♪
♪
>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK,
EVERYBODY.
TONIGHT, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO
TALK
WITH THE PRESUMPTIVE DEMOCRATIC
CANDIDATE TO BE THE
NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
PLEASE WELCOME, THE MAN FROM
SCRANTON, VICE PRESIDENT JOSEPH
R. BIDEN.
HELLO, SIR!
>> HEY, MAN!
>> Stephen: GOOD TO SEE YOU
AGAIN.
ALSO GOOD TO SEE YOU WEARING A
MASK.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
SECRET SERVICE OUTSIDE, AND
THE -- WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY --
ALL THE SECRET SERVICE IS
TESTED, AND I HAVE THREE OR FOUR
PEOPLE COME IN HERE WITH MASKS
AND GLOVES THAT HELPED ME SET
THIS UP, AND, SO, YOU KNOW, I
WEAR THE MASK ALL THE TIME --
NOT ALL THE TIME -- WHEN
ANYBODY'S AROUND, OTHER THAN
JILL.
ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES SHE WANTS ME
TO PUT THE MASK SON SO SHE CAN'T
HEAR ME SPEAK.
BUT --
( LAUGHTER )
>> Stephen: WELL, I'M SO GLAD
TO HAVE YOU HERE.
YOU ARE MY LAST GUEST OF AN
EIGHT-WEEK RUN WE HAVE BEEN
DOING AT HOME.
IT HAS ITS CHALLENGES BUT FEELS
GOOD TO FIN OUT THE RUN WITH THE
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE.
I HAVE ONE QUESTION TO ASK YOU,
SIR -- ARE YOU GOING TO BEAT
THIS GUY?
>> YES.
YES, YES, YES, YES.
I DON'T WANT TO JINX MYSELF, BUT
I'LL TELL YOU WHY, THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S
AT STAKE HERE.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
ELECTION IN ANYBODY'S LIFE, NOT
BECAUSE I'M RUNNING, BUT BECAUSE
OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
WE'VE LOST -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE
LOST 36 MILLION JOBS, WE HAVE
OVER 93,000 DEAD AND THE NUMBERS
CLIMBING, AND THE WAY HE'S
WALKED AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE
WRLD, HE'S NOT HAVING OUR FOLKS
AT ANY OF THE INTERNATIONAL
MEETINGS OF THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION OR DEALING WITH
THOSE NATIONS WORKING ON
VACCINES AS WELL.
I MEAN, I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND
IT.
>> Stephen: I KNOW THAT THE --
ONE OF THE SLOGANS OF YOUR
CAMPAIGN WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED
WAS RESTORING AMERICA'S SOUL,
WHICH I THINK IS A WORTHWHILE
GOAL, BUT, RIGHT NOW, AMERICA
ALSO NEEDS TO RESTORE ITS BODY.
>> YEP.
>> Stephen: WE -- 50 STATES,
ALL 50 STATES ARE DOING SOME
FORM OF REOPENING RIGHT NOW.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: THOUGH NONE OF
THOSE STATES HAVE MET ALL THE
C.D.C. CRITERIA.
SO THERE ARE CONCERNS OF A
SECOND WAVE.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT THAT,
SIR?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, AS I
UNDERSTAND IT -- IN FACT, I KNOW
IT -- THE C.D.C. MAD SET OUT AND
WERE PREPARED TO ISSUE SOME VERY
DETAILED GUIDELINES ABOUT HOW TO
REOPEN, UNDER WHAT
CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE WHITE
HOUSE QUASHED THAT.
SO THEY PUT OUT A VERY
WATERED-DOWN VERSION OF WHAT
THEY, IN FACT, SAID SHOULD BE
THE BASIS UPON WHICH WE OPEN,
HOW WE SHOULD REOPEN.
AND YOU SAW IN THE NEWS
YESTERDAY AND THE DAY BEFORE HOW
PRESENT OFFICIALS AT THE C.D.C.
TALK ABOUT HOW THERE IS AN OPEN
CONFLICT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AS
TO LISTENING TO THE SCIENTISTS
AND THE SCIENCE.
