Nov. 13, 2019
Jan. 27, 2020
Mar. 2, 2020
Mar. 2, 2020
Mar. 2, 2020
Mar. 3, 2020
Mar. 4, 2020 Mar. 6, 2020 Mar. 8, 2020 Mar. 9, 2020 Mar. 10, 2020
Mar. 19, 2020
Mar. 19, 2020
Apr. 8, 2020
Apr. 9, 2020
Apr. 13, 2020 Apr. 15, 2020




Apr. 22, 2020 May 15, 2020





Former Challengers Endorse Biden

Endorsements by former opponents are an important part of building unity.  After putting huge efforts into their own campaigns, many of Biden's erstwhile opponents have come around to endorsing him.  Former candidates often need time and space after ending their campaigns before making an endorsement.  In some cases, there have been sharp exchanges on the debate stage; one can recall for example Harris and Biden clashing over busing in the debate on June 27, Swalwell urging Biden to "pass the torch" at the same debate or Gillibrand raising Biden's remarks (from 1981) about women working outside the home in the debate on July 31.  It may take a few months to endorse or the endorsement can come quickly.  Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced their endorsements of Biden upon ending their campaigns and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg the day after he pulled out.

As some of the remarks below indicate,
behind the scenes Biden was on the phone with former candidates and there were conversations over endorsements.  The timing of some of these endorsements is significant.  The decisions by Buttigieg and Klobuchar to end their campaigns and endorse Biden just ahead of Super Tuesday were particularly noteworthy; O'Rourke also endorsed Biden on the same day, March 2.  At these events Biden stood near by, looking on as his former opponents expressed their support.  (Early March was a time when the Biden campaign announced many endorsements, signifying a coalescing of the establishment behind his candidacy).  Harris' and Booker's endorsements came just ahead of the Michigan primary on March 10. 

In their endorsement remarks and statements many of the former candidates emphasized Biden's empathy and capacity for healing.  They also made mention of their personal experiences with Biden.  In the case of Kamala Harris there did not seem to be a lot of enthusiasm.  Her endorsement came after the March 3 California primary, and on The Daily Show Comedy Central's Trevor Noah mocked the "hostage-style video (>)" Harris posted on Twitter.

A few former hopefuls have endorsed candidates other than Biden: Castro (Warren), Williamson and de Blasio (Sanders) and Sestak (Klobuchar), and others have yet to endorse.



U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan
November 13, 2019

Ended Campaign: October 24, 2019  ...20 days


Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2019

Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan Endorses Joe Biden for President 

Today, Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan, a former Democratic presidential candidate, released the following statement endorsing Joe Biden for President of the United States: 
 
“Since Donald Trump took office, he has manufactured trade wars that put profit over people and hurt farmers, workers, and small businesses. America can’t afford a president who jeopardizes the success and dignity of its workers to make himself feel tough. America needs a leader who will put working communities and the middle class first. America needs Joe Biden.
 
“Joe is a trusted leader who has been a champion for working communities throughout his entire career in public service, which is why I am proud to endorse him for president. I know that Joe will be a voice for the many who are being left behind  — workers losing their jobs to automation, unions fighting for fair wages, small business owners trying to get ahead. Joe knows that working communities built America, and I know that Joe will go to bat for them as an increasingly globalized economy threatens the very work they do.
 
“Joe will not only be a voice for workers and the middle class, but I know he will get things done for Ohians and the American people. From raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour to protecting and building on Obamacare to investing in infrastructure, Joe will rebuild the middle class. Ohio is key to the presidency, and Joe is the only candidate who can win over the heartland and defeat Donald Trump.”
 
Biden has earned the endorsements of nearly 40 current and former elected officials and community leaders from across Ohio, reflecting Biden’s strength in key battleground states. Biden’s Ohio endorsements include former longtime Congressman Edward Feighan, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, former Columbus City Councilmember Mary Jo Hudson, State Senator Herceal Craig, Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown, and other local leaders.
 
To date, Biden for President has drawn support from more than 600 national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, and community leaders.

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton
January 27, 2020

Ended Campaign: August 23, 2019  ...157 days


Seth Moulton
January 27, 2020 tweet from Seth Moulton

"There 's no better preparation for the White House than the decades Joe Biden has spent serving the country, especial/y his eight years as vice president. In this complicated time at home and around the world, Joe Biden has the experience and judgment not just to win in November, but to /ead our nation after he does-by fighting for opportunity, equality, and security like he's done his whole career. When I /aunched a /ongshot bid for Congress in 2014 and won a tough primary, Vice President Biden was the first person to hold a rally for me, and he's been a friend and mentor ever since. His record is one of turning progressive ideas into laws like an assau/t rifle ban, the Violence Against Women Act, and hea/th care reform that made the country safer and stronger. Most importantly: Joe can win. Joe Biden wi/1 beat Donald Trump and unify our country after tour years of the most reckless commander-in-chief in American history."
Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg
March 2, 2020

Ended Campaign: March 1, 2020  ...1 day


DEMOCRACY IN ACTION TRANSCRIPT |  C-SPAN Video

Pete Buttigieg Remarks Endorsing Joe Biden

Chicken Scratch Restaurant
West Dallas, TX
March 2, 2020

BUTTIGIEG: Well it's a treat to be with Mayor Rawlings and Mayor Adler, a great friend of our campaign, and it is an honor to be here with Vice President Biden. 

When I ran for president, we made it clear that the whole idea was about rallying the country together to defeat Donald Trump, and to win the era for the values that we share. And that was always a goal that was much bigger than me becoming president, and it is in the name of that very same goal that I'm delighted to endorse and support Joe Biden for President.

And I do it with great pleasure, knowing just how much we need to do, not only to win, which is so very important—and when I say win, not just win back the White House, but make sure we bring those vitally important House and Senate and local races with us, but also that we've got to do it in a way that starts to change the toxic and divisive nature of our politics right now. We can't go on like this, and we got a politics right now that makes it sound like being loudest is tantamount to being right. We need a politics that's about decency, a politics that brings back dignity, and that is what we sought to practice in my campaign. That's what Joe Biden has been practicing his entire life. So, what we see right now is an opportunity not just to meet that imperative of getting a new and better president, but of doing it with a leader who will practice that way of rallying people together with ideas that are big enough to unite the American people of all generations.

And if you think about it, on some of the most important issues affecting my generation and the next generation—climate change, gun violence—Joe Biden has been delivering on those very priorities, from taking on the NRA and winning, to negotiating the Paris Climate accord, to shepherding the passage of the Affordable Care Act. This is what has made it possible for us to achieve what has been achieved, and that is why I have such confidence that as President Joe Biden will take the ball further as it needs to go.

But it's even more than that; it's the need to bring back dignity to the White House, when we have a president who's tearing this country apart.

And the country already knows without me having to say so, but I want you to know how unbelievably and unfailingly decent I've known Vice President Biden to be, from his visits to South Bend while he was vice president to my visits as a mayor to the White House during the Obama Biden administration to, perhaps especially, the experiences that I have had getting to know him while competing with him. He is somebody of such extraordinary grace and kindness and empathy, from taking time to talk to somebody who struggles to speak to taking time for a family that's struggling with loss. He will bring the exact kind of empathy that is so badly lacking in this White House, and along the way in his campaign will draw us together as we need a leader to do.

I commented last night and I've often said that politics at its best is more than policy. It's soulcraft. And so it's fitting that I am joining to support a campaign that speaks so often about the soul of this nation. I don't believe the world is divided up into people who are all good and people are all bad. I don't believe that how you voted in the past makes you good or bad, I believe that each of us can have good things and bad things brought out of us and that's why leadership is so important.

I'm looking for a leader. I'm looking for a president who will draw out what is best in each of us, and I'm encouraging everybody who was part of my campaign to join me because we have found that leader, invice president soon to be President Joe Biden.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar
March 2, 2020

Ended Campaign: March 2, 2020  ...same day


Colloborative Transcript  |  C-SPAN video

Amy Klobuchar Ends Campaign and Endorses Joe Biden

Biden for President Rally
Gilley's
Dallas, Texas
Monday, March 2, 2020

Wow. Thank you. Unbelievable. Well how great is it to be here in Dallas, Texas, and how great it is to be here with my family John and Abigail, and with Vice President Biden. How wonderful it is to be standing next to him on a stage when it isn't the debate stage.
 
So, I actually, as you all know, announced my campaign for president in the middle of a Minnesota blizzard, just so I could impress everyone in Texas. And in particular everyone in Dallas.
 
So, we didn't let the snow stop us. We didn't let the cold, stop us. We did continue through that speech, because that's what we do in the heartland. We made a little in this campaign in my campaign, go a long way.
 
And our homegrown campaign with a tremendous staff that stuck together from the beginning, and volunteers every way, beat the odds, and that got me up here right now on this stage in Dallas.
 
