Speeches and Remarks

Roosevelt Room

5:34 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good evening. 

Within a few hours, Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Flor- — the western coast of Florida.  Already, we’re seeing impacts from the storm, including significant winds and heavy rain.  And there has also been frequent and widespread tornado warnings throughout the day, and they’re continuing and expected to expand as Milton moves over land, including a few that have already touched down in souther- — in South Florida. 

Currently, Milton is a Category 3, with wind speeds up to 120 miles per hour.  But no one should be confused: It’s still expected to be one of the most and worst destructive hurricanes to hit Florida in over a century. 

You know, both the heads of the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service made it very clear in conversations I’ve had with them earlier today: Milton still carries incredible destructiveness.  It can wipe out communities.  It can cause loss of life.  Storm surge is still expected to be up to 13 feet. 

So, I urge everyone in Hurricane Milton’s path to listen to local officials and follow all the safety instructions they give.  At this point, evacuation is probably difficult, so I encourage people to look for safer shelter.  Sometimes moving just a — a few miles can mean the difference between life and death. 

We’ve already approved emergency declarations for Florida.  We have thousands of federal personnel on the ground.  And we have staged and are ready to go — we have 20 million meals, 40 million liters of water. 

At my direction, the secretary of Defense, Austin, has pre-positioned search and rescue teams, helicopters, and highs-water veh- — high- — high-water speed vehicles as close to the storm as possible so they’re ready to conduct lifesaving missions. 

And the administrators of — the administrator of FEMA will be on site tonight in Florida and the state’s emerge- — in the state’s emergency operations center.  Both Administrator Criswell and I will be in constant contact with state and local officials in the hours ahead. 

Once the storm hits, we’re going to work with state officials to clear debris, restore power, and it — do it as fast as possible.  The Army Corps of Engineers will pump out water and decrease flooding. 

We’ve already directed the Department of Defense to be ready to provide active-duty service members to support Florida after the storm — after the storm surge if Governor DeSantis requests the help, which I expect he might, just like we did in North Carolina. 

I have surged over 1,000 U.S. Coast Guard personnel to perform search and rescue missions and reopen the Port of Tampa as soon as possible. 

Now, I want to reiterate a point.  I made clear earlier today to the folks who have been impacted by Helene, this impact — and will be now impacted by Milton: Over the last few weeks, there has been reckless and irresponsible and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies about what’s going on.  It’s undermining confidence in the people in Florida and the incredible rescue and recovery work that has been undertaken. 

Literally, there are — there are thousands of fellow Americans who are putting their lives at stake and putting it on the line to do the dangerous work that needs to be done now.  And it’s harmful to those who most need the help. 

Quite frankly, these lies are un-American.  And there is simply no place for them — not now, not ever. 

Former President Trump has led this onslaught of lies. 

Assertions have been made that property is being confiscated.  That’s simply not true.  They’re saying people impacted by these storms will receive $750 in cash and no more.  That is simply not true, either.  And they’re saying that money needed for these crises are being diverted to migrants.  What the hell — heck are they talking about?  Stop it.  It’s outrageous.  It’s just not true. 

Now the claims are getting even more bizarre.  Marjorie Taylor Greene, the congresswoman from Georgia, is now saying the federal government is literally controlling the weather — we’re controlling the weather.  It’s beyond ridiculous.  It’s so stupid.  It’s got to stop. 

Let me close with this.  As difficult as these days and weeks have been, we’ve seen incredible courage by so many of our fellow Americans. 

I want to thank all the first responders for running toward danger instead of away from it, for saving lives and making a difference: FEMA personnel risking their lives, climbing on hillsides to reach people who — cut off by Helena [Helene]; Army National Guard flying through gale wind force that — it’s amazing what they’re doing; firefighting lifting collapsed wood and metal in attempt to get — see if there are survivors — any survivors under the debris, risking their lives; Coast Guard teams repelling from helicopters to rescue people and risking their own lives. 

And there are countless friends and neighbors who have sacrificed for the greater good: volunteers leaving their own families behind to help search for someone else’s family, fellow Americans looking out for one another. 

That’s America at its very best.  That’s who we are.

So, my final message tonight is to the people of Florida and all the impacted states: We’ve got your back.  We’ve got your back.  And Kamala and I will be there for as long as it takes to rescue, recover, and rebuild. 

May God bless you all.  And may God protect those serving in the eye of this storm on behalf of our nation. 

Thank you.

Q    Why do you think —

Q    Mr. President —

Q    — Trump is spreading misinformation?

Q    — the Kremlin has confirmed that —

Q    Why do you think Trump is —

Q    — former President Trump has sent testing kits — 

Q    — is spreading misinformation?

Q    — to — to President Putin during the height of the pandemic.  Do you have a comment, sir?

Q    Why do you think Trump is —

THE PRESIDENT:  Speaking of un-American.

Q    Why do you think Trump is spreading misinformation?

THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t know.  I — I simply don’t know.  You can speculate, but it — I — I just find it — I mean, I — and I’ve use the wor- — phrase more than I’ve used it ever in my whole career: un-American.  It’s un-American.  It’s not who the hell we are.  What are they talking about?

Q    Sir, have you considered calling him and asking him to stop doing that — to stop spreading this?

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, come on.

Q    Mr. President, does Governor DeSantis need to take Vice President Harris’ calls?

THE PRESIDENT:  All I can tell you is I’m talking to Governor DeSantis.  He’s been very gracious.  He’s thanked me for all we’ve done.  He knows what we’re doing.  And — and I think that’s important. 

Q    Can you say that Florida has everything it needs for this storm?

Q    How was your call with Netanyahu today?

THE PRESIDENT:  (Laughs.)  We didn’t talk about the storm.

5:41 P.M. EDT

The post Remarks by President Biden on Hurricane Milton appeared first on The White House.

South Court Auditorium
Eisenhower Executive Office Building

12:42 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  In less than 14 hours, Hurricane Milton will make landfall on the Western Coast of Florida.  Winds will be fierce, at well over 100 miles per hour, with storm surges reaching up to 15 feet and up to 18 inches of rain.  It’s looking like the storm of the century.

I’m here with leaders in my administration who are on the front lines preparing for this storm and will brief me in our latest efforts to save lives and livelihoods. 

I want to emphasize a few things. 

First, many communities in Hurricane Milton’s path do not have a moment to catch their breath between Helene and Milton — two historic stor- — storms in two weeks.  I want to thank everyone who has followed local guidance to evacuate ahead of landfall.  I know it’s really tough leaving behind your home, your belongings, everything you own. 

But I urge everyone in Hurricane Milton’s path to follow all safety instructions as we head into the next 24 hours.  It’s a matter of — literally a matter of life and death. 

Second, for the last week, my team has done everything possible to prepare for this storm.  I immediately approved emergency declarations in Florida and the Seminole Tribe in Florida.  I also surged search and rescue teams, water, food, power generators, ambulances to the region. 

At my direction, Administrator Criswell will be in the State Emergency Operation Center in Florida tonight.  And Kamala and I are going to keep pressure on the companies so prices stay stable on gasoline, flights, and goods people need.

Finally, we’re teaming up with state and local officials to support impacted communities.

I have spoken with the Florida governor, DeSantis; with Mayor of Tampor- — Castor — mayor — the Tampa mayor; the Clearwater mayor, Rector; and the — and the Pinellas County Chairwoman Peters.  I offered them everything we need — everything we have, everything they need.  And I made it clear to them they should reach out if there is anything more they need.  I gave them my personal phone number here at the White House to contact me directly if that’s necessary.

Let me close with this.

I want to thank the governors of all the affected areas over the last couple weeks: Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia.

You know, we’ve been in constant contact.  And they’ve been thankful and appreciative of the help the federal government is providing.  And I’m appreciative of all they’re doing as well.  I’ve told them to contact me with anything else they need.

We have made available an unprecedented number of assets to deal with this crisis, and we’re going to continue to do so until the job is done.

But now I want to be clear about something.  Over the last few weeks, there has been a reckless, irresponsible, and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies that are disturbing people.  It’s undermining confidence in the incredible rescue and recovery work that has already been taken and will continue to be taken, and it’s harmful to those who need help the most.

There is simply no place for this to happen.

Former President Trump has led this onslaught of lies.  Assertions have been made that property is being confiscated.  That’s simply not true.

They’re saying people impacted by these storms will receive $750 in cash and no more.  That’s simply not true. 

They’re saying in — the money is needed to — for the — in the — for this crisis is being diverted to migrants.  What a ridiculous thing to say.  It’s not true.

Now the claims are getting even more bizarre.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a congresswoman from Georgia, is now saying the federal government is literally controlling the weather — we’re controlling the weather.  It’s beyond ridiculous.  It’s got to stop.

In moments like this, there are no red or blue states.  There’s one United States of America, where neighbors are helping neighbors; volunteers and first responders are risking everything, including their own lives, to help their fellow Americans; state, local, and federal officials are standing side by side.

Let me repeat: No one should make the American people question whether their government will be make — to ensure that this disaster, when it strikes, they’re be there.  We will, all of us.

Now I’m going to turn it over to Vice President Harris, if that’s okay with all of you. 

Thank you. 

Madam Vice President.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  (Via Teleconference.)  Thank you, Mr. President.  And, Liz, thank you for the work that you have been doing.

As the president said, we have working around the clock to prepare for Hurricane Milton and to ensure that people are safe, including ensuring federal, state, and local resources are being coordinated in a smart and efficient and effective way. 

We have also been in constant contact with the leaders in Florida to make sure that we are cutting any red tape that might get in the way of getting relief to folks; to make sure, also, that communities receive the resources and the support that they need as quickly as possible.

Already, we have sent more than 1,000 federal personnel to be on the ground in Florida to assist with what needs to happen in the state to prepare for this hurricane, and we will continue to scale up those efforts.

To the people of Florida and, in particular, the people of the Tampa res- — region, we urge you to take this storm seriously.  As has been said before, this is a storm that is expected to be of historic proportion. 

And many of you, I know, are tough, and you’ve ridden out these hurricanes before.  This one is going to be different.

And so, we ask you that, by every measure, understand it’s going to be more dangerous, more deadly, and more catastrophic.  So, please listen to your local officials.  They know what they’re talking about.  They know what they’re doing.

And if you are told to evacuate, please evacuate immediately.  Do not wait until it is too late. 

And in the hours and days ahead, President Biden and I and our administration will continue to do everything we can to protect the people who have been in the path of this storm.  And once the storm has passed, we will be there to help folks recover and rebuild, as we continue to do for those communities in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and across the Southeast who have been devastated by Hurricane Helene.

Finally, as the president mentioned, to any company that — or individual that might use this crisis to exploit people who are desperate for help through illegal fraud or price gouging — whether it be at the gas pump, the airport, or the hotel counter — know that we are monitoring these behaviors and the situation on the ground very closely and anyone taking advantage of consumers will be held accountable. 

The bottom line is this hurricane poses an extreme danger, and we urge everyone in Florida to take extreme caution.  And we are with you, and we will get through this together.

And with that, I will hand it over to Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Mr. President, Madam Vice President, you will now receive a briefing on the latest forec- — forecast for Hurricane Milton and actions that we have taken to prepare for it and be ready to respond to it. 

You’ll hear from administrator of FEMA, Deanne Criswell; the director of the National Hurricane Center, Mike Brennan; the director of the National Weather Service, Ken Graham; Secretary of Homeland Security, Ali Mayorkas; and the commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Linda Fagan. 

We’ll begin the briefing with Administrator Criswell.  Over to you, Deanne.

ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL:  Thank you, Liz.

Mr. President, Madam Vice President, I just want to assure you we are taking this storm very seriously.  As you will hear from Dr. Brennan shortly, Milton is currently a Category 4 storm and will remain a hurricane as it crosses over Florida.

At your direction, Mr. President, I will be traveling down to Tallahassee tonight to embed at the state EOC to meet with my team as well as our state partners, and I will be there to assess the damages and the impacts immediately following the storm, working in close coordination with the state to ensure that they have everything that they need to support their priorities.

As you have always directed me to do, I am leaning forward to make sure that we are strategically placing our resources and our teams to be able to rapidly respond in Florida.

There are currently over a thousand federal personnel on the ground in Florida supporting the efforts from Hurricane Helene, as well as the previous storms that have happened over the last few years.  And I have directed, at your direction, an additional 1,200 search and rescue personnel from FEMA, the Coast Guard, and the Department of Defense to stage in Florida so they are ready to take action as soon as Milton makes landfall. 

This also includes 30 high-water vehicles, helicopters, as well as boats to be able to go in and support the counties and the states as needed. 

I’ve also moved over 500 ambulances to help assist with the response, six incident management assistance teams into — one specifically into Tampa and others throughout the region, multiple power assessment teams and dozens of medical facility assessment teams so they can go in and check on the health and medical facilities as soon as the storm passes.

And Mr. President and Madam Vice President, I have also moved millions of meals and liters of water into Florida to be able to support any of those immediate needs. 

I really appreciate, Mr. President and Madam Vice President, your continuous effort to help lift up the warnings and the guidance that you just gave about what people need to do in the path of Hurricane Milton. 

This is an extremely dangerous storm, and we need all of the residents that are in the path of the storm to listen to their local officials.  They will tell you if there’s still time to evacuate or what you need to do if you are still where you’re at.  They will give you the right information about what you need to do to protect yourself where you are at right now.

Sometimes just traveling a few miles inland can mean the difference between life and death, and nobody has to lose their life as a result of this storm. 

So, in short, Mr. President and Madam Vice President, I assure you, we are taking this storm extremely seriously.  We are focused, and we are ready to support the people of Florida.

THE PRESIDENT:  Deanne, you’re doing a hell of a job.  You always have.  I know we’ve been through a lot of this together, all three of us, including the vice president.

And I have one question right now, though.  What are you most worried about today and into tomorrow?  And what messaging can we do to help people in the hours before it makes landfall?

ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL:  Mr. President, the — the biggest concern is making sure people have gotten out of harm’s way. 

Over the next 24 hours, we are going to see significant winds.  We are going to see storm surge.  We are going to see flooding from the rain.  People need to be able to take this storm seriously.  They need to move if they still have time to move out of harm’s way.  And we are prepared to support Florida with additional search and rescue assets to help save lives. 

That’s our immediate concern, Mr. President, is saving lives over the next 24 hours.

THE PRESIDENT:  Have you ever seen a storm like this one, since you’ve been in charge?

ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL:  I think this is going to be one of the biggest ones that we have seen after it makes landfall.  I mean, we — we saw a lot of impact from Hurricane Ian, but this one is different.  This one just looks different.  And I think we’re going to have a lot of impacts and people that are going to need our help, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you very much.

ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL:  Thank you.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Administrator Criswell —

ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL:  Yes, ma’am.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — are we concerned about any misinformation or disinformation regarding evacuations that we need to clear up at this point?

ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL:  There’s been a lot of misinformation out there, Madam Vice President.  That’s for sure.  But I have not heard anything specific to the evacuations. 

I think that the local officials, the state officials, have been very strong in getting that message out there and getting people to move out of harm’s way. 

I was in Florida on Monday.  I met with the mayor of Tampa as well as the mayor of St. Petersburg, and we saw people evacuating.  And so, they are listening to their local officials, and that was encouraging. 

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  That’s great.  Thank you. 

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  I think we’ll move on, then.  Thank you, Administrator Criswell.  We’ll move to Director Brennan from the National Hurricane Center.

DR. BRENNAN:  Thank you, Liz.  Mr. President, Madam Vice President, good afternoon. 

As — as Administrator Criswell mentioned, we are just hours away from seeing a potentially catastrophic hurricane landfall along the west coast of Florida, with the center of Milton expected to cross the coast late this evening or very early tomorrow morning. 

It is a powerful major hurricane and a large hurricane at that.  We are already seeing multiple life-threatening hazards playing out across Florida.  We have multiple tornado warnings in effect across portions of southern Florida.  We’re seeing winds increasing, heavy rainfall spreading across much of the state. 

And conditions are going to rapidly deteriorate over the next few hours, especially where landfall is going to occur, along the west coast.  That’s where we’re expecting that devastating storm surge of as much as 10 to 15 feet above ground level, from the — somewhere near the Tampa Bay region southward to Port Charlotte, with significant storm surge extending hundreds of miles, even farther south to the Fort Myers and Naples area. 

And that is why we have had — been supporting so many evacuation decisions to get people away from that — that devastating storm surge.  Time is running out now for people to leave along the west coast before conditions deteriorate further. 

Additionally, Milton is going to be a powerful hurricane when it makes landfall and move quickly across the state and remain at hurricane intensity as it moves across Florida tonight and as it enters the western Atlantic during the day tomorrow.  So, that is going to bring the risk of hurricane conditions to much of the central portion of the state. 

We have hurricane warnings in effect from Fort Myers up through Tampa, to Cedar Key along the west coast, all the way through the I-4 corridor, across Orlando to Daytona Beach, up to St. Augustine, including the Cape Canaveral area on the East Coast, down to Port St. Lucie.  So, a large area is at risk of seeing devastating wind impacts, widespread power outages, structural damage, and that could lead to a very unsafe environment after the storm, where we tend to see a lot of post-storm fatalities in this very dangerous environment that’s left. 

