7 20 IF
WE KEPT IT INDEXED
TO INFLATION
PEOPLE WOULD BE MAKING 20 BUCKS AN HOUR RIGHT NOW
THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
SAYS A 15 MINIMUM WAGE WOULD LIFT 900 000 PEOPLE
OUT OF POVERTY
BUT COST 1 4 MILLION PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR JOBS IF
YOU READ THAT WHOLE THING ABOUT PINOCCHIO THERE
ARE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF STUDIES THAT SAY
IT WOULDN'T HAVE THAT EFFECT
AND PARTICULARLY
IN TERMS OF HOW GRADUALLY YOU DO IT LET'S SAY
YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE
THE MINIMUM WAGE FROM 7
25
AN HOUR
BETWEEN NOW AND THE YEAR 2025
TO
12
AN HOUR
TO 13 AN HOUR YOU DOUBLE SOMEONE'S PAY
AND THE IMPACT ON BUSINESS WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY DE MINIMIS
AND IT WOULD GROW THE GDP
AND IT WOULD GENERATE
ECONOMIC GROWTH
BUT IT'S NOT ILLEGITIMATE
AS A SMALL BUSINESS PERSON
TO WORRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT INCREASING
IT AT ONE FELL SWOOP WOULD HAVE THAT IMPACT
I DO SUPPORT A
15 MINIMUM WAGE
I THINK THERE IS EQUALLY AS MUCH IF NOT MORE
EVIDENCE TO DICTATE
THAT IT WOULD GROW THE ECONOMY
AND LONG RUN AND MEDIUM RUN
BENEFIT SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS LARGE BUSINESSES
AND IT WOULD NOT HAVE SUCH A DILATORY
EFFECT
BUT THAT'S A DEBATABLE ISSUE
THIS IS TIM
A DEMOCRAT FROM MILWAUKEE CO OWNER OF BLACK HUSKEY BREWING
THANK YOU
MY PARTNER AND I OWN A SMALL BREWERY IN THE
RIVER WEST NEIGHBORHOOD OF MILWAUKEE
AND WE HAVE NINE AMAZING EMPLOYEES
WE RELY
ON SELLING OUR BEER OUT OF OUR TAP ROOM AND
WITH THE
PANDEMIC
OUR BUSINESS HAS GONE DOWN ABOUT 50
NOW WE'VE RELIED PRIMARILY
ON LOANS GRANTS AS WELL AS OUR OWN RESERVES
TO SURVIVE
HOWEVER THE NEW ASSISTANCE
HAS BEEN TOO SLOW AND RECENTLY IT'S GOTTEN MORE RESTRICTIVE
ON HOW WE CAN APPLY IT
WHAT WILL YOU DO SO THAT SMALL MOM AND POP
BUSINESSES
LIKE OURS
WILL SURVIVE
OVER LARGE CORPORATE ENTITIES
CHANGE IT DRASTICALLY
FIRST OF ALL BY MAKING SURE WE HAVE INSPECTORS
GENERAL
YOU MAY REMEMBER WHEN THE FIRST BILL PASSED
YOU MAY REMEMBER THERE WAS A GUY RUNNING SAYING
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THE BANKS AREN'T GOING TO
LEND YOU THE MONEY THEY'RE GOING TO ASK YOU A
QUESTION DO YOU HAVE YOUR CREDIT WITH US HOW MANY
LOANS DO YOU HAVE WITH US WHAT IS YOUR WHAT
CREDIT CARDS DO YOU HAVE WITH US
EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE BEING UNDERWRITTEN
AND
WE BAILED THEIR REAR ENDS OUT LAST TIME OUT THEY
WEREN'T IT WAS TOO MUCH TROUBLE
TO LEND TO YOU
WHAT'D THE PRESIDENT DO AND I DON'T WANT TO PICK
ON THE I SHOULDN'T
I'M TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP DON'T WANT TO
TALK ABOUT HIM ANYMORE BUT THE LAST ADMINISTRATION
SPENT TIME
A LOT OF TIME
TALKING ABOUT HOW
THERE WAS NO NEED FOR INSPECTOR
GENERALS WE FIND OUT THAT 40 OF THE MONEY
THE
PPP
LOANS THAT GO TO SMALL BUSINESSES
WENT TO
WENT TO CORPORATIONS
THAT WERE MULTIMILLION
DOLLAR CORPORATION
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN INVESTIGATION
SHOWING A
LOT OF THIS WAS FRAUDULENT
I'M
GOING
TO PROVIDE 60 BILLION
FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO MAKE
CAPITAL INVESTMENTS
IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO OPEN SAFELY
AND
MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN A POSITION
THAT YOU CAN DO THE THINGS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED
YOU'VE NOTICED
THERE'S BEEN VERY LITTLE
FEDERAL
DIRECTION
FOR YOU ALL ON HOW TO SAFELY OPEN YOUR BUSINESSES
YET YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE ABLE TO TEST YOUR EMPLOYEES
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO BE IN A SITUATION
IF YOU
SERVE PEOPLE YOU HAVE PLEXIGLASS
DIVIDERS IF YOU'RE ABLE TO
HAVE EVERYBODY WITH
MASKS AND THE LIKE
YOU CAN DO SO MUCH
BUT YOU DON'T GET THAT DIRECTION
SO
THE MONEY I GUARANTEE
YOU
IS GOING TO GO TO SMALL BUSINESSES
WITH PEOPLE
AND I'M SHOOTING
AND BY THE WAY THE ORIGINAL DEFINITION OF A SMALL
BUSINESS IS 500 OR FEWER EMPLOYEES
WELL THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN BY SMALL BUSINESSES
WHAT
WE MEANT BY SMALL BUSINESSES
THE MOM AND POP BUSINESSES THAT HOLD COMMUNITIES TOGETHER
AND KEEP PEOPLE TOGETHER
AND PARTICULARLY
IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE
A BEAUTY SHOP A BARBERSHOP
A HARDWARE STORE A GROCERY STORE ET CETERA
THE CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY BEGINS TO DISINTEGRATE
SOME
SO
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GIVE ME AN ADDRESS