And most amazing thing was getting to know so many people across the country and I know the Vice President knows this as well. The, the Vietnam vet who sobbed as he talked about losing his son to mental illness. The rancher, who had voted for Donald Trump, but after he saw him give a speech in front of that sacred wall with the CIA stars of those that lost their lives in the line of duty, decided he wasn't going to do it again. The immigrant mom,  the immigrant mom, who told me she works two jobs, all for her kids. And through it all, I said to them, and I believe this now standing with the Vice President, if you feel tired of the noise and the nonsense in our politics and if you are tired of the extremes, you have a home with me. And I think you know you have a home with Joe Biden.

So many, so many people joined us, supported us as we carried forward with this simple but fundamental message, and that it is time for Americans to join hands instead of pointing fingers.
 
It is time, it is time to turn back the division and the hate and the exclusion and the bitterness, and it is time to work together to lift up those who are left out, and to bring people with us, instead of shoving them away.
 
I believe, and it's the reason I'm up here, that we are never going to out divide the divider in chief. We must as Americans dream bigger than that. We have to be better than that. Because if we spend the next four months dividing our party and going at each other, we will spend the next four years watching Donald Trump tear apart this country.
 
We need, we need Texans we need to unite our party and our country and to do it not just with our words but with our actions. It is up to us, all of us to put our country back together, to heal this country, and then to build something even greater. I believe we can do this together. And that is why today I am ending my campaign and endorsing Joe Biden for President.

(CHANTS: Let’s go Joe)
 
Okay, I have a few other things to say.

Joe Biden has dedicated his life to fighting for people, not for the rich and the powerful, but for the mom, for the farmer, for the dreamer, for the builder, for the veteran. He can bring our country together and build that coalition of our fired up Democratic base—and it is fired up—as well as independent and moderate Republicans. Because we do not in our party want to just eke by a victory. We want to win big and Joe Biden can do that.

As you know from all the work he has done that he will not just govern with his head—he's got a lot of good ideas—but he will also govern with his heart. I know that you know here in this big state of Texas, that the heart of this country is bigger than the heart of the guy in the White House.

It is time, it is time America for a president that understands that service is not about self-interest. It is about sacrifice.

It is time for a president that represents all of America and including people in the middle of this country at a time when we see people in extremes that are trying to drown out people.

And most of all it is time, and this is what I feel so strongly about, it is time for a president that will bring decency and dignity back to the White House.
 
(CHANTS: Let’s go Joe)

So at one of the debates, of our many debates. [Biden: All of which you won.]  I told, I told the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, that beloved president. And when he died, they put his body on a train that went from Georgia to Washington DC. And the story is that people spontaneously stood along those train tracks to show their respect. And a reporter came upon a guy, regular guy, just had his hat in his hand and he was sobbing. And the reporter said to him, Sir, do you mind me asking. Did you know President Roosevelt? And the guy says no, I didn't know the president, but he knew me. He knew me. And that is exactly what is missing right now in the White House. We have a president that has no empathy, that cannot put himself in the shoes of the people of this country. Well, guess who can do that.
 
And that is Joe Biden.
 
(CHANTS: We love Joe)

So if you, if you out there are trying to figure out how you stretch your paycheck to pay for your rent or your mortgage or someone in your family is, you know Joe knows you, and he will fight for you.

If you are someone trying to decide how do you pay for the long term care for your parents and the child care or the college for your kids, Joe knows you and he will fight for you.

And if you are trying to figure out how am I going to fill that prescription for insulin or some other prescription drug or fill my refrigerator, Joe knows you and he will fight for you.
 
So I cannot think of a better way to end my campaign than joining his because
 
(CHANTS: Amy, Amy)
 
Because America, you gave an opportunity to the granddaughter of an iron ore miner, [audience member "Minnesota"] to the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman. You gave me, Minnesota, the opportunity to be the first woman elected to the US Senate from the State of Minnesota. And America you gave me this incredible year to be a candidate for President of the United States.

It is because you have faith in what we can achieve together. It is because of your undying belief that for all of us, the best is yet to come.
 
So before I turn it over to our next president, I want to remind you of something really practical. Tomorrow, tomorrow is Super Tuesday. Tomorrow is Super Tuesday. And Texas you are one big Super Tuesday state. But there are 14 Super Tuesday states including my home state of Minnesota. So, what I want all of you to do is vote for Joe. Vote for decency. Vote for dignity. Vote for a heart for our country. That is what he will bring to the White House. And with that, I give you the next President of the United States, Joe Biden.
 
(CHANTS: Let’s go Joe)

Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke
March 2, 2020

Ended Campaign: November 1, 2019 ...122 days


DEMOCRACY IN ACTION TRANSCRIPT  |  Global News video

Biden for President Rally
Gilley's
Dallas, Texas
Monday, March 2, 2020

Dallas. Tarrant County. Denton. Collin. Anybody from the Rio Grande Valley? Far West Texas and El Paso? Lubbock, Amarillo and the panhandle? Longview, Texarkana and East Texas?

On behalf of every one of the 254 counties of this great state, we welcome Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Joe Biden, el proximo presidente de los Estados Unidos aqui por nosotros este momento.

Ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow, March 3rd 2020, I will be casting my ballot for Joe Biden.

And let me tell you why.

We need somebody who can beat Donald Trump.

The man in the White House today poses an existential threat to this country, to our democracy, to free and fair elections, and we need somebody who can beat him. And in Joe Biden we have that man, we have someone who in fact is the antithesis of Donald Trump. Joe Biden is decent. He's kind. He's caring. He's empathetic.

I don't know if you saw this last week. The Vice President was at a town hall in South Carolina.
And Dr. Reverend Anthony Thompson came up to the microphone and talked about losing his wife at Mother Emanuel, AME in South Carolina in 2015.

And Joe Biden listened to him, in fact with his eyes closed so that he could concentrate on every single word that that man said. And then he spoke back to him and to all of us from his heart filled with compassion and love, and the power to heal. He wanted to heal that man. He wanted to heal Charleston, South Carolina. But as someone who lives in El Paso, Texas, which saw another white nationalist rampage where 22 people were killed solely based on their ethnicity, on the color of their skin, on their country of national origin, I felt Joe Biden healing us.

At a time, that this country is so polarized, so deeply divided, we need somebody who can bring us together and heal us. We need somebody who can reestablish the moral authority of the United States. We need somebody who will fight for democracy here and abroad, because democracy is under attack here and abroad. We need Joe Biden.

Mr. Vice President, I have traveled to each one of the 254 counties of Texas. I know this state. And I've got to tell you, the fact that you take the time to listen to us, to be here to understand our concerns as well as our aspirations, means the world to us.

This is a state that is dead last in the United States when it comes to the number of insured, which means we have people dying of diabetes. The largest mental health care facility in the state is the county jail system in the state. Those with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and clinical depression are getting arrested on purpose to get the care that they cannot find otherwise.

We know that you're going to lead us to make sure that there is health care for each and every single one of us—every child, every man, and every woman.

Mr. Vice President, you also know that whether it was Sutherland Springs or Santa Fe High School or El Paso, Texas at that Walmart this last August, or Midland, Odessa n the same year, we understand the devastating toll of gun violence in America and in this state.

And we need someone who's going to make sure that whether it is a mass shooting in a Walmart or in our school, or the shootings that far too often take those in our communities of color, one or two at a time, who don't even make the headlines or the front page or the news—we don't even know their names—you're gonna stand up for each and every one of us, and end gun violence in America with universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders, and an end to the selling of weapons of war in our communities. Keep that stuff on the battlefield. Don't bring it into our homes.

And Mr. Vice President, this energy rich state, that has fueled the growth of America, also wants to be the state that with your leadership leads the charge to confront climate change before it is too late. We're counting on you.

Y por ultimo, in 2018, all of us, a lot of good people who are here on this stage, out there throughout the state, ran the greatest grassroots campaign Texas had ever seen. We won more votes than any Democrat had in Texas history. Young voter turnout up 500% in early voting. And these were the gains. Twelve new members of the statehouse all Democrats replacing Republicans; two new members of Congress, including the all time great Colin Allred right here in this community; 17 African American women elected to judicial positions in Harris County.

Now is the time to finish the job, make sure that we win the nine seats that we lack to take control of the State House for the first time in 20, years, end the racist gerrymandering in Texas ,and move forward on the issues we care most about. You, Mr. Vice President, at the top of the ticket ,can help us do that.

So I want to let you all know. I love you too. And we all love Joe. And I am going to treat Joe and Jill right. We're gonna take them to a world class meal tonight. There's a Water Burger less than half a mile from here.

But first, make this one promise. Make this one promise. You— I'm getting Water Burger orders shouted from behind me okay. You, your family, your friends, your neighbors, your classmates, your colleagues, every single one of us is going to get after it and vote tomorrow. Are you with me?
Are you with Joe?

Ladies and gentlemen, el proximo presidente de los Estados Unidos, Joe Biden. Let's do it for Joe.

