April 14, 2020

Former President Barack Obama Endorses Joe Biden

12 minute video  https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1250088269502709762



April 14, 2020

THE OFFICE OF BARACK OBAMA

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ENDORSES JOE BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT


WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama endorsed his friend and former Vice President Joe Biden for President. In a nearly 12-minute video filmed at his Washington-area home and posted online, President Obama said, “Choosing Joe to be my Vice President was one of the best decisions I ever made, and he became a close friend. And I believe Joe has all the qualities we need in a President right now.”
 
At the beginning of the Democratic presidential primary process last year, President Obama made clear that he would stay neutral because he believed that, in order for the Democratic Party to succeed in November, Democratic voters would have to select their nominee.
 
He also made clear that he would offer counsel to candidates who sought it out, be ready to help unify the Democratic Party at the culmination of the process, and campaign vigorously for the eventual nominee in the general election.
 
Just like he did in 2018, President Obama looks forward to campaigning aggressively for Democrats up and down the ballot this year. While campaigning during this cycle will look different than it normally does, what hasn’t changed is the need for all Democrats to get involved, stay engaged, and help Joe Biden and Democratic candidates win in November. This election is too important for anyone to sit out.
 
President Obama continued, “Joe was there as we rebuilt from the Great Recession and rescued the American auto industry. He was the one asking what every policy would do for the middle class and everyone striving to get into the middle class. That’s why I asked him to implement the Recovery Act, which saved millions of jobs and got people back on their feet – because Joe gets stuff done. …
 
“Joe helped me manage H1N1 and prevent the Ebola epidemic from becoming the type of pandemic we’re seeing now. He helped me restore America’s standing and leadership in the world on the other threats of our time, like nuclear proliferation and climate change.
 
“Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery. And I know he’ll surround himself with good people – experts, scientists, military officials who actually know how to run the government and care about doing a good job running the government, and know how to work with our allies, and who will always put the American people’s interests above their own. …
 
“Now Joe will be a better candidate for having run the gauntlet of primaries and caucuses alongside one of the most impressive Democratic fields ever. Each of our candidates were talented and decent, with a track record of accomplishment, smart ideas, and serious visions for the future. …
 
“In other words, elections matter. Right now, we need Americans of goodwill to unite in a great awakening against a politics that too often has been characterized by corruption, carelessness, self-dealing, disinformation, ignorance, and just plain meanness. And to change that, we need Americans of all political stripes to get involved in our politics and our public life like never before.
 
“For those of us who believe in building a more just, more generous, more democratic America where everybody has a fair shot at opportunity. For those of us who believe in a government that cares about the many, and not just the few. For those of us who love this country and are willing to do our part to make sure it lives up to its highest ideals – now’s the time to fight for what we believe in.”
 
Since leaving office, President Obama has remained politically active, campaigning and issuing endorsements in key races in 2017; holding regular fundraisers for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, the DNC, the DCCC and the DSCC; and endorsing more than 300 candidates up and down the ballot and holding rallies in 11 states in the 2018 mid-term elections.
 
The video is available online here: https://youtu.be/5-s3ANu4eMs
 
A full transcript of the video follows:
 
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Endorsing Joe Biden for President
April 13, 2020
 
Hi everybody. Let me start by saying the obvious – these aren’t normal times. As we all manage our way through a pandemic unlike anything we’ve seen in a century, Michelle and I hope that you and your families are safe and well. If you’ve lost somebody to this virus, or if someone in your life is sick, or if you’re one of the millions suffering economic hardship, please know that you’re in our prayers. Please know that you’re not alone. Because now’s the time for all of us to help where we can and to be there for each other, as neighbors, as coworkers, and as fellow citizens.
 
