The Young Turks - Part 2: Day 4 of 2020 DNC

Episode Date: October 8, 2020

Part 2: Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian breakdown day 4 of the 2020 DNC.  Speakers: Senator Cory Booker, Governor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Tammy Baldwin, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Senator Chris Coons, Senator Kamala Harris, The Biden Family, and Vice President Joe Biden  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to The Young Turks, the online news show. Make sure to follow and rate our show with not one, not two, not three, not four, but five stars. You're awesome. Thank you. Anyway, at least she talked about policy. And to finish that thought up, I want to go back to Cory Booker and the 5.4 million people who've lost their health insurance. I'm glad Cory Booker mentioned it. I thought he should have, if anything, emphasizes them more. But good, great, wonderful.

That's a stat, that's a policy matter. And I love it when every time they bring that out. But Joe Biden's against Medicare for all. So under Joe Biden, they won't have health issues. They just won't. Okay, so now look, you've touched a nerve and I'm trying really hard not to be negative the entire night. But I can't help it, right? Because what that communicates to me And to everyone else who's lost their health insurance, by the way, is that Democrats acknowledge the problem. They know what the issue is. It's just that they're unwilling to do what's necessary to solve it, right? So, you know, but the public option in our system of government, where legalized bribery takes priority over everything else, will be insufficient. A public

option will be underfunded, it will be dismantled, it will not be enough. So their answer is, no, no, no, we want to protect private insurance and then give you an underfunded crappy option that isn't going to give you what you need to stay alive in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. And so I can't help but listen to that speech and get super irritable, right? And it's It's hard for me to sit here and be like positive about this night and the previous three nights. All three nights were awful. Tonight so far pretty bad.

Because I haven't really heard anything that makes me believe that they're actually gonna fight for us. Yeah, now let us whisper of a dream that it didn't happen this time or last time, but one day it will happen because just like the Republicans' days are numbered, the establishment days are numbered, all the young are progressive. So imagine a convention where speaker after speaker comes out and talks about policy, but connects it to your life. That's the whole point of policy and says, if you elect us, if you're a minimum wage worker,

we're going to double your salary. We're going to more than double it from $7.25 to $15. Imagine that. Is that amazing? And if you're one of the 5.4 million people who don't have health issues anymore, boom, you get it automatically. Medicare for all, you're automatically in. You never have to worry about it again.

You have any idea? Then you don't have to text 303300 to anyone, because people are like, where do I go to vote? Where do I go to vote? My family never has to worry about health care again instead of, well, I mean, you maybe get a public option, but later and then kind of with three asterisks. Anyway, here's Tammy Duckworth. I commanded my own air assault unit, learning that serving and leading in the military is both a privilege and a sacrifice. To be a commander, you must always put your troops first, because one day you may order them to sacrifice everything for our great nation. To do that, leaders must command their troops' respect and be worthy of their pledge to protect and defend

our Constitution no matter the cost. But military service doesn't just take sacrifice from those in uniform. It's required from their families too. My husband, Brian, was the one who rushed to Walter Reed after I was wounded in Iraq. He was the one holding my hand, waiting for me to wake up. And when I finally did, he was my rock, getting me through those hours, weeks, months of unspeakable pain and unending surgeries. He was my anchor as I relearned to walk, helping me through every step and every stumble. Our military spouses hold their families together, praying for their loved ones' safety wherever they're deployed and serving as caregivers to our disabled service members and then picking up the pieces and starting again whenever the next tour or the

next war arises. Joe Biden understands these sacrifices because he's made them himself. When his son Bo deployed Iraq, his burden was also shouldered by his family. Joe knows the fear military families live because he's felt that dread of never knowing if your deployed loved one is safe. He understands their bravery because he has had to muster that same strength. every hour of every day Bo was overseas. That's the kind of leader our service members deserve, one who understands the risks they face and who would actually protect them

by doing his job as commander-in-chief. Instead, they have a coward-in-chief who won't stand up to Vladimir Putin, read his daily intelligence briefings, or even publicly admonish adversaries for reportedly putting bounties on our troops' heads. As president, Joe Biden would never let tyrants manipulate him like a puppet. He would never pervert our military to stroke his own ego.