BIDEN: I want to make something clear. I'm gonna to guarantee this in not the last you're seeing of this guy. You're gonna take care of the gun problem with me; you're gonna be the one who leads this effort. I'm counting on you. I'm counting on you. We need you badly. The state needs. You the country needs you. You're the best. Thank you. Thank you Thank you....
_______________________

Beto O'Rourke

March 2, 2020 email
Subject: My vote in the primary

Dear _,

I’m voting for Joe Biden because he can beat Donald Trump; because having him at the top of the ticket will help our down-ballot candidates, especially in Texas; and because he can bring people together to reach the ambitious goals we have for our country.

Joe can beat Donald Trump because he is the clear contrast to Donald Trump. Joe Biden is kind and decent. Empathetic and caring. He will reassert our moral standing in the world at a moment that it’s been called into question, and he will take a strong stand for democracy and the rule of law at a moment that both are under attack at home and abroad. We have never had a threat so existential to our democracy as the one we face in Donald Trump. I believe that Joe Biden is our best hope to take on Trump and Trumpism, and to restore the integrity of our elections and our republic.

Joe can also help our candidates in state legislative races across the country. We have a chance to win a majority in the Texas state house for the first time in 20 years. That means no more racist gerrymandering, no more voter suppression and no more bathroom bills and “show me your papers” legislation. Many of our Democratic candidates and state representatives have told me that having Biden at the top of the ticket is going to help them win and stay in office.

And I believe that Joe can help us accomplish an ambitious agenda for America. He has listened to the people of this country in developing progressive plans on climate change, immigration, healthcare, gun violence, and caring for our veterans. I am confident that he has the experience and capacity to build the coalitions necessary to make progress on these issues, and has shown an ability to reach across the aisle to build consensus.

While I am declaring my support for Joe, I must acknowledge the strengths of the remaining candidates. Elizabeth Warren has demonstrated extraordinary integrity and intelligence in her career and on the campaign trail. Michael Bloomberg has often used his wealth to pursue the common good: reducing gun violence and averting climate catastrophe. And Bernie Sanders has consistently and successfully pushed this country to think big. From universal healthcare to higher education that is accessible to everyone, he and his supporters have already made this a better country by asking us to demand more of ourselves. I am encouraged by the energy of his volunteers, especially the young people at the vanguard of his movement. They are fighting for ideals that are consistent with our highest aspirations, and I am confident that their leadership will be essential to reaching them, whoever wins the next election.

Any of the remaining candidates would make a great President and would be a welcome alternative to the current occupant of the White House. I am grateful to those who have made the sacrifice to run and especially to their supporters, team members and volunteers.

You’re receiving this email because you are a current or previous supporter of mine, a friend or family member. I know from the feedback I’ve received throughout this election cycle from you that some on this list will be happy that I’m supporting Joe and some will be disappointed. Please know that regardless of the candidate we back, I believe that we’re ultimately all in this together, and I look forward to fighting by your side now or down the road.

Whether our nominee is Joe Biden or someone else - I will support that person with all that I have. Our country, our democracy, our future is on the line and we should expect nothing less of ourselves.

Beto

Former U.S. Rep. John Delaney
March 3, 2020

Ended Campaign: January 31, 2020 ...32 days


Friends of John Delaney
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 6, 2020
CONTACT: Xan Fishman

Delaney Statement on Endorsing Joe Biden

As he indicated on CNN on the morning of Super Tuesday, John Delaney is endorsing Joe Biden to be President of the United States. Full statement below:


“Joe is the right person to beat Donald Trump, because he is everything Trump is not--Joe is a good, decent person, who cares about others and understands the struggles that so many Americans face every day. He has spent years as a public servant gaining the expertise necessary to lead our nation and reestablish the United States as a global leader, reversing course on the isolationism, nationalism, and global retreat of the Trump Administration. Joe understands that we make progress through pragmatism and reaching across the aisle when possible and that yelling the loudest or having the most extreme opinions doesn’t actually accomplish any goals. Joe is the person to unite our party and our nation to tackle the challenges we face and seize the opportunities that our great nation has. April and I look forward to doing everything in our power to help him secure the nomination and win the general election in November.”


Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg
March 4, 2020

Ended Campaign: March 4, 2020 ...same day


Bloomberg 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2020

STATEMENT FROM MIKE BLOOMBERG

This morning, Mike Bloomberg released the following statement: 

“Three months ago, I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump. Today, I am leaving the race for the same reason: to defeat Donald Trump – because it is clear to me that staying in would make achieving that goal more difficult.

“I’m a believer in using data to inform decisions. After yesterday’s results, the delegate math has become virtually impossible – and a viable path to the nomination no longer exists. But I remain clear-eyed about my overriding objective: victory in November. Not for me, but for our country. And so while I will not be the nominee, I will not walk away from the most important political fight of my life. 

“I’ve always believed that defeating Donald Trump starts with uniting behind the candidate with the best shot to do it. After yesterday’s vote, it is clear that candidate is my friend and a great American, Joe Biden.
 
“I’ve known Joe for a very long time. I know his decency, his honesty, and his commitment to the issues that are so important to our country – including gun safety, health care, climate change, and good jobs.
 
“I’ve had the chance to work with Joe on those issues over the years, and Joe has fought for working people his whole life. Today I am glad to endorse him – and I will work to make him the next President of the United States.

“I am immensely proud of the campaign we ran, the issues we raised, and the sweeping and achievable plans we proposed – including our Greenwood Initiative to right historic wrongs, fight racial inequality, and make the promise of equal opportunity real for the Black communities that have endured centuries of exploitation and discrimination. That work is fundamental to the future of our country – and to the more perfect union that each generation is called to build.

“I am deeply grateful to all the Americans who voted for me – and to our incredibly dedicated staff and volunteers all around the country, who knocked on more than two million doors and held 12 million voter conversations in an incredibly short amount of time. No one outworked our team, and I couldn’t be prouder of everyone who was part of it. And I will be forever grateful to all the mayors, local and state legislators, Members of Congress, and many others who believed in me, endorsed my candidacy, and worked hard to unite voters around our vision. Your support and trust sustained me, and I look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead. 

“We made our campaign slogan a clear, simple promise: Mike will get it done. And I intend to keep working on the “it.” I will continue to work for sensible, common sense policy solutions that can get done. That includes passing gun safety laws that save lives. Fighting climate change. Improving health care. Making college more accessible and affordable. Creating economic opportunity for all. And helping mayors and local leaders across the country who are doing so much important work on all of these issues. 

“The past few months have been some of the most inspiring of my life, and I want to thank the tens of thousands of Americans, from Maine to California, whom I was privileged to meet – and who every day, with their voices and their ideas, made this campaign such a powerful experience. And I am intent on making it a lasting experience: I want my supporters to stay engaged, stay active and stay committed to our issues. I will be right there with you. And together, we will get it done.”
_______________________

Mike Bloomberg

Remarks Thanking Staff and Supporters

Sheraton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan

March 4, 2020

[DEMOCRACY IN ACTION Transcript  |  C-SPAN Video]

Well hello Bloomberg 2020. You know, I decided we had [have] the slogan wrong. It should be Mike likes you. Thank you. Thank you everyone.

Not sure what to say other than thank you to everybody here who's tried to make a difference. And Mayor Nutter, Mike, you really have been amazing. Where are you hiding? Hiding in plain sight. These past few months have been some of the most inspiring certainly in my life and I hope in yours. In just 100 days I have been to 73 cities in 27 states all across the country,

We've gone from Portand, Maine all the way to Compton, California, from Detroit, Michigan down to Jackson, Mississippi, and every place I went I listened to Americans of every age and every race and every ethnicity and every religion, and every identity and orientation. And I heard about their hopes and their dreams and their fears and their struggles. And those conversations just affirmed my faith in the work that our team was doing to defeat Donald Trump and bring our, and bring our country back together and get things done for the American people.

Now today I want to say how grateful I am to everyone who has been part of our team. And I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support, your work and your votes. And I'm just telling you the American public should be saying thank you to you as well. You really made history; you really did. Yes that's true. No campaign has ever accomplished as much as you did in such a short period of time. If you go back, we started at 1% in the polls. But yesterday thanks to you,nearly two million Americans cast their votes for our campaign.

This really is the best, most creative, most hard working campaign team ever assembled. And I have to say there is no doubt in my mind we would we would have beaten Donald Trump in November.

And you know who else knows that? Donald Trump.

He's been scared stiff of us and for good reason. Because every time he hit us, we hit back twice as hard. And nnlike his jabs our punches packed the truth.

Now look, today I am clear eyed about our overriding objective, and that is victory in November. Not, not victory for me or our campaign, but victory for our country. If you remember I entered the race for president to defeat Donald Trump. And today I am leaving the race for the same reason— to defeat Donald Trump because staying in would make it more difficult to achieve that goal.

I've always believed that data should inform our decisions. That's the way I ran my business and foundation and it's the way we ran City Hall. In fact, our campaign slogan was In God We Trust, everyone else, bring data. Well after yesterday's results, the delegate math had become virtually impossible, and a viable path to the nomination just no longer existed. And I will not be our party's nominee. But I will not walk away from the most important political fight of my life and I hope you won't walk away either.