In fact, over the past weeks, we’ve seen plenty of examples of the kind of courage, kindness, and selflessness that we’re going to need to get through one of the most difficult times in our history. Michelle and I have been amazed at the incredible bravery of our medical professionals who are putting their lives on the line to save others. The public servants and health officials battling this disease. The workers taking risks every day to keep our economy running. And everyone who’s making their own sacrifice at home with their families, all for the greater good.
 
But if there’s one thing we’ve learned as a country from moments of great crisis, it’s that the spirit of looking out for one another can’t be restricted to our homes, or our workplaces, or our neighborhoods, or our houses of worship. It also has to be reflected in our national government. The kind of leadership that’s guided by knowledge and experience; honesty and humility; empathy and grace – that kind of leadership doesn’t just belong in our state capitols and mayors offices. It belongs in the White House.
 
And that’s why I’m so proud to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States.
 
Choosing Joe to be my Vice President was one of the best decisions I ever made, and he became a close friend. And I believe Joe has all the qualities we need in a President right now.
 
He’s someone whose own life has taught him how to persevere; how to bounce back when you’ve been knocked down.
 
When Joe talks with parents who’ve lost their jobs, we hear the son of a man who once knew the pain of having to tell his children that he’d lost his.
 
When Joe talks about opportunity for our kids, we hear the young father who took the train home each night so he could tuck his children into bed – and we hear the influence of Jill, a life-long teacher.
 
When Joe talks to families who’ve lost a hero, we hear another parent of an American veteran; a kindred spirit; somebody whose faith has endured the hardest loss there is.
 
That’s Joe. Through all his trials, he’s never once forgotten the values or the moral fiber that his parents passed on to him, and that made him who he is. That’s what steels his faith – in God, in America, and in all of us.
 
That steel made him an incredible partner when I needed one the most.
  
Joe was there as we rebuilt from the Great Recession and rescued the American auto industry. He was the one asking what every policy would do for the middle class and everyone striving to get into the middle class. That’s why I asked him to implement the Recovery Act, which saved millions of jobs and got people back on their feet – because Joe gets stuff done.
 
Joe helped me manage H1N1 and prevent the Ebola epidemic from becoming the type of pandemic we’re seeing now. He helped me restore America’s standing and leadership in the world on the other threats of our time, like nuclear proliferation and climate change.
 
Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery. And I know he’ll surround himself with good people – experts, scientists, military officials who actually know how to run the government and care about doing a good job running the government, and know how to work with our allies, and who will always put the American people’s interests above their own.
 
Now Joe will be a better candidate for having run the gauntlet of primaries and caucuses alongside one of the most impressive Democratic fields ever. Each of our candidates were talented and decent, with a track record of accomplishment, smart ideas, and serious visions for the future.
 
And that’s certainly true of the candidate who made it farther than any other – Bernie Sanders. Bernie’s an American original – a man who has devoted his life to giving voice to working people’s hopes, dreams, and frustrations. He and I haven’t always agreed on everything, but we’ve always shared a conviction that we have to make America a fairer, more just, more equitable society. We both know that nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change. And the ideas he’s championed; the energy and enthusiasm he inspired, especially in young people, will be critical in moving America in a direction of progress and hope.
 
Because for the second time in twelve years, we’ll have the incredible task of rebuilding our economy. And to meet the moment, the Democratic Party will have to be bold.
 
You know, I could not be prouder of the incredible progress that we made together during my presidency. But if I were running today, I wouldn’t run the same race or have the same platform as I did in 2008. The world is different; there’s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards. We have to look to the future. Bernie understands that. And Joe understands that. It’s one of the reasons that Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of any major party nominee in history. Because even before the pandemic turned the world upside down, it was already clear that we needed real structural change.
 
The vast inequalities created by the new economy are easier to see now, but they existed long before this pandemic hit. Health professionals, teachers, delivery drivers, grocery clerks, cleaners, the people who truly make our economy run – they’ve always been essential. And for years, too many of the people who do the essential work of this country have been underpaid, financially stressed, and given too little support. And that applies to the next generation of Americans – young people graduating into unprecedented unemployment. They’re going to need economic policies that give them faith in the future and give them relief from crushing student loan debt.
 
