>>
Welcome to the
Queen Theatre.
I am here
today to talk
about crisis.
A crisis being built
all across the United
States of America.
Jill and I
have just been briefed,
as you know,
in this room by
our public health
and education experts
about what it's
going to take
to be able to reopen
our schools safely and
effectively.
Back to school has
always been a special
time.
Particularly in mind
because for all the years
Jill and I were married
she was going back to
school as a teacher.
Module is an educator
and she will be the
first one to tell you
that this should
be a season
of promise for
our country.
Times were classrooms
are crackling
with the possibilities
of the new year,
students hopes and all
about the future.
This year we are seeing
occult circumstances
and we are seeing heart
and grit from
her educators
, students to try to
rise to the occasion.
Our government
hasn't come up
to that bar.
Let me be clear.
President Trump
and his administration
has
-- had done their jobs
early on with this crisis
American schools would
be open and be open
safely.
Instead American families
all across this country
are paying the price for
his failures and his
administration's
failures.
Like many of you
because you are reporters
and you have friends
and children
you're probably hearing
the same thing I am
hearing throughout this
pandemic.
They are struggling
to feel
-- figure out how to
do the right thing.
They are worried.
What does it mean
for my kids?
Is this setting my
child's education back
beyond just a semester?
What impact
will it have?
How is my child
going to catch up?
What if I'm not
doing enough
to help my child
succeed?
All those questions
of self-doubt
that has been engaged.
President Trump
we not think this is
a national emergency
but I think going
back to school
for millions of children
in the impacts on their
families and community
is a national emergency.
I believe that
is what it is.
Protecting our
students, our educators,
our communities.
Getting our schools
open safely and
effectively.
This is
a national emergency.
President Trump still
does not have any real
plan for how to open
our schools safely.
No real plan
for how to help
parents feel secure
for their children.
He is offering nothing
but failure and allusions
from the start
to the finish the
American families and
our children are paying
the price for his
failures.
Failure to take
this virus
seriously early on in
January and February
and its spread
around the globe.
Failure
to do what we need back
in March and April to
get this pandemic under
control to institute
widespread testing and
tracing to control the
spread.
Value to provide clear
national science-based
guidelines to national
authorities.
Failure to model
even basic
responsibility like
socially distancing and
wearing a mask.
Failure to make
sure educators
and administrators
have the equipment,
the resources in the
training
they need to open
safely under the
circumstances
we find now.
Donald Trump
has not stepped up.
We are all seen
the results.
Millions of students are
now starting the new
school year in the same
way they finished last
one, at home.
At home.
Parents are doing their
best but more and more
we are finding
themselves at wits end
struggling to balance
work and childcare
and educational duties.
Or worrying about
their last paycheck
and how to make
ends meet
while trying to keep
their kids on track
with remote learning.
Educators are taking
on countless hours of
additional training
to learn how to use
remote learning tools
so they can still be
there for their students
but they are worried
about all the kids
we used to count
on our schools.
All of those children
who need it so badly.
And, particularly,
those children
who need more than
the education.
They provide their
meals and safe places to
spend the day.
You know, we are all
concerned about making
sure COVID-19
doesn't further
exacerbate the
disparities.
The disparities that
have already existed
in our educational
system for so many
poor children and so
many communities of
color.
It is unacceptable
and it can't go
on like this.
We all want our schools
to reopen safely
with a plan that
prioritizes
the health of
our students
in the educators
and staff alike.
I laid out my plans
back in June and July.
A roadmap for how to
open in reopen safely
and effectively.
You can read them by
going to Joe Biden.com.
We need straight
forward common sense
solutions
but Trump refuses
to act.
Starving schools of the
needed funding, funding
they need now.
Now.
They needed at the
beginning of the summer.
Now trumps FEMA director
is cutting schools
close.
Just yesterday
FEMA announced
after helping
three districts, I
think it was three,
they announced they are
not going to help pay
for cloth masks,
other PPE or
for school settings
, cleaning those
basic health needs
, sanitize,
everything from the
lavatories to the
classrooms.
And safety
cost for schools that
do not qualify for
emergency assistance.
This is an emergency,
Mr.
President.
This is an emergency.
Donald Trump in his
FEMA should treat it as
one.
If I were president
today,
I would direct FEMA to
make sure our kids K-12
get full access
to disaster relief
and emergency
assistance under
the Stafford act.
I would make sure PPE
and sanitation supplies
for school qualify as
emergency protective
measures which is
a phrase the use
will be eligible for
federal assistance.