I've always believed, I've always believed that defeating Donald Trump starts with uniting behind the candidate with the best shot to do it. And after yesterday's vote it is clear that candidate is my friend and a great American, Joe Biden.

I've known Joe for a very long time. I know his decency, his honesty, his commitment to the issues that are so important to our country, including gun safety, health care, climate change, and good jobs, and I've had a chance to work with Joe on those issues over the years, especially when he was vice president. He fought for working people his whole life. And I'm glad to say I endorse Joe Biden, and I hope you will join me in working to make him the next president of the United States of America.

It is an enormous understatement to say that I'm immensely proud of the campaign that we ran and the issues we raised and the sweeping achievable plans we proposed, and that includes our Greenwood initiative to right historic wrong, to fight racial inequality and make the promise of equal opportunity real for the black communities that have endured centuries of exploitation and discrimination. That work I've always thought is fundamental to the future of our country and to the more perfect union and each generation is called to build.

This afternoon, I want you to all know that I am grateful to everyone who supported us. To everyone at our campaign headquarters here in New York, the work that you did every day, late at nights, early mornings and weekends and holidays was really just amazing. And to our credible staff and volunteers in the states, you knocked on more than 2 million doors and had more than 12 million conversations with voters, and to the traveling— yes you deserve a round of applause.

And to the traveling team, from advance to the press, you make great events look easy, you made them look flawless exciting and energizing. You were the road warriors.

Now, no one outworked all of you and that's for sure. I'm very proud and you should be too, because you devoted your days and nights doing the most important job in America, beating Donald Trump and working to reclaim our values and rebuild our country.

So before I close I just wanted to thank our campaigns amazing co-chairs who are among America's most respected and effective leaders:

Steve Benjamin.
Greg Fischer.
Michael Tubbs.
Muriel Bowser.
Stephanie Murphy.
Manny Diaz
Gina Raimondo
Bobby Rush.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
Antonio Villaraigosa.
And of course the incomparable Michael Nutter.

And I want to thank all the mayors and local leaders and member of Congress and everyone else who believed in us, who endorsed our candidacy and who worked hard to unite voters around your vision. This morning I called about 75 of them just to say thank you. And it was maybe the 75 best compensations I've ever had. They really believed, and they were as proud today that they'd endorsed us as they were the day before, when we were before the voters.

Your support and your trust meant the world to me and to them and I look forward to working with all of you in the months and years ahead.

You know I've been doing this for a long time and every day gets better. And I can tell you today, sorry we didn't win, but it's still the best day of my life and tomorrow's gonna be better. And I want you to know that.

[CHANTS: We like Mike]

Well, I'm glad you do, and I hope Diana does.

I also want to thank a few people who did a spectacular job pulling this whole team together and managing the campaign, and always giving me honest advice, even when I didn't want it. Patty Harris, Kevin Sheekey and Howard Wolfson.

Now our campaign offered a clear, simple promise, Mike will get it done. And today I can promise you, I'm going to keep working on it, and I hope you will too. And I can tell you my daughters and Diana and all of my friends are committed to doing the same thing because as we all know, it means passing common sense gun safety laws that save lives. It means protecting our communities and climate change. It means improving health and health care for all Americans. It means making sure that every child can attend a great public school no matter what zip code they live in. It means fighting against discrimination and inequality wherever they exist. And it means protecting a woman's right to choose. That's it [inaud.].

Finally, let me just say this. I have never believed in doing anything halfway. When I believe in something, I work like crazy and fight like hell to achieve it. I knew what this race would be about, all about. I knew we didn't have much of a chance, but we did it anyways. And I'm just amazed at how many people have stood with me shoulder to shoulder, working and fighting every step of the way. I know you didn't do it for me. You did it for our country, for America.

And you do it because you love America as much as I do. And that's all I could ever ask for.

And being part of this campaign is more than a young boy who memorized the "Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" ever dreamed of. Today I believe that our great nation still sees that light in the Old North Church tower, the light of freedom, the light of liberty, the light of equality and the light of opportunity.

It is the same light that shines from the torch of the Statue of Liberty, and inspires the world with our values and our ideals. No wall can block out that light. No lie, no lie can deny that light, and we will not allow any president to dim that light.

Over these past three months, I've seen that light shining in the faces of millions of Americans, in every person who was part of our campaign, and in everyone from every political party who believes that we must begin bringing our country back together and putting the United back in the United States of America.

And so today, our campaign, our campaign today for the presidency ends, but our campaign for a better America, a stronger America, a more just America, a more equal America, and a more united America continues, and together we will get it done. Thank you.

Former Gov. Deval Patrick
March 6, 2020

Ended Campaign: February 12, 2020 ...23 days


Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2020

Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick Endorses Joe Biden

Today, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick released the following statement endorsing Joe Biden for President of the United States:
 
"This is a moment of profound consequence in America.  At a time when our democracy is at risk, our economy is not working for many Americans, and our role in the world is unsteady, America needs a unifying and experienced leader, who can and wants to make life better for everyone everywhere.  Joe Biden is that leader.  I am today proud to endorse him for the Democratic nomination for President.
 
“As Governor of Massachusetts, I worked closely with President Barack Obama and Vice President Biden.  I saw firsthand Joe's essential role in passing historic health care reform, saving the American auto industry and our country from another depression, leading our troops home from war, and championing historic civil rights and LGBTQ equality.  He was my go-to contact on stimulus spending, the very spending that enabled us to invest in our schools, help our students achieve nation-leading academic performance, and close achievement gaps.  And his and the President’s relationships with other leaders around the world paved a smoother way for our own state-level trade missions on behalf of business leaders, workers and educators.
 
“Joe Biden has been a partner of mine for many years.  He chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee during the confirmation process when I was nominated to head the Civil Rights Division in the U.S. Justice Department in the Clinton administration.  When Black churches and synagogues were set on fire across the South in the 1990s, and I was tasked by President Clinton to co-chair the federal Church Arson Task Force to investigate and prosecute those attacks, Joe promptly and effectively moved legislation through the Senate to provide emergency funding for our work.  I worked with him and his team on judicial appointments when I was a staff attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.  I have known him to be a champion for vulnerable and marginalized Americans for a long time.
 
“Above all, I know Joe Biden to be a deeply empathetic man.  His interest in and interactions with people, as well as his own experience with personal suffering and setbacks, and his faith, have combined to make him a genuinely caring and compassionate person.  He brings those sensibilities to his work.  But I can tell from the many stories I hear about him that are not a part of a legislative or foreign policy achievement, the ones from people who have encountered him on the train home from Washington to Delaware, that he sees the unseen and hears the unheard – and that sincere concern for others informs not just the kind of work he does but the kind of man he is.
 
“At a time when the cheery economic indicators don’t tell the whole story about the struggles of everyday people, when the world lurches from emergency to emergency without America’s influence or leadership, when Republican leadership wants to take health care away, abandon public education, and ignore a climate crisis, and when our current president seeks to create chaos and division instead of order and unity, Joe knows that the times and challenges before us demand new ideas and bold actions.  But he also knows that change that lasts will require us to turn to each other rather than on each other, and that we will have to model a politics that says we don’t have to agree on everything before we work together on anything.  Joe is that leader and with his leadership we can win the White House, as well as majorities in the House and the Senate, and get going on with the work of making America prosperous and just for all Americans everywhere.” 
 
Patrick, a former Democratic presidential candidate, joins the more than 100 Bay State leaders who have previously announced their endorsement for Joe Biden for President, including former Secretary of State John Kerry, Congressman Seth Moulton, Congressman Stephen Lynch, State Sen. Marc Pacheco, Vicky Kennedy, and an array of state legislators, mayors, city councilors, and more.
 
Nationally, Biden for President has previously announced more than 1,500 endorsements from national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, community leaders, and national security professionals.

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris
March 8, 2020

Ended Campaign: December 3, 2019  ...96 days




Hey everybody, so I'm here in Alabama. I arrived here commemorate the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. I'll be walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge again with John Lewis and so many great, great leaders and fighters. And you know, I'm just here thinking about all the folks who for generations have fought and died for our civil rights and fought to help our nation achieve its ideals.

And you guys know, we still have yet to achieve those ideals but one of the greatest about us is we are willing to fight to get there.

So I just wanted you guys to know because you have been supporting me for so long and I just wanted you guys to know: I have decided that I am with great enthusiasm going to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States.

I believe in Joe. I really believe in him and I have known him for a long time. One of the things that we need right right now is we need a leader who really does care about the people and who can therefore unify the people. And I believe Joe can do that. I am supporting Joe because I believe that he is a man who has lived his life with great dignity. He is a public servant who has always worked for the best of who we are as a nation and we need that right now. There is so much at stake in this election, guys. So join me in supporting Joe and let's get this done.

And come and hang out. We're going to be in Detroit Monday night. Come join us Monday night. I'll see you later.
____________________________
Kamala Harris Press
For Immediate Release:
March 8, 2020

Kamala Harris Endorses Joe Biden for President

Harris: “I believe in Joe Biden and will do everything in my power to help elect him the next president of the United States.”