So we need to do more than just tinker around the edges with tax credits or underfunded programs. We have to go further to give everybody a great education, a lasting career, and a stable retirement.
 
We have to protect the gains we made with the Affordable Care Act, but it’s also time to go further. We should make plans affordable for everyone, provide everyone with a public option,  expand Medicare, and finish the job so that health care isn’t just a right, but a reality for everybody.
 
We have to return the U.S. to the Paris Agreement, and lead the world in reducing the pollution that causes climate change. But science tells us we have to go much further – that it’s time for us to accelerate progress on bold new green initiatives that make our economy a clean energy innovator, save us money, and secure our children’s future.
 
Of course, Democrats may not always agree on every detail of the best way to bring about each and every one of these changes. But we do agree that they’re needed. And that only happens if we win this election.
 
Because one thing everybody has learned by now is that the Republicans occupying the White House and running the U.S. Senate are not interested in progress. They’re interested in power. They’ve shown themselves willing to kick millions off their health insurance and eliminate preexisting condition protections for millions more, even in the middle of this public health crisis, even as they’re willing to spend a trillion dollars on tax cuts for the wealthy. They’ve given polluters unlimited power to poison our air and our water, and denied the science of climate change just as they denied the science of pandemics. Repeatedly, they’ve disregarded American principles of rule of law, and voting rights, and transparency – basic norms that previous administrations observed regardless of party. Principles that are the bedrock of our democracy.
 
So our country’s future hangs on this election. And it won’t be easy. The other side has a massive war chest. The other side has a propaganda network with little regard for the truth. On the other hand, pandemics have a way of cutting through a lot of noise and spin to remind us of what is real, and what is important. This crisis has reminded us that government matters. It’s reminded us that good government matters. That facts and science matter. That the rule of law matters. That having leaders who are informed, and honest, and seek to bring people together rather than drive them apart – those kind of leaders matter.
 
In other words, elections matter. Right now, we need Americans of goodwill to unite in a great awakening against a politics that too often has been characterized by corruption, carelessness, self-dealing, disinformation, ignorance, and just plain meanness. And to change that, we need Americans of all political stripes to get involved in our politics and our public life like never before.
 
For those of us who believe in building a more just, more generous, more democratic America where everybody has a fair shot at opportunity. For those of us who believe in a government that cares about the many, and not just the few. For those of us who love this country and are willing to do our part to make sure it lives up to its highest ideals – now’s the time to fight for what we believe in.
 
So join us. Join Joe. Go to JoeBiden.com right now. Make a plan for how you are going to get involved. Keep taking care of yourself, and your families, and each other. Keep believing in the possibilities of a better world. And I will see you on the campaign trail as soon as I can.
 
Thanks.
  
###

Biden for President
April 14, 2020

Statement by Vice President Joe Biden on President Barack Obama’s Endorsement

History will record Barack Obama’s years in office as one of the great American presidencies; there is no better partner in the battle for the soul of this nation, and no one I’d rather have standing by my side. Jill and I are so thankful to Barack and Michelle for their support — both politically and personally. Their friendship and the connection between our families has been a great gift.

Serving for eight years as President Barack Obama’s vice president was among the greatest honors of my life. 

When we took office in 2009, America and the world were in crisis — with our economy shedding hundreds of thousands of jobs a month. During that crisis, President Obama showed how a president should lead. By taking responsibility. By working with governors and mayors. By understanding the pain so many American families were feeling. By seeking to unify the nation in common purpose.

These are difficult times again for our country. We're facing a crisis even greater than what we experienced in 2009 and 2010. Lives are being lost. Our nation is shut down. Our way of life and our livelihoods are being challenged. Today, not only do we have a public health crisis, but our economy is rapidly descending into an economic crisis as well.