He would never turn his back on our troops or threaten them against Americans peacefully exercising their constitutional rights. Joe Biden would stand up for what's right, stand tall for our troops, and stand strong against our enemies. Because unlike Trump, Joe Biden has common decency. He has common sense. He can command both from experience and from strength. Donald Trump doesn't deserve to call himself commander in chief for another four minutes, let alone another four years. Our troops deserve better. Our country deserves better.

If you agree, text more to 30330 to elect Joe Biden, a leader who actually cares enough about America to lead. Good evening. I'm Bo Biden, and Joe Biden is my dad. Some voices are never silenced. Some work never ceases to change lives. Some people never stop inspiring even after they're gone. Bo Biden was a husband, father, brother, son, soldier, attorney. General. He was given just 46 years on this earth. He did in 46 years what most of us couldn't do in 146.

Think about the day that dawns for children who are safer because of both, whose lives are full because of him. Think about the day the dawns for parents who rest easier and families who are freer because of him. Some folks may never know

that their lives are better because of Bo Biden, but that's okay. Certainly for Boe, claim was never the point of public service. If you knew Bo, you knew he lived by the strictest code of honor, duty, service, country. You never had to ask if he would do something the right way. He didn't know any other way. Bo didn't cut corners.

He turned down an appointment to be Delaware as Attorney General so he could win it fair and square. When the field was clear for him to run for the Senate, he chose to finish his job as AG instead. After 9-11, he joined the National Guard. He felt it was his obligation. He did his duty to his country and deployed to Iraq. Beau Biden served his country in battle. He prosecuted one of the worst child predators in American history.

And even though he is no longer with us, every day he still inspires the next president of the United States. It won't be possible for me to be here. year this fall. So I have something to ask of you. Be there for my dad, like he was for me. A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. Okay, I never don't tear up when I hear about Bobin. And I don't know if it's because I got a son or I got kids, but, uh, I never, I never don't tear up when I hear about Bobin. Um, and I don't know if it's because I got a son son or I got kids, but, uh,

So that's one of the upsides of the Bidens is that their love for each other appears to be very genuine. And so not a lot of genuine things about politicians. So it's nice to at least see that. As I said the other night, at least with Jill Biden, you're going to have a first lady who's not physically repulsed by the idea of holding her husband's hand. So it's going to be a little bit different. I mean, anyway. So it's even when he was alive before he had cancer, every time Joe Biden spoke about Bo Biden, he was just gushing with pride. So having known that, because I'm neck deep in politics.

So I knew that whole relationship and all of that. And then to see him lose his son like that, it was devastating. All right, let's go to a word salad. When you put your life on the line for this country, you do it not because it's the country you live in, but because it's a country you believe in. I believe in this country because America uniquely holds the promise of a place where everyone can belong. We know that for too many and for too long, that promise has been denied. But we also know America is at its best when we make that circle of belonging wider. Just over 10 years ago, I joined a military where

firing me because of who I am wasn't just possible. It was policy. Now, in 2020, it is unlawful in America to fire someone because of who they are or who they love. The very ring on my finger, a wedding we celebrated, here where I'm standing, reflects how this country can change. Love makes my marriage real. But political courage made it possible, including that of Joe Biden, who stepped out ahead even of this party when he said that marriage equality ought to be the law of the land. There is a long way to go. But if this much can change between 2010 and 2020, imagine what could change between now

and 2030. Imagine what we could achieve this coalition we are building this very season, gathering progressives and moderates, independence, and even what I like to call future former Republicans standing for an America where everyone belong. Joe Biden is right. This is a contest for the soul of the nation. And to me, that contest is not between good Americans and evil Americans. It's the struggle to call out what is good in every American. It's up to us. It's up to us. Will America be a place where faith is about healing and not exclusion? Can we become a country that lives up to the truth that black lives matter?

Will we handle questions of science and medicine by turning to scientists and doctors? Will we see to it that no one who works full-time can live in poverty? I trust Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to guide us toward that better future. future, because I've seen up close their empathy and their capacity. Just as I've seen my fellow Americans' capacity to support and include one another in new ways and do better by the promise of America. The day I was born, the idea of an out-candidate seeking any federal office at all was laughable. Yet earlier this year, I campaigned for the presidency, often with my husband Chastin at my side, winning delegates to this very convention. Now I come to this convention

proudly supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, joining fellow Democrats who were squaring off in competition just a few months ago. A number of us recently got together to talk about the Joe we know. Hi, I'm Corey Booker. Welcome to everybody at home. I am very excited to present. to you a group of people that ran in the 2020 Democratic primary against Joe Biden. You could think of this sort of like survivor on the out interviews of all the people that got voted off the island. Bernie, Bernie, don't you laugh because I got questions for you like, why does my girlfriend like you more than she likes me?

