FULL SPEECH: President Joe Biden addresses DNC

and now I would like to introduce my father your 46 president of the United States Joe [Applause] Biden higher than I've ever been lifted before so give it up my desire and I'll be at your side [Music] [Applause] forever I [Applause] things [Applause] I thank you [Applause] thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you of you thank you thank you thank you thank you that was my daughter thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you Vel I tell you what to my dearest daughter Ashley God love you you're incredible thanks for the introduction and for being my courageous heart along with Hunter and our entire family and especially our Rock Jill those of you who know us she still leaves me both breathless and speechless everybody knows her I love her more than she loves me she walks down the stairs and I still get that going boom boom boom yall will know me no not I'm kidding let's give a special Round of Applause to our first lady Jill Biden my dad my dad used to have an expression for real he'd say Joey family is the beginning the middle and the end and I love you all folks and America I love you folks let me ask you [Applause] let me ask you are you ready to vote for Freedom are you ready to vote for democracy and for America let me ask you are you ready to elect kamla Harris and Tim Waltz president vice president of the United States my fellow Democrats my fellow Americans nearly four years ago in Winter on the steps of the capital on a cold January day I raised my right hand and I swore an oath to you and to God to preserve protect and defend the con Constitution and to Faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States in front of me in front of me was the city surrounded by the National Guard behind me a capital just two weeks before had been overrun by a violent mob but I knew then from the bottom of my heart that I knew now there is no place in America for political violence none you cannot say you love your country only when you win in that moment I wasn't looking to the past I was looking to the future I spoke of the work at hand the moment we had to meet it was as I told you then a winter of peril and possibility a Peril and possibility we're in the grip of a once in a century pandemic historic joblessness a call for racial Justice long overdue Clear and Present threats to our very democracy it thank [Applause] you and yet yet I believe then and I believe now the progress was and is possible Justice is achievable and our best days are not behind us they're before us now it's summer the winter has passed and with a grateful heart I stand before you now on this August Night to report that democracy has prevailed democracy democracy has delivered and now democracy must be preserved you've heard me say it before we're facing inflection point one of those rare moments in history when the decisions we make now will determine the fate of our nation and the world for decades to come that's not hyperbole I mean it literally we're in a battle for the very Soul America I ran for president in 2020 because of what I saw in Charlottesville in August of 2017 extremist coming out of the woods King torches their veins bulging from their necks carrying Nazi swastikas and chaning the same exact anti-semitic bile that was heard in Germany in the early 30s neo-nazis white supremacists in the Kus Clan so emboldened by a president then in the White House that they saw as an ally they didn't even bother to wear their hoods he was on the march in America old ghosts and new garments stirring up the oldest divisions stoking the oldest fears giving oxygen to the oldest forces that they long sought to tear apart America in the process a young woman was killed when I contacted her mother I asked about what happened she told me when the president was asked what he thought had happened Donald Trump said and I quote there are very fine people on both sides my God that's what he said that is what he said and what he met that's when I realized had to listen to the admonition of my dead son I could not stay in the sidelines so I ran because I had no intention of running again I just lost part of my soul but I ran with a deep conviction in America I know and believe in an America where honesty dignity decency still matter and America where everyone has a fair shot and hate has no safe heart and America or the fundamental Creed of this nation that all of us are created equal is still very much alive and a broad Coalition of Americans joined with me 81 million voters voted for us more than any time you know of History because of all of you in this room and others we came together in 2020 to save democracy as your president I've been determin to keep America moving forward not going back to stand against hate and violence in all its forms to be a nation where we not only live with the and but thrive on diversity demonizing no one leaving no one behind and becoming a nation that we profess to be I also ran to rebuild the backbone of America the middle class I made a commitment to you that I be a president for all Americans whether you voted for me or not we have done that studies show the major bills we have passed actually delivered more to Red States then blue because the job of the president is deliver to all of America because of you and I'm not exaggerating because of you we've had one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever period when I say we I mean kamla and me just think about it co no longer controls Our Lives we've gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the entire world record 16 million new jobs record small business growth record high stock market record high 401ks wages up and inflation down way down and continuing to go down the smallest racial wealth Gap in 20 years and yes we both know we have more to do but we're moving in the right direction more Americans have peace of mind that comes from having health insurance more Americans have health insurance today than ever before in American history and after as a young Senator beginning to fight beginning to fight for 50 years to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices we finally beat big Pharma and guess who cast the tiebreaking vote vice president soon to be president kamla Harris and now it's the law of the land instead of paying $400 a month for insulin seniors of diabetes will pay 35 a month the law we passed already includes starting in January every senior's total prescription cost can be capped at $2,000 no matter how expensive the drugs they have and what we don't focus on and our Republican friends don't seem to understand our reforms don't just save seniors money they save the American Tax spares money you know what we just pass saved it saved $160 billion over the