Additionally, we are expecting very heavy rainfall — 6 to 12 inches, amounts as high as 18 inches — across the heavily populated I-4 corridor from Tampa to Orlando to Daytona Beach, which could lead to widespread, catastrophic, and life-threatening flash flooding and urban flooding tonight and into Thursday in that area. 

And that’s an area where we lost about 16 people in Hurricane Ian to that same type of flooding.  So, there’s a tremendous risk to both life and property there. 

I do want to thank the administrator and FEMA and — and her — for her team’s support and our coordination on that. 

And I finally want to thank the NOAA and Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters who’ve been flying into Milton for days now, providing us just tremendously valuable direct data that has really helped inform our lifesaving forecast and warnings. 

So, thank you, Mr. President, Madam Vice President.

THE PRESIDENT:  Mike, I know you’re tired of hearing from me.  I’ve been talking to you so much lately.  But I appreciate your constant input you’ve given me and letting me know what’s going on. 

What more can you tell us about how the location of this storm is going to affect the storm surge in Florida?  I mean, because —

DR. BRENNAN:  Yeah.  I’ll —

THE PRESIDENT:  — that’s pretty consequential — right? — the surge?  I mean, that’s — is that what you’re focusing on?

DR. BRENNAN:  Yes, Mr. President.  The — just a shift of a few miles in the landfall location will make a big difference in what area sees that very worst storm surge.  So, a track of the center to the north of Tampa Bay would push the highest storm surge into Tampa Bay itself.  A track 5 or 10 or 20 miles south would push that higher storm surge, say, down to the Sarasota/Port Charlotte area. 

Even as close as we are to landfall, it’s not really possible to tell exactly where that worst surge will occur.  It’s one wobble away from shifting 10 or 20 miles.  So, that’s why we’ve, you know, conveyed that risk across such a large area to help support the evacuation of much of that west central coast of Florida.

THE PRESIDENT:  But Tampa Bay is particularly vulnerable, correct?

DR. BRENNAN:  Correct.  Yes, Mr. President.  It’s one of the most vulnerable locations along the entire west coast of Florida, because water gets funneled up into the bay.  If you were to see a worst-case scenario there, you could see storm surge as much as twice as high as they saw during Helene.  Where it got up to 7 or 8 feet in the bay, it could potentially get up above 10 feet in this — in this event.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thanks a lot, Mike.  I appreciate it.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hey, Mike.  It’s good to see you again.  And thank you for all your work. 

So, for the folks who have been living in Florida a long time and have experienced these storms many times, how are you talking with them about how this is going to be different and what and — and so, the difference between what they are used to and what this will be as a way to hopefully give them more encouragement to know that they need to get out.

DR. BRENNAN:  Yeah.  Thank you, Madam Vice President.  Yes, we’ve been en- — emphasizing the size and the intensity of the storm and the direction at which it’s approaching, which is unusual and really raises that storm surge risk for the west coast of Florida. 

We typically see hurricanes approach the west coast of Florida from the south or southeast, moving parallel to the coast.  This track more perpendicular to the coast really raises the storm surge risk.  And the size of the storm is going to produce hazardous impacts across much of the peninsula. 

So, we’ve been hitting, you know, the surge risk on both coasts, actually — the hurricane-force winds, the flooding rainfall threat, the tornadoes — and trying to re- — reemphasize the scale and breadth of the threat, which is somewhat unusual for Milton.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  And thanks for your good work.  It’s good to see you again.

THE PRESIDENT:  Mike, one more question.

DR. BRENNAN:  Yes, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  For people listening, what is the — what is the width of the state of Florida, from the Tampa Bay area across to Sebastian Inlet and that area to Palm Beach? 

DR. BRENNAN:  Yeah, that’s a —

THE PRESIDENT:  What – what kind of distance are we talking about?

DR. BRENNAN:  You know, across the state of Florida, you’re probably talking about, you know, 150, maybe 200 miles.  I’d — I’d have to — that’s an estimate.  But the storm is going to be moving at 15 miles per hour, so it’s going to be moving across that area very quickly.  And the tropical storm force winds, the — the 30, 40 mile per hour winds or greater now extend almost out more than 200 miles from the center.  They’re going to get even larger as the storm approaches the coastline.  So, that’s going to cause those wind impacts to affect much of the state.

THE PRESIDENT:  The reason I asked the question is, I think, at — at least for me, having done a lot of this the last three years, emphasizes the consequential damage this storm can do.  I mean this, this — this is — it’s going to enter Florida on the west as a hurricane and leave as a hurricane, and that’s —

DR. BRENNAN:  That’s correct.

THE PRESIDENT:  — that’s pretty unusual.

Well, anyway —

DR. BRENNAN:  It is.

THE PRESIDENT:  — thank you.

DR. BRENNAN:  Yes.  Yes, sir.  Thank you.

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  Thank you so much.  We will move on now to the National Weather Service Director, Ken Graham.

MR. GRAHAM:  All right.  Thanks, Liz.  I appreciate it.  And wanted to thank Administrator Criswell for — for everything through this, and Dr. Brennan as well.  The Hurricane Center has been really focused on this and on it with such great forecast the whole way.  I just wish we could minimize those impacts, but that doesn’t look like what’s going to happen.

So, Mr. President and Madam Vice President, we continue to work at the National Weather Service with our federal, state, and local decision-makers during the storms.

Look, we actually have our scientists embedded with FEMA, the state and local emergency operations centers, and we also have our scientists embedded with the U.S. Coast Guard District 7 to really help out with these — these decisions to make sure they’re right there to answer the questions as they come up. They’re covering, really, the subtleties, as — as you’ve mentioned in this forecast. 

Dr. Brennan mentioned those small changes can make a big difference.  Little wiggles really do matter.  Those small wobbles make a difference in the storm surge.  And all these big storms, they wobble and wiggle all the way in.  We’ll — we’ll see that happening as this gets closer to landfall.

So, as Administrator Criswell said, listen to those local officials.  I can’t stress enough, you know, 30 years with NOAA, 30 years in the Weather Service, this is a particularly dangerous track.  People really need to be getting into their — their safe locations as the impacts start deteriorating really quickly over the next few hours.

Words really matter in these storms.  Even if the winds decrease somewhat near landfall, we really try to avoid words like “weakened.”  It really gives a false sense of security to the public.  So, we really want to stress that no matter what happens to that — the wind speed in the system, catastrophic impacts will result either way.

The size and the wind speed — the actual size of it, will be expanding, as Dr. Brennan was saying.  So, much of that impact will cover most of the peninsula. 

And, Mr. President, like — like you said, Milt- — think about it.  Just — I just — goes over my — my mind over and over: Milton will enter as a hurricane and exit as a hurricane.

So, you’ll see damage from the landfall point on the west coast to — you’ll see damage on the east coast as well.  So, it’s really important to focus on those impacts.

Again, seeing those impacts on both coasts, we’re really starting to see the impacts as we speak.  I — I was just looking at the radar before doing this — this meeting here, and we’ve got tornadoes already touching down in some spots in Florida, and some have — have been confirmed that have touched down as well.  And about 90 percent of those tornadoes occur on that right front quadrant of a tropical system.

So, we’re really — our folks are — at the Weather Service are on duty 24 hours a day watching that radar to make sure that we can get those warnings out quickly to people so they — they can take cover.

And as Dr. Brennan said, think about it (inaudible — right? — 140 miles wide, now we’re 200, and we expected to be greater than 240 miles away from the center with these winds.  So, that’s a huge area that we can see some of those — that damage.

Very concerned about the storm surge.  And I wanted to double down on something.  It’s not just, you know, Tampa Bay with that 8- to 12-foot forecast or 10 to 15 down to Boca Grande.  I mean, you can see five to eight feet of storm surge all the way down to Chokoloskee.  Think about Fort Myers, Naples, well away from that center.  We just got to really keep reminding people they’re not safe, even though you’re not — you know, not near the center of the storm.

So, we’ll continue to — to really message that as we can.

The other part of this: Flooding could last a while.  So, unlike other areas with elevation, there’s not much elevation in — in Florida, so some of these rivers are going to be slow to drain.  Some of these rivers could stay up for about a week after the storm, and the storm surge will act as a blocker to drain some of that rain from the inland area.  So that could really be — add some challenges to some communities with these — the flooding and recovery efforts, as some of the roads will be pretty impassable.

So, you know, I was — I was looking at this, Mr. President, Madam Vice President, yesterday, I said the clock was ticking.  Today, I’m saying the alarm bell is going off.  People really need to start getting into their safe place. 

As always, the Weather Service remains on duty 24 by 7 to — to make sure the decision-makers have all the information they need and the updates to this storm.

THE PRESIDENT:  Ken, I’d like to focus on one thing you said.  I don’t think most people would think it, but, you know, the idea that sometimes it takes days for rivers to crest after a major storm like this — are there any particular areas of concern that you — you’ve — that are related to this type of flooding?  And how long do you think the flooding conditions could last? 

In other words, I think people think once — once the winds are died down and gotten through that, “Okay, we’re all set,” but these rivers flooding are consequential, and that takes time, right?

MR. GRAHAM:  It takes time.  That storm surge pushes up every nook and cranny of — of Florida.  So, it goes up bays, goes up rivers.  It fills in all these areas.  And then you add that incredible amount of rainfall, and that rain can’t drain because the storm surge has it blocked. 

So, just really looking at some of the areas in Hillsborough River, Alafia River, the Peace River — some of these type of traditional places that could flood are — are — we really got to watch those — those areas and those communities.  So —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  (Inaudible.)

MR. GRAHAM:  It takes quite a while for that water to drain.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hey, Ken, I have a question for you.  You — you mentioned words matter, and I know there is a lot of media following this — this briefing.  So, there have been — we’ve gone from a Cat 5 to a Cat 4, and the language that a lot of folks have been using is “downgrade.” 

But it sounds like you’re cautioning us that that may communicate a sense that the danger is lessened, when, in fact, it’s not. 

Can you talk a little bit about that?  Because I know a lot of folks are watching right now and — and would love to have your feedback on how we should be talking about this. 

MR. GRAHAM:  Yeah.  We need everybody that communicates to the public to be on the same page with the words, because I’ve — 30 years of doing this, I’ve seen this so many times.  People will think, “Oh, it was a Cat 5.  Now it’s a Cat 3.”  That’s not a reason to relax.  That’s not weakened.  That’s not diminished.  That means we’ve expanded the wind field.  The impacts don’t change associated with that.

And I’ve seen this in Hurricane Florence and other historic hurricanes. 

So, we have to be mindful of the words that we use and focus on those impacts.  Those impacts haven’t changed, no matter what the — the wind speed does over the next 24 hours.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  That’s very helpful.  Thank you.

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  Thank you, Director Graham.  We’ll go now to Secretary Mayorkas, the secretary of Homeland Security.  Ali, over to you.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS:  Thank you very much, Liz. 

Mr. President, Madam Vice President, if I can just pick up on the important phrase “the words matter.”  I want to thank you for the strength and moral clarity with which you have been speaking to bat down false information that is being spread.  That false information is only hurting survivors in need of help, and it is also hurting the first responders who are so bravely risking their lives to deliver that help to the survivors.

Mr. President, Madam Vice President, we are executing on your directive to not only rely on FEMA to provide emergency relief but to draw upon other resources throughout the Department of Homeland Security and throughout the federal government, throughout your administration.

I know you will hear from the commandant of the United States Coast Guard, Linda Fagan.  The United States Coast Guard has deployed almost 1,300 personnel to Florida, not just for search and rescue but also to ensure the safety and security of the Port of Tampa, which is a critical lifeline for supplies that are needed by Florida and — and elsewhere.

I want to also say that our U.S. Customs and Border Protection has devoted search and rescue personnel as well as other parts of our department. 

To give you just a quick snapshot of some of the resources that are devoted from other parts of the administration, the Department of Defense is providing search and rescue, commodity movement, commodity distribution, and security to Florida.  We already have 1.5 million meals and 2.8 million liters of water ready to provide to people in need.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing temporary power, temporary roofing, debris removal support, and engineering expertise.  The U.S. Forest Administration is also providing debris removal.  This is absolutely critical so that our search and rescue personnel can reach the people in need and provide them with the humanitarian relief upon which they rely.

Health and Human Services is providing hospital and health-related support. 

The Small Business Administration has dedicated 137 personnel to assist people who have lost or whose businesses are destroyed to get them back up on their feet and understand what resources are available to them.

We have an entire administration dedicated to this effort at your direction.  And with that, I’ll pause.

THE PRESIDENT:  Hey, Ali — Mr. Secretary, do you have everything you need from all the federal departments and the agencies in support of this response?  Is there any- — anything lacking?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS:  We — we certainly do have all of the resources.  We are well positioned to continue to respond to Hurricane Helene, to respond to Hurricane Milton, Mr. President.  We are meeting the moment and meeting the challenges because of the extraordinary people who have spoken before me.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I — you know, I want to thank the governors.  They’ve stepped up.  You know, all this disinformation going out about how, you know, we’re devoting all this money to migrants and we’re — I mean, all the — even one congresswoman suggesting that I control the weather and implying that I’m sending it to red states.  I mean, i- — stuff off the wall.  It’s like out of a — a comic book.

But, you know, people when they’re in trouble, are — for example — and I asked this to the — our administrator.  They said that you get $750, and that’s it.  And — and, “You’ve lost everything; you get $750.”  That’s — that’s not — that’s not it.  That’s just you’re giving them immediately what you need to get by the next day — to get a prescription, to get a whatever.

Is — is — are you getting calls already about what we’re going to be able to deliver for people who get in trouble?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS:  We — we are, Mr. President.  Let — let me say that, you know, one of the false narratives is that the federal employees who are actually delivering assistance will take an individual’s land.  And that is causing in- — individuals, survivors not to approach the people who are there to help and obtain the relief to which they are entitled and that we have available to them.

And the vice president knows very well, as a former prosecutor, that false information only is fuel for the criminal element to exploit individuals in positions of vulnerability.  And Madam Vice President, your words at the outset were so very important for that reason. 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Mr. Secretary, I want to thank you and the folks in your agency working with FEMA, NOAA, and all the federal agencies.  I — I’ve seen — I’ve been on the ground, and the work that you all have been doing to coordinate with local and state law enforcement and first responders has been outstanding.  It really does show the best of the kind of work that we do in a moment of crisis to work together. 

So, I applaud the — the folks that work with you and your leadership in that regard.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS:  Thank you, Madam Vice President.

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  Thank you, Secretary Mayorkas.

We’ll go now to Admiral Linda Fagan, the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

ADMIRAL FAGAN:  Thank you.  Thank you, Mr. President, Madam Vice President, and I want to assure you that the Coast Guard is ready to respond. 

We continue to monitor the storm closely and are mindful of how dangerous and devastating the storm is and the potential to the region, which is still recovering from Hurricane Helene. 

My senior field commanders are well integrated with both the state and local emergency responders and have stood up incident commands. 

We continue to surge personnel and assets from across the country into the region, and I want to highlight how we prepare for storms.  And so, we have people in helicopters and aircraft and boats and cutters that would have been in harm’s way for the passage of this storm, and we have (inaudible) moved those people and assets out of harm’s way for the storm.  They are ready in position to begin to move back into the region as soon as it is safe to do so. 

In addition the aircraft and ships and boats, it includes shallow-water boats, medical teams, pollution response teams, crisis support teams. 

Our top priority is saving lives and safeguarding — safeguarding the marine transportation system.  This also includes responding to any pollution incidents.

We will begin to move back into the region as soon as it is safe to do so, with our primary initial focus being life-saving work and reopening the ports to re-enable the flow of commerce. 

I want to focus just for a minute on the Port of Tampa, which is the largest port in Florida.  And depending on the — the impacts of the storm, there could be some impacts to the port and commerce flow. 

We will conduct overflights as well as bring ships into the region to ensure that the channel and the harbor is clear and safe for commercial traffic.  We will work with the Army Corps of Engineers and others to do those assessments. 

We’ll work to re-establish the (inaudible) navigation constellation and work with the pilots in the area to ensure that ships are able to move safely in and out of the Port of Tampa. 

We’ll also need to ensure that the port has electricity for handling cargo and cargo flows. 

So, I share this with you, Mr. President, because we are myopically focused on regaining commerce flows into the Port of Tampa once the assessments are able to be made.  It does take a little bit of time, but we will move with all urgency to ensure that Tampa is reopened for commerce and commercial flows. 

We continue to monitor the storm closely, and a number of our briefers have spoken on the need to heed the evacuation or- — orders.  And I’d just like to emphasize that, my first responders — and as one of the critical first response agencies (inaudible) a hurricane response like this — my first responders have moved out of harm’s way and are not in the path of the storm.  They are ready for immediate reconstitution into the area, and you will see them moving quickly.  But as the storm effects come on, people really need to — need to move into safe positions so that they do not lose — lose their lives.

