Private Residence
Los Angeles, California
(October 13, 2022)
8:02 P.M. PDT
THE PRESIDENT: Nancy, thanks. Thanks. Thanks, thanks, thanks. (Applause.)
Please. Please. Thanks very, very much. I’m going home. (Laughter.)
Well, Nancy, thanks a lot. I don’t want this to show right into a mutual admiration society, but the reality of the matter is: Not a single thing we got done within the administration, not a single thing of all of the things that Nancy mentioned would have gotten kept away from her leadership within the House and the Senate — and the Senate. (Applause.)
And as my colleagues within the House and Senate who’re here can let you know, I even have a repu- — nobody ever doubts I mean what I say. The issue is I sometimes say all that I mean. (Laughter.)
But I actually mean this. I’ve only been around 50 years. (Laughs.) I got elected to the Senate once I was 29 years old. And I can let you know, I’ve been with a number of Speakers, a number of leaders within the House and Senate. And it’s not hyperbole: Nancy is the only best Speaker, I believe, in American history. (Applause.)
And my inclination is: When she asks you for something, just say yes. It’s a hell of lots easier. (Laughter.) Oh, you’re thinking that I’m kidding. Paul can let you know. (Laughs.) Paul can let you know.
But, look, folks, , the reality of the matter is — and plenty of of you heard me say this before, especially my colleagues within the House and Senate — that I believe America is actually at considered one of those moments. We’re at an actual inflection point in history — not only American history, but in history.
The world is changing. It’s changing rapidly. And it’s beyond the control, and it’s not due to anyone single individual or one nation in any respect.
, the Organization of American States — look what’s happening there. Look what’s happening all over the world by way of NATO and all of the countries, by way of them rethinking their place on the planet, and what, actually, and who their alliances are.
There’s lots up for grabs internationally. Plenty of — lots happening.
The entire idea — I apologize for repeating this to a few of you, but the entire concept that we’re in a situation where technology has made things change so drastically.
, when there was lots written, when Gutenberg invented the printing press — for real — the way it fundamentally modified diplomacy on the time, the way it fundamentally modified the flexibility of individuals to speak with each other. And it modified the politics of the world.
And it goes all the way in which straight through to all the things from the electronic changes — all the things from the telegraph to the phone to television.
, consider this — I realize it sounds silly to bring it up; it’s minor — but Nixon may thoroughly have won had he been more accustomed to television. Not a joke. Not a joke. Not a joke.
And look what’s happened now. The whole lot is changing because technology has modified. There are not any editors anymore. There are not any editors anymore.
The flexibility of newspapers to have much impact is de minimis. They’ve been overtaken by the Web. And more co- — more happens, by way of the Web, and not using a single editor in any respect.
How do people know the reality? What do they — how do they make — make a distinction between fact and fiction? There’s a lot — a lot happening. And we’re in the midst of this.
And the reality of the matter is — I genuinely consider this — that the world is trying to us. Not a joke. Even our enemies need to us to determine how we figure this out, what we do.
, folks, I even have spent probably — not probably; the staff actually calculated — well over 200 — I believe it was 220, 225 hours directly in touch with the heads of state at NATO and the European Union, just holding it together. Not a joke. Not a joke.
One thing that Putin decided — counted on was us splitting NATO. Not a joke. Splitting NATO. And look what’s happening. Look what’s happening within the eastern front of NATO. Look what Poland is doing now. Look what’s happening. And Poland is sticking there. But how about Hungary? What’s happening? Look what’s happened recently in Spain and Italy.
Folks, , there’s lots at stake. But I’m absolutely convinced now we have the capability — now we have the capability to guide the world to a spot that it’s never been.
I saw an enormous article today — I didn’t even understand it; it was within the front page of The Latest York Times — about “Biden has declared the top of a Cold War period after World War Two.”
Well, it held — it held — kept the peace, essentially, since 1946. It’s a unique world. A completely different world immediately.
Did any of you ever think you’d have a Russian leader, for the reason that Cuban Missile Crisis, threatening using tactical nuclear weapons that might — could only kill three, 4 thousand people and be limited to make a degree?
Did anybody think we’d be in a situation where China is attempting to determine its role relative to Russia and relative to India and relative to Pakistan?