LAY OUT FOR YOU PRECISELY
WITHOUT TAKING MORE TIME I'M GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE
I WAS SUPPOSED TO ONLY TALK TWO MINUTES IN AN
ANSWER IS
TO
LET YOU KNOW
EXACTLY
HOW
THAT 60 BILLION IS PART OF THE RECOVERY PACKAGE WILL
GO TO SMALL BUSINESSES
APPLAUSE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK WHEN WE
GET BACK WE'LL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES JOE BIDEN WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK
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BACK WE'RE LIVE AT
A CNN TOWN HALL EVENT IN MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN WITH PRESIDENT
JOE BIDEN
WE ARE BACK THANKS SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE
WE
BEFORE WE GET BACK INTO THE AUDIENCE I WANT TO
ASK JUST A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WE JUST WITNESSED BEFORE
THE SENATE
VOTED TO ACQUIT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IN THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
YOU SAID YOU WERE ANXIOUS TO SEE IF REPUBLICAN SENATORS
WOULD STAND UP ONLY SEVEN DID HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI
CALLED THE REST COWARDS
DO YOU AGREE WITH HER
I'M NOT GOING TO CALL NAMES OUT
LOOK
I
FOR FOUR YEARS
ALL THAT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS IS TRUMP
THE NEXT FOUR YEARS I WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL
THE NEWS IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
I'M TIRED OF
TALKING ABOUT TRUMP APPLAUSE
SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL
SAID THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT
IS QUOTE STILL LIABLE FOR EVERYTHING HE DID WHILE HE
WAS IN OFFICE
IF YOUR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WANTED TO INVESTIGATE HIM WOULD YOU ALLOW THEM TO PROCEED
I MADE IT CLEAR THAT ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT
THAT ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS
PIECES OF DAMAGE DONE BY THE LAST ADMINISTRATION
WAS THE
POLITICIZING
OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANY
OF YOU WHO ARE LAWYERS KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
CONSERVATIVE
OR LIBERAL
IT HAS BEEN MORE POLITICIZED
THAN ANY JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY
I MADE A COMMITMENT
I WILL NOT EVER TELL MY JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
AND IT'S NOT MINE IT'S THE PEOPLE'S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
WHO THEY SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT PROSECUTE
THEIR PROSECUTORIAL
DECISIONS WILL BE LEFT TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT NOT ME
APPLAUSE I WANTED YOU TO MEET JOE BERKOWITZ FROM SHOREWOOD
A DEMOCRAT A PROFESSOR OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE OF
THE THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MILWAUKEE
THANKS FOR BEING HERE THANK YOU ANDERSON
AFTER FIVE YEARS OF FRENCH I STILL CAN'T SPEAK A
WORD SO I APOLOGIZE
I'LL TEACH YOU SOME YIDDISH SOMETIME HOW'S THAT
BY THE WAY I UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT OF YIDDISH
I'M SURE YOU DO
MORE SERIOUSLY
MR PRESIDENT
LIKE MILLIONS OF MY FELLOW CITIZENS
I WAS SHAKEN BY THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL ON
JANUARY 6th
AND ON OUR DEMOCRACY MORE BROADLY BY YOUR PREDECESSOR
AND HIS FOLLOWERS
WHILE I APPRECIATE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO BRING THEM TO
JUSTICE
I WORRY ABOUT ONGOING THREATS TO OUR COUNTRY FROM AMERICANS
WHO EMBRACE WHITE SUPREMACY
AND CONSPIRACIES
THAT ALIGN WITH IT
WHAT CAN YOUR ADMINISTRATION
DO TO ADDRESS THIS COMPLEX
AND WIDE RANGING PROBLEM
IT'S COMPLEX
IT'S WIDE RANGING AND IT'S REAL
YOU MAY I GOT INVOLVED
IN POLITICS TO BEGIN WITH
BECAUSE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
AND OPPOSITION TO WHITE SUPREMACISTS
THE KU KLUX KLAN
AND THE MOST DANGEROUS PEOPLE IN AMERICA CONTINUE TO EXIST
THAT IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO
AMERICA DOMESTIC
TERROR
SO
I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT MY JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION IS FOCUSED
HEAVILY ON THOSE VERY FOLKS
AND I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE IN FACT
FOCUS ON HOW TO DEAL
WITH THE RISE OF WHITE SUPREMACY
AND YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING THE STUDIES THAT ARE BEGINNING
TO BE DONE
MAYBE AT YOUR UNIVERSITY AS WELL ABOUT THE IMPACT
OF
FORMER
MILITARY