THE PRESIDENT HAS ONE MEASURE OF
HOW HE'S GOING TO BE REELECTED,
IN HIS VIEW, AND THAT IS HIS
MAR-A-LAGO FRIENDS, ARE THEY
DOING WELL, AND IS THE STOCK
MARKET RISING.
BECAUSE THAT'S HIS BASIS UPON
WHICH HE MEASURES WHETHER OR NOT
THERE'S ANY ECONOMIC SUCCESS.
AND I THINK HE'S PREPARED TO DO
VIRTUALLY ANYTHING TO TRY TO GET
THAT MOVING WITHOUT PAYING
NEARLY ENOUGH ATTENTION TO WHAT
EVERYONE FROM DR. FAUCI TO
SCIENTISTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
HAVE SAID IN GREAT UNIVERSITIES
FROM JOHN HOPKINS TO STANFORD TO
COLUMBIA, ET CETERA, HAVE SAID
THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY WORRY
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S
GOING TO BE A CONSIDERABLE
REBOUND OF THIS DISEASE, A3
REBOUND OF THIS VIRUS.
AND, LOOK, HE HASN'T EVEN -- YOU
KNOW, LOOK HOW LONG IT TOOK HIM
TO GET THE P.P.E., THE
PROTECTIVE GEAR TO PEOPLE, STILL
NOT EVERYWHERE.
HE TALKS ABOUT AT THIS MOMENT,
ANYONE WHO WANTSTA TEST CAN GET
ONE.
WELL HE CAN GET ONE EVERY DAY IF
HE WANTS TO AND THE WHITE HOUSE
CANT, BUT PEOPLE CAN'T.
SOME PEOPLE CAN, BUT THE VAST
MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
CAN'T JUST GO GET A TEST.
I MEAN, WHY DON'T YOU START TO
TELL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE
TRUTH?
THEY'RE TOUGH.
THEY CAN HANDLE IT, AND TELL
THEM WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND
TELL THEM HOW YOU'RE GOING TO
GET THESE THINGS DONE.
HE'S DONE NONE OF THAT.
>> Stephen: THE N.I.H. HAS
SAID THAT THE ROSIEST POSSIBLE
SCENARIO IS A DISTRIBUTABLE
VACCINE IN 2021.
IF YOU ARE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES, THAT WILL BE
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND YOUR
ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSIBLE TO
DISTRIBUTE THAT.
HOW WILL YOU GET THAT DONE?
WHAT ARE THE PLANS IN YOUR FIRST
100 DAYS TO MAKE SURE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE WHAT THEY
NEED AND CAN GET ANY VACCINE OR
ANY TREATMENT THAT MIGHT BE
AVAILABLE?
>> WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE OF
THINGS, AND THAT'S THE EXACT
GREAT QUESTION TO ASK, IN MY
VIEW.
YOU KNOW, TRUMP IS FINALLY
APPOINTING SOME PEOPLE ABOUT
GETTING THE VACCINE, BUT IT'S
TOO LATE ON P.P.E., ON TESTING,
ON GUIDANCE FOR REOPENING, AND
WE DEFINITELY CAN'T AFFORD TOO
LITTLE, TOO LATE IN THE VACCINE.
SO HERE'S WHAT I WOULD DO --
ONE, WE HAVE TO MAKE THE
INVESTMENT WE NEED HERE AT HOME,
BUT IT ALSO MEANS WORKING WITH
THE REST OF THE WORLD.
THE UNITED STATES BEING ABSENT
FROM A GLOBAL VACCINE SUMMIT AND
WE DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP AT IT,
OUR ALLIES ARE WORKING ON A
VACCINE LIKE IN OXFORD, ENGLAND,
THAT CAN MAKE A BREAKTHROUGH
POSSIBLY, WE SHOULD BE WORK WITH
THEM.
IF I WERE PUR PRESIDENT, I WOULD
HAVE A FULL STRATEGY.
I WOULD APPROPRIATE $25 BILLION
FROM CONGRESS TO SCALE UP
MANUFACTURING SO THERE'S NO
DELAY, ONCE THE VACCINE IS
FOUND.
YOU'VE GOT TO SCALE UP THE
CAPACITY TO PRODUCE THE VACCINE.