I’ve spent more time with Xi Jinping than any person in — any head of state in Amer- — on the planet. I spent over — they keep count of it — 78 hours’ value. Of that, 68 were in person, over the past 10 years, because Barack knew that he couldn’t be coping with a Vice President. And so, he assigned me. I’ve traveled 17,000 miles with him.
It is a guy who understands what he wants but has an unlimited, enormous array of problems. How will we handle that? How will we handle that relative to what’s happening in Russia? And what I believe is possibly one of the crucial dangerous nations on the planet: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons with none cohesion.
So, folks, there’s lots happening. Loads happening. But there’s also enormous opportunities for the USA to vary the dynamic within the second quarter of the twenty first century.
And considered one of the ways that happens is how we handle ourselves. You’ve heard me say this before, a few of you: After I went to the primary G7 meeting of the main democracies — strongest democracies on the planet — I showed up in February after we had just been elected. And I sat down and I said, “America is back.” I do know all these folks; I knew them from before.
I said, “America is back.” what the comment was? “For a way long?” “For a way long?”
“Put yourself…” — as considered one of them said to me — “Put yourself within the position of…” They said, “Mr. President, what would you’re thinking that for those who went to bed tonight and got up within the morning and learned that the British Parliament had been raided by over a thousand people, broken down the doors to the home of Parliament, killed several leaders, et cetera, et cetera? What would you consider the state of events?”
And what would you’re thinking that? You’d think England was gone. You’d think democracy had collapsed in England. Well, guess what? What do you’re thinking that people take into consideration what happened here? What do you’re thinking that people considered what happened here?
So, Nancy — Nancy has — , she’s given me credit for an awful lot of things a bit bit earlier. But not a single considered one of them would have happened — no hyperbole — not a single considered one of them would have happened without Nancy’s leadership within the House and the Senate. And the Senate.
And I’m not joking. Take into consideration this: , I’ve — it’s fair to say we’ve got more done in the primary two years than — than any President up to now has. (Applause.)
I — no, not — but — for those who recall, regardless that Nancy did say, once I — she was telling me her viewpoint, which is all the time straightforward — (laughter) — that — she was telling me her viewpoint, and I said, “Nancy, I understand. I wrote the rattling bill.” (Laughter.)
But take into consideration this: At first, all of the things that we got passed, I had campaigned on before even they were introduced. They’re what I ran on. But none of them went anywhere at first. None of them went anywhere at first until Nancy stepped up.
And, by the way in which, the DCCC has a hell of a Chair in a man named Sean Patrick Maloney. (Applause.) And I would like to acknowledge the people we’re working for here: Julia Brownley, who’s California 26. (Applause.) Ted Lieu, California 30 [33]. (Applause.) Brad Sherman. (Applause.) Maxine Waters. (Applause.) And Dina Titus of Nevada, and Steve Horsford of Nevada. (Applause.)
And, look, I’m not going to repeat what Nancy said, but the very fact is that the American Rescue Plan, it not only created jobs, it — , before that was passed, there had been 2 million individuals who a been vaccinated. Due to that, we vaccinated 220 million people. (Applause.)
Within the meantime, we are able to’t underestimate one million people died. One million people died. And the psychological impact on the nation is profound. We don’t even speak about it. I speak with our Surgeon General in regards to the mental needs of American people to cope with all that’s happened.
Take into consideration your kids and your grandkids once they’ve graduated from highschool and college in this era. What did they get to rejoice? They didn’t have their proms. They didn’t have graduation ceremonies. They didn’t have all of the things that we took without any consideration but are a part of — a part of what gives people confidence and provides them — let’s them grow up in a way that — where there’s some sense of that — of a future.
But look what they keep doing. They keep moving. They keep moving.
So there’s a complete lot — a complete lot that’s on the market that we’ve overcome. But due to willingness of individuals to say, okay, not one Republican voted for the Recovery Act — not one — but guess what? It’s the rationale why all the things from the state of California to the little state of Delaware stayed afloat, because tax base was lost. And guess what? All those first responders, all those teachers, all those firefighters, all those cops, all those essential employees were in a position to be kept on (inaudible) because we — Nancy — led the fight to be sure that that they had the cash to maintain the states going. That’s what it was about. (Applause.)