Once again, we need to restore the qualities of presidential leadership President Obama provided — and that is what I intend to do. To lead this nation. To unify this nation. To understand the fear, anxiety, and grief that all Americans are enduring — especially those who have lost loved ones to this virus. To recognize the heroism of so many Americans — including doctors, nurses, and health care workers; first responders, firefighters, and police; grocery store workers and delivery truck drivers. To work with the governors and mayors of this nation — not against them. To bring our nation together, united in common purpose.

President Obama understands, as I do, that we will come through this crisis stronger. And then we'll not only rebuild this nation — we will transform it. 

###
Democratic National Committee

DNC on Democrats Uniting Around Vice President Joe Biden

DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement on the recent endorsements of President Barack Obama, Senator Bernie Sanders, and other leading Democrats who are coming together to support our presumptive nominee for president, Joe Biden:

“When I was elected DNC Chair in February of 2017, I said our unity would be our greatest strength and Donald Trump’s worst nightmare. That’s truer today than it’s ever been, and that’s why I’m proud that President Barack Obama, Senator Bernie Sanders, our party leadership, and voters across the country are coming together to support Joe Biden.

“This is the most important election of our lifetime because Donald Trump is the most dangerous president of our lifetime. He has failed every test of presidential leadership, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his incompetence has cost people their jobs, their businesses, and even their lives. We need to defeat Donald Trump. And that means we can’t afford to have anyone stay on the sidelines. We need everyone in this fight, working together to put Democratic leadership back in the White House and in seats down the ballot in every corner of the country.

“The American people know Democrats have their back on the issues that matter most – from protecting health care and reproductive rights, to combating climate change and reducing gun violence, to lifting up our economy and leading us through this time of crisis. They want a president with empathy and compassion. They want a president with character and experience. They want a president with a bold vision for the future and a record of fighting for everyone – no matter who they are, where they come from, who they love, or how they pray. The American people want Joe Biden.”

Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.

Trump campaign statement on Obama endorsement of Biden

“Barack Obama spent much of the last five years urging Joe Biden not to run for president out of fear that he would embarrass himself. Now that Biden is the only candidate left in the Democrat field, Obama has no other choice but to support him. Even Bernie Sanders beat him to it. Obama was right in the first place: Biden is a bad candidate who will embarrass himself and his party. President Trump will destroy him.”

- Brad Parscale, Trump 2020 campaign manager


Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.

8 Things You Need to Know About Obama’s Reluctant Endorsement of Joe Biden

Obama slammed "old men" for "not getting out of the way" in December.

Barack Obama did everything he could to avoid this moment. Here are 8 things you need to know about Obama’s refusal to endorse Joe Biden for an entire year. (A reminder for Biden in case he forgets again: Obama was the last president.)

1. Obama failed to talk Joe Biden out of running for president in 2020.
  • “The two men spoke at least a half dozen times before Mr. Biden decided to run,” according to The New York Times, with Obama even telling Biden, “You don’t have to do this, Joe, you really don’t.”

2. Obama succeeded in talking Joe Biden out of running for president in 2016.
  • “Obama repeatedly discouraged Joe Biden from running for the presidency to clear the path for Hillary Clinton,” according to Joe Biden. In his book, “Biden says that Mr. Obama played up the appeal of leaving politics and gave little encouragement about a possible bid. … Biden even reveals suspicions that Mr. Obama gave an ‘explicit commitment’ of support to Mrs. Clinton, believing she was best placed to secure his legacy.”

3. Obama supported all the candidates running – especially Elizabeth Warren.

4. Obama tried to kneecap Biden in December.
  • “If you look at the world and look at the problems, it's usually old people, usually old men, not getting out of the way, Obama said, arguing women are better leaders than men. Obama also said politicians should understand "you are not there for life, you are not there in order to prop up your own sense of self-importance[.]"