FORMER POLICE OFFICERS
ON THE GROWTH OF WHITE SUPREMACY
IN SOME OF THESE GROUPS
YOU MAY REMEMBER IN ONE OF MY DEBATES WITH THE
FORMER PRESIDENT
I ASKED HIM TO CONDEMN THE PROUD BOYS HE WOULDN'T
DO IT HE SAID STAND BY STAND READY OR WHATEVER
THE PHRASE
EXACTLY WAS
IT IS A BANE
ON OUR EXISTENCE
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AS LINCOLN SAID
WE HAVE TO APPEAL TO OUR BETTER ANGELS
AND THESE GUYS ARE NOT AND WOMEN
ARE IN FACT
DEMENTED
THEY ARE DANGEROUS
PEOPLE
I WANT YOU TO MEET JAMES LEWIS AN INDEPENDENT FROM
MILWAUKEE HE'S A LABOR ATTORNEY
IF I SAY ANYTHING YOU DON'T LIKE LET ME KNOW
WILL YOU
GOOD EVENING
I WAS A PUBLIC DEFENDER IN KENOSHA COUNTY WHEN THE
POLICE SHOT JACOB BLAKE
I WITNESSED THE CITY I WORKED IN BURNED AND DEVASTATED
AND RECENTLY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL GRAVELY DENIED
TO PROSECUTE
THE POLICE OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU
IS WHAT WILL YOUR ADMINISTRATION
DO
TO CORRECT THESE WRONGS THAT WE WITNESSED NOT JUST IN
KENOSHA
BUT ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
AND
WHAT WILL WE DO TO BRIDGE
THE GAP BETWEEN COMMUNITIES
AND THEIR POLICE
THREE THINGS
FIRST OF ALL I WAS A PUBLIC DEFENDER AS WELL
AND
I THINK IT'S HIGH TIME
THAT WE HAD PUBLIC DEFENDERS
BEING PAID THE SAME AS PROSECUTORS
MY SON BY THE WAY WAS A GREAT PROSECUTOR HE
WAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
AND HE WAS A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR BEFORE THAT
AND SO I'M NOT CONDEMNING
ALL PROSECUTORS
BUT I AM SAYING THAT IT MATTERS
THAT YOU HAVE ADEQUATE DEFENSE
AND
YOU ARE ABLE TO ATTRACT PEOPLE WHO IN FACT
CAN LIVE ON
BEING ABLE TO BE THAT PUBLIC DEFENDER
NUMBER ONE NUMBER TWO
WE ARE PUSHING VERY HARD
AND I THINK WE'LL GET IT DONE
IS THE LEGISLATION
RELATING TO
WHAT IS APPROPRIATE POLICE BEHAVIOR
AND STUDYING
POLICE BEHAVIOR
AND COMING DOWN WITH RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT ARE CONSISTENT
WITH THE LEGISLATION
THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE
AS A CONSEQUENCE
OF ALL THE WORLD
SEEING
ONE MAN SHOVED UP AGAINST A CURB
AND MURDERED
AFTER
EIGHT MINUTES AND 46 SECONDS
AND SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS RELATING TO EVERYTHING
FROM
NO KNOCK WARRANTS
AND A WHOLE RANGE OF THINGS YOU KNOW
THERE'S LEGISLATION
THAT'S BEING INTRODUCED
SEPARATELY
I HOPE IT WILL PASS
BUT THIRDLY I THINK WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH SYSTEMIC
RACISM THAT EXISTS THROUGHOUT SOCIETY
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THERE
IS THAT WE LOOK AT
AN ENTIRE
PANOPLY OF THINGS THAT AFFECT
WHETHER OR NOT
PEOPLE OF COLOR PRIMARILY
ARE
TREATED DIFFERENTLY
AND THAT GOES THROUGH EVERYTHING FROM PROSECUTORIAL
DISCRETION
YOU KNOW AS A PUBLIC DEFENDER WHAT
HAPPENS IS
IT WILL TAKE TOO LONG TO GO THROUGH THE EXPLANATION
LET ME TRY TO DO IT
QUICKLY
WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS
IF YOU IN FACT ARE
GOING TO
YOU ARREST SOMEONE
BECAUSE
THEY HAD
AND YOU WANT TO CHARGE THEM YOU CAN CHARGE THEM
WITH
ROBBERY OR ARMED ROBBERY IF YOU CHARGE THEM WITH ARMED
ROBBERY
YOU GET A LOT MORE TIME THAN IF YOU DON'T
CHARGE WITH ROBBERY
BUT IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE WHO
DOESN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THEIR REPRESENTATION
YOU
ENGAGE IN PROSECUTORIAL
MISCONDUCT
BY OFFERING
THEM
TO PLEAD
TO ESSENTIALLY
IT'S NOT THE SAME BURGLARY
WHICH GETS THEM TWO YEARS AND PROBATION
SO
YOU DON'T EVEN GET A TRIAL
YOU PLEAD BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION
YOU FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING'S AGAINST YOU AND YOU'RE IN TROUBLE
WHEN I DID THE SENTENCING ACT
THAT WAS DESIGNED
TO MAKE SURE WE HAD
THE SAME
TIME FOR THE SAME CRIME
AS CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE I LOOKED AT ALL
TEN FEDERAL DISTRICTS
AND WE TOOK SIX MONTHS TO DO IT AND FOUND
OUT IF YOU WERE BLACK
IF YOU WERE A FIRST TIME OFFENSE
OF BEING ACCUSED OF BURGLARY AND MAYBE YOU COMMITTED IT
AND YOU WERE WHITE
AND YOU DID THE SAME EXACT CRIME
AND ALL TEN DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THE PERSON
AND DON'T HOLD ME TO THE EXACT NUMBERS BUT THE
PERCENTAGES
ARE RIGHT
IF YOU'RE A FIRST TIME WHITE GUY
YOU'D GET TWO YEARS
YOU GET SEVEN YEARS IF YOU'RE BLACK
SO IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU COULD NOT
SEND PEOPLE TO JAIL
FOR THE SAME CRIME
I CAME UP WITH THIS
SENTENCING COMMISSION
