Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Video & Multimedia
Related: About this forumJoe Biden's Presidential Pittsburgh Speech, Full Transcript
"The Road Back" speech of a true president.I want to thank Carnegie Mellon for providing this space and all the promise it holds for future jobs in the high tech world. In recent days, weve had a lot of talk about whos going where and how Ive decided to come to Pittsburgh to talk a little bit about whats going on right now. In the early days of World War II, Franklin Roosevelt told the country, and I quote, The news is going to get worse and worse before it gets better and better. And the American people deserve to have it straight from the shoulder. Straight from the shoulder.
The job of a president is to tell it straight from the shoulder, tell the truth, to be candid, to face facts, to lead, not to insight. Thats why Im speaking to you today. The incumbant president is incapable of telling us the truth, incapable of facing the facts and incapable of healing. He doesnt want to shed light, he wants to generate heat and hes stroking violence in our cities.
This is a tragic fact of the matter, how hes dealing with this perilous hour in our nation. And now we have to stand against violence in every form it takes. Violence weve seen again and again and again, of unwarranted police shooting, excessive force, seven bullets in the back of Jacob Blake. Knee on the neck of George Floyd, killing of Breonna Taylor in her own apartment, violence of extremists and opportunists, right wing militias And to derail any hope and support for progress, the senseless violence of looting and burning and destruction of property. I want to make it absolutely clear, so Im going to be very clear about all of this, rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. Setting fires is not protesting. None of this is protesting. Its lawlessness, plain and simple. And those who do it should be prosecuted. Violence will not bring change, it will only bring destruction. Its wrong in every way. It divides instead of unites, destroys businesses, only hurts the working families that serve the community. It makes things worse across the board, not better.
Its not what Dr. King or John Lewis taught and it must end. Fires are burning and we have a president who fans the flames rather than fighting the flames. But we must not burn, we have to build. This president, long ago, forfeited any moral leadership in this country. He cant stop the violence because for years hes formatted it. He may believe mouthing the words law and order makes him strong. But his failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is. Does anyone believe therell be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected?
We need justice in America. We need safety in America. Were facing multiple crises. Crises that under Donald Trump have kept multiplying. COVID, economic devastation, unwarranted police violence, [inaudible 00:03:48] white nationalists, a reckoning on race, declining faith in the birth of the right American future. Theres no reason why we cant just do so much more than were doing.
The common threat, the incumbent president who makes things worse, not better, an incumbent president who sows chaos rather than providing order. An incumbent president who fails in the basic duty of the job, which is to advance the truth that all of us know, that were all born with the right to life, Liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Thats right. All of us, the moms and dads in Scranton, where I grew up, who have worked and scraped for everything theyve ever gotten in life.
The auto worker in Michigan, who still makes the best automobile in the world, single mom in Ohio, working three jobs just to stay afloat wholl do anything for her child. Retired veteran in Florida who gave everything he had to this country. And now just wants us to honor the promises made to him. [inaudible 00:04:58] salesperson who just lost their job. A store closing after 194 years in business. Nurses and doctors in Wisconsin whove seen so much sickness, so much death in the past six months. And they wonder how much more can they take, but still they muster up the courage to take care of those patients in this pandemic while risking their own lives. Researchers in Minnesota who woke up this morning determined to find a breakthrough in treating cancer and wholl do the same thing tomorrow and the day after and the day after, because shell never give up. White, Black, Latino, Asian American, Native Americans, everybody, Im in this campaign for you. No matter your color, no matter your zip code, no matter your politics.
When I think of the presidency, I dont think about myself. It isnt about my brand. Its about you, the American people. We can do better and we have to do better. I promise you this. We will do better. The road back begins now in this campaign. You know me, you know my heart, you know my story, my family story. Ask yourself, do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?
I want a safe America, safe from COVID, safe from crime and looting, safe from racially motivated violence, safe from bad cops. Let me be crystal clear, safe from four more years of Donald Trump. I look at this violence and I see lives and communities and the dreams of small businesses being destroyed and the opportunity for real progress on issues of race and police reform and justice being put to the test. Donald Trump looks at this violence and he sees a political lifeline. Having failed to protect this nation from the virus that has killed more than 180,000 Americans so far, Trump posts an all caps tweet, screaming, Law and order, to save his campaign.
One of his closest political advisers in the White House doesnt even bother to speak in code, just comes out and she says it. The more chaos, violence, the better it is for Trumps reelection. Just think about that. This is a sitting president of the United States of America. Hes supposed to be protecting this country, but instead hes rooting for chaos and violence.