5. Obama withheld his endorsement from Biden as long as he could.

  • “Do you believe Joe Biden when he says that he didn’t want Obama to endorse him?” Beto O’Rourke was asked. “No,” he responded, laughing.

6. Obama knows Joe Biden will “embarrass himself.”


7. A senior Obama-Biden Administration official told CNN in September that it appeared Biden’s capacity was in obvious decline.

  • “Biden's strength has never been his clarity of message or his delivery. But watching his long, winding answers that don't really make sense in recent debates has also raised the question as to whether that has gotten worse and whether he is up for this,” the official said, according to Jake Tapper.

8. Obama endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016, and she lost.



[DEMOCRACY IN ACTION Transcript]

BARACK OBAMA:  These aren't normal times. As we all manage our way through a pandemic unlike anything we've seen in a century, Michelle and I hope that you and your families are safe and well.

If you've lost somebody to this virus or if someone in your life is sick or if you're one of the millions suffering economic hardship, please know that you're in our prayers. Please know that you're not alone. Because now's the time for all of us to help where we can, and to be there for each other as neighbors, as coworkers, and ss fellow citizens.

In fact, over the past weeks we've seen plenty of examples of the kind of courage, kindness and selflessness that we're going to need to get through one of the most difficult times in our history.

Michelle and I have been amazed at the incredible bravery our medical professionals who are putting their lives on the line to save others. The public servants and health officials battling this disease, the workers taking risks every day to keep our economy running, and everyone who's making their own sacrifice at home with their families all for the greater good.

But if there's one thing we've learned as a country from moments of great crisis, it's that the spirit of looking out for one another can't be restricted to our homes, or our workplaces, or neighborhoods, or houses of worship. It also has to be reflected in our national government.

The kind of leadership that's guided by knowledge and experience, honesty and humility, empathy, and grace—that kind of leadership doesn't just belong in our state capitals and mayor's offices. It belongs in the White House.

And that's why I'm so proud to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States. Choosing Joe to be my vice president was one of the best decisions I ever made. And he became a close friend. And I believe Joe has all the qualities we need in a president right now.

He's someone whose own life has taught him how to persevere, how to bounce back when you've been knocked down.

When Joe talks with parents who've lost their jobs, we hear the son of a man who once knew the pain of having to tell his children that he'd lost his.

When Joe talks about opportunity for our kids, we hear the young father who took the train home each night so he could tuck his children into bed. And we hear the influence of Jill, a lifelong teacher.

When Joe talks to families who've lost a hero, we hear another parent of an American veteran, a kindred spirit, somebody whose faith has endured the hardest loss there is.

That's Joe.

Through all his trials, he's never once forgotten the values or the moral fiber that his parents passed on to him.

And that made him who he is. That's what steels his faith in God, in America, and in all of us.

That steel made him an incredible partner when I needed one the most. Joe was there as we rebuilt from the Great Recession and rescued the American auto industry. He was the one asking what every policy would do for the middle class and everyone striving to get into the middle class. That's why I asked him to implement the Recovery Act which saved millions of jobs and got people back on their feet. Because Joe gets stuff done.

Joe helped me manage H1N1, and prevent the Ebola epidemic from becoming the type of pandemic we're seeing now. He helped me restore America's standing and leadership in the world on the other threats of our time, like nuclear proliferation and climate change,

Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times, and heal us through a long recovery.

And I know he'll surround himself with good people. Experts, scientists, military officials, who actually know how to run the government and care about doing a good job running the government, and know how to work with our allies. And who will always put the American people's interests above their own.

Now Joe will be a better candidate for having run the gauntlet of primaries and caucuses alongside one of the most impressive Democratic fields ever.

Each of our candidates were talented and decent, with a track record of accomplishment, smart ideas and serious visions for the future.

And that's certainly true of the candidate who made it farther than any other, Bernie Sanders.

Bernie's an American original, a man who has devoted his life to giving voice to working people's hopes, dreams, and frustrations.