WHICH SAID THAT EVERYBODY WHO COMMITS THE CRIME HAS TO
RECEIVE
BETWEEN
INSTEAD OF 0 TO 20 YEARS
DRASTICALLY
CUT DOWN THE NUMBER OF YEARS YOU COULD GO TO
JAIL
BUT SAY
IF IT'S ONE FIRST TIME OFFENSE
YOU HAVE TO GET SENTENCED BETWEEN
1 1 2
AND 3 YEARS OKAY
WHAT HAPPENED IS
PROSECUTORS
USED THAT AS A MECHANISM
TO SEND PEOPLE TO JAIL IT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE
WE'RE DEALING WITH
MANDATORY
SENTENCING WHICH IT WASN'T DESIGNED TO DO AT ALL IT
WAS DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE ARE BEING TREATED FAIRLY
I'M SORRY TO GO ON THERE'S MUCH MORE TO TALK
ABOUT WE HAVE A RELATED QUESTION
OVER HERE THIS IS DANNY EVANS A PASTOR
WHO WORKS AS A SUPERVISOR FOR THE JUVENILE JUSTICE
DIVERSION PROGRAM
HE'S AN INDEPENDENT VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP IN 2020
HE'S A MEMBER OF THE 32 STATE RACIAL DISPARITY
TASK FORCE CREATED IN THE WAKE OF THE JACOB BLAKE
SHOOTING LAST SUMMER
DANNY WELCOME
GOOD AFTERNOON MR PRESIDENT
DEFUND THE POLICE IS DISCUSSED AS AN OPTION FOR REFORMING
POLICING
HOWEVER
THERE ARE COMMUNITIES
WHERE PEOPLE LIVE IN FEAR
NOT OF THE POLICE
BUT IN FEAR OF THE VIOLENT GANGS WHO COMMIT CRIMES
IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS
HOW CAN WE BE SURE THAT WE DON'T
OVERLEGISLATE POLICE OFFICERS
SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB
TO PROTECT THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS
WHO LIVE IN THESE HIGH CRIME NEIGHBORHOODS
AND YET TRAIN OFFICERS
TO POLICE WITH COMPASSION
BY NUMBER ONE NOT DEFUNDING THE POLICE
WE HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY IN
POLICEWORK SO WE HAVE LEGITIMATE
COMMUNITY POLICING AND WE'RE IN A SITUATION
WHERE
WE CHANGE THE LEGISLATION
NO ONE SHOULD GO TO JAIL
FOR A DRUG OFFENSE
NO ONE SHOULD GO TO JAIL FOR THE USE OF
A DRUG
THEY SHOULD GO TO DRUG
REHABILITATION
DRUG REHABILITATION
NUMBER ONE
APPLAUSE WE SHOULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE
WE CHANGE THE SYSTEM
OF SENTENCING SYSTEM
TO ONE THAT RELATES TO
A NOTION
OF
RELATED
TO MAKING SURE THAT WHAT YOU DO IS YOU FOCUS
ON
MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S REHABILITATION
THE IDEA
THAT WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE
IN
PRISON SYSTEMS
LEARNING HOW TO BE SPENDING THE MONEY LEARNING HOW TO
BE MECHANICS
LEARNING HOW TO BE COOKS LEARNING HOW TO HAVE A
PROFESSION WHEN YOU GET OUT THE IDEA THAT WE DENY
SOMEONE WHO SERVED THEIR TIME
ACCESS TO PELL GRANTS ACCESS TO HOUSING
ACCESS TO RIGHT NOW AS YOU WELL KNOW MOST PLACES
YOU GET OUT OF PRISON
YOU GET 25 BUCKS AND A BUS TICKET YOU END
UP UNDER THE BRIDGE EXACTLY WHERE YOU WERE BEFORE
THE FACT IS
THE CONCERN
IN MANY MINORITY COMMUNITIES IS BLACK ON BLACK HISPANIC ON
HISPANIC
NOT JUST
BUT HERE'S THE DEAL
THERE HAS TO BE MUCH MORE SERIOUS
HOW CAN I SAY IT MUCH MORE SERIOUS
DETERMINATION
AS TO WHAT THE BACKGROUND
AND THE ATTITUDES
OF THE RECRUIT
IS
WHAT THEIR VIEWS ARE THERE SHOULD BE MUCH MORE PSYCHOLOGICAL
TESTING
LIKE YOU WHAT
ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU
RESPOND
THE WAY YOU DO
BECAUSE
THERE IS
INHERENT PREJUDICE BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM
WE ALSO NEED TO PROVIDE IT'S HAPPENING
MORE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC
POLICE OFFICERS
THEY DON'T GET IT ALL RIGHT EITHER
BY A LONG SHOT
EVERY COP WHEN THEY GET UP IN THE MORNING
AND PUT ON THE SHIELD HAS A RIGHT TO EXPECT
TO BE ABLE TO GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILY THAT
NIGHT
CONVERSELY
EVERY KID WALKING ACROSS THE STREET WEARING A
HOODIE IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE GANG OF A
GANG AND ABOUT TO KNOCK SOMEBODY OFF
SO IT'S ABOUT EDUCATION IT'S
THE
ANSWER IN MY VIEW ACCESS
TO EDUCATION
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TALK A LOT
ABOUT AND I'M SORRY TO GO ON ABOUT THIS BUT
IT'S IMPORTANT
I DON'T THINK WE CAN LOOK AT
OPPORTUNITY
LET'S STICK WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR A MINUTE
IN TERMS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
THAT IS
ONLY ONE SMALL PIECE OF WHY PEOPLE
ARE THE WAY THEY ARE YOU REALIZE
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HOME YOU LIVE IN BUT IF
YOU GO AHEAD AND YOU WANT TO GET INSURANCE AND
YOU'RE IN HAY BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD
YOU'RE GOING TO PAY MORE FOR THE SAME INSURANCE I'M
GOING TO PAY FOR THE EXACT SAME HOME
YOUR CAR YOU'VE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT IN YOUR CAR