Mr. President, your Coast Guard is ready to respond, and we are well positioned for that.  Thank you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  Admiral, one of the things that — I don’t know whether people have not been through any kind of hurricane in the past may not understand is that when the rainfall and the flood surge are significant — but these elevated water levels are likely to be accompanied by large and destructive waves.  It’s not just the water rising.  There’s significant waves.  And what do you anticipate — if anyone else wants to respond, what do we anticipate in terms of the wave damage that’s done, not just the water rising, but these waves — large waves coming in?

ADMIRAL FAGAN:  Sir, I’ll just touch on the — the impact of the — of the water and the — just the flow and significance of any kind of increased water flow, storm surge, whether it’s wave-driven or otherwise.  It creates conditions that are incredibly hazardous to life.  People can’t swim or save themselves, which again just emphasizes why it’s so critical that people evacuate and get themselves out of harm’s way.  And that allows then for the assessment with regard to any property or property impacts.

THE PRESIDENT:  I know search and rescue is obviously the number one priority immediately after the storm, but we know that the Port of Tampa is critical — critical for the state and the state’s economy and the region as well.  What can you and the Army Corps of Engineers do to get the port quickly reopened once this storm passes through?

ADMIRAL FAGAN:  Yes.  Thank — thank you, Mr. President.  We’re already in conversations with the Army Corps of Engineers, aligned on the need to begin those assessments as quickly as possible to determine whether there were any impacts from the storm or not and regain and reopen the Port of Tampa. 

The Port of Everglades is also a critical port on the east coast of Florida.  The Port of Everglades remains open for fuel tankers to ensure that that commerce continues to flow into the state from other ports that are not in the direct impact of the storm. 

But sir, I assure you, we in the Corps of Engineers are already in conversation with regard to what it will take to reconstitute the Port of Tampa, and we will lean into that work as quickly as possible.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Admiral.  Appreciate it.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Commandant, I — I echo the president’s words.  Thank you for what you and the men and women of the Coast Guard have been doing in response to Hurricane Helene and now this, and your emphasis on the importance of the port in Tampa is critically important to recovery. 

So, thank you for all the work that you are doing.  I know that resources are spread thin, in terms of your folks being on the ground in every area right now, and you’re doing an extraordinary job.  So, thank you for that.

ADMIRAL FAGAN:  Thank you, Madam Vice President. 

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  To each of the dedicated professionals on this screen, we are truly in your debt and in debt to your teams for what they are doing right now to prepare for and respond to what is coming to Florida this evening. 

With that, we will conclude the public part of this briefing.  And if you’ll just stay on the screen for a few minutes, we can —

THE PRESIDENT:  Can I say one closing —

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  — have further conversation.

THE PRESIDENT:  — thing?

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  Of course, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT:  Pass on to your folks how much we respect and understand a lot of these folks are risking their lives —

DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  Yes.

THE PRESIDENT:  They’re risking their lives to help other people.  I mean, this is Americans helping Americans in ways that when — you know, it’s — to me, it’s a measure of who we are as a nation when we see this happen, and it constantly happens — Americans stepping up to help other Americans and risking their lives. 

So, thank all these first responders.  It really matters.  Really, from the bottom of our heart, thank you, thank you, thank you. 

1:21 P.M. EDT

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Private Residence
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

7:00 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello.  (Laughter.)  Good to see you all.

Look, it’s good to be almost home.  (Laughter.)  I lived not far from here, just across the line, in Delaware, and it’s good to be with family.  That’s what Pennsylvania and the Caseys are to me: family.  That’s a fact.

Matt and Staci and your children — thanks so much for hosting us.  Just what you wanted to hear, Bobby, that, you know, your brother — I call your brother and said, “We got 6,000 Secret Service agents showing up.”  (Laughter.)  And thanks for being one of my great friends, pal.  Thanks (inaudible). 

Look, we have something in common.  We share a common lot, Bob and I: We both married way up.  (Laughter.) 

Traci, your daughter’s here today.  Always great to see you. 

And along with a large, extended Casey family, including Casey’s sisters, Margi and Mary Ellen, and — and their families as well.

I also want to thank another great friend, Madeleine Dean.  Madeleine, you’re out there somewhere, but I don’t — (applause).  You know, since I’m the only — the second Irish Catholic ever to be elected, I — when I go to Ireland, I could get elected Taoiseach — but they did all my genealogy, and I think we’re related, kid.  I have — (laughter) — anyway.  You think I’m kidding.  I’m not.

Folks, it feels like Scranton again.  I grew up on North Washington Avenue and the Caseys grew up on Wyoming, a few blocks away — Wyoming Avenue.  Whether it was church or c- — or conversations around the kitchen table, my — the Finnegan family, my grandpop was with the — with the Tribune and he was — anyway, our families knew each other. 

You can define their mother and their father by a single word: integrity.  They’re two of the most honorable people I’ve ever known.  I — actually, we’re about the same age apart from hi- — his dad and me, and me and — and Bobby.  And — but it’s not a surprise that Bobby is just like his family — a man of character, a friend who always has your back, and leader who keeps his word.

Like his dad, Bobby has always believed in public service and public trust — that it was a public trust. 

And where we grew up — just like many of you, you grew up with a basic value set.  Bobby knows my mom taught me the same thing as he got taught, that you have to be a man of your word.  Without your word, you’re not a man.  She’d say, “Everybody is your equal, but no one’s — no one is better than you, Joey.”

“Courage,” she’d say to me, “every — lives in every heart, and one day it will be summoned.”

Well, I saw Bobby’s father and mother summon that courage.  I saw Bobby summon it as well. 

You know, Bobby knows what my dad taught me: No one’s looking for a handout, but everybody just wants a fair shot, a way up, a chance. 

My dad taught me — and I mean this sincerely.  He’d come home from work — our dinner table was a place we had conversation and, incidentally, ate.  And my dad used to say, and I — I’m not joking — he said, “Joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck.  It’s about your dignity.  It’s about respect.  It’s about your place in the community.  It’s about being able to look your kid in the eye and say, ‘Honey, it’s going to be okay,’ and mean it.” 

Just a fair shot.  Well, that’s Bobby.  That’s Bobby, and a leader of Pennsylvania you can always count on. 

He fights for those core values.  He understands the struggles and hopes of people in Pennsylvania.  And he always stands up for working folks, folks.  He takes on powerful special interests, just as he’s able to walk across the aisle and get all things done for Pennsylvania when he can work in a bipartisan way. 

Bob Casey is one of the most effective, the most bipartisan senators in the entire country, and I’ve seen it throughout my career, especially in the last four years. 

When Kamala and I came to office, with Bobby’s help, we were determined to end the trickle-down economics — the idea that if the wealthy do very, very well, a lot will trickle down to the ordinary middle-class folks.  But guess what?  Not a whole lot ever trickled down on my dad’s kitchen table. 

You know, we were determined to grow this economy in a different way — grow it from the middle out and the bottom up.  That way, the wealthy still do very well, but everybody got a fighting chance. 

And if you notice, the vast majority of the mainstream economists are giving us credit for a fundamental shift.  We have the best economy in the world — that’s not hyperbole — in the world.

For me and Bobby, it comes down to looking out w- — you know, we — I — we call up where I come from in Scranton,  Scranton values versus Mar a Lago values.  I’ll g- — (laughter).  No, I mean it.  I’ll give you one example. 

For the longest time, I’ve been trying to give Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices.  I did that when I was a senator.  I worked like hell.  Well, we — we got it passed by a vote, and, with Bobby’s help, we finally took on Big Pharma. 

I d- — Big Pharma should be able to make money.  I’m not suggesting they shouldn’t, but Medicare was the only organization that could not negotiate drug prices.  They could, at the Veterans Administration, negotiate lower drug prices. 

For example, seniors with diabetes a- — they need insulin.  Well, it used to cost $400 a month on average.  It now costs $35 a month. 

You know how much it cost them to make it?  $10 a month.  Package it?  $12 a month. 

And starting in January, seniors will have a total out-of-pocket prescription drug cost capped at $2,000 no matter what they’re pay — no matter what they pay.  (Applause.)

You can get back on Air Force One with me — and this is not hyperbole — I can take you to any capital in the world.  If you take a prescription you have here in the United States, come with me — whether it’s Toronto, Berlin, Hamburg, wherever it is — and I can get you that same prescription from the same company somewhere between 20 and 60 percent less.  That’s not hyperbole.  That’s a fact.  That is a fact — a fact.

You know — so, you know, these expensive cancer drugs cost 10- 12-, 14,000 bucks a year.  Well, starting in January, seniors will not have to pay any more than $2,000 for the total drug costs. 

And, by the way, our reforms not only save seniors money, they save all you taxpayers money.  You know how much this little bill saves the American taxpayer, all of you?  $160 billion.  It doesn’t cost the c- — (applause) — it doesn’t cost the taxpayer a penny.  $160 billion.  Because they don’t have to pay — they don’t have to pay the exorbitant prices they were being charged before.  They pay what it costs them — what it costs the government to p- — to buy it. 

You know, we were told we couldn’t get that — any of this done.  Because of Bobby, we got it done. 

I can go on about Bobby and how he’s doing everything he can to keep the economy strong and working people and the middle class. 

You know, the middle class built this country.  That’s a fact.  And, you know, the fact is that unions built the middle class. 

I — I’m — you know, I come from the corporate state of Delaware.  We have more major corporations registered in Delaware than every other state in the Union combined.  Many of you have your corporations there.  Many of you have them.  So, I’m not antibusiness.  I represented that state for 36 years. 

But things that this guy wants to do — we’re running against.  We — I want to stren- – we strengthened the Affordable Care Act, which Trump wants to eliminate. 

If you eliminated the Affordable Care Act — this is a fact — 100 million people with pre-existing conditions would no longer get coverage.  What would that cost the government and all — I mean, think — think what it would cost the government if that were the case with all those costs. 

Bobby’s protecting Social Security and Medicare, which Trump wants to cut. 

Bobby has taken on corporate greed, what they call “shrinkflation.”  I — I want everybody to make a fair price, but the idea that — it’s outrageous that snack companies think folks won’t notice that they charge the same amount of money for bag of potato chips with fewer potato chips in it.  (Laughter.)  No, I’m not joking.  That’s going on, pal.  Seriously.

It’s taking advantage of the American people.  And one thing that angers me is when that happens.  Bobby knows the American people don’t like being played for suckers. 

He’s also fighting for the rights of workers to organize because they do better — all workers do better and the entire country does better. 

I had when — we did the — there — anyway, I won’t bore you with all the detail, but I had them check out when we were — more unions were coming in.  I said, “What — what’s the effect on the average worker?”  Everybody’s wages went up.  Everybody’s wages went up. 

He’s committed to defending women’s rights and voting rights and so much more.

It’s also critical that we lay out the stark contrast in choice of this election, folks.  I don’t care what your predilection is politically, but did you ever — literally, not a joke — did you ever study, see, think about a president who’s been so unethical as this president has been?  No, I’m — I’m not joking. 

Did you see what came out today?  It came out today that when — in the middle of the pandemic, we were short on tests that we could get tests to people — and, by the way, the way he handled the pandemic was this — was a — wa- — was a disgrace — disgrace.  Over a million people died.

But guess what?  Those sure — those tests to determine whether you had COVID were in short supply, so he called his good friend Putin — not a joke — and made sure he had the test.  He had the test.  What the hell is wrong with this guy? I’m not — I’m not jok- — I’m — serious.  I’m being deadly earnest. 

Pennsylvania is the kind of place that climbs into your heart and never leaves you.  And trust me, I know.  I was born here, and I married a Philly girl.  (Laughter and applause.)  I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid.  I married Dominic Giacoppa’s daughter.  (Laughter.)  You all think I’m kidding.  If I didn’t root for the Phillies, I’d be sleeping alone for a long time.  (Applause.)  They think I’m kidding.  (Laughter.) 

But any rate, trust me when I saw — wh- — when I say Pennsylvania never left Bob Casey and Bob Casey has never left Pennsylvania.  It’s part of who he is. 

But his opponent left Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania sure as hell left him.  His opponent doesn’t seem to understand that in Pennsylvania, money doesn’t determine your worth.  Money doesn’t determine your — it’s — I hope you make all the money in the world.  That’s wonderful.  Just pay your fair share of taxes like the rest of us do.  It’s okay by me.

But money doesn’t determine a person’s wealth or standing.  It’s your integrity, your character, your honor — your sense of integrity, character, and honor.  That’s the base, and that’s the company he keeps.  This guy — Bobby stands up for leaders.  (Applause.)

Look — and, by the way, he stands by other leaders of integrity, character, and honor, our great — great vice — our great vice president, Kamala Harris.

But he also — guess — this is the guy who — I’m going to say something self-serving.  When I left the Senate after 36 years, I was voted as the most — the guy who got more done crossing the aisle.  I — I’m a partisan guy.  I’m a Democrat.  But when things need to be done, we cross the aisle, shake hands.  That’s what this guy does.  He gets more bipartisan things done.  He’s a man that kids can look up to. 

Meanwhile, his opponent is lockstep with Donald Trump, voted by the history- — political historians as the most dishonorable president in American history.  That’s not hyperbole.  Just read what he’s saying, what he’s doing. 

But it’s worth repeating what Bobby just said about his opponent.  His opponent said the Supreme Court is overturning Roe v. Wade made him very, very happy.  His opportnent supposted [opponent supported] an extreme ban on — with no exceptions of rape for* incest. 

Not only that, as Bobby said, his opponent made a fortune investing millions of dollars in companies producing fentanyl in China that’s causing an overdose of epidemic ravi- — and, by the way, we’re talking about more people dying from fentanyl than any other cause now in teenagers.  Think about that.  Think about that. 

One of the things I’m doing — having a — a — I — I’ve spent more time with Xi Jinping than any world leader has, over 98 hours alone with him.  We’re making it real clear.  He’s got to change the deal.  He can’t continue to provide the byproducts with fentanyl — the products that were in the fentanyl.  And this guy is supporting it.

Folks, there is a fundamental choice in this election — a choice between a true Pennsylvanian, who sees Pennsylvania as a place to serve his people, or a Connecticut hedge fund CEO who still lives in Connecticut and who sees Pennsylvania only as a place from which to run for office. 

Bob understands something his opponent — his opponent doesn’t.  As I said before, Wall Street is a good pl- — I have nothing against Wall Street, but Wall Street didn’t build this country.  The middle class built this country, and unions built the middle class. 

Folks, let me close with this.  As you all know better than — as well as I do — and, by the way, I look out here, and I hate to — don’t want to ruin your reputation, but about a third of you, the reason why I’m in the Senate.  You think I’m joking.  You guys raised more money for me over the years when I was a senator — and, anyway — (laughter).

That — that — that’s when Delaware was — and they’re good people — that was — that was when Delaware was all DuPont and all red.

And — but, look, Bobby’s race is one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, and he’s being — this guy is being massively outspent.  But people in this — under this tent know the elections in Pennsylvania are always close.  This one is no different. 

Yes, we need to elect Kamala and Tim as president and vice president, but we also need to hold the Senate — hold the Senate.  We simply can’t hold the Senate without reelecting Bobby Casey.  That’s just a fact.  (Applause.) 

And, by the way, there’s no greater champion for Pennsylvania than Bob, and there’s no one I trust more in the United States Senate than Bobby.  And now we have to — we have to be champions for him, for the sake of the state, for the sake of our country. 

I know we can do this.  I’ve never been more — I’ve been doing — I know I only look like I’m 40, but — (laughter) — I’ve been around a hell of a long time.

But I can say with — with absolute integrity and honesty, I’ve never been more optimistic about America’s future than I am today.  We have the strongest economy in the world.  We’re the only nation, from a historical perspective, that’s come out of every crisis stronger than we went into that crisis. 

And look who the world looks to.  We’re the strongest military, not — not only recently, in the history of the world — not a joke — in the history of the world. 

We’re the best workers in the world.  When I went back to get all the chips being made in — overseas, getting back — bringing back home, I met with the president of Samsung in South Korea, investing $15 billion in building a new (inaudible) — anyway, and I asked him why he was doing it.  And he said, “Because you have the most qualified workers in the world, and it’s the safest place in the world to invest my money.” 

We’re the most dyna- — dynamic scientists and entrepreneurs and innovators in the world.  And, again, that’s not hyperbole.  We have the best research universities in the world.  And above all, we’re the only nation in the world, as I said, that emerged stronger from crisis than we entered it.

And Bobby’s — with Bobby’s leadership, we’re doing it with the new playbook, based on one of the oldest truths of our nation: Believe in America.  Believe in the American people.  They just need a shot. 

We have to remember who in the hell we are.  I mean this sincerely.  I’m being deadly earnest.  We’re the United States of America.  There is nothing — nothing beyond our capacity, nothing, when we work together and — to get it done, and we’re going to do it this time. 

So please elect him.  We need him badly. 

God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

7:14 P.M. EDT

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Department of Public Works Field Headquarters
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1:42 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  (Applause.)  Hello, Milwaukee!  (Applause.)  It’s good to be back.  Thank you.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Welcome to Milwaukee, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, it’s good to be back in Milwaukee.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.   