SECONDLY, I'D WORK WITH OUR
ALLIES AND PARTNERS AROUND THE
WORLD SO WE HAVE THE ACCESS, IF
WE NEED THE VACCINE, IF IT
EMERGES SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND THIRDLY, I'D DEVELOP A PLAN
NOW FOR DISTRIBUTION BY MAKING
SURE IT GETS EVERYWHERE IN
AMERICA, URBAN, RURAL AND
EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD
BECAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER
IS, EVEN IF WE TAKE CARE OF
EVERYTHING AT HOME, IT CAN STILL
COME BACK THROUGH OTHER SOURCES
AROUND THE WORLD IN TERMS OF
TRAVEL.
WE LEARNED THAT VIRUSES DON'T
GET STOPPED BY WALLS.
SO THERE'S SO MUCH WE SHOULD BE
PREPARING FOR NOW SO WE DON'T
END UP FLAT-FOOTED.
GOD WILLING, IF THERE WAS A
VACCINE AS EARLY AS
THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE, AS EARLY
AS JANUARY, IF THAT OCCURRED,
WHAT IS THE PLAN, HOW DO YOU GET
IT OUT TO ALL AMERICANS, HOW DO
YOU DO IT, WHAT DO YOU DO?
YOU SHOULD DO IT NOW AND
APPROPRIATE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE
TO PRODUCE IT.
>> Stephen: NOW, I ASSUME
YOU'RE GETTING ADVICE FROM
EPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND MEDICAL
EXPERTS ON HOW TO HIT THE GROUND
RUNNING, SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED.
I ASSUME YOU ALSO HAVE THE BEST
PICK OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE,
BECAUSE TRUMP DID NOT PICK THE
BEST PEOPLE, AND IN THE CASES HE
DID, THEY DIDN'T LAST LONG IF
THEY DISAGREED WITH HIM.
WHEN YOU ENTERED THE WHITE HOUSE
ON JANUARY 20th, 2021, AFTER
YOU TAKE THAT OATH, WILL YOU
APPOINT PEOPLE FROM BOTH SIDES
OF THE AISLE?
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
REPUBLICANS WHO WANT DESPERATELY
TO WORK HARD TO RESTORE THIS
COUNTRY.
>> YES.
LOOK, THIS IS ANT PARTISAN
ISSUE.
IT SOUNDS ALMOST TRIED TO SAY
IT, THERE'S NOTHING PARTISAN
ABOUT THIS, AND THERE ARE A LOT
OF REPUBLICANS AND A LOT OF
REPUBLICAN DOCS AND SCIENTISTS
THAT KNOW WHAT HAS TO BE DONE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS
REALLY IMPORTANT, STEPHEN, IS,
FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY MORNING --
WELL, LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY --
AT LEAST FOUR MORNINGS A WEEK, I
GET A 10:00 BRIEFING THAT LAST
FORCE AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A
HALF FROM SOME OF THE LEADING
EXPERTS IN THE WORLD ON DEALING
WITH THIS CORONAVIRUS AND HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT, AND I USUALLY GET
ABOUT A 30- TO 40-PAGE REPORT
EVERY SINGLE MORNING.
>> Stephen: DO YOU ACTUALLY
READ THAT REPORT, SIR, BECAUSE
THAT IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED
PRESIDENTIAL.
>> I NOT ONLY READ IT, WE THEN
GO THROUGH IT PAGE BY PAGE.
THAT'S WHY IT TAKES CLOSE TO AN
HOUR AND A HALF.
I WAS TOLD A WHILE AGO THAT, YOU
KNOW, IF THE PRESIDENT HAD JUST
ACTED EARLIER, WHEN SOME OF US
SAID HE SHOULD BE ACTING BACK IN
JANUARY 15th -- I THINK IT WAS
JANUARY 27th I WROTE A PIECE
TALKING ABOUT A PANDEMIC IS
HERE, WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH
IT -- IF HE HAD JUST ACTED
ACCORDING TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
AND THEIR EPIDEMIOLOGISTS, IT
WOULD HAVE SAVED I THINK 37,000
LIVES.
PEOPLE ARE TYING BECAUSE OF THIS
NEGLIGENCE, AND IT HAS TO STOP.
IT HAS TO STOP.