He and I haven't always agreed on everything, but we've always shared a conviction that we have to make America a fairer, more just, more equitable society.

We both know that nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change. And the ideas he's championed, the energy and enthusiasm he inspired, especially in young people, will be critical in moving America in a direction of progress and hope.

Because for the second time in 12, years, we'll have the incredible task of rebuilding our economy, and to meet the moment the Democratic Party will have to be bold.

You know, I could not be prouder of the incredible progress that we made together during my presidency. But if I were running today, I wouldn't run the same race, or have the same platform as I did in 2008.

The world is different. There's too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards. We have to look to the future.

Bernie understands that. And Joe understands that. It's one of the reasons that Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of any major party nominee in history.

Because even before the pandemic turned the world upside down, it was already clear that we needed real structural change.

The vast inequalities created by the new economy are easier to see now, but they existed long before this pandemic hit. Health professionals, teachers, delivery drivers, grocery clerks, cleaners—the people who truly make our economy run—they've always been essential, and for years too many of the people who do the essential work of this country have been underpaid, financially stressed, and given too little support.

And that applies to the next generation of Americans, young people graduating into unprecedented unemployment. They're going to need economic policies that give them faith in the future, and give them relief from crushing student loan debt.

So we need to do more than just tinker around the edges with tax credits or underfunded programs. We have to go further to give everybody a great education, a lasting career, and a stable retirement.

We have to protect the gains we made with the Affordable Care Act, but it's also time to go further.
We should make plans affordable for everyone, provide everyone with a public option, expand Medicare and finish the job so that healthcare isn't just a right, but a reality for everybody.

We have to return the U.S. to the Paris Agreement and lead the world in reducing the pollution that causes climate change.

But science tells us, we have to go much further, that it's time for us to accelerate progress on bold new green initiatives that make our economy a clean energy innovator, save us money and secure our children's future.

Of course Democrats may not always agree on every detail of the best way to bring about each and every one of these changes. But we do agree that they're needed, and that only happens if we win this election.

Because one thing everybody has learned by now, is that the Republicans occupying the White House and running the U.S. Senate are not interested in progress; they're interested in power.

They've shown themselves willing to kick millions off their health insurance and eliminate pre-existing condition protections for millions more, even in the middle of this public health crisis, even as they're willing to spend a trillion dollars on tax cuts for the wealthy.

They've given polluters unlimited power to poison our air and our water and denied the science of climate change, just as they denied the science of pandemics.

Repeatedly they've disregarded American principles of rule of law and voting rights and transparency, basic norms that previous administrations observed, regardless of party, principles that are the bedrock of our democracy.

So our country's future hangs on this election. And it won't be easy.

The other side has a massive war chest.

The other side has a propaganda network with little regard for the truth.

On the other hand, pandemics have a way of cutting through a lot of noise and spin to remind us of what is real and what is important.

This crisis has reminded us that government matters. It's reminded us that good government matters, that facts and science matter, that the rule of law matters, that having leaders who are informed and honest and seek to bring people together, rather than drive them apart, those kind of leaders matter.

In other words, elections matter.

Right now, we need Americans of goodwill to unite in a great awakening against a politics that too often has been characterized by corruption, carelessness, self dealing, disinformation, ignorance and just plain meanness, and to change that we need Americans of all political stripes to get involved in our politics and our public life like never before.

For those of us who believe in building a more just, more generous, more democratic America, where everybody has a fair shot at opportunity; for those of us who believe in a government that cares about the many and not just the few; for those of us who love this country and are willing to do our part to make sure it lives up to its highest ideals, now's the time for what we believe in.

So join us. Join Joe. Go to Joe Biden.com right now. Make a plan for how you are going to get involved. Keep taking care of yourself and your families, and each other. Keep believing in the possibilities of a better world. And I will see you on a campaign trail as soon as I can.

Thanks.

 Preview YouTube video Connie: "I want someone who's honest