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love Biden-Harris!  Milwaukee loves Biden-Harris!

AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you. 

AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

If you have a seat, have one.  (Laughter.)  I said that once and there were no seats, and the guy looked at me like, “What the hell is the matter with you?”  (Laughter.) 

Before I begin, I want to say we’re prepared for another horrible hurricane to hit Florida.  I’ve directed my team to do everything it can to save lives and help the communities before, during, and after this hurricane. 

The most important message today for all those who may be listening to this in the impacted areas is listen to the local authorities, follow safety instruction, including evacuation orders.  This is serious.  And you got to be safe, because people are dying.  People have died so far — not from this hurricane, but from the last one. 

So, folks, let me — for this — get to today’s event.  

Shy, thank you for sharing your family’s story.  You said it all.  The worst thing — and I know from experience — for a parent is something happening to your children.  Your son, your family, your [and] families like yours exposed to lead poisoning in our water, they deserve a hell of a lot better than they’ve been getting.  And that’s why we’re here. 

That’s why people like Alfonso [Alonso] are getting to work removing those lead pipe services [service lines], delivering clean water. 

Kamala and I go all the way back to Flint worrying about what happened then — remember? — in Michigan.

AUDIENCE:  Yes.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, providing what’s good for our health and for our environment is also good for our economy and it’s good for jobs.  (Applause.)

Folks, the middle class built this country, and organized labor unions built the middle class.  (Applause.)  It’s a fact.

We’re lucky to have some great leaders here today who know how to get a job done.  Tony has heard me say this before, but I think Tony is one of the three best governors in the United States of America.  (Applause.)

And the great mayor, Chevy Johnson — Chevy, I tell you, you’re one of the best mayors, pal.  (Applause.)  You really are. 

Our great administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Michael Regan.  (Applause.)

And our great chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, Brenda Malloy [Mallory].  (Applause.)  Brenda, where are you?  You’re out — you’re out there somewhere.   

We’re here today because we’re finally addressing an issue that should’ve been addressed a long time ago in this country: the danger that lead pipes pose to our drinking water. 

For too long, local communities have known how important it was to deal with this problem.  It hadn’t been given the national priority it demanded though. 

I’m here today to tell you that I’m finally insisting that it gets prioritized, and I’m insisting it get done.  (Applause.)

One of the most important things we’re doing today is establishing a new rule that every lead pipe providing clean drinking water doesn’t — that — that doesn’t provide clean wa- — must be replaced.  Every single one.  Not only are we setting a priority, we’re showing up as a partner to get it done. 

Over the past couple of years, we’ve provided billions of dollars to states and communities to address this problem.  And today, I’m announcing an additional $2 billion in — (applause) — in grants to states and local communities to get the job done.  It matters. 

Folks, people often asking me, “Why do we have lead pipes in the first place?”  You probably ask yourself that.  “How did that happen?”  Well, it’s because when they were first put in place a long time ago, lead pipes were incredibly durable and they didn’t rust.  But since then, we’ve learned that lead pipes also leach poisonous toxins into the water that lead to terrible health consequences, particularly in the development of a child’s brain.  Think about what that does to a parent’s peace of mind. 

When I was a senator back in 1986, I supported a law that stopped new lead pipes from being put in the ground in the first place.  But that still left millions of older lead pipes that were already in the ground connected to homes, schools, childcare centers, and businesses, including some 340,000 lead pipe service lines right here in Wisconsin. 

And over the years, we’ve only chipped away at the problem, but chipping at a problem hasn’t fully solved it.  It’s taken too long.  It hasn’t been given a high enough priority until now.  (Applause.) 

Folks, as Kamala would say, “This is the United States of America, for God’s sake.”  There’s no safe — no safe level of lead exposure, period.  None. 

And the only way forward is to replace every lead pipeline and connect the American people to clean water.  No alternative.  And that’s why — (applause) — that’s why Kamala and I are the first administration to take on the challenge once and for all.  And we’re delivering. 

We know safe, clean drinking water is fundamental to the health of our communities, to enhance our economic growth, to basic human dignity. 

That’s why we’ve already replaced 367,000 lead pipe services [service lines] all across America.  And today — (applause) — nearly 1 million Americans no longer have to worry about the potential impacts of lead in their water. 

Like Lillie Key right here in Milwaukee.  She’s a nursing assistant, protecting the health of others.  She actually knows — actually at work right now.  But in her own home, there was a lead pipe threat to her own health and to all her grandchildren she helped raise there.  She was spending a big chunk of her paycheck on bottled water every month because it was too expensive to replace the lead pipes. 

But three — three weeks ago, Lillie got lead service line replaced for free.  (Applause.)  How?  Because of what I call In- — our Investing in America agenda. 

One of the many reasons Kamala and I fought so hard to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — which I might add is over a trillion 200 billion dollars — was not only to modernize our nation’s infrastructure — roads, bridges, ports, airports, transit system, electric grids, affordable high-speed broadband — but also to get rid of the godforsaken lead pipes drive cl- — dri- — deliver clean drinking water to everyone in their homes, their schools, and their businesses. 

Right here in Wisconsin, we’ve invested more than $200 million, replacing tens of thousands of lead pipelines.  And today — (applause) —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT:  No, thank you.  Thank you.

Today, we’re releasing another $43 million for Wisconsin as part of two, six — $2.6 billion nationwide to support replacing lead pipe service lines.  (Applause.)

And while the federal government can’t do it alone, we’re providing the single largest investment ever to team up with states and cities to get the job done together.  And I mean team up at every level. 

Right after I signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Kamala announced our administration’s ambitious blueprint to use every tool — every tool at our disposal at the federal, state, and local level to protect our families from lead poisoning.  As a result of that work, I’m announcing a new rule, written into law from the Environmental Protection Agency, that requires water systems across America replace lead pipe service [lines] in — every single one in America within 10 years must be done.  (Applause.) 

I want that rule into law no matter who is president.  It matters.

We’re seeing that collaboration here, where the city of Milwaukee will now replace all of their lead pipe service lines within 10 years, instead of what was projected to take 60 years to get it done.  That was the projection. 

Folks, this is a big deal, as someone once said.  (Laughter.)

It’s about saving families from going through what Shy and Lillie’s families had to go through, saving hundreds of thousands of mothers and infants from low birth weights and children with [from] lasting brain damage, protecting more than a thousand adults from premature death from heart disease every single year because of lead. 

It’ll save lives, but it’ll also saves the taxpayers billions of dollars over time. 

It’s about the basics.  It’s about clean water.  To me, it’s a simple proposition. 

This is also about fairness.  Natio- — nationally, I’m directing nearly half of this funding go to disadvantaged communities that have borne the brunt of lead pipe poisoning for damn too long.  (Applause.) 

Studies show community of colors — cl- — community of — of color have been the hardest hit.  One study showed Black children were at least two times more likely to have elevated levels of lead in their blood than children of other racial groups.  We have an obligation to make things right.

Like all major investments we’re making in the environment, it’s also about creating jobs — good-paying jobs, many of them union jobs for laborers, plumbers, pipefitters, like Alfonso [Alonso]. 

That’s why my administration is bringing together the city of Milwaukee’s local unions, educators, employers to create an Invest in America workforce hub right here in Milwaukee.  (Applause.)  Sometimes, you forget the basics.

This — this is go- — this hub is going to train and connect residents to good-paying jobs replacing lead pipelines.  It’ll create new registered apprenticeships, helping everyone, including women and people of color, to access these jobs with good pay and benefits for themselves and their families. 

And we’re also using the power of our example as a global leader, helping replace lead pipes around the world.  Last month at the United Nations, I was proud that my wife, Jill, and our international aid agency, USAID, brought together 26 nations, funded primarily through philanthropy, to launch a coalition to end childhood lead poisoning — poisoning that kills more people in developing countries than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. 

Folks, replacing lead pipes is just one piece of our nation’s most ambitious clean water agenda ever.

We’re upgrading outdated — (applause) — we’re upda- — we’re upgrading outdated water mains and treatment plants, making them more resilient to climate disasters.  That means less likely to break down after massive floods and still run when the power grid goes down. 

We’re improving water systems on Tribal lands, where nearly half the population still lacks clean water.  Half the population on Tribal lands still lacks clean water.  It’s outrageous.  We’re committing to making it right. 

And as part of my Canc- — (applause) — and as part of my Cancer Moonshot initiative to end cancer as we know it, we’re detecting and removing so-called forever chemicals, referred to as “PFAS.”  These are chemicals that are found in many everyday products but are unsafe and shown to contribute to cancer and other health conditions.  We set the first-ever drinking water standard to protect 100 million Americans from PFAS — (applause) — including folks all across Wisconsin.

Folks, what’s the government for if it cannot protect the public health?  (Applause.)  And in the process, we’re creating jobs.  We’re building a better America.  And clean water is just one critical part. 

For example, earlier this year, I was in Milwaukee with your governor and your mayor when I announced nearly $36 million for the 6th Street project.  As you know, during the ‘60s, so-called “urban renewal” swept through this country.  The construction of I- — I-4 — I-94 and I-43 were torn down.  Roughly — they tore down roughly 17,000 homes and 1,000 businesses were lost, displacing residents and businesses all along 6th Street, all so — so the people outside the neighborhood could drive downtown more quickly.

With bike lanes and bus lanes gone, speeding and reckless driving increased, resulting in crash rates five times that of the city’s average; locking people out of opportunities, leaving them more isolated from the social and economic life for the rest of the city.  But not anymore. 

We’re going to rebuild the 6th Street.  We’re going to — a future with wider sidewalks for children walking to school, safer bike lanes for residents and visitors, dedicated bus lanes to get to work faster, new trees to provide shade, modern infrastructure to prevent sewage from flowing into the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan.  (Applause.)  We’re making it easy for historic Black communities in the north and Latino communities in the south to access jobs, schools, and entertainment opportunities in the city and around a central hub.  This will be life-changing. 

The bottom line is I said I’d keep my commitment to insist that all communities have access to investments that improve safety and security of their neighborhoods.  And that’s what we’re doing: giving everyone a fair shot — (applause) — and, my dad would say, “leaving no one behind.” 

Folks, there are some folks who don’t have any problem leaving people behind, like my predecessor in the White House and his allies in Congress; like your senator, Ron Johnson, who voted against —

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  He voted against everything I just talked about — every single thing.  In fact, Ron Johnson called the law that is removing these lead pipe, protection [protecting] the — the public — for public health, creating jobs in Wisconsin — he called it a “radical” agenda.  (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  He’s a radical agenda. 

THE PRESIDENT:  (The president makes the sign of the cross.)  (Laughter and applause.)  I’m going to restrain my Irish side here.  (Laughter.) 

I don’t think there’s a damn thing radical about protecting kids from lead poisoning — (applause) — protecting women from — from low birth rates, protecting them from brain damage, and so much more. 

My predecessor, along with the senator, rolled back clean water protections that kept industries from polluting our water and destroying our wetlands.  They slashed the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget and eliminated important programs that guaranteed clean water.

You may also remember, when the last guy was president, he promised “Infrastructure Week” every week for four years — (laughter) — and he didn’t build a damn thing.  (Applause.)

Folks, in plain talk, we can’t go backwards.  We have to keep moving forward, protect the health and well-being of our families, our communities, and our country and, in the process, growing our economy and creating good-paying jobs.  We can’t wait any longer.  (Applause.)

Folks, let me close with this.  When folks see shovels in the ground on all these projects that protect people’s lives and put people to work, I hope they feel what I feel: pride — pride in their hometowns making a comeback; pride in America, that we can get big things done when we work together.

I’ve never been more optimistic — and I mean this from the bottom of my heart.  I’ve never more mo- — more — in my whole life, been more optimistic about our nation’s future. 

We just have to remember who the hell we are.  We’re the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

And there is nothing — there is nothing beyond our capacity when we work together.  So, let’s keep working together and get it done.  (Applause.)

God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)

Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

Thanks, everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

2:02 P.M. CDT

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Roosevelt Room

11:03 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thanks for your patience.  As you know, I put out a statement this morning that I’m canceling my trip to Germany and to Africa.  We’re going to try to re- — work those out later.  But I just don’t think I can be out of the country at this time.  Number one. 

And number two, we — we’re going to stay focused on what’s a- — what’s ahead of us right now.  I — I’ve been briefed by the senior leaders of this administration and — who are driving our preparedness for Hurricane Milton, which could be one of the worst storms in 100 years in Florida, and continued efforts on Hurricane Helene. 

I’ve directed this team to do everything it can to save lives and our communities and help our communities before, during, and after these extreme weather events that — and — and that’s being done.  That’s being done. 

I’ve spoken to all the political leaders in the region, some of them more than once.  And they — they’ve — I’ve told them anything they ask for, they can get, they — we’ve given — and we’ve gotten overwhelmingly response — a positive response from everyone from the governors of Florida up to North Carolina. 

And mayors, leaders, local (inaudible) have expressed their sincere gratitude for the work of FEMA and for the work of my entire administration. 

Now, I’ve also surged thousands of federal personnel on the ground across the Southeast already and deliver every available resource as fast as possible.  And my priority is to increase the size and presence of our effort and — as we prepare for another catastrophic storm about to make landfall.

You know, it’s been a — I’ve been in constant contact with my director of the National Weather Service, Ken Graham, who has kept me informed the last several days of what to anticipate.  You never know until it happens, but they’re very — very engaged. 

He made clear to me just how dangerous this storm is, indicating that winds had reached up 180 miles an hour — 180 — that — that’s not guaranteed it’s going to hit the store at 180 miles, but they’ve reached up to 180 miles an hour — and a possible storm surge, as it hits the coast of Florida, of 15 feet, which can be devastating.

The current path of this is storm is expected to hit Tampa Bay area and cut directly across the state — east to west, all the way across the state — with the potential for this storm to both enter Florida as a hurricane and leave Florida as a hurricane on the Atlantic coast.

This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in over a century.  And, God willing, it won’t be, but that’s what it’s looking like right now.

I immediately approved the pre-landfall emergency declarations in Florida — this is — is the second one in a week — second time in a week, and there’ve been two before that, by the way. 

And I sent FEMA Administrator Criswell down to Florida yesterday to work and — intensively with the state and local partners as we prepare to deploy more resources.  She’s going to continue that work between Florida and North Carolina in the coming days.

I’m calling on the airlines and other companies to provide as much service as possible to accommodate evacuations and not to engage in price gouging, to just do it on the level.

And last night, I spoke again with the governor of Florida, DeSantis, and Tampa Mayor Castro and — or, excuse me, Castor — and I made it clear to them they should reach out, including to me directly, with everything else they may need as they see this storm hits.  I gave them my personal number to contact me here in the White House.

Most importantly, I’ve urged everyone — everyone currently located in Hurricane Milton’s path to listen to local officials and follow safety instructions.  You all have been reporting on the highways and shoulders being opened.  Everybody is heading out.  And if you’re under evacuation or- — orders, you should evacuate now — now — now.  You should have already evacuated. It’s a matter of life and death, and that’s not hyperbole. It’s a matter of life and death.

So, let me add that FEMA has provided 300 ambulances to move people who can’t move themselves out of health care facilities. 

And while we prepare for Hurricane Milton, we’re still surging resources in North Carolina, in Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, to respond to Hurricane Helene.  And it’s — it’s real.  The impact is still there.

And we’re going to leave — we’re not going to leave until the job is done.  It’s going to take time.  And before it’s all over, it’s going to take tens of billions of dollars to get it done.

And Kamala and I are keeping all of you in our prayers out there.  There’s a lot of people. 

The good news is, I re- — just before we called you in, I received information that the number of missing persons has been significantly reduced of lost from — from the first hurricane.  But we’ll have more information on that later.

So, that’s the situation, and we’re — we’re not going to leave until the job is finished.  It’s going to take a while.

Q    Sir, what’s the risk of political figures sharing misinformation during this time?

THE PRESIDENT:  The past is prologue is real.  But the fact of the matter is I — I think we have — I’ve been able to contact all the governors.  They’ve — are sticking up for what they’ve asked for.  They’re pointing out that they’re satisfied with everything they’re getting.

But I can’t speak for others on the Internet and — and I mean, it’s just — look, those who do it do it to try to damage the administration.  Well, that’s — we can take care of ourselves.  But it misleads people.  It puts people in circumstances where they panic, where they really, really, really worry.  They think “Now we’re not being taken care of.”

And it really is — and it’s going to sound — I’ll use an old phrase: It’s un-American.  It really is.

People are scared to death.  People know their lives are at stake — all that they’ve worked for, all that they own, all that they value.  And it’s just — it’s — it’s just — anyway.

Q    Mr. President, can you give us a sense of how Vice President —

Q    Mr. President, how soon do you think you’ll be able to travel to Germany and Angola?

(Cross-talk.)

Q    (Inaudible) Vice President Harris’ role in this?

THE PRESIDENT:  Whoa, whoa, whoa.  Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.  I’ll be — I’ll have plenty of time to talk about Angola.  I still plan on going to Africa.  I’ll have plenty of time to talk about what’s going on in — in Latin America and South America in terms of the Amazon.  And I’m going to be talking today with my friend, the chancellor of Germany, and we’re going to try to work that out.