And also you talk in regards to the Infrastructure Law. , we — I mean, we was once rated — having an infrastructure that put us able where we were — had probably the second, if not the primary, best infrastructure on the planet. Well, guess what? We got right down to number 22, by way of the competence of our interstructure — infrastructure: from our ports, to our roads, to our bridges, to the entire notion of lead pipes and the purity of our water, and all of it. But we passed the infrastructure bill. We did get a number of Republicans for that. A number of Republicans voted for that.
After which we speak about guns. Well, Nancy was in a position to get passed, together with Chuck Schumer, the primary major gun laws in 30 years. (Applause.)
But Nancy got passed the assault weapons ban. (Applause.) And the Senate didn’t pass it. And have a look at what — the news today. I’m not going to undergo the news today, but look what happened today in two different places with AK-47s. They’re weapons of war. They haven’t any place in society. None. Zero. (Applause.)
And, by the way in which — and so, — and the burn pits. When you’ll excuse a degree of non-public privilege, my son Beau was considered one of those guys. My son Beau was the Attorney General. He was — needs to be the one standing here talking to you, not me; he was a greater man than I’m. Not a joke. That’s a flat truth. He was Attorney General. He sought — he needed to get a dispensation, in effect, from the — to hitch the National Guard — to go from the National Guard to Iraq for a 12 months after having volunteered as Assistant U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia to be in Ukraine — excuse me, in Kosovo for nine months.
The one war memorial built to a foreigner within the state of Kosovo was to my son Beau. Just one. (Applause.)
And here’s the deal: He spent a 12 months in Iraq, and he lived inside about 300 yards of considered one of those burn pits. And he died of brain cancer. I’m not — and a number of people have suffered worse than I even have. And he did.
But the purpose is that this: I made a commitment once I did the State of the Union last 12 months that we were going to handle our veterans. And guess what? All those veterans now — those that are still alive who weren’t getting any care, and those that died and their families, actually, were in a position to get compensation for what happened. They lost a head of household, most often. And guess what?
We’re in a situation now where they’re in a position to begin to maneuver those families. We now have a number of obligations as a public. We only have one truly sacred obligation — sacred: It’s to equip and prepare those we send to war and look after them and their families once they come home. That’s a sacred obligation. (Applause.)
And just one percent — 1 percent of this nation — 1 percent of the nation is the backbone and sinew of this country and defending us. One percent.
And so, look, the entire point of that is that there’s a lot — and again, we were having trouble getting that passed, consider it or not. Nancy stood up. She moved the House. And at last, the Senate and everybody else moved.
But so, I suppose what I’m saying is: Whenever you get to the Inflation Reduction Act, what was that every one about? It was all about — the largest a part of that was twofold.
One, taking up pharma. , we pay the very best drug prices of any nation on the planet for a similar exact drugs, I’d add. Same exact prescription.
Well, guess what? We got it modified in order that, now, no senior on Medicare could have to pay greater than $2,000 a 12 months for his or her drug prices, regardless of what the fee of their cancer drugs are, regardless of what it’s. (Applause.)
And a few of you have got Type 2 diabetes. A few of you have got children who’ve Type 2 diabetes. , it costs 10 bucks to make that insulin. Ten dollars to make it and package it. And it’s charging somewhere between 300 and 700 times the fee.
Well, we had a bill that said that everyone, including the 200,000 — or excuse me, 2 million children who’ve that very same — same form of that diabetes wouldn’t must pay greater than $35. (Applause.)
Well, guess what? Nancy got all of it passed; the Senate couldn’t get the second part passed. And so it’s only seniors now.
But the purpose is, we’re changing people’s lives. And I believe considered one of the things that occurred as a consequence of — excuse me for happening on this, however the — considered one of the things that occurred as a consequence of the pandemic was a way of what can we do as a rustic.
The concept we thought — , the rationale we were thought — and plenty of of you might be very sophisticated and travel the world — the “ugly Americans” is — I used to be with Xi Jinping within the Tibetan Plateau. And he turned to me and he said, “Are you able to define America for me?” That is the God’s truth. He’s repeated it. I said, “Yes, one word: possibilities.” We consider as Americans that anything is feasible, anything in any respect. However the American people began to doubt whether we actually can do anything.
Look, if I could wave a wand and do one thing, I’d cure cancer. Why not? That’s the largest problem on the planet. But to show to people we could tackle a subject that nobody thought could possibly be defeated and do it.
Well, that’s what we’re attempting to do — show to the American people there’s reason for optimism. There’s overwhelming reason for optimism. We’re higher equipped than every other nation on the planet to guide the twenty first century by far — by far.