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris on Sunday released the following statement:

“When I started my run for president, I said America needs a president who reflects the decency and dignity of the American people; a president who speaks the truth; and a president who fights for those whose voices are too often overlooked or ignored. 

“I still believe that to this day. That is why I am proud to announce I am endorsing my friend, Vice President Joe Biden, for President of the United States. 

“I got to know Joe more than a decade ago through his son – my dear friend, the late Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden. As attorneys general during the financial crisis, Beau and I were leaders in the fight to take on the biggest banks in the nation and secure billions of dollars in relief for homeowners across the country. And I can tell you that Beau inherited his strength of character, selfless courage, and commitment to public service from his father, Joe.

“As I reflect on my own time on the campaign trail spent listening to people’s hopes, dreams, fears, and daily struggles, I know what Americans want and deserve in their next commander-in-chief. 

“Americans deserve a president who confronts the daily challenges facing working people with the same determination and steady leadership they apply to addressing the most serious crises facing our nation. We deserve a president with the knowledge and experience to reassure a nation weary of tweets, lies, and incompetence. And we deserve a president who speaks to the best of who we are and challenges us to live up to our ideals. 

“There is no one better prepared than Joe to steer our nation through these turbulent times, and restore truth, honor, and decency to the Oval Office. He is kind and endlessly caring, and he truly listens to the American people. You can see in his eyes how he takes to heart the experiences of mothers and fathers working to make ends meet and worrying about whether their children can be safe in their classroom, or young people who fight tirelessly to tackle climate change as they ask for a fair shot at the future in front of them. And with a lifetime in public service, Joe has a proven track record of getting things done.

“Like many women, I watched with sadness as women exited the race one by one. Four years after our nominee, the first woman to win the nomination of a major party, received 3 million more votes than Donald Trump but still lost, we find ourselves without any woman on a path to be the Democratic nominee for president. This is something we must reckon with and it is something I will have more to say about in the future. But we must rise to unite the party and country behind a candidate who reflects the decency and dignity of the American people and who can ultimately defeat Donald Trump.

“I truly believe our nation is at an inflection point. And the decision voters make this November will shape the country and the world our children and grandchildren will grow up in. I believe in Joe Biden and will do everything in my power to help elect him the next president of the United States.”
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker
March 9, 2020

Ended Campaign: January 13, 2020  ...56 days


DEMOCRACY IN ACTION TRANSCRIPT  |  WXYZ video

Cory Booker Endorses Joe Biden 

 Berston Field House
Flint, MI
March 9, 2020

Hello, Flint, Michigan. Hello, Flint.

Listen, I cannot tell you how pleased and happy I am to be here.

We announced early in the morning that I was officially endorsing Joe Biden for president of the United States of America.

Now, somebody—I don't know if there's anybody here—but there might be some people who want to know why I'm endorsing Joe Biden.

And I want to tell you right now, it should be obvious. My whole campaign for president of the United States was about the idea that we need to bring this country together. That we are a nation that is too divided; we are a nation where we know this election is not a referendum on one guy in one office, it's a referendum on who we are and who we must be to each other.

And so when you look out at the future of this country and you see that we have the potential to have a Joe Biden, who is truly the statesperson in our party, who is truly the one that's calling us to stand together, not to fall apart, who understands, as he said to me in the car ride over here, the soul of our nation is aching right now.

There are people afraid right now. There are people who see that the darkness has descended into their own personal lives and their own families.

And so for me, it is obvious that Joe Biden is the person; obvious because of, with a wounded nation that it's obvious to me that Joe Biden is a healer.

It's obvious to me that at a time when our nation seems to speak more about walls, we need a president who is going to be a bridge builder.

It is obvious to me that a time that darkness has descended, we need a president who is a light worker. We have had enough of a president that does demeaning; it's time that we have a president that does redeeming.

I know that this is a moral moment in America. It is a moral moment. This election is not about right or left, it's about right or wrong.

And so I am with a person that I know will be about right doing.

But I want to go a little deeper than that. I'm with the person that I know will see us, will see all of us, our dignity and our grace, see the potential of every child, no matter what their background because we all know we have walked a stony road.

Many of us here know, our families just to be here today, to get up this morning we were thanking God because we know what we have overcome. There are many folks in here that know that weeping has endured the night, and it is time that we bring some joy this morning.

My family knows this state; we know Michigan.

Because when my family was struggling in poverty and Jim Crow and the terror of Southern experiences they moved from Louisiana right here to Detroit. My mom was born in Michigan. This was a city that you could go out and get a working class job, My grandfather worked as a UAW worker on an assembly line, member of a Baptist Church right there in Detroit. These were times that people were escaping trauma in the south and looking for hope on the horizon.

It was a time when an honest job, were a union job. It was time for a civil rights movement. It was a time when the promise of this country was not fulfilled, but we know what the great Frederick Douglass said, that there's no struggle there is no progress.

And so I want to just conclude by saying this, we have the right candidate, but we have got to yet show again right here in this great state of Michigan, we've got to begin to show that we are ready for redemptive times. We've got to show that we are ready for what we deserve. And that means that nobody's going to give us our change, we've got to work for it.

Are you all ready to do some work? Are you all ready to go from agonize to organize? Are you ready to go from fear to faith? Are you ready to go from worry to work? Because this moment in time, I'm telling you right now, Michigan, you've got to know that this could be the turning point, not just of a primary campaign, this could be the day we remember where we turned the whole nation around and got us from going the wrong way to the right way.

So I want to end with a story from my family. And I'll tell you on both sides—my momma was born here in Michigan. My dad was from the mountains of North Carolina, and he was born to a single mom in Jim Crow South.

And my father, you know he had some difficult times. His momma couldn't couldn't raise him and ended up being taken in by the community.

And my father used to have just stories as I was a child, most of them I know weren't true. I mean God, I still remember the mountains of North Carolina, he started a story once, he goes let me tell you about when the tsunami hit our town. I'm like dad, you were in the mountains of North Carolina, there's no way a tsunami could have hit your town.

And Mr. Vice President, my dad got mad at me because I challenged him. He was like, boy don't you disrespect me. You remember the Ten Commandments; you better honor your mother and father. And I'm like okay, Dad, tell me your story.

So tells this one story Mr. Vice President about him sitting in the back of the classroom. And the teacher walked in, it was the first day of school. And the teacher said, y'all, y'all this classroom, I need to teach you all about self esteem. Anybody in this classroom thinks you're stupid, I want you to stand up right now. And none of the boys and girls moved; they just had their sat there kind of confused by the question. And the teacher stood there looking impatient She goes, come on now anybody thinks you're stupid, I want you to stand up right now. And my father said nobody moved. The teacher was looking upset, standing there staring at the kids. So finally my father said he pushed his chair back and stood up. And the teacher was kind of concerned. She goes, Mr. Booker, boy, what's wrong with you, you think you're stupid, you think you're dumb? And my father said he scratched his head and said shucks, ma'am, I don't think I'm stupid, but I didn't want you to be the only one standing.

We as a people have been talked down to enough. My dad told me boy people are going to talk down at you, you've still got to stand up. They're going to heap insults upon you, but you've got to stand up. My father said that no matter what. even if you stumble and fall, you stand, but don't stand by yourself, join with others and stand together. Because that's what God is there, two or three people are gathered in his midst. He is in the midst; you know this.

And so I just have one humble request. Will you stand with me now for Joe Biden. Will you stand with me right now in the name of healing. Will you stand with me right now in the name of right. Will you stand with me for a statesman. Will you stand with me for a man that has shown he is with us, he is part of us, he will never look down on us; he will lift us up. I bring you the next president of the United States of America, stand with me for Joe Biden.

Andrew Yang
March 10, 2020

Ended Campaign: Feb. 11, 2020 ...28 days


CNN Transcript  |  CNN video via MRC

 Andrew Yang Endorses Joe Biden

CNN America's Choice 2020

Evening of Tuesday, March 10, 2020 (Mini-Super Tuesday)

ANDERSON COOPER: Andrew Yang, I see you've been writing on your paper a lot. We haven't heard from you in a little bit. You haven't -- Where do you see the race right now? What do you see this going for Joe Biden?

ANDREW YANG: I believe that Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee. And I’ve always said I’m going to support whoever the nominee is. So, I hereby am endorsing Joe Biden to be not just the nominee for the Democratic Party, but the next president of the United States.

And I say this having supported Bernie Sanders in 2016. Bernie was an inspiration for me, inspired my run. But the math says Joe is our prohibitive nominee. We need to bring the party together. We need to start working on defeating Donald Trump in the fall. I've had many personal conversations with Joe about the impact of the fourth industrial revolution on the middle class. I believe that he's the right man for the job to help us not just defeat Donald Trump, but govern the country in the years ahead.

GLORIA BORGER: And the question is, I guess I have for you is what does he need to do to bring the Yang Gang and the Sanders folks to him?