The simple truth is Donald Trump failed to protect America. So now hes trying to scare America. Since Donald Trump and Mike Prince cant run on their record that has seen more American death to a virus, this virus, then the nation suffered in every war since Korea combined, since they cant run on their economy that has seen more people lose their jobs than any time since the Great Depression, since they cant run on a simple proposition of sending our children safely back to school, since they have no agenda or vision for a second term, Trump and Pence are running on this.
And I find it fascinating. You wont be safe in Joe Bidens America. And whats their proof? The violence were seeing in Donald Trumps America. These are not images of some imagined Joe Biden America in the future. These are images of Donald Trumps America today. He keeps telling you if only he was president, it wouldnt happen. If he was president.
He keeps telling us that he was president youd feel safe. Well he is president. Whether he knows it or not, and it is happening, its getting worse. And you know why? Because Donald Trump adds fuel to every fire because he refuses to even acknowledge that theres a racial justice problem in America because he wont stand up to any form of violence. Hes got no problem with right-wing militia, white supremacists, and vigilantes with assault weapons often better armed than the police. Often in the middle of the violence at the protestors and aiming it there. And because tens of millions of Americans simply dont trust this president to respect their rights, to hear their concerns or to protect them. It doesnt have to be this way.
When President Obama and I were in the White House, we had to defend federal property. We did it. We didnt see it. You didnt see us whipping up fears around the deployment of secret federal troops. We just did our job and the federal property was protected. When president Obama and I were in office, we didnt look at cities as Democratic or Republican run. These are American cities. But Trump doesnt seem himself as president for all of America.
Frankly, I believe if I were president today, the country would be safer and wed be seeing a lot less violence, and heres why. I have said we must address the issue of racial injustice. Ive personally spoken to George Floyds family, and to Jacob Blakes family. I know their pain. And so do you. I know the justice they seek and so do you. Theyve told us, None of this violence respects or honors George or Jacob. I believe it can bring these folks fighting for racial justice to the table.
Ive worked with police in this country for many years. I know most cops are good, decent people. I know how they risk their lives every time they put that shield on and go out the door. Im confident I can bring the police to the table as well. Id make sure every mayor and governor had the support they needed from the federal government. But I wouldnt be looking to use the United States military against our own people. If I were president, my language would be less divisive, Id be looking to lower the temperature in this country, not raise it. Id be looking to unite the nation.
But look, if Donald Trump wants to ask the question, Who will keep you safer as president? Lets answer that question. First, some simple facts. When I was vice president, violent crime fell 15% in this country. We did it without chaos and disorder.
And yes, we did it with democratic mayors in most of the major cities in this country. The murder right now is up 26% across the nation this year under Donald Trump. Do you really feel safer under Donald Trump?
COVID has taken this year, just since the outbreak, has taken more than 100 Look, the lives, when you think about it, more lives this year than any other year for the past 100 years. More than 180,000 lives in just six months, an average of 1,000 people dying every day in the month of August. Do you really feel safe under Donald Trump?
Mr. Trump, you want to talk about fear? Do you know what people are afraid of in America? Afraid theyre going to get COVID. Theyre afraid theyre going to get sick and die. And that is in no small part because of you. Were now on track to more than 200,000 deaths in this country due to COVID. More than 100,000 seniors have lost their lives to the virus.
More cops have died from COVID this year than have been killed on patrol. Nearly one in six small businesses have closed in this country today. Do you really feel safer under Trump?
What about Trumps plan to destroy the Affordable Care Act, and with it, the protections for preexisting conditions that impacts more than 100 million Americans? Does that make you feel safer?
Or how about Trumps plan to defund social security? The social security administrations chief actuary just released a report saying that if a plan like the one Trump is proposing goes into effect, the social security trust fund would be, and I quote, Permanently depleted by the middle of calendar year 2023, with no ability to pay benefits thereafter. To put it plainly, Trumps plan with wipe out social security period. Do you feel safer and more secure now?
The fear that reigns under this president doesnt stop at our shores. The Kremlin has put bounties on the heads of American soldiers.
And instead of telling Vladimir Putin that thered be no putting up with this, that thered be a heavy price to pay if they dare touch an American soldier, this president doesnt even bring up the subject in his multiple phone calls with Putin. Its been reported that Russian forces just attacked American troops in Syria, injuring our service members.
Did you hear the president say a single word? Did he lift one finger? Never before has an American president played such a subservient role to a Russian leader. Its not only dangerous, its humiliating and embarrassing for the rest of the world to see, it weakens us. Not even American troops can feel safer under Trump.