We’ve already contacted all these people.  Okay?  But I’m going to be on the phone today. 

I’m heading shortly — when I get up from here, I’m heading out to Wisconsin, to Milwaukee.  And — but I think we can — I’m still planning on visiting all the places I said I’d be and all the conferences I said I’d participate in.

(Cross-talk.)

Q    Mr. President — what’s your relationship like, Mr. President, with the governor of Florida?  Is he cooperating as far as everything that you would like to do with — with Hurricane Milton?

(Cross-talk.)

THE PRESIDENT:  The governor of Florida has been cooperative.  He said he’s gotten all that he needs.  I talked to him again yesterday.  And I — and I said, “Whatever you” — I said, “No, you’re doing a great job.  It’s being — all being done well.  We thank you for it.”  And I literally gave him my personal phone number to call. 

So, I don’t know — there was a rough start in some places, but every governor — every governor, from Florida to North Carolina, has been fully cooperative and supportive and acknowledged what this team is doing, and they’re doing an incredible job.  But we got a lot more to do.

(Cross-talk.)

Q    Has the vice president been helpful in this as well, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes.

11:12 A.M. EDT

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Vice President’s Residence
U.S. Naval Observatory
Washington, D.C.

SECOND GENTLEMAN DOUGLAS EMHOFF: Thank you.

As we gather here on what was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, I am filled with pain and despair.

This is an incredibly challenging day for Jews around the world – myself included.

October 7 hit us hard as a community.

We are still hurting. And today feels just as raw as it did one year ago.

What happened on October 7 is seared into our souls.    

I can’t stop thinking about the hostages and their families, and all of those we’ve lost over the past year.

Earlier today, I attended AJC’s National October 7 Memorial Commemoration at Sixth & I and recited a prayer for peace – that we all see the day soon when this war and bloodshed come to an end.

As the first Jewish spouse of an American President or Vice President, I take this role incredibly seriously.

Kamala is the one who encouraged me to use the platform I have to fight antisemitism and hate. She’s also the person who encouraged me to lean into my faith.

When we first moved into the Residence, we affixed a mezuzah on the doorpost, alongside our family.

Now, as we prepare to leave a legacy of our time here, we plant this pomegranate tree to honor this solemn day and for the families who will come after us to enjoy.

This is the first tree we planted since moving in, and it will be the first fruit tree ever planted by a Second Family at the Residence. 

Kamala and I are proud to continue a tradition with symbolic meaning for every family that’s lived here.

And it is especially meaningful to me that this property will now always commemorate the pain of the Jewish people, as well as the resilience and hope of the Jewish people.  

May the memories of those we’ve lost be a blessing.

Thank you.

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Embassy of Israel
Washington, D.C.

MR. SULLIVAN:  Thank you all for having me here today. 

Ambassador Herzog, Mike, thank you — both for your hospitality here and for a year that has been difficult and challenging, but you have always stayed committed to the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship and see it as larger than any two people, and I’m grateful to you for that.

And it means a lot to me that I’ve been invited here to mark this solemn occasion with all of you.

As you know, President Biden spoke with President Herzog earlier today, and he shared his deepest condolences with the President and the people of Israel as they commemorate this godawful anniversary. 

He lit a candle in the White House together with the First Lady, and they said a prayer in remembrance of those lost, loved ones massacred by terrorists who exalted in the assault and murder of innocent Jewish men, women, and children. 

Perhaps for the first time ever, this morning, the traditional mourning prayer, El Malei Rachamim, was read in Hebrew in the quiet of the residence of the White House.  One line from that prayer, as many of you know: “God full of mercy…grant rest on the wings of the Divine.” 

The thousands of miles between Washington and Israel do not feel so distant today.  As the President shared in his statement this morning, we grieve with the families and communities who are still in mourning, just as we share in the excruciating pain of those whose loved ones are still held hostage by Hamas, including American citizens. 

I’ve spent a lot of time with the families of the American hostages over the past year.  I remain humbled by their resilience and their courage.  Instead of succumbing to the dark paralysis of grief, they are working every day to secure the return of their loved ones — always thoughtful, always constructive, always pushing us hard, as they should. 

I look around this room and I see colleagues here that I’ve gotten to know very, very well through these challenging times.  In the days that followed October 7th, our defense, intelligence, and national security teams were in constant touch.  At President Biden’s direction, we moved military assets into the region, including carrier strike groups with their destroyer escorts and air wings, the finest on the planet, to protect U.S. forces in the region and, yes, to support the defense of the State of Israel. 

I traveled with President Biden to Israel on October 18th, the first president to visit Israel in a time of war.  And I was with him this past Tuesday.  He was scheduled to be in the Oval Office for his annual Rosh Hashanah call with Jewish leaders.  Instead, he was in the Situation Room, where, for the second time in five months, he ordered the U.S. military to take action to defend Israel from a significant attack by Iran. 

Side by side, U.S. naval destroyers joined Israeli air defense units in again intercepting a rainfall of inbound missiles — ballistic missiles from Iran.  We thank God we were successful in rendering that attack ineffective, but we remain highly vigilant to the further threats and attacks from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

Backed by the ironclad security partnership of the United States, Israel has demonstrated its remarkable capacity, including through impressive operations that killed terrorists with Israeli and, yes, with American blood on their hands. 

The challenge going forward is to turn tactical wins in battle into a strategy that secures Israel’s people and its future.  That takes real discipline, it takes courage, it takes foresight to match the conduct of war to a clear and sustainable set of objectives and to turn tactical advantage into enduring strategic gains.  That is never easy, but it’s imperative, and we are here to work with you on that. 

Because as I look around this room, I see colleagues that I haven’t just gotten to know in the crucible of the past year but in the work that preceded it, a project to make real the vision of broader peace, stability, and economic connectivity across the Middle East and to make real a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live alongside one another in security, dignity, self-determination, and peace.

As the President said in his statement this morning, “I believe that history will also remember October 7th as a dark day for the Palestinian people because of the conflict that Hamas unleashed that day.  Far too many civilians have suffered far too much during this year of conflict — and tens of thousands have been killed, a human toll made far worse by terrorists hiding and operating among innocent people.” 

Ambassador Herzog spoke in his remarks of the Jewish commandment that every innocent life has value, whether it’s American or Israeli, Lebanese or Palestinian.  Every innocent life.

In my family, we read the poet John Donne, who said, and I quote, “Any man’s death diminishes me, / because I am involved in mankind.”  And we have to bring that spirit to this conflict as well. 

We have continued to actively pursue a pathway to a future where Israel enjoys normalized relations with all of its Arab neighbors, where Palestinians have a state of their own, and where Israel’s security is assured forever. 

And we have continued to stand strong against the antisemitism that still burns in America, around the world, and that has gotten oxygen since October 7th, as the Ambassador said.  And we will continue, from the President through every member of his administration, to stand firmly against it. 

I’m not blind to the difficulties of this moment.  I’m not blind to their deep roots.  The challenges are many.  The suffering and trauma is real, and it’s with me always.  And no one is ever criticized for predicting that things will only get worse in the Middle East.  The hard thing is to push past the hopelessness and put the pieces down that build toward a genuinely brighter future, even as we navigate the heightened risks and exacting human toll of the present day. 

This is a focus of my own conversations, President Biden’s conversations, the Vice President’s conversations, the Secretary of State, every member of our team, with leaders across the Middle East who recognize that this future I’m describing can still be the ultimate legacy of October 7th.  And we stand ready to work with all of you, everyone here, everyone of good faith across the region. 

But this future, as you all know and has been shown to us so many times, is far from assured.  We have to work to make it so. 

So, may God protect our troops and watch over the hostages.  May the memory of those lost be a blessing, just as the joyousness of their lives remains our light and inspiration forward. 

Thank you.  (Applause.)

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Joint Base Andrews
Prince George’s County, Maryland

5:09 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi.  So, I just got off the phone with Administrator Criswell at FEMA, and I cannot stress enough to all the folks in Florida, in the Tampa area: Please listen to evacuation orders.  Please listen to your local officials, because I know a lot of folks out there have survived these hurricanes before — this one is going to be very, very serious.  

And I urge you to please just grab whatever you need.  Listen to the orders you’re getting from your local officials.  They know what they’re telling you, and they know what Milton is about to be.  So, please do that.

The other point I’d make is that there is a lot of mis- and disinformation being pushed out there by the former president about what is available, in particular, to the survivors of Helene.  And first of all, it’s extraordinarily irresponsible.  It’s about him; it’s not about you.

And the reality is that FEMA has so many resources that are available to folks who desperately need them now and resources that are about helping people get back on their feet and rebuild and have places to go.  You are entitled to these resources. 

People are entitled to these resources, and it is critically important that people apply for the help that is there to support.  That — all of those resources were created for just these kinds of moments, in an emergency situation, knowing that folks are entitled to have the relief that they so rightly need at this moment in time.

So, listen to your sheriffs.  Around the places that have been impacted by Helene, listen to your local sheriff, who’s going to tell you straight about what’s available to you and how, for so many reasons and ways, there are no conditions attached to the relief that’s available to you.

Q    Madam Vice President, Governor DeSantis — NBC is reporting Governor DeSantis is ignoring your calls on hurricanes’ resources and — and help.  How does that hurt the situation here?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  You know, moments of crisis, if — if nothing else, should really be the moment that anyone who calls themselves a leader says they’re going to put politics aside and put the people first. 

 People are in desperate need of support right now, and playing political games with this moment, in these crisis situations — these are the height of emergency situations — is just utterly irresponsible, and it is selfish, and it is about political gamesmanship, instead of doing the job that you took an oath to do, which is to put the people first.

     Q    Madam Vice President, Milton’s arrival —

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you. 

     Q    — what does it mean for resources?

                        END                     5:12 P.M. EDT

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Vice President’s Residence
U.S. Naval Observatory
Washington, D.C.

4:02 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  In a few moments, Doug and I will plant a tree here on the grounds of the Residence of the Vice President of the United States, and we dedicate this tree to the 1,200 innocent souls, in an act of pure evil on October 7, 2023, who were massacred by Hamas terrorists. 

Forty-six of our fellow Americans were killed in this brutal terrorist attack, including a singer from Missouri who died shielding her son from bullets, an academic and peace activist who studied in Seattle and who was the grandson of Holocaust survivors, and a dancer from California who was killed alongside her fiancé while attending the Nova Music Festival. 

I am devastated by the pain and loss that occurred on October 7, and Doug and I pray for the family and loved ones of all of those who were lost, and may their memories be a blessing. 

Today, I know many Jews will be reciting and reflecting on the Jewish prayer for mourning, the Kaddish.  The words of the prayer are not about death; it is a prayer about our enduring belief in God, even in our darkest moments.  So, as we reflect on the horrors of October 7, let us please be reminded that we cannot lose faith. 

The Jewish philosopher Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, and I quote, “Religion begins with a consciousness that something is asked of us.”  So, in this moment, on the one-year commemoration of October 7, what it — what is asked of us?  What is asked of us?

First and foremost, I believe that we must never forget.  I will never forget October 7, and the world must never forget. 

What is asked of us: We must work to ensure nothing like the horrors of October 7 can ever happen again.  And on this solemn day, I will restate my pledge to always ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and that I will always work to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish people here and around the world.

What is asked of us: We must reunite the hostages held in Gaza with their families, and I will never stop fighting for the release of all the hostages, including the American citizens, living and deceased: Omer, Edan, Sagui, Keith, Judi, Gadi, and Itay.

What is asked of us: We must uphold the commitment to repair the world, an idea that has been passed on throughout generations of the Jewish people and across many faiths.  And to that end, we must work to relieve the immense suffering of innocent Palestinians in Gaza who have experienced so much pain and loss over the year. 

What is asked of us: We must continue to see light amidst the darkness.  As the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said, “A people that can walk through the valley of the shadow of death and still rejoice is a people that cannot be defeated by any force or fear.” 

That is why today we plant a pomegranate tree, which, in Judaism, is a symbol of hope and righteousness.  So, for years to come, this pomegranate tree will stand here, spreading its roots and growing stronger, to remind future vice presidents of the United States, their families, and all who pass through these grounds not only of the horror of October 7th but the strength and the endurance of the Jewish people. 

It will remind us all not to abandon the goal of peace, dignity, and security for all.  And it will remind us all to always have faith. 

Thank you.  And I will now turn it over to the second gentleman, my husband, Doug.

                        END                     4:08 P.M. EDT

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Charlotte Air National Guard Base
Charlotte, North Carolina

4:54 P.M. EDT

 THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, Governor, I want to thank you — General, Administrator.  I came out to talk with the folks who have been doing God’s work on the ground here in the last several days. 

The work that is happening here and that continues really is the best of what we can do to bring federal, state, and local resources together in a way that is coordinated with one purpose and one purpose only, which is bringing relief, support, and help to the people who are most in need and desperate for help and desperate to be seen and heard.

I just spoke with members of the National Guard to thank them.  They, like so many who are on the ground doing this work — whether it be through FEMA, the governor’s office, state offices — they — many of them who are doing this work have been directly hit themselves.  We are talking about people who are leaders, who are from the communities that have been hardest hit. 

And I think we all have to recognize and thank them for the nobility of their work and their calling, which is to leave their home, to leave their families who may need the kind of resources that they can provide.  But they have taken an oath.  They have taken on a job that says to them they must go and help those who are in need, many who may be strangers to them.

So, I came here to find out what’s going on on the ground, to find out what more we can do in terms of federal aid, such as what we announced today, and the federal support we’re giving to Mecklen- — Mecklenburg County in terms of disaster relief — the work that we are doing, which is $100 million to assist with the rebuilding of Interstate 40.  And also, again, just to thank the folks on the ground for what they are doing every day.

And, again, I want to thank you, Governor, Administrator, General, everyone who is here — Colonel — for all you are doing on behalf of everyone in this region and our nation.  You all are doing extraordinary work, and we are forever grateful to you all.  So, thank you. 

     Thank you all.

                               END                 4:56 P.M. EDT 

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NC National Guard Operations Building
Charlotte, North Carolina

4:01 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Governor.  And I thank you all, everyone here. 

I’ve talked with many of you within, actually, hours and certainly days of Helene hitting this beautiful state.  And I thank you all for the work you’ve been doing around the clock. 

Administrator, you and I have talked many, many times, and your team on the ground, they’re just doing extraordinary work.  But the work that’s happening here that is so positively impacting so many people is really an example of the best we can do when we bring resources together at the federal, state, and local level and tap into the kind of collegiality that produces results.  And this is the work that you all have been doing.

For the folks who are local, I also know what this means for each of you as a leader — to be a leader at a time that your own homes, your families, your friends, people you know, your community has been directly hit. 

For the folks that work in your various divisions and offices, I know that they’ve been showing up at a moment of need for others, even when their own families and their own homes have been directly impacted.  I think that these moments of crisis bring out some of the best of who we can be and who we are. 

 I’ve been seeing and hearing the stories from here in North Carolina about strangers who are helping each other out, giving people assistance in every way that they need, including shelter, food, and friendship and fellowship.  And — and so, I thank everyone for all the work that they’ve been doing — those who are in the room and those who are out there right now, working around the clock. 

And I’m also here because I wanted to make an announcement that yesterday we added Mecklenburg County to the major disaster declaration.  So, that means that we’re going to be getting substantial resources in to help folks and, in particular, to help them now be able to apply for federal assistance for a range of things that will be including home repair; what folks need in terms of generators, or even just compensation for the generators that they’ve had to buy; the kind of shelter that they’ve had to seek, including hotels.

And federal assistance for these issues is, I know, extremely important, because a lot of folks don’t save for these kinds of emergencies, and when they hit, it takes a real drain on their resources and ability to take care of themselves and their family. 

But, again, I thank everybody here.  I’m looking forward to our briefing. 

And — and I will say that also we are looking forward to working with our congressional partners.  And — and, Congresswoman, you’ve been a great leader to work with your colleagues, as you always do, so that we can get Congress to also issue the resources that FEMA will need to be an active and resourced federal partner with all of you on the ground at the state and local level. 

     And with that, let’s start our briefing. 

                               END                 4:04 P.M. EDT

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South Lawn

12:31 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: I’m going to a wedding. The woman running my office is marrying Jill’s policy guy. It’s dangerous to work in our office.

Q What is your message to the families of the hostages ahead of Monday, October — October 7th?

(Cross-talk.)

THE PRESIDENT: I’ve been talk- — I’ll be talking to a bunch of them.

Q Mr. President, have you talked to Netanyahu already?

THE PRESIDENT: No.

12:31 P.M. EDT

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Redford Fire Department Station 1
Redford, Michigan

2:03 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi.  (Applause.) 

Oh, good afternoon, everybody.  Good afternoon.  Good afternoon.  It is my great honor to be with everybody this afternoon.

Matt, I want to thank you for your leadership and for all that you do for so many.

You know, everyone here, you all have chosen to live a life of service in the most extraordinary way.  And I’m so thankful to all of you — to Matt, for your leadership — and everybody here. 