>> Stephen: YOU SAID YOU ARE
COMMITTED THIS WILL BE A FEMALE
>> Stephen: YOU SAID YOU ARE
COMMITTED THIS WILL BE A FEMALE
VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
YOU HAVE BEEN A VICE PRESIDENT.
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA?
WHAT MAKES YOU GOOD IN THE JOB?
>> WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, THAT'S
ONE OF THE THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE,
I WENT TO BARACK, AND WE TALKED
ABOUT IT, AND WHAT ARE THE
CRITERIA?
LOOK, I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO
THE DETAILS OF WHO, BUT I
PROMISE YOU --
>> Stephen: GO AHEAD.
WE HAVE TIME.
GET INTO THE DETAILS.
>> I HONEST TO GOD DON'T KNOW, I
PROMISE YOU RIGHT NOW.
LOOK, THE ONLY THING I KNOW
SOMETHING ABOUT IS THE
VICE PRESIDENCY, AND WHEN THE
PRESIDENT ASKS ME TO BE VETTED
TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, I
ASKED HIM WHY HE WANTED ME TO DO
THAT, AND HE SAID BECAUSE HE WAS
CONFIDENT I WOULD NEVER WALK
INTO THE OVAL OFFICE AND BE
INTIMIDATED, I'D ALWAYS TELL HIM
THE TRUTH, I WOULD ALWAYS TELL
HIM WHAT I THOUGHT, AND I WOULD
ALWAYS BE LOYAL IN THE SENSE
THAT I WOULD JUST TALK TO HIM,
JUST LET HIM KNOW, BECAUSE
UNLESS THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL
MORAL DILEMMA YOU HAVE OF WHAT A
PRESIDENT IS PROPOSING, YOUR
BOSS IS PROPOSING, AND I
TENTATIVELY TOLD HIM IF THAT WAS
THE CASE, I HAD PROSTATE CANCER
AND I WOULD RESIGN, BUT I KNEW
IT WOULDN'T.
BUT ONE THING WE HAD IN COMMON
WAS WE WERE BOTH ON THE MAJOR
ISSUES, STRATEGIC ISSUES IN
COMPLETE ALIGNMENT.
WHEN WE DISAGREED AND WE DID
SOME TIME WERE ON TACTIC, HOW TO
GET THINGS DONE.
WHEN I ASKED HIM WHY HE, HE SAID
TWO THINGS, ONE, YOU WERE
PERCEIVED TO HAVE AND YOU
ACTUALLY HAD A LOT OF FOREIGN
POLICY EXPERIENCE -- AND, BY THE
WAY, HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE
WANTED TO DO ON HIS FOREIGN
POLICY, HE HAD A STRATEGIC
NOTION OF AMERICA'S ROLE IN THE
WORLD, BUT HE SAID, YOU KNOW A
LOT OF THESE LEADERS BETTER THAN
I DO, YOU KNOW THE WORLD, YOU
KNOW IT BETTER, AND THAT'S ONE
OF THE REASONS I WANT YOU.
SECONDLY, HE SAID, YOU KNOW HOW
THE CONGRESS AND THE SYSTEM
WORKS, AND YOU'VE GOT AN LOT
DONE, SO THOSE TWO ARE NOT --
THAT'S NOT THE EXPERIENCE I HAVE
HAD, I AM NEW TO IT, THAT'S WHY
I WANT YOU TO BE MY
VICE PRESIDENT.
>> Stephen: THAT'S PART OF
YOUR VETTING PROCESS, YOU SAID.
>> THAT'S PART OF MY VETTING
PROCESS.
SO, FOR ME, WHAT I'M LOOKING
FOR, I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY
WHO CAN COMPLEMENT AND/OR MAKE
UP FOR -- BARACK USED TO KID
WITH HIS FRIENDS AND SAY, JOE
AND I -- HAVING JOE IS LIKE
HAVING AN OLDER BROTHER, I KNOW
HE'LL ALWAYS TELL ME WHAT THE
HELL HE THINKS, NUMBER ONE, AND,
NUMBER TWO, HE'D SAY, WE MAKE UP
FOR EACH OTHER'S SHORTCOMINGS.