But let's move on. Because she's smarter than you. And that's the obvious answer, right? Hey, I'm curious because Senator Sanders and Senator Colbuchar, you actually served with Joe Biden in the Senate. I'm wondering if you have any memories of what he was like as a colleague in the Senate. Well, I remember one night when I was giving one of those floor speeches, and Corey, you know what this is like. No one was there. No one was watching.

I was all alone and I gave my speech, which much vigor to a completely empty chamber. And I walked out of there and I thought, I wonder if my mom was even watching this on C-SPAN. And at that moment, the cell phone rings. And I actually thought maybe my mom was watching it on C-SPAN. And you know who it was? It was Joe Biden. And that kind of goes to not only his kindness for calling me and being a mentor, but it also goes to how much he cares about a government and what people are saying.

And that even when he's at home at night, he's watching and he cares. But, Amy, we all want to know, did your mother watch the speech? You remember the steak fry when we were waiting to go on? It worked out to where I was there the same time he was. And he pulled me aside at one point, and he pointed to somebody who we both knew who was working on my campaign, but he'd known from before. And let me know that that was somebody who'd gone through a family tragedy that Joe somehow knew about. And just thought it was important for me to know that.

about someone who is working with me. And over time, I realized that that was just basic to who he is, but that always stuck with me. Elizabeth, do you have any remembrances as well? I think the day I saw Joe, the clearest, was on the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. And everyone, of course, was enormously honored to have the vice president here. But at some point in that speech, he shifted to the parent.

who had lost a child, to the man who had lost a wife, to someone who had experienced loss very personally. And he spoke to each of the families from the heart. That's phenomenal. I want to ask, what gets you excited about this idea of the inclusion of big ideas from all over the party into the future and to the next administration. The magic of Joe Biden is that everything he does becomes the new reasonable. If he comes with an ambitious plan to address climate change, all of a sudden, everyone's going to follow his lead. You can see it with him choosing Kamala too.

He wants to build the best team. Let's do it together. That's how we're going to rebuild this country. Corey, I'm so optimistic about our country right now, despite some very dark days for a lot of our fellow Americans. in large part because of what young people are doing right now. After the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and Brianna Taylor and George Floyd, young people by and large led these protests,

and they did so in the absolute best traditions of this country, the tradition of John Lewis. My optimism and my faith in this country is reflected in those young people and the way that Joe and Kamala are listening to them and incorporating their ideas and their urgency into the campaign that they're running and the administration that they're going to lead. And I often think some people who say they don't know if they're going to vote or not are saying that from a point of privilege that a lot of Americans don't have.

There are so many things for lots of folks who live life on the margins that this election is going to decide. And maybe it's not a life or death issue for you. But we are all in this together. Absolutely. Corey, what I would say is that this is clearly the most of the most of the moment. most important election in the modern history of this country. And Joe Biden, you have a human being who is empathetic, who is honest, who is decent. And at this particular moment in American

history, my God, that is something that this country absolutely needs. And all of us, whether your progressives, whether you're moderates or conservatives, have got to come together to defeat this president. Thanks for that, Bernie. I want to thank you all for joining us for this segment. I mean this sincerely, it was an honor to run against you. And it is even a greater honor to stand with you in support of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Good evening. I've never been much for partisan politics.

I've supported Democrats, Republicans, and independents. Hell, I've actually been a Democrat, Republican, and Independent. It's all about people, and the two people running for president couldn't be more different. One believes in facts, one does not. One listens to experts. The other thinks he knows everything. One looks forward and sees strength in America's diversity. The other looks backwards and sees immigrants as enemies and white supremacists as allies.