YOU LIVE IN A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD YOU'RE GOING TO PAY
A HIGHER
PREMIUM IN YOUR CAR
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE BUILT IN INSTITUTIONALLY
THAT DISADVANTAGE
AFRICAN AMERICANS
AND LATINOS
AND
ONE OF THE GREAT ADVANTAGES
I'M SORRY
BUT ONE OF THE GREAT ADVANTAGES
AS BAD AS THINGS ARE I KEEP LEARNING FROM
PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIANS
HOW I'VE INHERITED THE WORST SITUATION
SINCE
LINCOLN
SINCE ROOSEVELT
ECONOMIC
CRISIS
POLITICAL CRISIS RACIAL CRISIS ET CETERA
BUT THE FACT
IS EVERYONE'S GOTTEN A CLOSE UP LOOK NOW
AND SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED
THAT KID
THAT KID HOLDING THAT CAMERA
FOR 8 MINUTES AND 46
SECONDS AWAKENED THE HOLD WORLD
WHEN I MET WITH HIS LITTLE DAUGHTER AFTER HE'S DEAD
SHE SAID MY DADDY'S CHANGED THE WORLD
GUESS WHAT
NOT ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES AROUND THE WORLD PEOPLE
SAID WOAH
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT HAPPENED
DR KING
MY
GENERATION
WHEN I GOT INVOLVED AS A CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AS
A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN THE EARLY '60s
AND
YOU HAD BULL CONNER IN THE '60s AND THE DOGS
WITH
BLACK
DRESSES GOING TO DRESSES AND LITTLE KIDS
FIRE HOSES RIPPING THEIR SKIN
OFF
WHAT HAPPENED THERE WAS THE SECOND EMANCIPATION
PEOPLE IN PLACES WHERE THERE WEREN'T BLACK COMMUNITIES
SAID THAT REALLY HAPPENS
I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT
THEY SAW IT HAPPEN
SO
THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IT GENERATED THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT
WE CALL IT THE SECOND EMANCIPATION
WE HAVE A CHANCE NOW A CHANCE NOW
TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE
IN RACIAL DISPARITIES
AND I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO GET
ME IN TROUBLE WHICH WE COULDN'T GO THROUGH A WHOLE
SHOW WITHOUT DOING THAT
AND THAT IS THAT THINK ABOUT
IT IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
IS LOOK AT THE MONEY BEING SPENT ON ADVERTISING
DID YOU EVER FIVE YEARS AGO THINK EVERY
SECOND OR THIRD AD OUT OF FIVE OR SIX WOULD
BE BIRACIAL COUPLES
NO
I'M NOT BEING FACETIOUS
THE REASON I'M SO HOPEFUL
IS THIS NEW GENERATION
THEY'RE NOT LIKE US
THEY'RE THINKING DIFFERENTLY
THEY'RE MORE OPEN
AND WE'VE GOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
IT
I'M SORRY
I WANT YOU TO MEET MS MARTIN A DEMOCRAT SHE'S
A CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIFE
WELCOME
GOOD EVENING MR PRESIDENT
OUR NATION'S EXPERIENCES
WITH AND THROUGH COVID 19 AND OTHER RECENT TRAGEDIES
HAVE STRENGTHENED THE FOUNDATION
OF DIVISION AMONG AMERICANS
WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE
AND TANGIBLE PLANS
TO ADDRESS HOW DEEPLY DIVIDED WE ARE AS A NATION
I TAKE ISSUE WITH WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS ABOUT THE DIVISION
FOR EXAMPLE
MY
PLAN ON COVID
69 OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
SUPPORT IT
69
IN THIS RECENT POLL 60
60
45 OF TRUMP VOTERS AND 55
OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS
THE NATION
IS NOT DIVIDED
YOU GO OUT THERE AND TAKE A LOOK AND TALK
TO PEOPLE
YOU HAVE FRINGES
ON BOTH ENDS
BUT IT'S NOT NEARLY AS DIVIDED AS WE MAKE IT
OUT TO BE
AND WE HAVE TO BREATHE TOGETHER BRING IT TOGETHER
YOU MAY REMEMBER THE TROUBLE I GET IN WHEN I
SAID
WHEN I WAS RUNNING
WANTED TO RESTORE THE SOUL OF THE COUNTRY DECENCY
HONOR
INTEGRITY
TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT MATTERED TO PEOPLE
TREAT PEOPLE WITH DIGNITY
SECONDLY I SAID TO REBUILD
THE BACKBONE OF THE COUNTRY THE MIDDLE CLASS AND THIS
TIME BRING EVERYBODY ALONG
AND HAVE A CHANCE AND THE THIRD REASON IS UNITE
THE COUNTRY IN MY OWN PRIMARY I GOT
UNITE THE COUNTRY WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT
YOU CANNOT FUNCTION
IN OUR SYSTEM
WITHOUT CONSENSUS
OTHER THAN ABUSING
POWER AT THE EXECUTIVE
LEVEL SO I REALLY THINK THERE'S SO MANY THINGS
THAT WE AGREE ON THAT WE DON'T FOCUS ENOUGH ON
AND THAT'S IN LARGE PART I THINK BECAUSE WE DON'T
JUST CONDEMN THE THINGS THAT ARE SO OBVIOUSLY
WRONG
OBVIOUSLY
WRONG
THAT EVERYBODY AGREES ON THE WAY THEY WERE RAISED
THE WAY WE WERE RAISED AS MY MOTHER WOULD SAY
IF HALF THE THINGS THAT OCCURRED IN THE LAST CAMPAIGN
CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH AS A KID SHE WOULD
AS A KID WASH MY MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP
WE HAVE TO BE MORE DECENT
AND
TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT
AND JUST
DECENCY
LET ME ASK ABOUT A QUESTION WHICH DOES OFTEN DIVIDE
MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY IMMIGRATION
YOUR ADMINISTRATION
ALONG WITH CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS
EXPECTED TO UNVEIL AN IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL JUST THIS WEEK
YOU WANT A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP
FOR THE ROUGHLY 11 MILLION UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRANTS WOULD YOU SIGN
ANY IMMIGRATION BILL IF IT DID NOT INCLUDE THAT A
PATHWAY
FOR THE
11 MILLION YEAH THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE OF
THINGS THAT RELATE TO IMMIGRATION
INCLUDING
THE WHOLE IDEA HOW YOU DEAL WITH
YOU ARE KNOW
IT CONFUSES PEOPLE
YOU TALK ABOUT REFUGEES
YOU TALK ABOUT
UNDOCUMENTED
YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING ASYLUM
AND YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING FROM
THE
THAT ARE COMING FROM CAMPS
BEING HELD AROUND THE WORLD
AND THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT CRITERIA
FOR BEING ABLE TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE 11 MILLION UNDOCUMENTED
THEY'RE
NOT HISPANICS
THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO CAME ON A VISA AND WAS ABLE
TO BUY A TICKET TO GET ON THE PLANE AND
DIDN'T GO HOME
THEY DIDN'T COME ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE AND SWIM EXCUSE
ME
SORRY THAT'S THE IRISH IN ME BUT
ALL KIDDING ASIDE SO
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT RELATE BUT I
THINK THAT
WE CAN NO LONG LOOK
YOU'VE HEARD
EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED IN POLITICS AT ALL YOU'VE
PROBABLY HEARD ME SAY THIS A THOUSAND TIMES AS
A MATTER OF
FACT
EVERYONE
IS ENTITLED TO BE TREATED WITH
DECENCY WITH DIGNITY
EVERYONE IS
ENTITLED TO
THAT
AND WE DON'T DO THAT NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN AMERICAN HISTORY
IF YOU'RE SEEKING ASYLUM
YOU'RE BEING PERSECUTED
YOU'RE SEEKING ASYLUM
YOU CAN'T DO IT FROM THE UNITED STATES USED TO
COME AND AN ASYLUM OFFICER DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU
MET THE CRITERIA
SEND YOU BACK
IF YOU IN FACT BUT YOU CAN'T EVEN DO THAT
YOU'VE GOT TO SEEK ASYLUM
FROM ABROAD
JUST TO BE CLEAR THOUGH
AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE ANNOUNCING STUFF LATER
THIS WEEK OR I'VE HEARD
YOU DO WANT A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP
YES
FOR ROUGHLY 11 MILLION UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS YES AND THAT WOULD
BE ESSENTIAL FOR ANY BILL
FOR YOU WELL YES
AND BY THE WAY IF YOU CAME ALONG
AND SAID IN THE MEANTIME
WE CAN WORK OUT A SYSTEM
WHEREBY
WE'RE GOING TO FOR EXAMPLE WE USED TO
ALLOW
REFUGEES
125 000
REFUGEES INTO THE UNITED STATES ON A YEARLY BASIS IT
WAS AS HIGH AS 250 000
TRUMP CUT IT TO 5 000 COME WITH ME
INTO
SIERRA LEONE
COME TO ME
INTO PARTS OF LEBANON COME WITH ME AROUND THE WORLD
AND SEE PEOPLE PILED UP IN CAMPS
KIDS DYING
NO WAY OUT
REFUGEES
FLEEING
FROM PERSECUTION
WE THE UNITED STATES USED TO DO OUR PART
WE WERE PART OF THAT
WE'RE AND
YOU KNOW SEND ME YOUR HUDDLED MASSES COME ON
SO I WOULD IF YOU HAD A REFUGEE BILL BY
ITSELF I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT
BUT
THERE'S THINGS I WOULD DO IT BY ITSELF BUT NOT
AT THE EXPENSE
OF SAYING I'M NEVER GOING TO DO THE OTHER
THERE IS A REASONABLE
PATH TO CITIZENSHIP
AND IT SHOWS
UP ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO COMPETE
WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD SO WELL
IS MOST OF OUR MAJOR COMPETITORS ARE XENOPHOBIC
I REMEMBER YOU QUESTIONING WHEN I CAME BACK FROM CHINA
AND I SAID I PREDICT WITHIN
LESS THAN A YEAR THEY'RE GOING TO END THEIR ONE
CHINA POLICY
AND I GOT CLOBBERED SAYING BIDEN
DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE FACT
HOW IMMORAL IT WAS AND IT WAS WHEN WE WERE
RUNNING AGAINST
REPUBLICAN
TICKET LED BY MITT ROMNEY A FINE YOU JUST TALKED
TO CHINA'S PRESIDENT
YES FOR TWO HOURS WHAT ABOUT
THE UIGHURS
WE MUST SPEAK UP FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS IT'S WHO WE ARE
MY COMMENT TO HIM WAS
AND I KNOW HIM WELL AND HE KNOWS ME WELL
WE'RE A TWO HOUR CONVERSATION
YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS TOO I TALKED ABOUT THIS TOO
NOT SO MUCH REFUGEE BUT I
SAID LOOK
CHINESE LEADERS IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CHINESE HISTORY
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE TIME CHINA HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED
BY THE OUTER WORLD
IS WHEN THEY HAVEN'T BEEN UNIFIED AT HOME
SO
THE CENTER
OF
PRINCIPLE
OF XI
JINPING IS THAT THERE MUST BE A UNITED
TIGHTLY CONTROLLED CHINA
AND HE USES HIS RATIONALE
FOR THE THINGS HE DOES BASED ON THAT
I POINT OUT TO HIM NO AMERICAN PRESIDENT CAN BE
SUSTAINED AS A PRESIDENT
IF HE DOESN'T REFLECT THE VALUES OF THE UNITED STATES
SO THE IDEA I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST
WHAT HE'S DOING IN
HONG KONG
WHAT HE'S DOING
WITH THE UIGHURS IN WESTERN
MOUNTAINS OF
CHINA
AND TAIWAN
CHINA AND THE ONE CHINA POLICY
BY MAKING IT FORCEFUL
I
SAY HE GETS IT
CULTURALLY THERE ARE DIFFERENT
NORMS
IN EACH COUNTRY
AND THEIR LEADERS ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW
BUT MY POINT WAS THAT
WHEN I CAME BACK FROM
MEETING WITH HIM TRAVELING 17 000 MILES WITH HIM WHEN
I WAS VICE PRESIDENT AND HE WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT
THAT'S HOW I GOT TO KNOW HIM SO WELL AT
THE REQUEST OF PRESIDENT WHO NOT A JOKE
HIS PREDECESSOR PRESIDENT WHO AND PRESIDENT OBAMA
WANTED US TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BECAUSE HE
WAS GOING TO THE PRESIDENT
I CAME BACK AND SAID THEY'RE GOING TO END
THEIR ONE CHILD POLICY
BECAUSE THEY'RE SO XENOPHOBIC
THEY WON'T LET ANYBODY ELSE IN AND MORE PEOPLE ARE
RETIRED
THAN WORKING
HOW CAN THEY SUSTAIN
ECONOMIC
GROWTH
WHEN MORE PEOPLE ARE RETIRED WHEN YOU TALK TO HIM
ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IS THAT JUST IS THAT AS
FAR AS IT GOES IN TERMS OF THE U S
OR IS THERE ANY ACTUAL
REPERCUSSIONS
FOR CHINA WELL THERE WILL BE REPERCUSSIONS
FOR CHINA AND HE KNOWS THAT
WHAT I'M DOING IS MAKING CLEAR THAT WE IN FACT
ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO REASSERT
OUR ROLE
AS SPOKESPERSONS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AT THE UN AND OTHER
AGENCIES
THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THEIR ATTITUDE CHINA
IS TRYING VERY HARD
TO BECOME THE WORLD LEADER
AND GET THAT MONIKER
AND BE ABLE TO DO THAT THEY HAVE TO GAIN
THE CONFIDENCE OF OTHER COUNTRIES
AND AS LONG AS THEY'RE ENGAGED
IN ACTIVITY
THAT IS CONTRARY
TO BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DO THAT BUT IT'S
MORE MUCH MORE COMPLICATED I
SHOULDN'T TRY TO TALK CHINA POLICY
IN TEN MINUTES ON TELEVISION
LET ME BRING YOU BACK TO THE UNITED STATES I
WANT YOU TO MEET
JOCELYN A DEMOCRAT
JOCELYN IS A DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AT A COMMUNITY THEATER
HELLO
GOOD EVENING MR PRESIDENT
STUDENT LOANS ARE CRUSHING MY FAMILY FRIENDS AND FELLOW AMERICANS
ME TOO YOU THINK I'M KIDDING THE AMERICAN DREAM IS
TO SUCCEED
BUT HOW CAN WE FULFILL THAT DREAM WITH DEBT IS
THE ONLY OPTION FOR DEGREE
WE NEED STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS BEYOND THE POTENTIAL 10 000
YOUR ADMINISTRATION
HAS PROPOSED
WE NEED AT LEAST A 50
000 MINIMUM
WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN
I WILL NOT
MAKE THAT HAPPEN
IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU GO TO A
PRIVATE UNIVERSITY OR PUBLIC UNIVERSITY
IT DEPENDS ON THE IDEA THAT
I SAY TO A COMMUNITY
I'M GOING TO FORGIVE THE DEBT
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEBT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE
TO
HARVARD AND YALE AND
SCHOOLS
I WENT TO A GREAT SCHOOL I WENT TO A
STATE SCHOOL
BUT
DEBT IS GOING TO BE FORGIVEN RATHER THAN USE THAT
MONEY
TO PROVIDE MONEY FOR EARLY EDUCATION
FOR
YOUNG
CHILDREN WHO COME FROM DISADVANTAGED CIRCUMSTANCES
BUT
HERE'S WHAT I THINK
I THINK EVERYONE AND I'VE BEEN PROPOSING THIS FOR FOUR
YEARS
EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR
FREE
FOR FREE
THAT
COSTS 9 BILLION
AND WE SHOULD PAY FOR IT AND THE TAX POLICIES
WE HAVE NOW
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT YOU SPEND
ALMOST THAT MUCH MONEY
AS A BREAK FOR PEOPLE
WHO OWN RACEHORSES
AND I THINK ANY FAMILY
MAKING UNDER 125
000
WHOSE KIDS GO TO A STATE UNIVERSITY
THEY GET INTO THAT SHOULD BE FREE AS WELL
AND THE THING I DO IN TERMS OF STUDENT DEBT
THAT'S ACCUMULATED
IS PROVIDE FOR CHANGING
THE EXISTING SYSTEM NOW FOR DEBT FORGIVENESS
IF YOU ENGAGE IN VOLUNTEER
ACTIVITY
FOR EXAMPLE
IF YOU WERE
IF YOU'RE TEACHING SCHOOL
AFTER FIVE YEARS YOU
HAVE 50 000
OF YOUR DEBT
FORGIVEN
IF YOU WORKED IN A
BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER
IF YOU WORK AND SO ON SO WE'LL BE ABLE
TO FORGIVE DEBT
THIRDLY
I'M GOING TO CHANGE THE POSITION
THAT WE HAVE NOW