COOPER: And what do you say to your supporters who might support Sanders?

YANG: What I'd say is that we need to start doing the work of improving Americans lives on the ground because too many Americans have seen their way of life disintegrate over the last number of years and Bernie’s been calling out those problems and tabbing into the frustration in the right way.

And so, if Joe says this is going to be return to business as usual, he’s in danger of losing many of the young people that came out for Bernie, that supported my campaign. He has to show that, look, we know that this economy is not working for many, many Americans, millions of Americans who feel left behind. And you can't just say we're going to swing the pendulum back to the Obama-Biden years. We have to actually start doing the work that activated people to vote for Donald Trump, that activated people to get out for Bernie Sanders.

I believe Joe is open to that message. His heart is in the right place. He's a really, really patriotic public servant, decent man. He wants to do right by the American people. To me, a lot of it’s about getting real solutions in place that more and more Americans feel like they will actually improve their day-to-day lives.

[Crosstalk]

COOPER; Have you had conversations with the Biden campaign about an endorsement?

YANG: I have. Joe called me last week. You know, we had a really great conversation. And it was hard to say no to Joe at that time. But I have such admiration and respect for Bernie and what he meant to so many Americans. I think Bernie has called out the real problems in a very powerful and necessary way.

So, I wanted to let the democratic process play out. And I believe it has. At this point can you see very clearly that Biden is building a delegate lead that is going to grow in the days ahead. And so, we need to come together as a party starting tonight.

COOPER: What you would say to Sanders supporters, who obviously are going to be unhappy if Sanders drops out of the race? For you as it is-- as Senator Sanders said himself, defeating Donald Trump trumps from all of that?

YANG: I would say I get it. And that I believe that Joe gets it too. Even though you might not feel that in the same way. Like, I get the frustration. I get the desire for a revolution. I get the fact that it seems like our institutions are failing us right and left. I get all of that. It's why I ran. But we have to defeat Donald Trump in order to make progress on the climate, on any of these problems in a bigger way and you have to believe that Bernie and Elizabeth and I and other people will have a voice in the Biden administration to start solving these problems.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
March 19, 2020

Ended Campaign: Feb. 19, 2020 ...same day


4m30s video


An Important Announcement

Our nation is facing an unprecedented global crisis that highlights the inextricable bonds of humanity, and how foreign policy and domestic policy are inseparable. We are all in this together and we must all rise to meet this moment — in service to our country and our fellow man.
This is not the first time we have faced adversity together. And it will not be the last.

After the terrorist attack by al-Qaeda on our country on 9/11, we stood together as Americans, motivated to serve, marshaling our forces to defeat our common enemy. I and so many others enlisted in the military to do just that. Likewise today, as Americans and all of humanity, we face a common enemy. It is once again time, as Americans and as neighbors in this global community, that we stand together once again, and work hand in hand to defeat this new enemy — the coronavirus.

Throughout my life, and this campaign, my motivation has been to serve God, our country, and the American people as best I can. I feel that the best way that I can be of service at this time is to continue to work for the health and wellbeing of the people of Hawaii and our country in Congress, and to stand ready to serve in uniform should the Hawaii National Guard be activated.

After Tuesday's election, it is clear that Democratic Primary voters have chosen Vice President Joe Biden to be the person who will take on President Trump in the general election.

I know Vice President Biden and his wife and am grateful to have called his son Beau a friend who also served in the National Guard. Although I may not agree with the Vice President on every issue, I know that he has a good heart and is motivated by his love for our country and the American people. I'm confident that he will lead our country guided by the spirit of aloha — respect and compassion — and thus help heal the divisiveness that has been tearing our country apart.

So today, I’m suspending my presidential campaign, and offering my full support to Vice President Joe Biden in his quest to bring our country together.

I will continue to advocate for a 21st century foreign policy. One based on mutual respect and cooperation instead of confrontation, where we as a community of nations can work together to overcome the challenges that our people face — preventing and stopping pandemics like the coronavirus that is now affecting all of us, tackling climate change, combatting terrorism, and removing the existential threat of nuclear war which hangs over the heads of all of us. I will continue to do everything I can to help bring an end to the new Cold War and nuclear arms race, and end regime change wars, which are costing us trillions of dollars, so we can invest these precious resources in the needs of the American people — health care, rebuilding our infrastructure, education, and so much more.

I want to extend my best wishes to my friends Senator Bernie Sanders, his wife Jane, Nina Turner and their many supporters for the work they’ve done. I have a great appreciation for Senator Sanders’ love for our country and the American people and his sincere desire to improve the lives of all Americans.

To the many people across our country who dedicated their time, energy, and resources to my campaign, working tirelessly to get our message out, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I look forward to speaking to you more in the coming days about why I made this decision and how we can continue to work together for our common cause.

Thank you for standing with me. I will always have your back.

With warmest aloha,

Tulsi

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
March 19, 2020

Ended Campaign: Aug. 29, 2019 ...203 days


Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2020

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Endorses Joe Biden

Today, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement endorsing Joe Biden for the President of the United States: 

"It is clear that our country desperately needs a president with experience, honesty and integrity -- that person is Vice President Joe Biden. Not only does Joe have the experience to lead our country, but he has the empathy and character to go with it. Joe will fight for policies that reward work, such as the FAMILY Act, and will be a champion for women and families, workers, and young people. I am proud to endorse Joe and I look forward to working with him to take back the White House, and to elect Democrats up and down the ballot." 

Biden leads the field in congressional endorsements with support from more than 100 U.S. Representatives and 15 U.S. Senators, including the most endorsements from members of both the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Gillibrand is the thirteenth former Democratic presidential candidate to endorse Biden.

Nationally, Biden for President has previously announced more than 2,500 endorsements from national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, community leaders, and national security professionals. 

###

 
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet
April 8, 2020

Ended Campaign: Feb. 11, 2020 ...57 days



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, April 8, 2020
CONTACT: Shannon Beckham

Michael Bennet Endorses Joe Biden for President

DENVER — Michael Bennet today issued the following statement endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden for President of the United States: 

“Americans are asking two questions in this election: Who can beat Donald Trump, and who can get anything done? That candidate is former Vice President Joe Biden, and I am proud to endorse him for President of the United States.  

“Joe is a proven leader who can bring Americans together and show that our best days are still ahead. His vast experience, temperament, and decency stand in stark contrast to those of Donald Trump, especially in these challenging times. As a champion of the middle class, Joe knows how to make real and lasting change for families and workers across the country. 

“In the midst of a public health crisis and economic downturn, now more than ever we need an experienced leader to protect and guide our country. We are all united around the ultimate goal of defeating Donald Trump, and Joe is the person who will lead us there in November.”

Tom Steyer
April 9, 2020

Ended Campaign: Feb. 29, 2020 ...40 days



in interview with Politico.  See: Carla Marinucci.  "Steyer endorses Biden while proddig him on young voters."  Politico, April 9, 2020.


U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders
April 13, 2020

Ended Campaign: Apr. 8, 2020 ...5 days


https://www.facebook.com/joebiden/videos/4217887944891698/


Excerpt from April 13, 2020 Livestream

BIDEN: ...In short we need to build a fairer, more inclusive, more resilient America. And with that in mind, I'd like to welcome to this conversation a leader who shares those values and has been an outspoken advocate for that vision for a long time. My friend Sen. Bernie Sanders.  Bernie, welcome.

SANDERS:  Joe, thank you very much for your remarks and thank you for welcoming me to your livestream here. As you've indicated, we are living in an unbelievably unprecedented moment. If you and I were chatting a few months ago, not in a million years, would we have believed that we would be talking to each other in our respective homes, that we could not, you know, do rallies, that we could not get out of the house; we would not have believed that we'd be looking not only a pandemic, which, as you indicated, has taken over 20,000 lives in our country, half a million people infected, but has cost us 16 million jobs—and that's probably a concservative number, the real number's probably higher than that. So we are in a terrible moment, an unprecedented moment, and I know we share the understanding that we've got to go forward right now and out of this in an unprecedented way to address the terrible pain that so many of our fellow Americans are feeling.

So today I am asking all Americans, I'm asking every Democrat, I'm asking every independent, I'm asking a lot of Republicans to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy, which I endorse, to make certain that we defeat somebody who I believe—and I'm speaking just for myself now—is the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country. A president, and you made this point, who downplayed this pandemic, who ignored the advice that some of his people were giving him, who has not used the Defense Production Act early on so that we could produce the masks, the gowns, the gloves, the ventilators, that our medical personnel desperately need. Who today, as I understand it, is threatening to fire Dr. Fauci who has been—an unbelievable—I mean it is, who has been day after day the voice of science to the American people trying to explain how we go forward in this crisis, and he's threatening to fire him.

So to me, for all of those reasons, and so many more, a president who doesn't, apparently has never read the Constitution of the United States and believes he's above the law. A president who lies all of the time. A president who has at least shown me that he is a racist and a sexist and homophobe and a xenophobe, and a religious bigot. I mean, for all of those reasons or more we've got to make Trump a one term president and we need you in in the White House.