And along with the — the laws we passed, the Inflation Reduction Act — the rationale we called it “Inflation Reduction,” there’s a couple of approach to reduce the worth of an aver- — for a median family. My dad used to say, “The way in which it really works is, at the top…” — and my dad was a well-read high-school-educated guy whose best regret — best regret: he never went to varsity. But he was an honest, honorable, well-read man.
And he used to say, “What is required is, in any case the bills are paid by an strange, hard-working or middle-class folks, is there anything left over to have just a bit respiration room?”
There’s yet another — a couple of approach to provide the respiration room. You cope with the necessities. What’s a necessity for the overwhelming majority of families? Pharmaceuticals. What’s a necessity for the overwhelming majority of American families? We go down the list of things. We’re affecting the flexibility for them to — once they buy a latest appliance, to have — get a tax credit for getting an energy-efficient appliance; give you the chance to scale back, by weatherizing their home, and give you the chance to avoid wasting on average 5,000 bucks a 12 months. For an strange family that’s an enormous rattling deal. A giant deal. And it affects their bottom line.
I could go on, but I won’t.
So we’re going to — we still — it still — inflation is on the market. It’s real. And a number of individuals are getting hurt badly by it. But we are able to take — we are able to overcome this.
The opposite thing I wish to say to you — and I’m happening too long, and I apologize — is that — , let’s take a have a look at — can anybody — if anybody in here can tell me what — what the Republican platform is. (Laughter.)
No, I do know we laugh about it, but give it some thought. What’s the Republican platform?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Disenfranchisement!
THE PRESIDENT: Well, greater than that.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Staying in power!
THE PRESIDENT: Well, they — they’ve been very specific, and we’ve not paid much attention to it.
To begin with, they wish to — they — they wish to be sure that they codify — not Roe — but codify the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs. They wish to be sure that they be sure we don’t tackle the gun industry. They wish to — I could go on.
But when we’re going to maintain the House — for those who keep the House for us, and provides us two more Democrats, we’re going to pass a number of things which might be going to make an enormous difference, and support the work of the — look — have a look at the work Nancy did with the January sixth Committee. Take into consideration what’s happening. (Applause.)
And he or she had the courage to do — I didn’t recommend it to her, but she had the courage to do what I firmly believed. Bennie Thompson, a Black man from Mississippi, who was considered one of the primary guys to endorse me way early on — no, I’m serious — look how he stepped up. Look how he stepped up.
And, by the way in which, Liz Cheney — Liz Cheney and I agree on virtually nothing by way of substance. No, I mean it sincerely. Nevertheless it was once like that every one the time. We got along. I used to fight like hell in the USA Senate with very conservative Republicans who were honorable people, had a really different view. Look what’s happened.
And the message to the American people is coming across really clearly — really clearly. And I believe we’re going to see some real change as a consequence of the work of the committee.
And look, for those who take a have a look at it, and also you have a look at Nancy and the Congress for support for Ukraine — I spent a number of time in Ukraine. I spent a number of time — I’ve spent probably three weeks in Ukraine before the war began, making the case that that they had to clear up their circumstances by way of corruption.
But here we go. Ukrainians have shown enormous courage. I believe it surprised everybody. And a few of you might be military men and women, and the courage that they supplied — (applause) — and it’s because, with Nancy’s leadership, we’ve provided over $16 billion in weapons to them, and one other 15 — or there or so about — by way of the day by day needs for them to keep up their government.
And so, look, all the things — all the things here we cope with in lower than 30 days is at stake. What’s on the ballot? The proper to decide on. The proper to privacy. Social Security and Medicare. Climate. Our very democracy. We now have greater than half the American people anxious in regards to the sustaining of American democracy. Did you ever think you’d see that within the polling data? And so they’re not political polls. They’re done — they’re done by networks.
And folk, look, if Republicans get control, their number-one priority — they’ve stated it very straightforward — is repeal the Inflation Reduction Act. Medicare’s power to barter: gone.
Two-thousand-dollar cap: gone.
Thirty-five-dollar cap on insulin: gone.
The most important climate investment in all of history: gone.
The 15 percent corporate tax: gone. Which is paying for an ideal deal of this, by the way in which.