next decade that's not hyperbole is because Medicare no longer has to pay those exorbitant prices to the big farmer but look thank you comma [Applause] too look folks how can we have the strongest economy in the world without the best infrastructure in the world Donald Trump promised infrastructure week every week for four years and he never built a damn thing but now because what common I've done remember we're told we couldn't get it done remember when we came into office we couldn't get anything past but right now we're giving America an infrastructure decade not week we're modernizing our roads our bridges our ports our airports our trains our buses removing every lead pipe from schools and homes so every child could drink clean water we're riding affordable highspeed internet for every American no matter where they live unlike not unlike what Roosevelt did with electricity and so much more we are uniting the country we're growing our economy we're improving our quality of life and we're building a better America do that we are how can we be the strongest nation in the world without leading the world in science and technology after years of importing 90% of our semiconductor chips from abroad which America invented that those chips our chips and science act meant to private companies from around the world are now investing literally tens of billions of to build new chip factories right here in America and over that period they'll create tens of thousands of jobs and many of those jobs are the so-called Fabs the building that make the chips that's being constructed now and guess what the average salary in those Fabs size of a football field will be over $100,000 a year and you don't need a college degree because of you and so many electeds out there American manufacturing is back where those that say we wouldn't lead the world in manufacturing 800,000 new manufacturing jobs our Republican friends and other made sure they'd go abroad to get the cheapest labor we used to import products and Export jobs now we export American products and create American jobs right here in America for jobs belong with every new job with every new Factory pride and hope is being brought back to communities throughout the country that were left behind you know you're from a many of you you know what it's like when that Factory closed where your mother your father your grandmother grandfather worked and now you're back providing once again proving that Wall Street didn't build America the middle class build America and unions unions built the middle class has been my view since I came to the Senate that's why I'm proud to have been the first president the walk a picket line and be labeled the most pro- union president in history and I accept it it's a fact because when unions do well we all do well you got it man you got [Applause] it I agree I'm proud look remember we told we couldn't get anything done because of the we couldn't get anything done in the country congress with your support we passed the most significant climate law in the history of mankind over $370 billion cutting carbon emissions in half by 2030 launching a climate Corp similar to Amica Corps and Peace Corp creating tens of thousands of jobs for young people of the future who are going to make sure this continues creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in clean energy for American workers including the ibw installing 500,000 500,000 charging stations all across America and in the process reducing carbon emissions and we're seeing it we're seeing to it that the first beneficiaries environmental initiatives are those fence line communities that have been smothered by the legacy of pollution Louisiana and Delaware Route [Applause] nine all the factors all those chemical factors are right next to the poorish neighborhoods they're the ones we're going to bring back and how how can we be the greatest nation in the world without the best education system in the world Donald Trump and the Republican friends that not only can't think they can't read very well seriously think about it look at their project 2025 want to do away with the Department of Education well during the pandemic common I help states and cities get back their schools back open and we gave Public School teachers a raise we created apprenticeships with business and communities putting students on a path to a good plain job whether or not they go to college and by the way we're making College a hell of a lot more affordable increasing pilgrims by $900 over $15 billion HBCU use minority servants including Hispanic institutions and tribal colleges we kept our commitment to provide more student relief than ever by lifting the burden of helping millions of families so they could get married start a family buy a home and begin to build family wealth and contribute to the community and grow our economy it's not costing us it's creating more wealth we fundamentally transformed how our transformed how our economy grows from the middle out and the bottom up instead of the top down you know my dad you say there wasn't a whole hell of a lot to drop down on my kitchen table at the end of the month I come from basic middle class family three bedroom house four kids of Grandpop living with us decent neighborhood but never a penny to spare and look that top down notion never worked a lot of Democrats didn't think it wor thought thought it worked but it doesn't and when we did all that what we've done everybody can do well everybody Donald Trump calls America a failing Nation no I'm saying but think about this think about this he publicly says to the whole world I'm going to say something outrageous I know more foreign leaders by their first names and know them well than anybody live just because I'm so damn old but I'm not joking think of the message he sends around the world when he talks about America being a failing Nation he says we're losing he's the loser he's dead wrong many of you are very successful people who travel the world name me a country in the world that doesn't think we're the leading nation in the world without America not a joke think about it I'm being literal who could lead the world other than the United States of America guess what America's winning and the world's better off for it America is more prosperous and Americans are safer today than run Donald Trump trump continues to lie about crime in America like everything else guess what on his watch the murder rate went up 30% the biggest increase in history meanwhile we made the largest investment common Li in public safety ever now the murder rate is falling faster than any time in history violent crime has dropped to the lowest level of more than 50 years and crime will keep coming down when we put a prosecutor in the Oval Office instead of a convicted