And it is so good to be in the house of labor.  Thank you all.  (Applause.)  Thank you all.  Thank you all. 

And, you know, yours is a profession that is more than a profession.  It really is about a calling. 

You know, my — I was just telling Matt — my brother-in-law just retired as a firefighter in California.  So, for me, this is personal and it is professional.  I know what you guys do, and I know your character.  I know your families.  I know what it means for the whole community for you all to take on the lives that you have decided to live, and I’m so thankful to you.

You guys work long shifts with unpredictable hours in some of the most dangerous conditions.  You do so on behalf of people you’ve never met.  Sometimes, those people will never know your name, but because of what you do with such sincerity and the highest level of skill and professionalism, their lives are forever better.  And they always know and have the comfort of going to sleep at night knowing that should any tragedy come their way that you guys are out there and would be there.

It’s an extraordinary thing you do, and it’s a great gift that you have that you give.  And so, I am so thankful to you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

And, of course, I am thankful for the union that supports you and your right to all that you deserve in terms of the wages and the benefits that you so rightly have earned.  (Applause.)

And I also want to thank the other brothers and sisters from labor who are here from UAW — (applause); IBE- — IBEW; LIUNA.  Where are your orange T-shirts?  I know you’re here somewhere.  I thank you all, all of you. 

So, look, just yesterday, we saw another example of the power of collective bargaining — right? — when the longshoremen and the U.S. Maritime Alliance came together, ended a strike, and reached an agreement on a record wage.  Right?  (Applause.)  They did good.  They did good. 

And I say, everywhere I go, look, collective bargaining benefits everybody.  And you know the — the term — and I’m looking at our young leaders who are here.  I’m so glad you guys are here.  (Applause.)  So, collective bargaining, it’s really — it’s just a basic logical point. 

So, here’s what it means.  It means that in any negotiation, you want the outcome to be fair.  Right?  We all want fairness, right?  Everybody wants fairness — or should. 

So, here’s the thing about collective bargaining.  If you want the outcome to be fair, you got to realize, if you’re requiring the one worker to negotiate against the big entity, do we really think that the outcome is going to be fair?  Probably not.  But if you let the workers together, as the collective, then negotiate against the big entity, it’s more likely that the outcome will be fair.  

That’s the basic point of collective bargaining.  That’s the basic point of why we want our unions to be able to do their work on behalf of workers every day, because we know when union wages go up, everyone’s wages go up.  (Applause.)  Yeah. 

And when union workplaces are safer, all workplaces are safer.  (Applause.) 

And the bottom line is: When unions are strong, America is strong.  (Applause.)  And our unions have always fought to make our nation, then, more equal, more fair, and more free. 

And in this election, in 32 days, everything we have fought for is on the line. 

This election is about two very different visions for our nation: one that is focused on the past, and ours that is focused on the future. 

We fight for a future where we protect the fundamental freedom to organize.  We fight for a future where workers, all workers, are treated with dignity and respect; a future where we tap into the ambition and the aspirations of the American people and build what I call an “opportunity economy” so that every American has an opportunity to buy a home, start a business, build wealth — intergenerational wealth for their family. 

Over the last three and a half years, our nation has seen historic small-business creation as an example of that focus. 

In Michigan alone, we have seen more than 500,000 new small-business applications.  And when I am president, I plan to build on that progress and that success, including by raising the start-up deduction — tax deduction for small businesses from $5,000 for — to $50,000 to help more entrepreneurs start a small business. 

I’ll tell you guys, my sister and I were raised by our mother, who worked very hard, and we lived on an apartment above a daycare center.  And it was run by and owned by the woman that we called our second mother, who lived two houses down.  She was a small-business owner, and her name was Ms. Shelton. 

And I grew up as a child knowing about who our small businesses are, right?  They’re leaders in the community.  They’re civic leaders.  They hire locally.  They train.  And so, that’s one of the reasons I’m focused on small businesses as part of how we lift up the middle class in America’s economy.

We need to also build more housing in America.  Housing is too expensive. 

My mother saved up for years, until I was a teenager, when she was able to buy our first home. 

And right now, we have a serious housing shortage in America, and that’s part of what is driving up costs.  And so, we are going to cut red tape, we’re going to work with the private sector, and we’ll build 3 million new homes by the end of my first term — (applause) — including — including providing first-time homebuyers with a $25,000 down payment assistance so they can just get their foot literally in the door to be able to invest in the American dream — (applause) — which not everyone has access to these days.

We need to lower the cost of living, because, look, our economy, while we’re making good progress — just this morning, in fact, we got a solid jobs report: over 250,000 jobs created last month, unemployment fell.  And just a few weeks ago, the Federal Reserve cut down interest rates, which is going to be great for a lot of folks.  But there’s still more work we need to do. 

Prices for everyday things like groceries are still too high.  You know it, and I know it.

And so, we have a plan to lower costs on everything from health care to groceries, including what I’ve done in my career as attorney general, which is we got to take on corporate price gouging. 

We got to take on what we need to do to understand that if you want to grow the middle class, we need more middle-class tax cuts.  And the tax cut that is part of my plan will give a tax cut to 100 million Americans. 

We need to expand Child Tax Credit, and I will do that to expand it to $6,000 so that for the first year of a child’s life, their parents have the resources that they need to be able to buy a crib or a car seat, and in that very critical stage of their child’s development, just be able to do more than get by but be able to get ahead. 

And I say all this to say, I will always put the middle class and working families first.  I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from.  I will never forget where I come from.  (Applause.)

And we know we cannot have a strong middle class without American manufacturing. 

Over the last three and a half years, we brought manufacturing back to America.  We created 730,000 manufacturing jobs and announced the opening of more than 20 new auto plants in the United States.  And we did it by investing in American industry and American workers.

And I want to make sure that America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century.  (Applause.)

So, under my plan, we will invest in the industries that built America, like steel, iron, and the great American auto industry — (applause) — yeah — so we can ensure that the next generation of breakthroughs, from advanced batteries to electric vehicles, are not only invented but built right here in America by American union workers.  (Applause.)

So, the election is in 32 days, and Americans have a big choice to make.  And I think it’s very important, then, to point out Donald Trump has a very different approach than mine. 

And let’s be real about who Donald Trump is.  Let’s be real.  This is a time for real talk. 

He was handed $400 million on a silver platter and filed for bankruptcy six times.  This is a man who has only ever fought for himself.  This is a man who has been a union buster his entire career, who has called union leaders, quote, “Dues Sucking” people.  And as president, he did not lift a finger to save the pensions of millions of American workers. 

We did.  We did.  (Applause.)

This is a man who sold promise after promise to American workers but never delivered, who said he supports so-called right-to-work laws “100 percent.”  Those are his words. 

He who joked and laughed about firing striking workers.  You remember that? 

AUDIENCE:  Yes.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Who rolled back labor standards and made it easier for companies that break labor laws to get federal contracts. 

And Donald Trump is a man who tried to cut funding for our first responders, including SAFER grants for firefighters. 

So, brothers and sisters, as we stand here in a house of labor, we will not be fooled.  We will not be gaslighted.  Donald Trump’s track record is a disaster for working people, and he’s trying to gaslight people all over our country.  But we know the facts and we know the truth: He is an existential threat to America’s labor movement.  Just look at his track record to know. 

He said he was the only one who could bring back America’s manufacturing jobs — Michigan knows what I’m about to say — then America lost nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs when he was president, including tens of thousands of jobs in Michigan.  And those losses started before the pandemic, so we’re clear, making Donald Trump one of the biggest losers of manufacturing jobs in American history.  (Applause.)

And recall his record — his track record for the auto industry.  He promised workers in Warren that the auto industry would, quote, “not lose one plant” during his presidency.  Then American automakers announced the closure of six auto plants when he was president, including General Motors in Warren and Stellantis in Detroit.  Thousands of Michigan autoworkers lost their jobs. 

And now he is making the same empty promises to the people of Michigan that he did before, hoping you will forget how he let you down.  But we know, if he wins again, it will be more of the same. 

Everything he intends to do is spelled out in Project 2025.  If reelected, he intends to launch a full-on attack on unions and the freedom to organize.  He will ban public-sector unions, roll back workplace safety protections, and appoint a union buster to run the Department of Labor.

And on top of that, Donald Trump will give billionaires and the biggest corporations massive tax cuts like he did last time. 

He will cut Social Security and Medicare and impose what I call a Trump sales tax, a 20 percent tax on everyday goods and necessities, which will cost — the economists have said — which will cost the average American over $4,000 a year more. 

And if that weren’t enough, he intends to end the Affordable Care Act.  And even after he tried to repeal it time and time again when he was president, he still has no plan to replace it. 

Did you guys see the debate?  (Laughter and applause.)  “Concepts of a plan.”  He has “concepts of a plan.”  (Laughter.)  Come on. 

And, you know, I’ve said many times he is an unserious human — (laughter) — but the consequence of him is quite serious, because think about that: “concepts of a plan.” 

So, he’s going to threaten the health care and health coverage of 45 million people in America based on a concept — think about that — to take us back to when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions.  You remember what that was like?

So, look, I’m here to say, and I think we all know: It’s time to turn the page.  It’s time to turn the page.  (Applause.)  We’re not going back. 

America is ready to chart a new way forward, because we are not going back. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  No, we’re not.  We’re not going back.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  No, we’re not.

And so, it all comes down to this.  We are here together because we know what is at stake.  And we are here together — and I’m looking at the young leaders — because we love our country.  We love our country.  (Applause.)  Yes, we do.  We love our country.

And I do believe it is the highest form of patriotism to then fight for the ideals of our country and to fight to realize the promise of America. 

We have 32 days to get this done, and we know this is going to be a very tight race until the very end.  And we are the underdog, so we have some hard work ahead of us.  But I know who’s here.  We like hard work.  Hard work is good work.  Hard work is good work.  (Applause.)

And we know what we stand for, so we know what to fight for.  We stand for opportunity, we stand for dignity, and we stand for the future.

And so, we know when we fight —

AUDIENCE:  We win!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win. 

God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Thank you all.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END                 2:20 P.M. EDT

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Dort Financial Center
Flint, Michigan

5:58 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good evening, Michigan!  (Applause.)  Hey!

Oh.  Oh, it’s good to be back in Michigan.  (Applause.)  Hey, everyone. 

Can we hear it for Eric Price?  (Applause.)

Oh, it’s good to be back in Michigan.  Thank you all so very much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you so very much. 

And, Eric Price, thank you for your leadership of UAW 651, and all the work that you do.  (Applause.)And I want to thank all the leaders who are here.  This is — I mean, this is — we’ve got thousands of leaders who are here, and I thank them — (applause) — including all our friends in labor: Shawn Fain, April Verrett — (applause); all of the incredible elected leaders, starting with the Governor Whitmer, who is amazing and is my friend — my dear friend — (applause); Mayor Neeley; Senator Stabenow; Senator Peters; Representative Slotkin, who we will elect to the United States Senate.  (Applause.) 

And did you all see Magic Johnson?  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  Remember his number: 32?  Today we got 32 days until the election.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.) 

 So, 32 days — 32 days. 

AUDIENCE MEMBERS:  (Inaudible.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  We got some business to do.  We got some business to do. 

All right.  Thirty-two days.  And we know we will do it.  (Applause.)  And — and this is going to be a very tight race until the very end.  This is going to be a very tight race until the very end.  We are the underdog, and we know we have some hard work ahead. 

But here’s the thing about us: We like hard work.  (Applause.)  We like hard work.  Hard work is good work.  Hard work is good work.  (Applause.)

And with your help, in November, we will win.  We will win.  (Applause.)  We are not playing around. 

 So, listen, we know this election is about two very different visions for our nation: one focused on the past, and ours, which is focused on the future.  (Applause.)  We are fighting for a future where we tap into the ambitions and the aspirations of the American people and build what I call an “opportunity economy” so every American has an opportunity to own a home, build wealth, start a business.  (Applause.)

And I’m going to speak about small — do we have small-business owners in the house right here?  (Applause.)  Right? 

Okay.  So, on the economy, I’m just going to spend a minute on small businesses.  So — so — because let me tell you.  So, growing up, our mother often worked very long hours, and so my sister, Maya, and I, we would go over to Ms. Shelton’s house.  Ms. Shelton was from Louisiana, and we called her our second mother.  And Ms. Shelton was a small-business owner. 

And so, from being a child, I know who our small-business owners are.  They are community leaders, civic leaders.  They mentor.  They hire locally.  They build up the community.  They are part of the fabric of the community.  (Applause.)  And small-business owners are the backbone of America’s economy.  (Applause.)

So, in my plan to build an opportunity economy, one of the things I will do is raise the start-up deduction from $5,000 to $50,000 to help entrepreneurs start their small business.  (Applause.) 

You heard Eric talk about it.  We need to build more housing in America.  (Applause.)  You know, my mother saved up for years to buy our first homes.  I was a teenager by the time she saved up enough to do that.  And right now, we know there’s a serious housing shortage in our country, and it is part of what is driving up costs. 

So, we will cut the red tape and work with the private sector to build 3 million new homes and provide first-time homebuyers with a $25,000 down payment assistance — (applause) — so you can just literally get your foot in the door, and you’ll handle the rest. 

We need to lower the cost of living.  Look, our economy is making good progress.  Just this morning, we got a solid jobs report, right?  (Applause.)  Over 250,000 jobs created last month; unemployment fell; and just a few weeks ago, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates, which helps.  (Applause.) 

But there’s still more we need to do.  Prices for everyday things like groceries are still too high.  You know it and I know it.  And I have a plan on lowering costs on everything from health care to groceries, including taking on corporate price gouging.  (Applause.) 

Because as attorney general, I saw what happens where — there are few of them; they don’t — not everybody but those who take advantage of desperate people — in particular, in the middle of an emergency — and there needs to be consequence.  (Applause.)

I will give a tax cut to 100 million Americans, including $6,000 extending and expanding the Child Tax Credit, so during the first year of a child’s life — (applause) — young parents have the support they need to be able to buy a car seat, to buy a crib, to take care of their child during that first year of their life, knowing it’s about setting them on a path to do everything they have a natural desire to do.

 And, look, let me — I say all this to say: I will always put the middle class and working families first.  I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from.  (Applause.)  I will never forget where I come from. 

And we know we cannot have a strong middle class without American manufacturing.  So, over the last three and a half years, we have brought manufacturing back to America, creating 730,000 manufacturing jobs.  (Applause.)  We announced the opening of more than 20 new auto plants in the United States.  (Applause.)  And we did it by investing in American industry and American workers.  (Applause.)

 And I will make sure that America — not China — wins the competition for the 21st century — (applause) — which is why, under my plan, we will invest in the industries that built America, like steel, iron, and the great American auto industry.  I see you, Shawn.  (Applause.)   

And we will ensure that the next generation of breakthroughs, from advanced batteries to electric vehicles, are not only invented but built right here in America by American union workers.  (Applause.) 

And, Michigan, let us be clear: Contrary to what my opponent is suggesting, I will never tell you what kind of car you have to drive.  (Applause.)  But here’s what I will do.  I will invest in communities like Flint — (applause) — Flint, which helped build the auto industry and the UAW.  (Applause.) 

We will retool existing factories, hire locally, and work with unions to create good-paying jobs, including jobs that do not require a college degree — (applause) — because we understand a college degree is not the only measure of whether a worker has skills and experience to get the job done.  (Applause.) 

In fact, part of my plan is to outline all of the federal jobs that should not require a college degree and make that clear.  And when I’m elected, I’m going to challenge the private sector to take on the same approach.  (Applause.)

     And then there’s Donald Trump. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, Donald Trump has a very different approach.  So, Donald Trump makes big promises, and he always fails to deliver.  (Applause.) 

He said he was the only one who could bring back America’s manufacturing jobs.  Remember that? 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And then America lost nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs when he was president —

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — including — including tens of thousands of jobs in Michigan.  And those losses started before the pandemic, making Donald Trump one of the biggest losers — (applause) — of manufacturing jobs in American history.

And his track record for the auto industry was a disaster.  He promised workers in Warren that the auto industry would, I’ll quote, “not lose one plant” during his presidency.  And then American automakers announced the closure of six auto plants when he was president.

We need a medic over here.  We need a medic over here.  Right here.

Okay.  Can everyone part so the medic can come through, please?  Let’s — let’s let the medic through.  (Applause.)

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  He’s okay.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  He’s okay?  Okay.  Okay.  He’s okay.  All right.  We’re good.  We got each other.  (Applause.)  Good.  Good.  Good.

So, remembering, again, what Donald Trump talked about versus what he did.  Then automakers — American automakers announced the closure of six plants when he was president, including General Motors in Warren and Stellantis in Detroit.

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thousands of Michigan autoworkers lost their jobs.  And when it came to building the cars of the future, Donald Trump sat on the sidelines and let China dominate.