Donald Trumps role as a bystander in his own presidency extends to the economic plan and pain. The plan he doesnt have and the pain being felt by millions of Americans. He said this week, and I quote, You better vote for me, or youre going to have the greatest depression youve ever seen. Does he not understand and see the tens of millions of people whove had to file for unemployment this year so far?
The people who wont be able to make next months rent payment? The people who lost wages or the cost of groceries have gone up dramatically? President Obama and I stopped a depression in 2009. We took a bad economy that was falling and turned it around.
Trump took a good economy and drove it back into the ditch. Through his failure to get COVID under control, his failure to pull together the leaders in Congress, his failure to deliver real relief to working people, has made our countrys economic situation so much worse, so much worse than it had to be. We talk about safety and security. We should talk about basic security of being able to look your child in the eye and tell them, Everythings going to be okay. Dont worry, honey. Were not going to lose our home. Were going to be able to put food on the table. Its going to be okay.
Its the job of the president. Ive laid out an agenda for economic recovery that will restore a sense of security for working families. We wont just build things back the way they were before. Were going to build them back better with good paying jobs. Building our nations roads, bridges, solar rays, windmills with investments in our healthcare and childcare workers so they get the pay and dignity they deserve while easing the financial burdens on millions of families with a clean energy strategy that has a place for the energy workers right here in Western Pennsylvania. I am not banning fracking.
Let me say that again. I am not banning fracking. No matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me, the future, thats what this is all about. We hear Donald Trumps self centered rants and riffs, but the voice of Americans should be heard. And one you should listen to is Julia Jackson, the mother of Jacob Blake. Hers is a voice of courage, character and wisdom.
Looking at the damage that has been done in her city, she said, The violence and destruction doesnt reflect my son or my family. These are the words of a mom, a mother whose son had just been shot seven times in front of his children, badly injured, paralyzed, perhaps permanently. And even as she seeks justice for her son, shes pleading for an end to the violence and for this nation to heal. She said she was praying for her son.
Then she said something to me that that surprised me. She said she was praying for all police officers. She said was already been praying for America even before her son was shot. Shes publicly asked all of us to examine our hearts, citizens, elected officials, the police, all of us. And then she said, this. We need healing. More than anything, thats what we need to do as a nation. We need to heal.
Our current president wants you to live in fear, he advertises himself as a figure of order. He isnt, and hes not been part of the solution thus far. Hes part of the problem. The problem, I, as president, will give you my all resolve to stop. Ill deal with the virus, Ill deal with the economic crisis, and Ill work to bring a quality and opportunity to everyone. Weve arrived at a moment in this campaign, we all know, including the press in front of me, knew wed get to.
The moment when Donald Trump would be so desperate, hed do anything to hold onto power. Donald Trump has been a toxic presence in our nation for four years. Poisoning how we talk to one another, poisoning how we treat one another, poisoning the values this nation has always held dear, poisoning our very democracy. Now, in just a little over 60 days, we have a decision to make. Will we rid ourselves of this toxin or will we make it a permanent part of our nations character?
As Americans, Im confident we believe in honesty and decency, treating everyone with dignity and respect, giving everyone a fair shot, leaving no one behind, giving hate no safe harbor, and demonizing no one. We, up to now, always recognize theres something bigger than ourselves, thats what were about.
Trump doesnt seem to believe in any of that. Look, Ive said it before and Ill keep saying it, America is an idea. Its the most powerful idea in the history of the world. And I believe it beats in the hearts of the people of this country. All men and women are created equal and they deserve to be treated equally.
Trump has sought to remake this nation in his image. Selfish, angry, dark, and divisive. This is not who we are. At her best, americas always been, and if I have anything to do it, it will be again, generous, confident, an optimistic nation full of hope and resolve.
Donald Trump is determined to instill fear in America. Thats what his entire campaign for the president has come down to, fear. But I believe Americans are stronger than that. I believe well be guided by the words of Pope John Paul II, words drawn from the scriptures. Be not afraid, be not afraid. Fear never builds the future, but hope does. And building the future is what America does, what weve always done. In fact, its what we have done best and continue to do best. This is the United States of America. Theres not a single thing beyond our capacity when we decide to do it together. So lets get together. I want to thank you all. May God bless you, and may God protect our troops.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
1 replies, 766 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (9)
ReplyReply to this post
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Joe Biden's Presidential Pittsburgh Speech, Full Transcript (Original Post)
ancianita
Aug 2020
OP
Hekate
(91,005 posts)1. Thank you, ancianita. Kick. Rec. Bookmark.