felon and folks distinguish senator from the C senator from California and I passed the first ban on assault weapons and guess what it work if we care about Public Safety we need to prevent gun violence and it makes me a shame when I travel the world which I do more children in America are killed by a gunshot than any other cause in the United States more died from a bullet and cancer accidents or anything else in the United States of America my God that's why K and I are proud We Beat the NRA when we passed the first major bpru and gun safety in 30 years I'm I'm serious that comes from here and now it's time to ban assault weapons again and demand Universal background checks it's hard I never thought I'd stand before a crowd of Democrats and refer to a president as a liar so many times no I'm not trying to be funny it's sad Trump continues to lie about the Border here's what he won't tell you Trump killed the strongest bipartisan border deal in the history of United States that we negotiated with the Senate Republic and took four month four weeks once it passed and they acknowledge most expansive border change in American history he called Senators to say don't support the bipartisan bill because he said it would help me politically and hurt him politically my God no I'm serious think about it not a joke ask even the Press who doesn't like me they'll tell you that's true typically Trump once again putting himself first and America last then I had to take executive action result of the executive action I took border encounters have dropped over 50% in fact there are fewer border crossing today than When Donald Trump left office and unlike Trump we will not demonize immigrants saying they're the poison of blood of America poison the blood of our country common are committed to strengthening legal immigration including protecting dreamers and more and here's what else I believe in protecting your freedom your freedom to vote your freedom to love who you love and your freedom to cheer it's it's decision over turning Roy Wade as you heard earlier tonight the United States Supreme Court majority wrote The Following quote women are not without electrical not not allowed not without electoral electoral or political power no kidy mag Republicans found out the power of women in 2022 and Donald Trump is going to find out the power of women in 2024 watch now we Trump and as Mega Republican right Wingers seek to erase history we Democrats continue to write history and make more history I'm proud I'm proud to have kept my commitment to appoint the first black woman of the United States Supreme Court the Toni Brown Jackson the symbol for every young woman in America that you can do anything I'm proud that I've kept my commitment to have an Administration that looks like America and it TAPS in to the full Talent of our nation the most diverse cabinet in history including the first black woman in South Asian descent to serve as vice president and will soon serve as the 47th president of the United States she is good look thank you K folks I've long said we have many obligations as a nation but I got in trouble years ago for saying I'd make no apologies we have only one truly sacred obligation to prepare and equip those we send to war and care for them and their families when they come home and when they don't that's why I so proud to written and sign the pack act one of the most significant laws ever helping veterans of their families Expos of toxic materials like burn prits and asan orange I was around during the Vietnam war it's hard nobody was able to prove that there illness was a consequence of Agent Orange and no one was able to prove initially that because they lived in Burn pits like my son lived next to in Iraq for a year that is the cause of their Illness but because of the pack act a surviving spouse with two two children is now eligible for a stiping of about $3,000 a month and those children who lost a a parent are eligible for tuition benefits to go to college and to get job training it's already helping over 1 million veterans in their families just so far well I love them and I'm I so proud of my son's service we get it but guess who doesn't get it and doesn't respect our veterans we know from his own Chief of Staff of fourstar General John Kelly that Trump when in Europe would not go to the grave sites in one of the in France the brave service members who gave their lives of this country he called them suckers and losers who in the hell does he think he is who does he think he [Applause] is there's no words for a person they are not the words of person not worthy of being commander-in Chief period not then not now and not ever I mean that I mean that from the bottom of my heart just as no commander-in Chief should ever bow down to a a dictator the way Trump bows down to Putin I never have and I promise you k Harris will never do it we'll never bow down when Trump left office Europe and NATO was in tatters not a joke America First Doctrine changed our whole image in the world well I spent they gave the hours about 190 hours some Total Living my counterparts are heads of state in Europe to strengthen NATO we did we United Europe like it hadn't been United for years adding Finland and Sweden to Nato 10 days before he died Henry Kizer called and said not since not since Napoleon as Europe not looked over their shoulder at Russia with Dread until now until now well guess what Putin thought he'd take ke in three days three years later Ukraine is still free when I came to office the conventional wisdom was that China would inevitably surpass the United States they haven't noticed no one's saying that now and we'll keep working to bring hostages home and end the war in Gaza and bring peace and security to the Middle East [Music] as you know I wrote a peace treaty for Gaza a few days ago I put forward a proposal that brought us closer to doing that than we've done since October 7th we're working around the clock my secretary of state to prevent a wider war and reunite hostages of their families and surge humanitarian health and food assistance into Gaza now to end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally finally finally deliver a ceasefire and end this war those trusted those protesters out in the street they have a point a lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides just we worked around the clock to bring home wrongfully detained Americans and others from Russia in one of the most complicated swaps in history but they're home common Li are going to keep working to bring all Americans wron def fanged around the world home I mean it folks I've Got 5 months left in my presidency I've got a lot to do I intend to get it done it's it's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president I love the job but I