On top of that I would
be working with the
leaders of Congress now,
today, to pass emergency
packages for schools so
they have the resources
they need in order to
be able to open safely.
Money for ventilation.
Heard that a lot when
I had all those
healthcare experts
upon Zoom.
Money for ventilation
and other health
measures.
Also more money to hire
more teachers.
Every recommendation we
got is they should be
dividing into pods,
smaller classes.
Smaller classes mean
for educators are needed.
Keeping classes
socially distanced.
Small.
Money for more
psychologists and
counselors.
And
I introduced
legislation a long time
ago, I proposed
legislation a long
time ago calling for.
We have one school
psychologist every
1500 children in school.
The mental health
care that her children
the now.
The anxiety they are
feeling at home
and going to school and
not been able to go to
school.
The nation's
superintendent of schools
have estimated
they will need at
least $200 billion
to support K-12 schools
throughout the year
for safe reopening.
And winning the
money to hire educators
as well
as well is in the
four-year colleges and
universities, community
colleges
, for minority serving
institutions.
Democratic leaders are
ready to get this done.
They already proposed
legislation.
Mr.
President, where are you?
Where are you?
Why aren't you
working on this?
We need emergency
support funding
for our schools
and we need it now.
So, President,
that's your job.
That's your job.
That is what you should
be focused on now.
Getting our kids back
to school safely.
Keeping schools safely
able to remain open
once they open.
Not
whipping up fear
and division.
Not inciting violence
in our streets.
Get off Twitter
and start talking to
the congressional leaders
of both parties.
Invite them to
the oval office.
The oval office.
Stop your post
about never
. you can do anything.
You always talk about
your ability to
negotiate.
Negotiate a deal.
A deal for somebody
other than yourself.
Now I am happy to take
questions you may have.
I guess staff is going
to call on whoever
.
Fire away.
>>
Two quick questions
if I may.
First
ahead of your trip to
Kenosha, Wisconsin
tomorrow last week your
running mate said
the officer who
shot Jacob Blake
based on what she has
seen should be charged.
Do you agree with her?
Do you believe the same
for the officers who
were involved with the
death of Breonna Taylor?
>> I think we should let
the judicial system work
its way.
I do think there is a
minimum need to be
charged for the officers
as well as for Breonna
Taylor.
I may add by the way, I
think what happened in
Portland where one
of the drunk guys
running along in bands
and siding responses,
shooting
rubber bullets I guess
are paintballs,
apparently there was
someone shot by someone
in the crowd
with a bullet
killed.
I think that person
should meet the legal
requirements of whatever
that calls for.
Should be investigated
and it should be
followed through on what
needs to be done.
Let the judicial
system work.
Let's make sure justice
was done.
>>
A different topic.
There's a new book by
the New York Times
Michael Schmidt
that says one
President Trump made an
unannounced visit to
Walter Reed Hospital in
2019 Vice President Pentz
was told to be on
standby to take over in
case President Trump had
to receive anesthesia.
Pentz said last night
he does not recall being
told that.
's vice president were
you told to be on
standby or given
a special alert when a
President Obama was
going in for a medical
appointment?
Do you have any
concerns about the
Walter Reed visit that
President Trump made it
did not follow prior
protocol about
presidential visits for
medical examinations?
>>
I'm not going to
speculate on what it
means but what I say
is nothing this
administration does is
normal.
I am not being facetious
when I say that.
Who in God's name knows
what it is all about.
I don't know.
I'm not going
to speculate.
I am going to let the
experts do that.
The only time that I
have been on notice
is when the president
is out of the country
and I am in the country
.
Not that I should
wait for something
to be immediately
aware of anything
but that is something
that might be
called for.
It wasn't called for.
>> Think you.
>>
On his visit to Kenosha
tomorrow local
Democratic officials had
previously discouraged
President Trump
from visiting.
Just yesterday the
president of the local
AA CP that he did not
want to see either of
the candidates visit.
Why is now the right
time for you to go to
Kenosha and what you
hope to accomplish
tomorrow?
>> I have re-spoken to
all of the leaders of
their although I have an
outstanding call with
the governor and dealt
with the staff because .
and there has been
overwhelming requests
that I do come.
What we want to do
we have to heal.
We have to put people
together and
bring people together.
My purpose in going
will be to do just that.
To be a positive
influence on what is
going on.
Talk about what need
be done and try to see
if there's a beginning
of a mechanism to bring
the folks together.
We have to heal.
This is about making
sure that we move
forward.
And so,
I have gotten
advice from
sitting members of the
Congress and Senate
as well to go and
that I should go.