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And then he talked down to American workers, saying we can’t compete with Chinese workers. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

 THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And make no mistake, Donald Trump is no friend of labor.  He encouraged automakers to move their plants out of Michigan so they could pay their workers less. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And when the UAW went on strike to demand higher wages that they deserved, Donald Trump went to a nonunion shop — don’t forget — and he attacked the UAW.  And he said striking and collective bargaining don’t make, quote, “a damn bit of difference.” 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Remember how he’s talked about striking workers, that you should fire them.  That’s how he talks about union labor.  That’s how he talks about workers. 

But, Flint, we know — we know: Strong unions mean higher wages, better health care, and greater dignity — (applause) — for union members and for everyone.  (Applause.) 

 And on top of all of that, Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion tax cut that mostly went to the wealthy and big corporations, not to working people.

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And now he is making the same empty promises to the people in Michigan that he did before.  But we will not be fooled.  We will not be gaslighted.  Donald Trump’s track record is a disaster for working people.  (Applause.)

And if he wins again, it will be more of the same.  Check this out.  Two days ago, his running mate — maybe you saw that. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  No, but — how about that Tim Walz, by the way?  (Applause.)  (Laughs.)  That’s right.  That’s right. 

So, two days ago, Donald Trump’s running mate suggested that if Trump wins, he might let the Grand River assembly plant in Lansing close down —

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — the same plant that our administration helped save earlier this year, along with 650 union jobs.  (Applause.) 

Michigan, we together fought hard for those jobs.  And you deserve a president who won’t put them at risk.  (Applause.)

And for anybody watching, you know, if you want to learn more about Donald Trump’s plans, just google Project 2025. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  It is a detailed and dangerous blueprint for what he will do if he is elected president.  Donald Trump will give billionaires and corporations massive tax cuts, attack unions, cut Social Security and Medicare, and impose a Trump sales tax — a 20 percent tax on everyday basic necessities, which will cost the average pam- — family nearly $4,000 a year. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And on top of this, Donald Trump intends to end the Affordable Care Act —

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — even after he tried to repeal it time and time again when he was president and still has no plan to replace it. 

     AUDIENCE MEMBERS:  Concepts of a plan!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  You watched the debate.  You watched the debate.  You saw that.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  He said —

AUDIENCE:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  He said he, quote, has “concepts of a plan” — concepts. 

Now, you know, I have said that I do believe he is an unserious man.  And the consequences — and the consequences of him being president again are absolutely, critically serious. 

Because, think about it.  Even on health care, he has a concept of a plan.  So, he’s going to threaten the health insurance of 45 million people in our country based on a concept? 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  To take us back — do you remember that? — when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions?  Remember what that was like?

     Well, Michigan, we are not —

     AUDIENCE:  Going back!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — going back.  We are not going back.  (Applause.)  We’re not going back.  We are not going back.

     AUDIENCE:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We are not going back.  No. 

     AUDIENCE:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Because we will move forward.  Ours is a fight for the future.  (Applause.)  Ours is a fight for the future, and ours is a fight for freedom — (applause) — like the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.  (Applause.) 

     And these 32 days out from the election, it’s important that we remind people how we got here.  Donald Trump handpicked three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would overturn Roe v. Wade, and they did.  And now more than one in three women in America lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban, many with no exceptions even for rape and incest, which is immoral. 

     And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom — (applause) — as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law.  (Applause.)  Proudly.

     And here’s what I want to say.  Look, and that’s not our only battle.  Across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on assault on other hard-fought, hard-fon — -won freedoms and rights, like the freedom to vote — (applause); the freedom to be safe from gun violence — (applause); the freedom to join a union — (applause); the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride — (applause); and the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water.  (Applause.) 

     Flint — you know all too well, Flint, that clean water should be a right for everyone, not just for the people who can afford it.  (Applause.)  And as president, I will continue to work with communities like Flint to ensure you not only have clean water but the opportunity to recover economically and thrive.  (Applause.)

     So, Michigan, it all comes down to this.  We are all here together because we know what is at stake, and we love our country.  (Applause.)  We love our country.  We love our country. 

     AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!  USA!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We love our country.

     AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!  USA!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And because we love our country, we know it is one of the highest forms of patriotism to then fight for the ideals of our country and to fight to realize the promise of America.  That’s what this is about.  (Applause.)  That’s what this is about. 

     So, Election Day is in 32 days.  (Applause.)  And already nearly 2 million ballots are in the hands of Michigan voters alone.  (Applause.) 

     So, if you have received your ballot, please do not wait.  Fill it out and return it today.  Early voting starts statewide on October 26th, and now is the time to make your plan to vote, because, folks, the election is here.  The election is here.  (Applause.)

     And we need to energize, organize, and mobilize.  (Applause.)  And remember: Your vote is your voice, and your voice is your power.  (Applause.)

     So, Flint, today I ask: Are you ready to make your voices heard?  (Applause.)

     Do we believe in freedom?  (Applause.)

     Do we believe in opportunity?  (Applause.)

     Do we believe in the promise of America?  (Applause.)

     And are we ready to fight for it?  (Applause.)

     And when we fight —

     AUDIENCE:  We win!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win.

     God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

                        END                     6:25 P.M. EDT

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Ripon College
Ripon, Wisconsin

5:41 P.M. CDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Can we hear it for Liz Cheney?  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Liz!  Thank you, Liz!  Thank you, Liz!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  It is so good to be back in Wisconsin.  (Applause.)  I thank you, everyone, for being — please have a seat.  I thank you all for being here.  But I just — I have to emphasize that every time I come here and — and, Liz, I was actually a kid here, too, when my parents were at the University of Wisconsin.  (Laughs.)  So, we have that in common as well. 

In fact, Tony Evers always says when I land, “Welcome home.”  (Laughter.)  But I — I say all that to say every time that I’ve come here recently, one of the conversations that we have, all of us together, is how much we love our country and that that really is the binding factor in us all being together and taking the time to be together, to really just renew and remind everyone of what is at stake, but borne out of love that we have this fight.  (Applause.)

And I want to thank you, Liz Cheney, for reminding us that that, regardless of party affiliation, is a factor that binds us all.  And so, I thank you for your support and your leadership and your courage.  (Applause.)

I also want to thank all the other great leaders who are with us today.  Governor Tony Evers — (applause) — where is he?  There you are.  Thank you.

Mayor Grant, thank you for the warm welcome.  (Applause.)

I want to thank Senator Tammy Baldwin, who is traveling around the state — (applause) — but who I know you will reelect in November.  (Applause.)

Thank you, Sheriff Michek, for your support and your life of service to the people of Iowa County.  (Applause.) 

And so, I — I do want to say a bit more about Liz Cheney.  You all know her leadership, and she has obviously, and so importantly, been a leader for the people of Wyoming, but she has also been an extraordinary national leader and has served with great honor.  (Applause.) 

And she not only, as she has talked today, recognizes that character is among the most important attributes of leadership, but she also personifies that attribute.  And she possesses some of the qualities of character that I most respect in any individual and any leader: courage, especially at a moment like this, where there are so many powerful forces that have been intent on trying to demean and belittle and make people afraid. 

And there are many who know it is wrong, and then there are those who have the courage to speak out loudly about it and the conviction to speak truth.  And, you know, it is so admirable when anyone does it, and especially when it is difficult to do in an environment such as this.  But Liz Cheney really is a leader who puts country above party and above self, a true patriot — (applause) — and it is my profound honor — my profound honor to have your support.  (Applause.) 

And I also want to thank your father, Vice President Dick Cheney, for his support and — (applause) — and what he has done to serve our country. 

Every endorsement matters, and this endorsement matters a great deal, Liz.  And it carries the spicals — special significance, because, as you said, we may not see eye to eye on every issue, and we are going to get back to a healthy two-party system — I am sure of that — where we will have vigorous debates.  (Applause.) 

And as you said, you may not have — have supported a Democrat for president before, but as you have also said, we both love our country, and we revere our democratic ideals.  And we both also believe in the nobility of public service, and we know that our oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America is a sacred oath — an oath that must be honored and must never be violated.  (Applause.)

And your words today and the reason we are all here today, I think, really do underscore perhaps one of the most fundamental questions that is facing the American people in this election: Who will obey that oath?  Who will abide by the oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America?  (Applause.)

I have had the privilege — (laughs).

AUDIENCE:  Kamala!  Kamala!  Kamala!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you. Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you. 

And I have sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution six times in my career, including as vice president, as a United States senator, and as the top law enforcement officer of the largest state in our country.  (Applause.)  Responsible for upholding and enforcing the laws of the state and the laws of the United States was the work I did.  And I have never wavered in upholding that oath, and I have always executed it faithfully and without reservation.  (Applause.)

And therein lies the profound difference between Donald Trump and me.

He, who violated the oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.  And make no mistake: He, who if given the chance, would violate it again. 

Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.  (Applause.)  And as you have heard and know, he refused to accept the will of the people and the results of an election that was free and fair. 

As you have heard, he sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol, where they assaulted law enforcement officers.  He threatened the life of his own vice president and refused to engage in the peaceful transfer of power.

And let us be clear about how he intends to use power if elected again.  He has called for jailing journalists, political opponents, anyone he sees and deems as being an enemy.  He has pledged to destroy the independence of the Department of Justice, and he called for deploying our active-duty military against our own citizens.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Kristallnacht!  Weird!

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  He’s weird!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  W- — I — well, I believe —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We’re not going back!

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  You and my running mate both.  (Laughing.)

Well, listen, I believe that anyone who recklessly tramples on our democratic values, as Donald Trump has; anyone who has actively and violently obstructed the will of the people and the peaceful transfer of power, as Donald Trump has; anyone who has called for, I quote, “termination” of the Constitution of the United States, as Donald Trump has, must never again stand behind the seal of the president of the United States.  (Applause.) 

Never again.  Never again.  (Applause.)

And the tragic truth — the tragic truth that we are facing in this election for president of the United States is that there is actually an honest question about whether one of the candidates will uphold the oath to the Constitution of the United States.  That is the tragic truth of this election, that this is actually an honest question that we are having as Americans.

And I know the vast majority of us agree that upholding the Constitution must be a basic requirement we expect of anyone seeking the highest office in the land.  I know the vast majority of us, regardless of your political party, agree we must hold sacred America’s fundamental principles — from the rule of law, to free and fair elections, to the peaceful transfer of power.  (Applause.)

And if you share — if you share that view, no matter your political party, there is a place for you with us and in this campaign, because those principles, I know, unite us across party lines.  And in this election, I take seriously my pledge to be a president for all Americans.

My entire career — (applause) — my entire career, I’ve only had one client: the people.  (Applause.)  And when I say that — and when I say that, I mean all the people, not just those who share my party affiliation. 

Through all my decades in law enforcement, I never asked a victim or a witness, “Are you a Republican or a Democrat?”  The only question I ever asked was, “Are you okay?”  And that is the kind of president we deserve, and I pledge to you that is the kind of president I will be.  (Applause.) 

Because the president of the United States must not look at our country through the narrow lens of ideology or petty partisanship or self-interest.  The president of the United States must not look at our country as an instrument for their own ambitions. 

Our nation is not some spoil to be won.  The United States of America is the greatest idea humanity ever devised — the nation that inspired the world to believe in the possibilities of a representative government.  And so, in the face of those who would endanger our magnificent experiment, people of every party must stand together.

And let me be clear: Democracy and freedom are not only at stake here at home; they are also at stake around the world.  As president of the United States, I will strengthen, not abdicate America’s global leadership.  (Applause.)

Last week, I met with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy — (applause) — and the message I delivered was the same message I’ve shared with him every time I’ve seen him: I stand with Ukraine, and I always will.  (Applause.)

And I told him, as I have before, I want Ukraine to prevail.  By contrast, in our debate, Donald Trump couldn’t even bring himself to say he wanted Ukraine to win the war — couldn’t even bring himself to say that.

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  A war that Putin, a brutal dictator, launched against a free and independent people.  Trump wants to force Ukraine to give up its sovereign territory, a bedrock principle upon which we stand and fight for.  And you know who else wants them to give up their sovereign —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Putin!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — absolutely — territory.  (Laughter.)  Putin.  Putin.  And that’s not a plan for peace.  It’s a plan for surrender. 

Well, I believe that in the global struggle between tyranny and democracy, the president of the United States must always be on the side of freedom.  (Applause.)

So, we are gathered here today in Ripon, not far, as the congresswoman mentioned, from a small building where the Republican Party was born in 1854.  Liz Cheney stands in the finest tradition of its leaders.  (Applause.)  And if — and if people across Wisconsin and our nation are willing to do what Liz is doing to stand up for the rule of law, for our democratic ideals, and the Constitution of the United States, then together, I know we can chart a new way forward not as members of any one party but as Americans.  (Applause.)  Americans who are united — united in our devotion to the country we love. 

I thank you all.  May God bless you.  And may God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

Thank you all.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)                                END                 5:58 P.M. CDT

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South Lawn

7:14 P.M. EDT

Q    Mr. President, your thoughts on the dockworkers’ agreement?

THE PRESIDENT:  I just spoke with all of your colleagues at the airport.  So, I’m going to repeat myself. 

The dockworkers are going back to work.  And they’ve — the next 90 days, they’re going to settle everything.  (Inaudible.)

But I don’t know whether you got to see it, but I thought Liz Cheney not only did something that took courage, it took physical courage.  It took physical courage.  I admire her.  (Inaudible.)

Her dad and I worked together a long, long time.  She is her father’s daughter. 

Q    What do the states in the storm zone need, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT:  Say it —

Q    What do the states in the storm zone — what do they need after what you saw today?

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, in the storm zone.

Q    Yes, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  I was wondering what storm you’re talking about.  The — they’re getting everything they need.  And they’re very happy across the board.  So, we just got to keep — I’m going to have to go back to the Congress to get some more money for (inaudible).

Q    Mr. President, how confident are you that a full-out, all-out war could be averted in the Middle East?

THE PRESIDENT:  How confident are you it’s not going to rain?  Look, I f- —

Q    What are (inaudible) —

THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t believe there’s going to be an all-out war.  I think we can avoid it.  But there’s a lot — a lot to do yet.  A lot to do yet.

Q    Will there be American troops sent to combat to help Israel? 

THE PRESIDENT:   Go- — gone back to help Israel?

Q    Will there be American troops sent to combat to help Israel?  Yes or no.

THE PRESIDENT:  We’ve already helped Israel.  We’ll continue to.  We’re going to protect Israel.

7:16 P.M. EDT

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Shiloh Pecan Farm
Ray City, Georgia

4:19 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Hey, family.  How you doing?  Good to see you. 

Folks, a week ago, Hurricane Helene became one of the strongest hurricanes ever — ever to hit Florida and this part of Georgia.  Roofs ripped off the buildings; massive trees crashed into powerlines, setting off loss of heat — electricity; flooding wiped out homes.  We were just down in Florida to see homes that were — I mean, just wiped away.  Just — there was an entire island gone. 

Families — they lost everything including — including loved ones, including family members. 

And I know it isn’t the first time.  Just over a year ago, a major hurricane hit these same communities.  A couple months ago, Hurricane Debby did the same thing.  Three in a row.  Three in a row.  You’ve been through hell.  Three in a row. 

And I want you to know: I see you, I hear you, I grieve with you, and I promise you we have your back.  We’re going to stay until you’re restored. 

Earlier today, I was briefed by Florida officials on the damage, and I met with first responders who have been working nonstop to provide aid and support to survivors.  I did a walking tour of Keaton Beach with a bipartisan group of officials to survey what a 15-foot surge — 15-foot surge — some places it went as high as three stories — does to a coastal community. 

Then I came here to Georgia to meet all of you, to see firsthand how you’re doing as well, because we’re really in this together.  We’re — it’s separate states, but we’re the United States of America. 

I want to thank Governor Kemp, who I spoke with again this morning, and Senator Warnock, who is behind me; and Senator [Representative] Austin Scott, Representative Sanford Bishop — old friends.

In moments like this, it’s time to put politics aside.  Again, it’s not one state versus others; it’s the United States.

You know, there’s no Democrats or Republicans out here.  It’s what we do to make sure we are — restore the economy.  Only Americans are here.  And this been — I’ve been committed to being president for all of America. 

In fact, all the major bills we’ve gotten passed, from over a trillion-dollar bill relating to infrastructure to $368 billion bill on — on dealing with climate; a whole range of bills we got passed.  Well, guess what?  The fact of the matter is more money from those bills has been spent in red states — red states than in blue states — more in red states than blue states.  As I said, I — didn’t matter where it was or who needed help.  Not based on party.  Who needed help?

And I mean this sincerely.  Che- — check it out. 

Our job is to help as many people as we can — as many as we can.  And also, by the way, when you do that, I hope we begin to break down this rabid partisanship that exists.  I mean that sincerely.  There’s no rationale for it.  There’s no rationale for it. 

And so, it doesn’t matter who we help; it’s who’s needed help.  And, look, we’re going to help as many people as we can. 

That’s why, days before this storm hit, I pre-positioned extensive resources on the ground throughout the Southeast — extensively — first responders, search and rescue teams, food, water, ambulances. 

Before Helene had made landfall, I also immediately improved [approved] emergency declarations your governor and others asked for and — so all of us could focus on the first responders and standing up emergency operations centers. That was the focus.