Here's another difference. One is proven he knows how to handle a crisis by helping to lead the economic turnaround after the 2008 recession, while the other has not only failed to lead, he has made the current crisis much worse. When confronted with the biggest calamity any president has faced in the modern era, Donald Trump spent the year downplaying the threat, ignoring science, and recommending quack cures, which let COVID-19 spread much faster than it should of, leaving hundreds of thousands needlessly sick or dead. He has failed the American people catastrophically.

Four years ago, I came before this very convention and said, New Yorkers know a con when we see one. But tonight, I'm not asking you to vote against Donald Trump because he's a bad guy. I'm urging you to vote against him because he's done a bad job. Today, unemployment is at historic highs, and small businesses are struggling just to survive. It didn't have to be this way. Before I ran for mayor, I spent 20 years running a business I started from scratch. So I want to ask small business owners and their employees one question, and it's a question for everyone.

Would you rehire or work for someone who ran your business into the ground? and who always does what's best for him or her, even when it hurts the company, and whose reckless decisions put you in danger, and who spends more time tweeting than working? If the answer is no, why the hell would we ever rehire Donald Trump for another four years? Trump says we should vote for him because he's a great businessman? Really? he drove his companies into bankruptcy six times, always leaving behind customers and contractors who were cheated and swindled and stopped doing business with him. Well, this time, all of us

are paying the price, and we can't let him get away with it again. Donald says we should vote for him because the economy was great before the virus. Huh? Biden and Obama created more jobs over their last three years than the Trump administration did over their first three. An economic growth was higher under Biden and Obama than under Trump. In fact, while Biden helped save one million auto industry jobs, Trump has lost 250,000 manufacturing jobs. So when Trump says he wants to make America great again, he's making a pretty good case for Joe Biden. Look, our goal shouldn't be to bring back the pandemic economy. It should be, as Joe says, to build it back better.

Joe's economic plan will create clean energy jobs that help fight another crisis that Trump is ignoring climate change. And Joe will rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges, something Trump has incessantly talked about doing. But in the last three and a half years, he hasn't done anything. What a joke. And let me tell you a little cigarette. Donald Trump's economic plan was to give a huge tax cut to guys like me who didn't need it and then lie about it to everyone else. Well, Joe will roll back that tax cut that I got so we can fund things our whole country needs,

like training for adults who have lost jobs and making college more affordable and investing in American research and development so that the products of tomorrow are made today, by American workers. You know, growing up, I was taught to believe that America is the greatest country in the world. Not because we won the Second World War, but because of why we fought it for freedom, democracy, and equality. My favorite childhood book was called Johnny Tremaine about a Boston boy who joins the Sons of Liberty at the dawn of the American Revolution. At the end of the book, Johnny stands on Lexington Commons and sees a Boston boy who joins. a nation that is, quote, green with spring, dreaming of the future.

That's the America I know and love. And that's the America we are in danger of losing under this president. So let's put an end to this whole sorry chapter in American history and elect leaders who will bring integrity and stability, sanity, and competence back to the White House. Joe and Kamala, go get them for all of us. Okay, so they're about to go to a Biden family video and then they're going to go to Biden themselves. So we're almost done. I'm going to shock the world. I actually really like that Bloomberg speech. I thought- Oh my God, Jay. Yeah, no, no. Why do you do this to yourself? It was awful, why? Okay, I just, you know what? I'm not going to try to say,

to save you. You do you, boo. Okay. You do you, boo. I know, I will. So by the way, speaking of like, I'm not trying to save you or whatever. So conservatives are trying to cancel me today, which is hilarious. And so this entire convention, there's a subtext that I've been meaning to tell you about the whole time. So I was kidding around earlier about being trending on Twitter and I am. But the convention kept knocking me off and then I'd make a comeback. And every Every time I made a comeback, my phone's notifications will start going crazy again. And then, so I was going to tell you guys, just go on Twitter and write jank. Because the only thing that trends is just the word jank, right?

But I think I got knocked off by for good with Kierkegaard. Why is Kierkegaard trending? I have no idea. And it was, it was fun. But no, Anna, you're like, I don't care what anybody says about my tweet or about my comments. No, he hit Trump. He hit him hard. I guarantee you that Trump will go after Mike Bloomberg the most tonight. Guaranteed. It got under every nerve he's got under his skin. So I don't want to miss the video. If that comes up, Asher will bring it up. Okay. But so is this the Biden family video? It might be. Let's listen for a second. I think this is grandson. Before talking about something normal, like going to the movies.