I am not going to go
do anything other than
meetings with community
leaders
as well as business
people
and other folks
in law enforcement
and to start to talk
about what has to be
done.
I'm not going
to tell Kenosha
what they have to do
but we have to do
together.
The idea that, you
know, the presidents
people are retreating
to their corners and
keep this moving
is just a mistake.
I spent my whole life,
including in the city
you are in right now,
bringing people
together.
Bringing the community
and police officers
together.
Bringing business
leaders and civic leaders
together.
That is my purpose
of going.
>> The fact that you are
traveling to Wisconsin
at all, I believe this
is only the first time
in the last few months
since the onset of a
pandemic that you will
be on a plane.
You talked about how you
want to follow the
advice of your doctors
in terms of campaigning
safely.
The questions we hear
from others is why are
you not out there more?
You may hear the
president was calling
into question your
campaign schedule.
How far are you willing
to push the envelope on
what safe to get your
message out and speed
speak to the voters
directly?
>> I believe my message
is getting out based on
what the polling shows.
I would like to get out
more, but I think the
president has a
responsibility to set
examples.
Set the right example
for how to get out.
Not to get out, not to
wear a mask, not to have
large crowds of people
standing next to
another.
Not being in the
potential cauldron for
significant outbreaks
of COVID.
So what I have done
is I have met with
. via
, I did this morning
with the medical experts
and so we worked
out a protocol
where how I get
in the plane.
What kind of
plan I get on.
How it is sanitized.
How I engage people.
It's like when I'm
engaging all of you
everywhere I go.
It's always at a safe
distance and everybody
is wearing masks.
The vast majority
of people
I am meeting with have
come into my home, staff
in the like are all
tested as well.
I am just trying
to set the example.
Wearing the protective
gear, mask
which I have with me.
I am able at this
distance to take it off,
number one.
Number two, making
sure we proceed
in a way with adequate
social distancing and
do it the right way.
>> Last quickly
they announce
the formatters
of the presidential
debates peer
.
Is there anything that
could dissuade you from
participating and how
have you begun to
prepare?
>>
I have begun to prepare
by going over what the
president said, multiple
lies he has told.
What I would love to
have is a crawler at the
bottom of the screen,
a fact checker.
If we really wanted to
do something, I think
that would make a great,
great debate if
everything both of us
that was instantly fact
checked by an agreed to
group of people out there
.
That probably would not
get very far in the
debate.
I looking forward to
debating the president
and I'm going to lay out
as clearly as I what I
think we have to do to
bring this country back
and build it back
better and I'm looking
forward to the debate.
>>
Thank you Mr.
Vice President.
One of the things I've
heard a lot from voters
across the country
is that a lot of them
are worried and
concerned about the
ongoing violence we have
seen in cities in this
country including the
situation in Kenosha,
Wisconsin
where you are headed.
I'm curious obviously
you not President now
and Donald Trump is but
I'm curious if you were
president what would you
do to make sure people
are Safe in situations
like these?
>> First of all I would
not incite violence.
I would condemn it
when it occurred.
The vast majority of
police officers good
decent honorable women
and men, the pin on that
shield every morning and
they have a right to go
home that night safely.
The vast majority but
just those who are not
good cops, all the
police I have dealt with
my whole life
and I have gotten
overwhelming support
from law enforcement
my whole career.
They are the ones that
want to get rid of the
bad cops more than
everyone else does
because it reflects
on them, number one.
Number two, I would
make sure everybody
understood if I were
president that any
violence, protesting is
a right and free speech
is a right but to
engage in violence
burning, looting
in the name of
protesting is wrong.
Persons should be
held accountable
for their actions.
What I would be doing
is I would be
bringing people
together in the White
House right now.
I would have that
police commission set
up.
I would have law
enforcement at the table.
I would have community
at the table.
I would have people
saying how do we get
through this and want
to be due to deal with
this?
I believe the vast
majority of the
community at large as
well as law enforcement
want to straighten
things out, not in plain
things.
This president keeps
throwing gasoline on the
fire every place
he goes.
I noticed, and I did not
watch much of it, but I
watched the reports from
the press and, you know,
when he was asked about
what should be done with
regard to the young man
shot in the back seven
times in front of his
children, I did not hear
much of anything
come from him.
What should we be doing
about and he went down
the line.
I wish you would take
responsibility.
As much as he would be
like -- would like to
run against someone else
is running against me,
Joe Biden.
The fact is he's not
acting very responsibly.