So I will do all that I can to see that that happens, Joe. And I know that there is an enormous responsibility on your shoulders right now, and it's imperative that all of us work together to do what has to be done not only in this moment, but beyond this moment in the future of this country.

And in that regard, I have been very pleased that your staff and my staff have been working together over the last several weeks, to coming up with a number of task forces.

These are task forces that will look at some of the most important issues facing this country—the economy, how we create an economy that works for all, not just a few; education, how we create the best educational system in the world for all of our people; how we deal with climate change, which as you indicated, is an existential threat to the planet; how we deal with a criminal justice, because we don't want to continue having more people in jail than any other country on Earth; how we deal with immigration reform; and you know how we have a healthcare system that is so much better than what we have right now.

Now, it's no great secret out there, Joe, that you and I have our differences, and we're not gonna paper them over—that's real. But I hope that these task forces will come together, utilizing the best minds and people in your campaign and in my campaign, to work out real solutions to these very, very important problems. So I look forward to working with you and bringing some great people into those task forces.

BIDEN:  Well, Bernie, I want to thank you for that. It's a big deal and you know, I think that your endorsement means a great deal, it means a great deal to me. I think people are going to be surprised that we are apart on some issues, but we're awfully close on a whole bunch of others. And, and I think you've made— I'm if, if I am the nominee, which it looks like now you just made me, I'm going to need you not just to win the campaign, but to govern, and so did you have any questions for me, Bernie, at all?

SANDERS:  I did Joe, um, you know, just, uh, let's talk about some of the areas that I think we are actually fairly close. There are some areas where we disagree, but some where we are fairly close. Let's talk about the economy. And above and beyond the crisis that we're in right now, you know very well that millions of our people are working for starvation wages, and one of the fights that I've been waging for a number of years now is to raise that minimum wage to at least 15 bucks an hour. Is that something, Joe, that you are supportive of?

BIDEN:  Bernie, I am extremely supportive of that. And I thank you for leading on it and I thank you for your endorsement, your support. But look it means a great deal to me personally. As I said in my statement (>), when you suspended your campaign, I want to thank you for being the powerful voice. And you've been the most powerful voice for a fairer and more just America. It's a voice like yours that refuses to allow us just to accept what is. You've refused to accept that we can't change what's wrong in our nation. You refuse to accept that health and well being of our fellow citizens and our planet isn't the responsibility of somebody else; it's our responsibility to act now. And you don't get enough credit, Bernie, for being the voice that forces us to take a hard look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we've done enough. And we haven't.

One issue you've led in the past is making sure that every single solitary thing we can do to keep workers whole during this crisis is a part of it. It goes well beyond the $15 an hour.  As I said more than 16 million, and you're right it's probably significantly more than 16 million Americans, have lost their jobs because that's a lagging indicator.

And Congress has appropriated more than $2.2 trillion in this last round of so called CARES Act. My concern is the Trump administration is going to continue to do what it's always done, and that is it's going to make sure the response in a way that the structural benefits go to the wealthy and the well connected. And that's been your cry for a long time, Bernie. Basically, they're helping their friends.

It isn't about the legislation. The legislation has been good. It's about how it's been implemented. The biggest, best connected firms are getting assistance as fast as they can ask for it. Oversight and few conditions from Treasury and the Fed have been sort of wiped away. We should be imposing much stricter conditions on these big firms, telling them they only get the relief if they keep workers on their payroll, keep their jobs, make a commitment they won't buy back their stock, pay out dividends, enrich their executives. In fact, Donald Trump and his team are trying to gut the whole oversight of the corporate loan program now. Trump fired the inspector general—I know you know this—who was put in place to police corporate corruption. And what's he trying to hide? Congress should demand answers and I know you will.

Meanwhile, the little guy, the mom and pop shops, the men and women and minority owned businesses they're have the fewest resources to fall back on in this crisis. And they're facing obstacles and delays that threaten the very existence of their businesses. And, but no one in Donald Trump's White House, or Treasury is taking the kind of bold action required to make sure that those without prior wealth, without prior wealth or prior connections, get a priority. We should insist that the Trump White House and the Treasury Department move more aggressively to get those grants and loans to small businesses now, when they really need it. And if the banks won't do it, to go back to your point, they won't process the loans for small business regardless of their size, then the federal government should use their wartime authority to compel them to do so. Because otherwise In six months, we're going to look back and see that this crisis has only made inequity worse in America.

I've said it from the beginning of our conversation, we just can't think about building back to the way things were before. That is not good enough. We need to build for a better future. And that's exactly what these task forces your team and mine have put together to focus on. I'll have a lot more to say about that as you will, too. But first, I want to thank you for your question. And Bernie, if I don't mind, Bernie, how do we over the long haul, If I may ask, make sure we strengthen the economy to work for all people? Beyond the $15 minimum wage what else should we be doing Bernie?

SANDERS:  Well, Joe, thanks for your answer to the previous question, because you're absolutely right. I want everybody to hear and understand what Joe has just said.

Among many other provisions, we put in there—wasn't my first priority by any means—450 billion dollars for large corperations. It's a lot of money. And what Trump now wants to do is to spend that money without telling us who gets it.

BIDEN:  Exactly.

SANDERS:  Can you believe that? I mean, it is, it is beyond comprehension and that issue of transparency. If you receive money from the federal government, I'm sorry, we are going to know who you are, we're going to know the nature of the contract that was established, etc, etc. But we need as you indicated, absolute transparency. The other thing, Joe, I think we have to deal with right now is with so many folks unemployed and underemployed, we've got to make sure that the government comes up with a continued set of policies that protect those workers. And the pain all over the country is now horrific...


[continues for another 20 minutes...]

________________



Joe Biden
facebook post
April 13, 2020

I’ve had a chance to get to know Bernie over the years. We were in the Senate together before Barack and I took office, and of course, I had known him from his work in the House. What I liked about Bernie was that he said what he believed, no matter who was in the room. I admired his passion. I liked his convictions. I thought people who failed to take him seriously would prove to be sorely mistaken. And, as it turns out, I was right.

Senator Sanders endorsed our campaign today and I want to thank him not just for the endorsement, but for his leadership on making our country a more just, fairer place.

It’s voices like his that refuse to allow us to just accept what is — that refuse to accept we can’t change what’s wrong in our nation — and that refuse to accept the health and well-being of our fellow citizens and our planet isn’t our responsibility too.

He doesn't get enough credit for being a voice that forces us all to take a hard look in the mirror and ask if we’ve done enough. He has put the interest of the nation — and the need to defeat Donald Trump — above all else.

I’m excited to continue the work Bernie started in the months and years ahead. As he says: Not me, Us.

And to Bernie’s supporters I make the same commitment: I see you, I hear you, and I understand the urgency of what it is we have to get done in this country.

I hope you will join us: https://joe.link/2Ru3Tin. You are more than welcome on this campaign. You’re needed.


U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren
April 15, 2020

Ended Campaign: Mar. 5, 2020 ...41 days


3m43s video

[Music] WARREN: He grew up on the ragged edge of the middle class in Scranton.  He committed to public service early in life and never stopped serving.  And he's faced uspeakable tragedy with fortitude and grace.  These experiences enimate the empathy he extends to Americans who are struggling no matter what their story.

Empathy matters.  And in this moment of crisis, it is more important than ever that the next president restores Americans' faith in good, effective government.

Joe Biden has spent nearly his entire life in public service.  He knows that a government run with integrity, competence and heart will save lives and save livelihoods.

And we can't afford to let Donald Trump continue to endanger the lives and livelihoods of every American.

And that's why I'm proud to endorse Joe Biden as president of the United States.

I've seen the Vice President help a community heal.  One year to the day, after the Boston Marathon bombings that tore up bodies and tore our sense of safety and community, he was here.  People who'd been hurt, people who were afraid, he gave them peace and he gave them grace.  I watched it up close.

BIDEN (clip): We are Boston.  We are America.  We respond.  We endure.  We overcome.  And we own the finish line.

WARREN: But when Donald Trump is gone, we will need to do more than heal a nation that has been bitterly divided.  We will need to rebuild and transform our country.

And I've seen Joe Biden help a nation rebuild.  In 2009 ,President Obama put him in charge of leading the implementation of the historic Recovery Act to save our economy and help working families.  During the recovery, and later when I worked in the White House setting up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, I saw him up close, doing the work, getting in the weeds, never forgetting who we were all there to serve.

Among all the other candidates I competed with in the Democratic primary, there's no one I've agreed with 100% of the time over the years.  But one thing I appreciate about Joe Bide is he will always tell you where he stands.  Whe you disagree, he'll listen—and not just listen, but really hear you, and treat you with respect, no matter where you're coming from.

And he's shown throughout this campaign that when you come up with new facts or a good argument, he's not too afraid or too proud to be persuaded.

Joe Biden was there at the very moment I became a senator—he swore me in.  And when he did, he said, "You gave me hell!  And you're going to do a great job."