And, by the way in which, the rationale I did that: I come from the company state of the world, Delaware. More corporations incorporated in Delaware than every other state within the nation combined. And I’m not anti-corporation. I got elected six times in Delaware, but they know that I believe they got to pay their fair proportion.
Fifty-five corporations in 2020 made $40 billion, didn’t pay a single penny in taxes. Not a single, solitary penny. That modified. It’s only 15 percent, however it’s enough to pay for many of this.
And, folks, look, within the meantime, you’ve got Rick Scott, the guy heading up the Republican Senate campaign committee, from Florida. And also you got — he says Social Security and Medicare, in addition to veterans’ advantages, needs to be within the chopping block every five years. Every five years you’d must affirmatively revote for the existence of the programs or cut the programs. You probably did nothing, they exit of existence.
Then along comes a man named Johnson, from the state of Wisconsin, who shouldn’t be what you call a very — anyway, I won’t characterize it. (Laughter.) Johnson — that is true. The — and you have got Republicans supporting this. He suggests five years is simply too long; every 12 months now we have to vote on the existence of those programs.
What do you’re thinking that happens? You’ve been paying Social Security tax because you were — got your first job whenever you were 16 years old. That is how these guys have a look at things.
Republicans are going to ban abortion nationwide. By the way in which, in the event that they do this, so long as I’m President, I’ll veto it so it won’t occur. But no exceptions for rape or incest — none — or the lifetime of the mother.
And look, , literally, the proper to vote is at stake. Who gets to count the vote? No, that’s not a joke. Who gets to count it? And the way do you count? And who gets to make the choice? State legislatures or state sec- — why do you’re thinking that they’ve 253, I believe it’s — or 255 election deniers running for office within the Republican Party — House, Senate?
But guess what? Secretaries of state — secretaries of state, they’ll change the character of whether or not now we have a democracy — how votes are counted. The Republicans like to attack what we’ve done, however it doesn’t stop from taking credit for when it really works.
, you saw the — within the Infrastructure Law, they attack it and attack me as a “socialist,” anybody who voted for it. “That is socialism.” And so they — but then they, interesting enough, send — privately send letters to my administration asking for help. And so they list the names. I’m not going to take the time to let you know who they’re, but they list — I didn’t know there have been so many socialists within the Republican caucus. (Laughter.)
But here’s the purpose: I’m going to still support those programs in the event that they’re needed because I promised I’d be a President for all of the people. Not — in the event that they have a foul leader, I wasn’t going to disclaim them the proper to have the work done on the — that should be done.
But look, it’s been a tough few years. And the intense side is, 10 million jobs have been created, 3.5 percent unemployment, nearly 700,000 manufacturing jobs. “Made in America” shouldn’t be only a slogan, it’s real.
And look, I used to be just up in Poughkeepsie with Sean Patrick Maloney. Sean, are you continue to here? Okay.
REPRESENTATIVE MALONEY: I’m here.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. (Applause.) Well, Sean — with IBM. Due to the — of the CHIPS Act that we passed and Nancy got through — due to that act, in Poughkeepsie, Latest York, IBM is investing $20 billion in quantum computing. We was once — we used to take a position — (applause) — we used to take a position 2 percent of our GDP in research and development. It’s right down to 0.7 percent — 0.7 percent.
The remainder of the world is investing far more in the longer term than we’re, but we’re changing that.
In Syracuse, Micron is investing $100 billion over the subsequent 10 years. After which you have got in Intel, out in Ohio, outside of Columbus, it’s grow to be a field of dreams. Twenty billion dollars as a commitment. They’ll probably go to 100 over the subsequent 10 years. That creating tens of hundreds — of hundreds of jobs.
And guess what? You have got something on — 60 percent of those jobs don’t require a university degree. They’ve apprentice programs. And guess what the common salary in — out in Intel goes to be, out in Ohio? $128,000.
So that is about expanding opportunity. And go- — look, folks, my point is we’ve never been — I’ve never been more optimistic about America. I actually haven’t. We now have a likelihood to achieve this much at this inflection point. I actually mean it. I’m absolutely confident. There’s not a rattling thing we are able to’t do. Not a rattling thing we are able to’t do if we remember who within the hell we’re.
That is the USA of America. Whatever we’ve set our mind to in our history, now we have gotten it done once we’ve done it together. So, please — please, please keep a Democratic House of Representatives. We’ll get it done. (Applause.)
Thanks.
8:31 P.M. PDT