>>
You have outlined
.
you have outlined your
plan to reopen schools
safely but what about
what happens in the
interim?
Right now millions of
parents across the
country are facing this
impossible task of
trying to work full time
and help their children
full time to learn
virtually.
What is your message
to these parents?
What can you do to help
them what you were to
reopen schools?
>> Help is on the way.
I have laid out a clear
plan for child care.
A clear plan for
starting early education
as well so three, four,
five-year-olds are in
schools and the like.
But I'm not President
right now.
What we should be doing
is providing more help
for people who, in fact,
are trying to juggle
the choice between do
I stay home with my
3-4-5-year-old in the
middle of this COBRA --
COVID problem or do I
go to work and earn a
salary.
What do I do?
That's why I have a
major initiative to deal
with childcare
and eldercare.
So people can be
adequately paid to
come take care of
children as well
as the elderly
, a husband and wife
may be taking care of
.
As well as making sure
those folks are able
to get back to work.
That is why focusing
on daycare centers
and making sure they
are safe and healthy now
is equally as important
, almost as equally
important as dealing
with schools.
We should be providing
all of the PPE and all
of the safety that is
necessary and sanitary
capacity to allow
them to open.
Hundreds of them have
been opening because
some states have gone
in and done that.
There should be
universal guidance
coming from the
president of the United
States of America.
There should be basic
standards of how impact
in what circumstances
you can safely open a
daycare center.
You can safely open
a childcare center.
.
.
.
Both working parents to
decide whether one gives
up their salary
and stays home
with the child under
the age of five or six
and or somehow leaves
them with somebody
that is not
particularly qualified
and goes to work so they
can earn a living
is not a choice we
should be making.
We are the only
industrialized country
in the world that forces
people to make that kind
of choice.
No one should have to
pay more than 7% of an
income to provide for
child care and be able
to go to work.
This is something that
is a major element of my
build back better
program.
But in the meantime, the
most important thing
that can be done, as
have CDC issue will be
straightforward
guidelines on what
circumstances you should
be able to open up your
day care center or your
childcare center now.
There should be
clear standards.
States should have the
wherewithal to be able
to go out and inspect
those facilities now.
You know, one thing I
have not mentioned and I
think it warrants
mentioning, one of the
things we did when
we inherited
the great recession and
we were going into the
tank heading off a cliff
heading to a depression
, I was able to
convince three
Republicans to change
their boat and we ended
up with the recovery act.
It kept us from going
into a depression.
We spent billions of
dollars making sure
states were able to
maintain their essential
workers.
From their fire
departments,
schoolteachers, doctors,
nurses, public
hospitals.
Now what is happening?
This public
administration
will not support that
in the publican
-- Republican
leadership of the United
States Senate
will not support so
what is happening?
We do not have
that help.
It's not out there.
States are in
real trouble.
To quote my good friend
Mitch McConnell, he said
"let the states go
bankrupt." States have
to back balance their
budgets under the law.
Counties and cities
have to balance their
budget.
There's a reason why
the federal government
is able to run a deficit
.
What is happening?
Nothing.
Guess what?
We came out of
that recession
with the longest spurt
of economic growth
of any administration
in American history.
I could go on
.
Businesses.
Look at the money that
was passed under the
cares act for
businesses.
Small business is being
able to stay open.
You have tens of
thousands of them going
out of business,
many permanently.
Why?
Because the money did
not get to small
businesses.
They are not open.
We should be dealing
with those businesses
that have been burned
out and damaged.
We should be providing
federal help for those
businesses to get
back on their feet.
This administration
seems to think it's
going to go away like
Angel dust is going to
be sprayed around.
I just don't get it.
They have to
know better.
We had an example just
the last administration
how much good you can
do and how much growth
you can generate.
I just don't get
these guys.
I really don't.
Not a joke.
I have been doing
this a long time.
I have never seen a
president lack as much
leadership, inability to
make a deal and I'm told
the reason why they
cannot get anything done
in the Republican
Congress is 20 members
of the United States
Senate say under no
circumstances will erase
the deficit at all.
That is wonderful.
And we are in the
position we're in now.
Look at other countries.
They are doing a hell
of a lot better.
We still have what to up
to 186,000 people dead.
6,300,000 whatever the
number is that have
contracted the disease
with no end in sight.
It is just
irresponsible.
Talk about a know
nothing Congress.
On the Republic sign.
And know nothing
President.
I don't get it.
I really don't get it.
It's going to change.
Come January
God willing.
>>
What do you say to
teachers who are afraid
to return to the
classroom even if the
safety protocols you
proposed are in place?