We all want the world to feel better. We need the world to feel better. I'm just a regular kid, and in a short amount of time, Joe Biden made moving more confident about something that's bothered me my whole life. Joe Biden cared. Imagine what he could do for all of us. Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to. Someone who cares.

someone who will make our country and the world feel better. We're counting on you to elect Joe Biden. The first time I met Joe, I was really new at my synagogue. And I had to do a funeral service and a Shiva. And towards the end of the service. Okay, no, it turns out of these oriandos. So that kid, it was talking about his stuttering problem. Joe Biden had a stuttering problem.

And so apparently he talked to the kid about his stuttering problem, made it feel better. That's a wonderful story, but it's not that important. So I'm just keeping it real, that's my job. So I want to go back to the Cory Booker-led survivor panel. First of all, how funny is Bernie? So he had all the best lines and he was genuinely funny when he's relaxed. And then except for Klobuchar, who's accidentally the funniest because she's like, I was giving a speech where nobody was there, nobody was listening.

Corey, you know how that's like. You're like, what? Cory Booker out of the bus. That was good, I like that. That's funny. All right, and I, all right, here's the actual Biden family. so much more analysis afterwards. Usually it's like vanilla.

With chocolate sprinkled, with chocolate sprinkles. Vanilla on a regular night. No, no, chocolate chippin. Chocolate and the briars that have half chocolate, half vanilla. He likes ice cream in hidden ways. Eating it, like, in the freezer so that, like, my grandma doesn't see. He, like, hides it. How often does it call you?

Like, every day. Yeah, every day. Like, if we don't talk to him for, like, a day, he'll ask what's wrong. Yeah, he'll think we're like, not a lot. He always calls with the same energy even after he's just done 15 interviews in a row.

Hi, Pop. I was just talking about you. I don't necessarily pick up every day, but I have a lot of voicemails. He will pick up our calls no matter where he is. He'd be like on stage giving a speech and we'd call him and he'd be like, what's wrong? Is everything good?

I'd be like, just fine to check in. What does the word family mean to you? It's a lot of time together. It's like we've grown up together. He's made sure that every single tradition, every holiday, we're all together. I don't think that there's been any decision no matter how big or small that we haven't decided as a family. Pa told us that this election would be totally different from any other election ever.

He was worried how it would affect his kids, whether or not we wanted to go through another campaign and be screwed. scrutinized by the press. There had been talks of a big meeting coming. It's normally called by the parents, I would say, but this time it was called by me. I came down from Penn, and Maisie came up from D.C., and my cousins lived down the road.

He thought we were calling a meeting sort of to, like, discuss, you know, whether or not we wanted him to, but really we were calling it to be like, get in that race. We just knew that he had to run, and we weren't going to take no as an answer. At the end of the day, I think we're all very happy we had that meeting. All right, well, when you get back there, give me a call. Tell me how the whole thing went, okay?

Okay, I will. I love you, baby. I love you, too. We want to ensure that our kids live in a nation that is safe, happy, healthy, and fair. And so this election... We're voting for Joe Biden. Let's have a conversation with these kids. Let's do it.

So let's jump right in, shall we? Who does jump in me? Mommy, I can't be quiet. Why? I don't want you to be quiet. You deserve to speak and say whatever it is that comes to your mind in this moment right now. Every election is important. This upcoming election is especially important.

One, because the social injustices right now, racial inequality, but also because we have children. Excuse me, mommy? Yes. Okay, that's a really cute video with the Curries. And I just found out the other day that Golda State finished last in their conference, which I was blown away by. I know they got injuries and lost to rant, but what the hell? Anyway, so I love that granddaughter piece. There's the reason why I wanted to watch the family stuff. They're not lying, and that's amazing. He calls his granddaughters every single day.