TO ALLOW FOR DEBT FORGIVENESS
IT'S SO HARD TO CALCULATE
WHEREBY
YOU CAN
NOW DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH YOU MAKE
AND WHAT PROGRAM YOU START YOU CAN WORK OFF THAT
DEBT
BY THE ACTIVITY
YOU HAVE AND YOU CANNOT BE CHARGED MORE THAN
X
OF YOUR TAKE HOME PAY SO THAT IT DOESN'T AFFECT
YOUR ABILITY TO BUY A CAR OWN A HOME ET
CETERA
EACH OF MY CHILDREN GRADUATED FROM SCHOOL I MORTGAGED THE
HOUSE I WAS LISTED AS THE POOREST MAN IN CONGRESS
FOR NOT A JOKE FOR OVER 30 YEARS
BUT I WAS ABLE TO I BOUGHT A HOME I
SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON
AND I WAS ABLE TO SELL IT
FOR SOME PROFIT BUT
MY
OLDEST SON
GRADUATED AFTER UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE SCHOOL WITH
136
000
IN DEBT AFTER WORKING 30
HOURS A WEEK
DURING SCHOOL
MY OTHER SON WENT TO GEORGETOWN AND YALE LAW SCHOOL
GRADUATED 142 000
IN DEBT
AND HE WORKED
FOR
A PARKING SERVICE DOWN
IN WASHINGTON
MY DAUGHTER WENT TO TULANE UNIVERSITY
AND THEN GOT A MASTER'S AT PENN
SHE GRADUATED 103 000
IN DEBT
SO
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY SHOULD HAVE TO PAY
FOR THAT BUT I DO THINK YOU SHOULD BE ABLE
TO WORK IT OFF MY
DAUGHTER'S A SOCIAL WORKER
MY OTHER SON
BECAME A
PROGRAM USA
AND SO ON
THEY DIDN'T QUALIFY BUT MY POINT IS
I UNDERSTAND
THE IMPACT OF THE DEBT AND IT CAN BE DEBILITATING
AND I THINK
THERE'S
A WHOLE QUESTION ABOUT
WHAT UNIVERSITIES
ARE DOING
THEY DON'T NEED MORE SKY BOXES
WHAT THEY NEED IS MORE MONEY INVESTED IN
MAKING THAT'S WHY I PROVIDE FOR EXAMPLE
80 BILLION
70 BILLION
OVER TEN YEARS FOR HBCUs AND OTHER MINORITY
SERVING UNIVERSITIES
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE LABORATORIES
TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN THOSE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
THAT BRING PEOPLE IN CYBERSECURITY
OR OTHER
FUTURE
ENDEAVORS THAT PAY WELL
BUT I DO THINK THAT
IN THIS MOMENT
OF
ECONOMIC
PAIN AND STRAIN
THAT WE SHOULD BE ELIMINATING
INTEREST ON THE DEBTS
THAT ARE ACCUMULATED
NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO
I'M PREPARED
TO WRITE OFF THE 10 000
DEBT
BUT NOT 50 000
MR PRESIDENT LET ME ASK YOU I DON'T THINK I
HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT BY SIGNING
OVER THE YEARS
YOU'VE ALREADY SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AT 1600
PENNSYLVANIA
AVENUE
EXCEPT NOW YOU'RE LIVING THERE AND YOU'RE PRESIDENT
IT'S BEEN FOUR WEEKS WHAT'S IT LIKE
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT
I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND
SAY WHERE THE HELL ARE WE
NO
LOOK IT'S
IT'S YOU KNOW I'VE ONLY BEEN PRESIDENT FOUR WEEKS
AND SOMETIMES
BECAUSE THINGS ARE MOVING SO FAST NOT BECAUSE OF BURDEN
IT FEELS LIKE
FOUR YEARS
IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THE BURDEN
IT'S BECAUSE
THERE'S
SO MUCH HAPPENING
THAT YOU'RE FOCUSED ON
YOU'RE CONSTANTLY
FOCUSING ON
ONE PROBLEM OR OPPORTUNITY
ONE
AFTER THE OTHER BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT
WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE
I HAD BEEN IN THE OVAL OFFICE
A HUNDRED TIMES AS VICE PRESIDENT
MORE
THAN THAT
EVERY MORNING
FOR THE INITIAL MEETINGS
BUT I HAD NEVER BEEN UP IN THE RESIDENCE
AND
ONE OF THE THINGS I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL
BUT I WAS RAISED IN A WAY THAT
YOU DIDN'T LOOK FOR ANYBODY TO WAIT ON YOU
AND
IT'S
I FIND MYSELF EXTREMELY SELF CONSCIOUS
WONDERFUL PEOPLE WORK AT THE WHITE HOUSE
BUT SOMEONE
YOU KNOW STANDING THERE AND
YOU KNOW MAKING SURE I HANDS ME MY COAT
YOU HAD NEVER BEEN IN THE RESIDENCE OF THE WHITE
HOUSE I HAD ONLY BEEN UPSTAIRS
IN THE
YELLOW ROOM
THE OVAL UPSTAIRS
I DON'T KNOW I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE EITHER NO
BUT
LOOK
THE PEOPLE DOWN THERE
ARE WONDERFUL
AND I FIND
THAT
YOU KNOW LIKE
MY DAD YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE
MY DAD USED TO SAY EVERYBODY
EVERYBODY IS ENTITLED TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT
AND
IT'S
INTERESTING
HOW
DECENT
AND
INCREDIBLE
THESE FOLKS ARE IS IT DIFFERENT THAN YOU
EXPECTED
IT TO BE IN SOME WAY YOU KNOW
I I
DON'T KNOW WHAT I EVER EXPECTED
IT TO BE I
IT IS DIFFERENT
IN THAT
I'LL
GET IN TROUBLE
HERE
I
SAID WHEN I WAS RUNNING
I WANTED TO BE PRESIDENT NOT TO LIVE IN THE
WHITE HOUSE
BUT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY
AND
SO LIVING IN THE WHITE HOUSE
AS YOU HEARD OTHER PRESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY
FLATTERED TO LIVE THERE
HAS IT'S A LITTLE LIKE