>> I say I understand
the concern.
So many of the teachers
also have pre-existing
conditions that lend
itself to the fact
that they were
to contract the COVID-19
that they would be very
susceptible and be in
real trouble.
It's understandable why
they are doing it.
The first thing to do
is make sure that all
the protective capacity
that we have available
to us is made available
and then make choices
about whether or not
let the districts make
...
Are able to be able
to teach from home
and remote learning.
It is really
understandable
.
Look what is happening
in this COVID crisis so
far.
Hundred thousand
people have died
who are above
the age of 65.
Hundred thousand out
of the 200 and some
that have died, not 200
and some, hundred and 89
whatever it is now.
The estimates today
from two significant
universities one is
going to be as high as
239 and the other
as high as 312.
I don't know that.
But that is going
to go higher.
I don't understand
why it's a political
problem.
What is the politics
about not being willing
to go in and help
provide the protective
capacity
for people to be able
to go back to work
and go to school?
I can't
fathom it
.
>>
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
You talk today about
reopening schools.
I wanted to
ask you about something
you said last week about
the potential of having
to shut down the economy
again.
You were asked if you
are willing to shut it
down if you're
health experts advise
you to do so when you
said "I would be
prepared to do whatever
it takes" and that you
listen to the scientist.
I'm curious how you do
that at a federal level
and how you would
balance that call to
shut down if you had
economic advisor saying
if you do this again you
can plunge the country
into an even deeper
economic crisis?
>> Look, I know you're
tired of hearing me say
this, I have been saying
it since last January.
The idea that you're
going to be able to get
the economy back on
track without getting
COVID under control
is completely
counterintuitive.
It's not there.
It can't happen.
So unless we are able
to deal with the
disease and drastically
cut its impact on
people's confidence
of being able to
either go to work
or walk into a business
or do business,
then it does not
matter a lot.
There is going to be
no need in my view
to be able to shut down
the whole economy.
I got asked a question
if I was asked to
shut everything down
and I took that as a
generic question as if
I'm going to follow the
science.
I am going to insist,
and insist now without
any authority, that
every responsible person
in this country and
they are out in public
or not what they cohort
that they have lived
with because
they know they haven't
been spreading it to the
husband, wife etc.
that they wear a mask.
They wear a mask and
keep socially distanced.
You can take a mask off
when you're 12-15 feet
away.
I would follow . I
would really, really
make the case.
By the way, when I find
these folks talking
about my freedom
I talk about patriotism.
Why do you wear a mask
?
To protect your
neighbor.
To keep someone else
from getting sick
and maybe dying.
I call that patriotic.
This is the United
States of America
every generation has
made sacrifices to help
others in moments
of crisis.
>>
You had suggested there
would be some kind of
federal mandate about
mask and now you're
saying I encourage
people?
>> What I suggested was
I would ask every person
in authority.
There's a question
whether or not a
president under the
Constitution could
mandate everyone
wear a mask.
And remember during the
primary I had a lot of
people tell me I would
by executive order to
do.
I'm a constitutionalist.
You can't do things the
Constitution does not
allow you the
power to do.
What I would be doing is
putting as much pressure
as I couldn't on every
mayor, County executive
and local official and
everyone in business
putting pressure
on them to say
what you are doing
is irresponsible.
Make sure you
wear a mask
and maintain social
distancing.
The vast majority of
the American people
except that notion.
>> One more quick
campaign question.
.
..
.
Your record for monthly
hall apparently.
How are you going
to spend it?
>> Do you want to
go to dinner?
No.
I tell you what I'm
having to spend a lot of
it on is to counter the
lies that are being told.
By trumps campaign
and
swift
boaters out there,
a new pack
.
What I'm trying to do
is spend most of that.
By the way, I think the
average contribution was
40 bucks.
We have people who
have contributed
five, 10, $15.
I would say that shows
general enthusiasm
that we have
a chance at becoming
president of the United
States.
What I will spend most
of it doing is try to
explain to the American
people how I want
to unite the country.
What I want to do to
make the country better.
Why I am so confident
we can do it.
Why I am so confident we
can bring the country
together and be in a
better position --
position than before
this crisis occurred.
There is been so many
features exposed as a
consequence of what has
happened that people are
now realizing my Lord
that people in that
circumstance didn't have
that kind of help.
I didn't know whatever.
I think we have an
enormous opportunity to
bring the country
together
and once again lead the
world and you heard me
say it 100 times.
Not just by the example
of our power the power
of our example.
Thank you all so very
much for taking the time.