WELL, HE MADE UP FOR A LOT OF MY
SHORTCOMINGS, JUST A FEW --
>> Stephen: IS THERE ANY
CHANCE, SIR, THAT AMY KLOBUCHAR
MAKES UP FOR SOME OF YOUR
SHORTCOMINGS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN
REPORTED THAT AMY KLOBUCHAR HAS
BEEN VETTED BY YOUR TEAM.
IS THAT TRUE?
>> WELL, NO ONE'S BEEN VETTED BY
THE TEAM.
THE TEAM OF LAWYERS WHO GO OUT
AND DO THE VETTING, NO ONE'S
BEEN VETTED.
THERE'S BEEN A TEAM PUT TOGETHER
TO GO DOWN A PRELIMINARY LIST OF
PEOPLE, ASK THEM IN GENERAL, ASK
THEM GENERAL QUESTIONS, WHY
WOULD THEY BE INTERESTED OR NOT
INTERESTED IN THE JOB,
ET CETERA.
THAT PROCESS IS COMING TO AN END
NOW, AND THE ACTUAL VETTING OF
PEOPLE -- THAT IS, WHERE YOU GO
INTO EVERY DETAIL OF YOUR
BACKGROUND, YOU LOOK AT EVERY
VOTE THEY'VE EVER TAKEN, YOU
LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM THEIR
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO HEALTH
CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS A VERY
INVASIVE PROCESS, AND THAT'S WHY
WAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS YOU
DON'T WANT TO LET ALL THE NAMES
OUT YOU'RE VETTING BECAUSE IF
SOMEONE'S NOT CHOSEN, THE
PRESUMPTION IS NOT NECESSARILY
TRUE THAT THERE MUST BE
SOMETHING WRONG.
THAT'S NOT -- THAT'S NOT THE
PROCESS.
AND, SO, BUT I JUST -- THE BEST
WAY TO PUT IT IS WHAT ONE OF
BARACK'S CLOSE ADVISORS HAS
SAID, WHO'S ALSO A FRIEND, SAID,
THINK TO YOURSELF, YOU'VE GOT AN
IMPORTANT DECISION, WHO'S THE
LAST PERSON YOU WANT TO WALK IN
THE OVAL OFFICE TO TALK TO YOU?
AND THE DEAL -- BARACK ASKED --
THE PRESIDENT ASKED ME WHAT IT
WAS THAT I WOULD WANT IF I TOOK
THE JOB AS VICE PRESIDENT, WHEN
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT OFFERING
IT, AND I SAID, I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT YOU PROMISED ME I GET
TO BE THE LAST PERSON IN THE
ROOM, THE LAST PERSON IN THE
ROOM ON EVERY IMPORTANT
DECISION.
HE KEPT HIS PROMISE.
THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO DO
THAT WAS, EVEN DOWN IN THE
SITUATION ROOM, EVEN IN THESE
VERY, VERY, VERY TENSE AND
NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES, I DID
NOT WANT TO, IF I KNEW HE WAS
GOING ONE DIRECTION AND I
DISAGREED WITH HIM, I DID NOT
WANT TO DISAGREE WITH HIM EVEN
IN FRONT OF THOSE 15 PEOPLE IN
THAT ROOM.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED AN
OPPORTUNITY, AT THE VERY END, TO
SAY, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS WHAT
I THINK, THIS IS WHY I THINK IT.
YOU'RE PRESIDENT, YOU MAKE THE
DECISION, BUT THIS IS WHAT I
THINK.
SO YOU WANT TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO
WAS COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE
DISAGREEING WITH YOU, AND, WHEN
THEY DISAGREE WITH YOU, YOU KNOW
THEY'RE GOING TO DISAGREE WITH
YOU, AND IF YOU MAKE A DIFFERENT
DECISION, UNLESS THERE'S SOME
FUNDAMENTAL, MORAL DILEMMA YOU
HAVE, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO FULLY
BACK IT.
THEY'RE THE THINGS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT.
>> Stephen: YEAH, LIKE ON THE
CAMPAIGN TRAIL, WHEN AMY
KLOBUCHAR WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY
DISAGREE WITH YOU AND YOU GUYS
ARE STILL FRIENDS.
IS SHE ON THE SHORT LIST IS
THIS.