And yesterday, I approved governor’s req- — Governor Kemp’s request for a federal government to cover 100 percent — 100 percent of the cost for debris removal, emergency protective measures for three months — 100 percent.  I must tell you, your senator had a little bit to do with that when he called me —

SENATOR WARNOCK:  Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT:  —  beforehand.

But all kidding aside, we’re doing the same for Florida as well, as well as we’re doing for North Carolina. 

Folks, this is going to pay for the urgent work to clear the mud, remove the downed trees, provide temporary housing. 

And on top of this, the Department of Agriculture — and I have with me th- — the secretary of Agriculture today — is on the ground to support farmers, ranchers, and small businesses impacted by this storm. 

And FEMA teams are knocking — literally knocking on doors to register folks so they can receive assistance to buy what they urgently need, from prescription drugs, if they lost everything —

For example, I was just down in — in Florida.  One home — what people really worry the most about is not just losing their home, it’s they lose everything that mattered to them.  They move — they — they — they, you know, lose that picture of their mom and their dad when they were kids.  They look — I mean, all things that are personal.  They look at — at family jewelry, the ring that was — the engagement ring, all those things.

And there was one rescuer who said there was a young family who had — their entire — their entire home was lifted up and taken out into basically what we’d call a bayou — it’s not a bayou, but it’s flat space on — out in the middle of a marsh.  They went out there to cut a road through with their vehicles that they got out there.  They went in, and all they wanted to was re- — just receive — get back what they — they lost.  They lost their home, but they were mor- — even more concerned about the personal things that mattered so much to the families.

And so, this is going to pay, as I said, this 100 percent to clear all the things that are — needed to be cleared. 

And on top of this, the Department of Agriculture is on the ground supporting ranchers, farmers, and small businesses.  And, as I said, the FEMA teams are knocking on doors to register people so they can receive assistance.

Think of all the people out there throughout the country, here in the Southeast, that have lo- — they need prescriptions filled; they don’t have the money.  They’ve lost everything.  They don’t have any way to — to fill their prescriptions.  Or baby formula — they can’t afford it.  They don’t know where to get it — how to get it.

And so, we’re registering folks so they can receive this assistance and buyers — needed things they badly need.

This direct assistance is now being delivered — it’s being now, directly, with more to come. 

But, folks, this entire project is going to cost billions of dollars — not tens of thousands, not millions, not a billion — billions of dollars, because it comes through — it goes through so many states.

You know, and Congress has an obligation, to me — it seems to me to ensure that states have the resources they need. 

Let me close with this.  I’m standing here beside Buck, the owner of this pecan farm.  This afternoon, we — we talked — we got a chance to talk a little bit, and he showed me what he lost — talked about what he lost — and his dad — acres of orchards wiped out, trees uprooted, debris everywhere.  Decades of progress gone in a single instant.  But through it all, Buck hasn’t lost hope. 

In fact, he reminds me of another Georgia farmer who just turned 100 years old.  President Jimmy Carter once said, “Tremendous progress can be made if we persevere through difficult challenges.”  This is a difficult challenge we’re facing.  This storm is extremely difficult for our country. 

To all the first responders, police officers, and volunteers who ran toward danger; to all the survivors and families who had their lives and livelihoods torn apart: We’ve got to get — we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. 

I was with — as I said, I was down in Florida today, and a gentleman walked and he handed me a small pamphlet, a book that his wife had just written about how they lost their son.  Their son died last time out in their home.  You know, a lot of people are in real trouble. 

But I want you know, as I said, we see you, we’re with you, and we’re going to preserve and persevere to get through all of this. 

Because, folks, this is the United States of America.  (Inaudible) we’re the United States of America.  And there’s not a damn thing we can’t get done — nothing beyond our capacity when we work together and put politics aside. 

So, God bless you all. 

And now it’s my honor to introduce Buck, who’s going to say a few words.  Buck, the podium is yours.

(The program continues.)

Q    Mr. President, Speaker Johnson has said a supplemental can wait until after the election.  What kind of timeline do you have in mind, sir? 

THE PRESIDENT:  We can’t wait.  We can’t wait.  People need help now.

Thank you.

Q    Mr. President, some South Georgia counties are still needing approval.  Will that get approved? 

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes.

Q    Yes?

THE PRESIDENT:  We’re going through the process.  It approves almost everything that’s been put forth.  I imagine every country in this state will be funded.

Q    Every county.  Thank you.

4:38 P.M. EDT   

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South Lawn

9:30 A.M. EDT

Q    Mr. President, can the country afford the port strike?  Can the country afford these ships to stay off (inaudible)?

THE PRESIDENT:  I think we’re making progress on that.

Q    How much progress, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  We’ll find out soon.

Q    What kind of sanctions —

Q    Any updates on —

Q    What kind of sanctions are you considering on Iran?  What kind of sanctions are you considering?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll tell them before I tell you.

Q    Did Tim Walz lose the debate?

Q    Any updates on the hostages — on the hostages in Gaza, sir?

Q    Did Tim Walz lose the debate?

THE PRESIDENT:  No, he didn’t.  And, by the way, the other guy lost the debate.  He misrepresented everything, including — anyway, I —

Q    Sir — the hostages in Gaza, sir.  The hostages in Gaza.  Do you have any updates on them?

THE PRESIDENT:  Not — not right now.

(Cross-talk.)

Q    Would you support Israel striking Iran’s oil facilities, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  We’re in discussion of that.  I think — I think that would be a little — anyway.

Q    Do you believe that Donald Trump was acting as a private candidate and not as president when he sought to overturn the 2020 election, as Jack Smith laid out in his filing?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll let Jack Smith make that case.

(Cross-talk.)

Q    (Inaudible) response to the retaliation?  Will you let Israel retaliate?  What are the plans to allow Israel to strike back against Iran?

THE PRESIDENT:  First of all, we don’t allow Israel.  We advise Israel.  And there’s nothing going to happen today.  We’ll talk about that later.

Q    G20 and APEC Summits next month.  Is it a good chance to sit down with President Putin to discuss international security?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m sorry?

Q    G20 and APEC Summits next month.  Is it a good chance to discuss international security and Ukraine with Putin?

THE PRESIDENT:  I doubt whether Putin will show up.

Q    Are you surprised the race between Harris and Trump is so close right now?  Are you surprised?

THE PRESIDENT:  No, I’m not.  It always gets this close.  She’s going to do fine.

9:32 A.M. EDT

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5:05 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Gov.  Good afternoon, everyone.

I don’t have to tell this group that Hurricane Helene has been a storm literally of historic proportions.  The damage is still being assessed but — and many people are still unaccounted for. 

So, I’m here to say the United States, the nation has your back.  The nation has your back.  We’re not leaving until you’re back on your feet completely.

You know, we’re in a situation where earlier this morning I met with state and local police in Greenville, South Carolina.  Then I took an aerial tour of western North Carolina to survey the damage.  And I came here in Raleigh to receive a briefing from all of you and — who have been working nonstop to provide the support that you need and the survivors need. 

You know, it goes — my heart goes out to everyone who has experienced the unthinkable loss.  But we’re here for you. 

And I want to thank Republican governor of South Carolina and the Democratic governor of North Carolina and all of the elected officials who’ve focused on the task at hand.  In a moment like this, we put politics aside.  At least we should put it all aside, and we have here.  There are no Democrats or Republicans; there are only Americans.  And our job is to help as many people as we can as quickly as we can and as thoroughly as we can. 

You know, that’s why even before the storm hit, I directed the entire federal government to use every possible resource to help communities across the nation — across the region get ready.  We deployed over 1,000 first responders throughout the Southeast.  I immediately approved emergency declarations as soon as I received the requests from your governors.  And today, I approved the request of Governor Cooper for the federal government to cover 100 percent — 100 percent of all the costs for debris removal, emergency protective measures for six months — all the costs.  (Applause.)

Well, this — this really matters.

There are 70 North Carolinians who are dead and 100 more who are unaccounted for.  And much of Asheville is underwater. 

It was — I’ve flown over an awful lot of storm-damaged areas since I’ve been president.  Matter of fact, most of — many of them forest fires.  And I — we’ve — with — the FEMA director and I have flown over more — more forest that’s been taken down to the ground because of fires and a whole range of other reasons than makes up the entire state of Maryland.  And — and so, I’ve seen a lot.

But we’re looking at Asheville and just imagining what it must have been like sitting along those rivers and streams as all that rain came down.  What, 19 inches of rain?  Something like that.  An incredible amount of rain.  Watching homes — you could see homes that are moved from — clearly from one side of the river, down the river, to another side of the river.

And I can only imagine what it’s like to have been in one of those homes.  And much of Asheville was underwater.  Much of it was underwater.  What a beautiful, beautiful part of the country.  I’ve been to Asheville before.  It’s a magnificent part of Appalachia.  Much of it was underwater.

Communities like Chimney Rock are reduced to piles of wood and debris.  I mean, that’s — you look down, that’s what you see, as we flew over in the — circled in the helicopter. 

And this is going to pay for — this will pay for the urgent work we need to clear landslides, to provide shelters, and supply food and medicine. 

But today, I’m also directing the Department of Defense to move up 1,000 soldiers to reinforce North Carolina’s National Guard, because they need additional assistance.  These soldiers are out of Fort Liberty here in — right here in North Carolina and are available for responsive operations starting today — starting today. 

They’re going to spend — they’re going to speed up the delivery of lifesaving supplies like food, water, and medicine to isolated communities over what the Pentagon calls “the last tactical mile” — “the last tactical mile.”

Simply put, we’ve got the capabilities to get the job done, and we’re going to get it done as fast as possible.

I’ve also directed the development of Starlink sa- — a deployment of Starlink satellites.  Fifty — fifty are in place right now and more are going to be put in place so people in places like Canton can call for help and reach the ones that love — loved ones who they’re not sure whether anybody on the other end of that phone because there’s no cell service. 

And on top of this, FEMA teams are offering free temporary housing and hotel rooms for eligible residents.  They’re continuing to send helicopters and trucks to deliver hundreds of thousands of meals and liters of water in communities every single day. 

And they’re — and they’re knocking — literally knocking on doors and visiting shelters to register folks so they can receive assistance to buy the urgent needs that they have because they’ve lost everything, like prescriptions and baby formula and essentials.  This is a direct assistance that is being delivered here today, not — not later but today. 

And so — but, folks, it’s going to take — cost us billions of dollars.  It’s going to cost billions of dollars to deal with this storm and all the — all the communities affected.  And Congress has an obligation to ensure the storts — the — the states have the resources they need. 

Let me close with this.  Nobody can deny the impact of climate crisis anymore.  At least I hope they don’t.  They must be brain-dead if they do.  Scientists report that with warming oceans powering more intense rains, storms like Helene are getting stronger and stronger.  Not going to get — they’re not going to get less; they’re going to get stronger.

Today, in North Carolina, I saw the impacts of that fury: massive trees uprooted; homes literally swept off their foundations, swept down rivers; you know, families that are heartbroken. 

But there are also neighbors helping neighbors.  That’s the other thing we were talking about coming over here in a — in an automobile.  It’s amazing when people step up when people are in need, because they’re neighbors.  I think we underestimate that. 

That’s why one of the things I did with all the — all I put in place in terms of everything from the Recovery Act on down is that we have actually invested more funding under my administration in the so-called red states than blue states, because the need was greater; they’re larger states with larger territories. 

Because this — everyone — this is about America.  It’s not about one state or another, Democrat or Republican.  It’s about America. 

Volunteers, first responders are standing side by side, people leaning on each other to pick up the pieces that are left over.  And that’s the best of America. 

I — I firmly believe — and I’m saying this, saying this, saying it for three years — there’s nothing beyond our capacity to do — nothing, nothing, nothing.  This is the United States of America, for God’s sake.  Whenever we work together, we’ve never failed to get something done. 

So, I thank everyone who has been working tirelessly and cold, wet, and hungry to — to get the job done.  And Kamala and I are here until the end. 

And I want to — God bless you all. 

And I’d like to turn it now over to Director Will Ray. 

5:13 P.M. EDT

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Meadowbrook Neighborhood
Augusta, Georgia

4:35 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, I’m here in Augusta to, first and foremost, thank the federal, state, and local leaders.  Mayor, I want to thank you for your leadership, in particular, on the ground.

I am here to personally take a look at the devastation, which is extraordinary, and it is — and particularly devastating in terms of the loss of life that this community has experienced, the loss of normalcy, and the loss of critical resources. 

And so, I’m here today to — to thank all of those who are working to get folks the support and the relief that they so desperately need and so rightly deserve.  And — and that includes the fact that still, in this community, up to 60 percent of the residents here do not have power.  Many have been without running water for at least a couple of days now.  Many are — have water but no hot water.

I was just talking with one of the members of the community and her daughter who lost her husband.  And — and there is real pain and trauma that has resulted because of this — this hurricane and what has happened in terms of the aftermath of it. 

I do want to acknowledge and thank the first responders, who have been extraordinary.  Having met with them, they are the kind of folks that are the heroes in moments of crisis who do extraordinary work that is about lifting up other people.

As it relates in particular to the leaders who are here and doing that work, including the first responders, most of them, as it relates to the local folks, are folks who have personally and their families have personally experienced loss and devastation.  And yet they leave their home, leave their family to go to centers like where I was earlier to do the work of helping perfect strangers. 

And it really does highlight the nobility of the kind of work that these public servants have dedicated themselves to, which can be, in moments of crisis like this, so selfless in the way that they do that work.

The president and I have been paying close attention from the beginning to what we need to do to make sure the federal resources hit the ground as quickly as possible, and that includes what was necessary to make sure that we provided direct federal assistance.  And that work has been happening. 

I want to thank the governor for his leadership and his close coordination with the federal government, with our administration.  And I want to thank the local leaders for, together, creating a task force-like response, knowing that we are at our best when we work together and coordinate resources, coordinate our communications to the maximum effect for the community that has been impacted.

And the federal relief and assistance that we have been providing has included FEMA providing $750 for folks who need immediate needs being met, such as food, baby formula, and the like.  And you can apply now. 

For anyone who is watching this, who has been affected, there are FEMA personnel who are going door — door to door to interact personally with folks, especially those who do not have electricity.  But also, that — that aid, — if you have electricity, can be applied for online, and I encourage people to do that.  FEMA will just basically verify your address, and then the process should take hold. 

FEMA is also providing tens of thousands more dollars for folks to help them be able to deal with home repair, to be able to cover a deductible when and if they have insurance, and also hotel costs. 

Today, I’m also announcing that the president has approved the governor’s request for 100 percent federal reimbursement of local costs. 

And, Mayor, as you have pointed out, the — the burden to local governments, including state — the state government, is — is pretty immense.  And so, by announcing today and — and making the dedicated resources to cover 100 percent of local costs will have a huge impact on our ability to get relief to people as quickly as possible. 

And that will include, for example, what the federal government will do to reimburse local and state governments around issues like debris removal, which you can see just up and down this street, much less in other areas of the state and in the region, this is a big issue.  I was speaking with one of the residents of the community who needs that big tree removed so she can actually get to work and — and make sure that her child is able to get to school when the schools reopen.  So, this is a very big part of the recovery process. 

That money of the federal reimbursement will also help with emergency services that are now being provided by the state so that they can be reimbursed and then have the resources to keep providing those emergency services. 

Also, we will be covering the local government costs for food, wa- — water, and shelter — again, resources that are desperately needed by the members of this community. 

And so, my final point to the — to the residents of this community and — and the region is that we are here for the long haul.  There is the work that we have done together that was the immediate response — well, preparation for and then the immediate response after.  But there’s a lot of work that’s going to need to happen over the coming days, weeks, and months.  And the coordination that we have dedicated ourselves to will be long-lasting to get families, to get residents, to get neighborhoods back up and running. 

And — and my last point is this.  I think that in these moments of hardship, one of the beauties about who we are as a country is — is people really rally together and show the best of who they are in moments of crisis.  And we have seen that throughout the region where communities are coming together; where — where people are helping perfect strangers; where they are providing food, wa- — water, shelter for their neighbors, and that neighbor may be somebody they’ve never met before but are doing the work of helping each other out. 

And I think it really highlights the fact that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us and that the best of — the strength of who we are is we come to each other’s aid in a time of need. 

So, I thank everyone for doing that kind of work every day.

And with that, there is more work to be done.  Thank you all.  Thank you.  Thank you.

Q    Do you have an update on the death toll, Madam Vice President, or on people who are missing?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I — I did receive updates in terms of what’s happening in the state.  And — and so far, the number looks to be 33.  The — the mayor was just sharing with me —

PARTICIPANT:  Seven in Ri- — Augusta-Richmond County alone.  Seven.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Seven alone in August-Richmond County.  So, the numbers are coming in.  And part of the challenge of being accurate at this moment is that there are still so many areas that are remote, also rural areas, areas that are not easily accessible.  So, the assessment of the damage is being done across the board.  And, of course, the — the highest priority is to locate and determine individuals, people who are in need and making sure we’re getting to them as quickly as possible. 

     Thank you. 
    

                             END                4:44 P.M. EDT

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