Because that's the thing about Joe.  He wants you in the fight with him.  And when you're in the fight with Joe at your side, you know you have a partner who's committed to getting something good done for this country.

Joe Biden is a selfless public servant.  He is committed to the fight for social, racial, and economic justice.

Joe Biden will lead a government that works for the American people.

And now, its up to all of us to help make Joe Biden the next president of the United States. 

Let's get to work. Go to JoeBiden.com right now and chip in your five bucks, make some phone calls, send some texts.  We are all in this together now.
_________________

Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2020

Statement by Vice President Joe Biden on Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Endorsement

Throughout this primary, there was no competitor more passionate in her convictions or sharper in her arguments than Senator Elizabeth Warren. Her voice made the debate stage, the Democratic Party, and every candidate competing against her better and stronger. By centering her campaign in the importance of ideas and comprehensive policy plans, she helped set a high-water mark for what our politics can be at their best — authentic and service-oriented, focused on how we can deliver the most help to the most people. And I’ve been proud to work with her over the past few weeks to identify and adopt important policy proposals that will strengthen us as a people.
 
At a moment of crisis for our nation, Senator Warren’s ideas will be more important than ever as we chart a path forward. The cracks in our economy that have left so many Americans exposed and vulnerable were there before the pandemic, and now they are laid bare for all to see just how dangerous they are. We know how much work it will take to come through this crisis, and I am proud to have Senator Warren in my corner for the fight ahead — not just as we work to defeat Donald Trump in November, but in the years to come, as we push through a bold and progressive policy agenda for the American people.
 
Senator Warren knows what’s possible when leaders put their own egos aside and do the work. And thanks to her integrity and determination, today there are millions of little girls and young women who know that their voices can command any stage and change the world for the better. Generations of women will be inspired to get involved in public life — to dream big and fight hard — because of Elizabeth.
###

Gov. Jay Inslee
April 22, 2020

Ended Campaign: Aug. 21, 2019 ...8 months (245 days)



Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
April 22, 2020

Jay Inslee Endorses Joe Biden on Earth Day in New “Here’s the Deal” Podcast Episode

Biden and Inslee Discuss Parallels of Combating COVID-19 and Tackling Climate Change

Today, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a former presidential candidate who has championed bold policies to tackle climate change, announced in a new episode of Joe Biden’s “Here’s the Deal” podcast that he is endorsing Biden for President of the United States. 
 
On a special Earth Day episode of Biden’s podcast, Inslee cited Biden’s strong record on fighting climate and bold vision for the future as why he is proud to endorse him for president. Biden and Inslee discussed how they see addressing climate change as a major opportunity for America to create good-paying jobs in clean energy and green infrastructure, and how important it will be for the next president to set ambitious goals to reduce our emissions and lead the world to do the same. 
 
During the podcast, Biden applauded Inslee for his leadership on flattening the curve in Washington State amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Biden and Inslee discussed the parallels between combating COVID-19 and tackling climate, emphasizing the need to listen to experts and science while governing. They also discussed what they do to destress during such stressful times, including how they ride their bikes and connect virtually with their grandchildren. 
 
Listen to the new episode HERE
 
“Here’s the Deal'' provides a voice of clarity during uncertain times with episodes featuring in-depth conversations about pressing issues with some of the nation’s top experts and leaders — paired with the heart, compassion, and wisdom only Joe Biden can deliver. The podcast is also available on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Pandora, and TuneIn + Alexa.
 
Key Excerpts:
 
BIDEN: Who gets reelected or elected in November is going to face a circumstance nationally and internationally that hasn't been seen for a long, long time. The unemployment rate, the situation with regard to our standing in the world, a whole range of things are going to be — I think as difficult as they were when Franklin Roosevelt got elected, and particularly dealing with unemployment. And, I think that we have an opportunity, but I’d like your view, I think we have an opportunity to turn the changing the climate — generating a fundamentally green infrastructure, and turning it around in a way that can be the very thing that helps us get through this existential threat to our economy.

I think it can be a part of the impetus of us being able to come back. I think we should be — I know because I'd called you many times, asked for your opinion on climate, and on specifics — I think we can become a net exporter of climate change technology. I think we can become the leader in the world and electric vehicles. I think we can become the leader in the world in wind and energy and a new transmission capacity across the entire United States. I think there's so many opportunities, and not just for minimum wage jobs, we're talking jobs that are $40, $45, $50 an hour that have benefits that generate real serious, serious work. But tell me how you kind of look at that, if you would.
 
INSLEE: Well, the way I look at it is I can't wait to have an optimist back in the White House — somebody who really believes in the American vision of growing your economy by getting out ahead and leading the world in technology. And I think you can be and will be that leader. And I'll tell you why I believe that. Look, we're in campaigns, sometimes sophistry intrudes, but your track record has shown you can really do this because you recall during the Recovery Act, you led this effort with $90 billion of investment. You made sure it was in our bill, and then you shepherded it through to make sure it actually got spent wisely. And as a result of that effort — now, look, I was there, I've got some cred on this cause I watched it. As a result of this, you have helped create 3.3 million jobs in clean energy — jobs that didn't exist before.
 
And we've seen something — an 8,000% increase in solar. We have seen enormous increases in battery storage and electric cars, and that has been a job creator. And I think the moment is like World War II with Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I really believe that — that national mobilization that he started that beat fascism is the same type of mobilization that can put so many thousands of millions of people to work. So I guess I'm here for you to get in that spot because you've got the resume to show you know how to actually get this done. And it's not just a green thing, it’s an economic boost for this nation.
***
 BIDEN: Well, Look. I've kept you a long time. I hope we can come on before the election and talk in some more detail about global warming and the like. I think — and I mean this sincerely — I think you're one of the really great governors and you could do any job in the country. But, I really appreciate your advice you give me. And, I know I'm always bugging you for advice and input, but I really mean it. And what you've done in Washington State is real, it's consequential. And I think that we can turn, with a little bit of luck, we can turn this God-awful circumstance we face in the coronavirus into an opportunity. But we're going to come out of this stronger. 

INSLEE: I believe that. Well, Mr. Vice President, I'm proud to endorse you for being the next President of the United States for many reasons. I know that you have a willingness to follow science and really help us get us out of the COVID-19 crisis. You're going to bring a reasoned approach to that rather than just ignoring doctors. You're going to follow their advice. You're going to be honest with us, which we don't have right now in the White House. You're going to have a concrete plan for action within the next 10 years to develop a clean energy plan, so we just don't plan to 2050. I know that you have efforts to really do things in the next 10 years and I'm very excited about this. 

I want to mention one other thing though that you should know and that is that at this time of great anxiety and suffering, I think you're perfect for the moment to help to give people comfort and confidence. And the reason I say that is that, I saw you help families — I don't know if you remember this — but you were out at Joint Base Lewis–McChord in Washington years back. And you were comforting four families who lost their soldiers. And I watched you tell them the story about how your grief that you had in your life has, over time, turned to the joy of memories. And when I talked to those families, that meant a lot to them. And we need somebody with that human connection right now in this position. And I believe you've got a unique talent to trade your heart for theirs. And I just want to tell you, I can't wait to start providing that to America. 
***
LISTENER QUESTION: I have a question for Vice President Biden and Governor Inslee. This is a stressful time and I'm wondering if you can both tell us what you do to destress?

INSLEE: Relief from the anxiety! When I hear the current ludicrous noises out of the White House. Well, I try to ride my bike and I got to ride about 30 miles yesterday. It was a beautiful day and I felt like a young man of 55 again, you know, I felt great. What I look forward to, though, is playing with my grandkids again. This has been a stressful time for all of us and I really look forward to that a day, because that actually is the ultimate relaxation. And I know we're all looking forward to that. 

BIDEN: Well, you know, it's funny. You and I didn't talk about this before, but it's the same thing with me. I love to ride the bike, although now I have a presidential Secret Service with me and here's a lot of them, so it's kinda hard. 

INSLEE: You're going to be a little constrained, but that's a price worth paying to save America. 

BIDEN: No, no, I agree. And they're wonderful. I didn't mean that. But I work out every morning and the other thing we do is, we do a whole lot of zooming with our grandkids. For real. And like yesterday at five o'clock, all the grandkids got on and our son, daughter and you know everybody. And we just talked for about half an hour and exchanged what we're all doing. 

###
Former Gov. John Hickenlooper
May 15, 2020

Ended Campaign: Aug. 15, 2019 ...9 months


Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
May 15, 2020

Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper Endorses Joe Biden

Today, former Colorado Governor and U.S. Senate Candidate John Hickenlooper announced his endorsement of Joe Biden for President of the United States, emphasizing Biden’s plan to shore up support for struggling small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
“Our small businesses, workers, and families are hurting. Joe Biden is the leader we need to fight for them, and that's why I'm supporting his campaign.”
 
Hickenlooper is former Colorado governor and Mayor of the City of Denver.
 
Biden for President has previously announced more than 2,500 endorsements from national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, community leaders, and national security professionals.

###

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