>> AMY'S FIRST RATE, DON'T GET
ME WRONG.
>> Stephen: SO SHE'S FIRST ON
THE LIST?
>> WELL, I'M NOT GETTING INTO
THAT.
>> Stephen: GET INTO IT!
EVERYBODY DISAGREED WITH ME
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
EVERY PRESIDENT OF MY 
LIFETIME HAS
EXERTED INCREASED EXECUTIVE
POWER, AND EVEN YOUR FRIEND
BARACK OBAMA DID NOT RELINQUISH
EXECUTIVE POWER THAT HAD BEEN
TAKEN BY GEORGE W. BUSH.
HE DID NOT RELINQUISH POWER THAT
WAS AGGREGATED TO THE OFFICE.
AND DONALD TRUMP HAS CLAIMED
ENORMOUS EXECUTIVE POWER.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO
RELINQUISH AS PRESIDENT OF THE
UITED STATES THAT HAS BEEN
ACCUMULATING IN THE WHITE HOUSE
IN TERMS OF THE POWER OF THE
OFFICE?
>> LOOK, YOU MAY REMEMBER I GOT
IN TROUBLE DURING THE PRIMARIES
FOR SAYING THAT WHEN A COLLEAGUE
RUNNING FOR THE NOMINATION WOULD
SAY TO ME, AND IF IT DOESN'T
HAPPEN, THEN I'M GOING TO
ORDER -- I'VE WRITTEN
EXTENSIVELY WHEN I WAS A LAW
PROFESSOR AS WELL AS THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE ON THE ROLE OF THE
UNITED STATES CONGRESS AS BEING
A CO-EQUAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT,
A CO-EQUAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT
AND, IN MY VIEW -- IN MY VIEW,
THE EXECUTIVE HAS MOVED BEYOND
AREAS WHERE THEY SHOULD BE
MOVING.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE USE OF FORCE
ACT, THAT IS LONG OVERDUE TO BE
RECONSIDERED.
WE SHOULD BE LETTING THE
CONGRESS DETERMINE UNDER WHAT
CIRCUMSTANCES CAN A PRESIDENT
DEPLOY TROOPS UNDER THE USE OF
FORCE ACT TO DEAL WITH TRIM, TO
DEAL WITH WHATEVER, BECAUSE IT
JUST KEEPS GETTING BROADENED.
I THINK, IN FACT, THERE ARE --
AND I REALLY MEAN THIS, AND I
KNOW I GET CRITICIZED BY SOME
FOLKS WHO THINK WE NEED MORE
EXECUTIVE POWER -- THERE ARE
THREE EQUAL -- EQUAL -- BRANCHES
OF GOVERNMENT, THE COURTS, THE
CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT, AND
IT'S ALWAYS A WRESTLING MATCH,
AS I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT, AS TO
WHO, IN FACT, EXERCISES THE
POWER IN ONE PARTICULAR MOMENT,
IN ONE PARTICULAR TIME, BUT I AM
NOT GOING TO OVERREACH -- I
THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS
WHY I'M RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IS
BECAUSE OF THIS PRESIDENT'S
ENORMOUS ABUSE OF POWER,
ENORMOUS ABUSE OF THE POWER OF
THE PRESIDENCY.
WELL, SIR, BEFORE I LET YOU GO,
I CAN SEE OVER YOUR LEFT
SHOULDER, I BELIEVE THAT IS YOUR
SON BO'S FLAG, IF I'M NOT
MISTAKEN.
>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
>> Stephen: THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE LOOK TO YOU AS A FIGURE
WHO UNDERSTANDS SUFFERING, WHO
UNDERSTANDS PAIN OF THE HEART
AND THE SOUL AND WHAT IS
REQUIRED TO OVERCOME THAT, AND
WHILE WE ALL KNOW WE'RE IN A
CRISIS, NOT JUST NATIONALLY BUT
GLOBALLY, NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION
REALLY IS BEING PAID TO THE
NECESSITY FOR GRIEF RIGHT NOW,
FOR THE GRIEF OF THE LOSS OF
CLOSE TO 100,000 PEOPLE SO FAR.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A PUBLIC
EXPRESSION FROM THE TOP OF THAT
GRIEF WHICH HELPS GUIDE THE
COUNTRY'S SOUL IN TIMES OF
CRISIS LIKE THIS, AND IT'S NOT
JUST FOR THE IRREPARABLE LOSS OF
LIVES BUT THE ECONOMIC LOSS, THE
INSECURITY, WORRY ABOUT THE
FUTURE, THE LOSS OF A NORMAL
NATIONAL STATE.
WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE
WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE
AND HAVE NO OUTLET RIGHT NOW,
NATIONALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, FOR
THEIR GRIEF?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I
CRITICIZE A LITTLE BIT FOR
SAYING ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF
AGO, IF I WERE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, I WOULD BE
LOWERING THE FLAG TO HALF MAST
IN THE WHITE HOUSE, LITERALLY,
NOT FIGURATIVELY, BECAUSE SO
MANY FAMILIES, EVERY ONE OF
THOSE NOW OVER 90,000, IT'S
GOING TO BE WELL OVER 100-
BEFORE THIS IS OVER, WHO HAVE
LOST SOMEBODY, LEFT BEHIND A
FAMILY, LEFT BEHIND SOMEBODY
WITH A BROKEN HEART, WITH A
FEELING LIKE THE FEELING YOU HAD
WHEN YOU LOSE SOMEONE YOU LOVE,
AS YOU KNOW, AND IT'S LIKE
THERE'S A BIG BLACK HOLE YOU
SEEM TO GET SUCKED INTO.
BUT YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, OVER
TIME, YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER
THAT THEY'RE STILL PART OF YOU,
THEY'RE YOUR HEART, THEY'RE YOUR
SOUL, IT'S WHO YOU ARE, IT'S
THIS CONNECTION THAT IS REAL,
AND THE ONLY WAY I KNOW FOR ME
HOW TO GET THROUGH IT IS TO FIND
PURPOSE.
WHAT WOULD THE PERSON YOU LOST,
WHAT WOULD THEY WANT YOU DOING?
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE IT
BETTER?
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO DEAL WITH THE
CIRCUMSTANCE WHY THEY DID LOSE
THEIR LIFE, EITHER BECAUSE THEY
WERE WORKING OUT A MINIMUM WAGE
JOB AND THEY COULD NOT BE HOME
AND THEY HAD TO BE OUT THERE IN
TROUBLE, OR WHETHER OR NOT IT'S
BEING IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU
HAVE SOMEBODY WHO HAD A
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION THAT
CAUSED THE CORONAVIRUS TO MAKE
THEM MUCH MORE SUS SEPTEMBERABLE
TO IT -- SUSCEPTIBLE TO IT.
AND THE ONLY WAY I'VE FOUND IT
IS I'VE FOUND MY FAITH, AS
YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, THAT
FAITH SEES BEST IN THE DARK.
I MEAN THIS SINCERELY -- WELL,
LET ME -- MY BO, MY SON , BEFORE
I MEAN THIS SINCERELY -- WELL,
LET ME -- MY BO, MY SON , BEFORE
HE DIED, HE MADE ME MAKE A
PROMISE FOR REAL.
IT WAS MONTHS BEFORE HE DIED.
HE KNEW HE WAS DYING, BECAUSE HE
HAD STAGE FOUR GLIOBLASTOMA.
NO ONE'S MADE THAT.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT JOE
AND I WOULD COME HOME ON
FRIDAYS, AS VICE PRESIDENT, AND
TRY TO HAVE DINNER WITH HE AND
MY TWO GRANDCHILDREN AND HIS
WIFE ON FRIDAY NIGHTS.
SO WE WERE OVER THERE, I CAME
HOME ON THE TRAIN, AND THE
SECRET SERVICE WOULD RATHER ME
FLY, BUT IT WAS AWFULLY
EXPENSIVE TO DO, BUT I WOULD
COME HOME, AND WE'RE SITTING AT
DINNER, AND DINNER WAS OVER, AND
HE TURNED TO HIS WIFE, AND HE
SAID, WOULD YOU TAKE THE KIDS
UPSTAIRS?
I WANT TO TALK TO DAD.