love my country more I love my country more and all this talk about how I'm angry at all those people said I should step down that's not [Applause] true I love my country more and we need to preser preserve our democracy in 2024 we need you to vote we need you to keep the Senate we need you to win back the House of Representatives and above all we need you to beat Donald Trump comeand Tim President and Vice President of the United States of America look they'll continue to lead America forward creating more jobs standing up for workers growing the economy lower the cost to American families so they just have a little more breathing room we made incredible process progress we have more work to do and KL and Tim will continue to take on corporate greed and bring down cost of food they'll keep taking on big farm are making insulin $35 a month not just for seniors but for everyone in America and capping prescription drug cost a total of $2,000 not just for seniors but for everyone and folks that's going to save America again tens of billions of dollars folks they'll make Cy more affordable building 3 million new homes providing $25,000 down payment assistance for the first time home [Applause] buyer more than the 10 we approved Donald Trump wants new tax on imported goods food gas clothing and more you know what that will cost the average f family according to the experts $3,900 a year in a tax no it's a fact comml and Tim will make the child care tax F permanent lifting millions of children out of poverty and helping millions of families get ahead but you know what Trump has he puts the C he created the largest debt any president had in four years with his $2 trillion tax cut for the wealthy well Trump has a new plan he wants to provide a $5 billion tax cut for corporations that are very wealthy put read it put us further in debt and folks you know we have a thousand trillion we have a th billionaires in America you know what their average tax rate they pay 88.2% if we just increase our taxes we proposed to 25% which isn't the highest tax rate even it would raise 500 billion new dollars over 10 years they'd still be very wealthy look kamla and Tim are going to make them pay their fair share they'll protect Social Security and Medicare Trump wants to cuss Social Security Medicare comml and Tim will protect your freedom they'll protect your vote to right your right to vote they'll protect your civil rights and you know Trump will do everything to ban abortion Nationwide oh he will you know KL and Tim will do everything they possibly can that's why you have to elect a Senate and House to restore roie [Applause] Wade the ancient Greeks taught us the character is Destiny character is Destiny for me and Jill we know comml and Doug are people of character it's been our honor to serve alongside them and we know that Tim and Gwen Waltz are also people of Great Character selecting kamla was the very first decision I made before I became when I became our nominee and it was the best decision I made my whole career we've not only gotten to know each other we become close friends she's tough she's experienced and she has enormous Integrity enormous Integrity her story represents the best American story and like many of our best presidents she was also vice president that's a go but she'll be a president our children could look up to she'll be a president respected by world leaders because she already is she'll be a president we can all be proud of and she will be a historic president who puts her stamp on America's future the this will be the first presidential election since January 6th on that day we almost lost everything about who we are as a country and that threat this is not hyperbole that threat is still very much alive Donald Trump says he will refuse to accept the election result if he loses again think about that he means it think about that he's promising the blood bath if he loses in his words and that he'll be a dictator on day one in his own words by the way this sucker means it no I'm not joking think about it anybody else said that in the past you think he was crazy he is crazy but you think it was an exaggeration but he means it we can't let that happen folks All of Us carry a special obligation Independence Republicans Democrats we saved democracy in 2020 and now we must save it again in 2024 Road of each of us cast this year will determine whether democracy and freedom will prevail it's that simple it's that serious is and the power is literally in your hands history is in your hands not high perbly it's in your hands America's future is in your hands let me close with this nowhere else in the world could a kid with a stutter and modest Beginnings in Grand penan Claymont Delaware grow up to sit behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office that that's because America is and always has been a nation of possibilities possibilities we must never lose that never comml and Tim understand that this nation must continue to be a place of possibilities not just for the few of us but for all of us but join me in promising your whole heart to this effort and where my heart will be I promise I'll be the best volunteer Harrison Waltz has can ever seen each of us has a part in the American story for me and my family there's a song that means a lot to us that captures the best of who we are as a nation the song is called American Anthem there's one verse that stands out and I can't sing with the damn I'm not going to try I'll just quote it the work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day what shall our leg our Legacy be what will our children say let me know in my heart when my days are through America America I gave my best to you I've made I've made a lot of mistakes in my career but I gave my best to you for 50 years like many of you I've given my heart and soul our nation and I've been blessed a million times in return the support of the American people I've either been the too young to be in the Senate because I wasn't 30 yet and too old to stay as president but I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you I can honestly say and I mean this in the bottom give you my word as a Biden I can honestly say I'm more optimistic about the future than I was when I was elected as a 29y old United States Senator I mean it folks we just have to remember who we are we're the United States of America and there's nothing we cannot do when we do it together God bless you all and may God protect our troops thank you [Applause] oh bring me up [Applause] high that high I [Applause] [Music] me [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] all [Music] High [Music] [Music] High [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] High [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] High High [Music]