JILL HAD GONE STRAIGHT FROM THE
TRAIN TO THE HOUSE, SHE WANTED
TO CHANGE, WE ONLY LIVED
THREE-QUARTERS A MILE AWAY.
HE SAID, DAD, I KNOW NO ONE IN
THE WORLD LOVES ME MORE THAN YOU
DO, BUT, DAD, I PROMISE YOU, I'M
GOING TO BE OKAY, MY WORD.
HE SAID, I'M GOING TO BE OKAY.
HE SAID, BUT, DAD, PROMISE ME
YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY.
I SAID, BO, I'M GOING TO BE
OKAY.
AND HE SAID, DAD, LOOK AT ME.
LOOK ADD ME, DAD.
GIVE ME YOUR WORD AS BIDEN
YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY.
I KNEW WHAT HE MEANT.
HE KNEW THAT THE DEVASTATION OF
LOSING HIM AS IF I LOST MY SON
HUNTER OR OUR DAUGHTER ASHLEY
WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY -- IT WOULD
BE VERY HARD, AND SO I SAID,
YES.
WHAT HE WANTED ME TO PROMISE TO
DO, HE WAS WORRIED WHAT I WOULD
DO IS I WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE
FAMILY, BUT HE WAS WORRIED I
WOULD WITHDRAW, I WOULD GO
INSIDE, BECAUSE MOURNING IN
PUBLIC IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN
BEING ABLE TO MOURN IN PRIVATE.
AND HE MADE ME PROMISE TO STAY
ENGAGED.
HE DIDN'T MAKE ME PROMISE TO RUN
FOR PRESIDENT.
BY THE TIME I WAS 18 YEARS OLD,
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FROM CAUSES
FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
TO THE ENVIRONMENT, THINGS THAT
MATTERED TO ME, WHAT I'VE DONE
MY WHOLE LIFE, EVEN AS A LAWYER,
AS A PUBLIC DEFENDER.
AND, SO, FOR ME, THE MEASURE
IS -- LET ME SAY IT THIS WAY,
EVERY MORNING I GET UP, I ASK
MYSELF, IS HE PROUD OF ME?
AM I MEETING THE REQUIREMENT
THAT I PROMISED HIM I WOULD DO?
BECAUSE HE AND HUNTER, WHOM GOD,
THANK GOD I STILL HAVE HIM, HE
WAS MY SOUL, HUNTER IS MY HEART.
HIT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT EVERY TIME 
WOULD WALK OUT IN A DEBATE AND
EVERYTHING WE WERE RUNNING AS
VICE PRESIDENT AS WELL, THEY
WOULD STAND THERE WITH ME, AND I
GOT A PICTURE BACK HERE OF BO
DOING IT, GRABBED ME BY THE
LAPEL AND SAID, DAD, LOOK AT ME,
DAD, REMEMBER, HOME BASE, HOME
BASE.
HOME BASE.
REMEMBER, DAD, NONE OF THIS IS
WORTH IT.
NONE OF THIS IS WORTH IT, UNLESS
YOU CAN BE YOURSELF.
JUST HOME BASE.
STICK TO IT.
AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE
WHO'VE GONE THROUGH WHAT I'VE
GONE THROUGH AND WORSE.
YEAH, I LOST MY FIRST WIFE AND
MY DAUGHTER WAS KILLED AS WELL,
I LOST BO.
I REALLY MEAN THIS, THINK OF ALL
THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW WHO GET UP
EVERY MORNING, I MEAN, LOST
MORE, WITHOUT ANY KIND OF THE
EXTENDED FAMILY HELP I'VE HAD,
AND THEY PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT
OF THE OTHER, AND THEY DO IT.
THEY JUST DO IT.
THEY JUST DO IT.
>> Stephen: ARE WE GOING TO BE
ALL RIGHT?
>> YES, WE ARE.
I PROMISE YOU, WE WILL GET
THROUGH THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO
COME OUT STRONGER.
USE ROOSEVELT'S ANALOGY THE
FIRST TIME, YES.
WHAT DID HE DO?
WE AMERICANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
ABLE TO TAKE CRISES AND TURN
THEM INTO OPPORTUNITIES.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU AGAIN,
SIR.
VICE PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN,
EVERYBODY.
HE'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
♪
♪