There's four of them. I couldn't get anything else done. So I got, I'm, look, I get it for him, family is, you know, like family's precious for all of us, but he's lost so many family members. That's probably what's driving him to call all the time, but that's so sweet. I don't know that it matters, I'd much rather have him be sweet to your family by giving your Medicare for all, but at least like I keep saying it's that, antidote to Trump, because Trump is a guy with no empathy. Joe Biden is a guy with over the top empathy, unless you're not in the room with him and you're young. And give me a break, give me a break with the young, got no empathy. But anyway, other than that, he's got tremendous

empathy. And so at least, at least that's nice. This is really, this seems definitely pointless. Anyway, yes. So when, when the other, When Amy Klobuchar, I said, you know, I didn't think anybody was watching on C-SPAN, then I get a call, and it's, and I thought for sure she was going to say, and it's Michael Schor. Michael Schur watches C-SPAN 24-7. He's watching C-SPAN right now. He's got two TVs on. He's got the convention and C-SPAN going on at the same time.

Anyway, so, and by the way, if you missed the reference that Cory Booker said, where he said, And my girlfriend likes you more than she likes me to Bernie Sanders. Because his girlfriend is Rosario Dawson, who's an awesome progressive and probably did vote for Bernie Sanders over Cory Booker. So we mentioned earlier in the broadcast about the one time I got arrested doing civil disobedience. That was to get money out of politics in DC. And Rosario Dawson also was at that protest.

So she's a real awesome progressive. So there was a moment, I forget who said it was Buttigieg or something. So no, it was Andrew Yang. He said if Joe Biden puts his mind to it, he can make anything seem normal like fighting climate change. And I thought, well then I hope he puts his mind to it because getting his back into the Paris course ain't going to get it done. wildfires in Serbia, not Serbia, Siberia, right, like massive fires in Siberia. It's unprecedented.

So please put your mind to it. If Joe Biden had the right policies, he'd be great. I don't need to someone inspiring me all the time. You know, lovable, empathetic guy with great policies. I'll take it. In fact, that sounds like Bernie. But unfortunately he doesn't. Okay, I got I got to read you two quick comments here before Biden comes on, and we're gonna have analysis of all the speeches. I'm gonna tell you why I like Bloomberg speech so much. I know that's shocking. And we're gonna go to this in a second. Brandon Statsnay said this is great and all, but I'm more excited for their commentary next week. Time to Slay. This is on YouTube super chat. And Kyle Lindgren said, need a TYT t-shirt, good trouble. Kyle, awesome suggestion. Thank you

you for using YouTube Super Chat, and we'll actually definitely consider that. And go. They've got to say it matters. He'll treat everyone with respect, no matter who you are. He'll get up no matter how many times he's been knocked down. He'll be the worst enemy any bully ever saw. He'll be the best friend you've ever had. He'll love you with all of his heart. And if you give him your cell phone number, he's going to call it. How do we know? Because he's been that way our whole lives. He's been a great father. And we think he'll be a great president.

Bo isn't with us any longer. But he is still very much alive in our hearts. And we can still hear his strong voice. Just like it was yesterday. Just like it was yesterday. In 2008 and 2012, he introduced our dad at those conventions. And if he was here, we're pretty sure we'd know what he'd say.

So before we show you a film about our dad's journey, we wanted to give Bo the last word. Bo? Bo, take it away. In moments, both public and private, he's the father I've always known, the grandfather, my children love and adore. My father, my hero, Joe Biden. Our lives have been turned upside down,

shattered and shaken and shaken. But the American story has had moments like this before. And he was there answering the call. When we came into office in 2009, we were going through what was then the worst financial and economic crisis since the Great Depression. The economy was hemorrhaging hundreds of thousands of jobs a week. People were losing their homes to foreclosure. The financial system was in tatters. Auto sales had dropped to near zero levels.

The auto companies face bankruptcy. And many said let them fail. But Joe remembered his father and what it meant to lose a job. The Finnegan's and Bidens were Irish Catholic. Joe was there first and then his sister Valerie from the moment I opened my eyes my big brother was there

the thing that was most important was family and family and family as the post-war boom faded Joe's father struggled to find work in Scranton. But 140 miles south, there was a job cleaning boilers in Wilmington. There was a long stairway up to the second floor. Dad went up to Joey in our bedroom

and saying, Joey, you ought to be a big boy. For the first time, Joe saw the heavy burden on a father, and it was a lesson he would never forget. The job is a lot more than a paycheck is about dignity. The country was losing tens of thousands of jobs a day, and they needed three votes to pass the economic rescue package. Joe Biden was handled the task of going to get those three Republican votes. Joe returned to the place where he had been so effective.

Passionate argument, a sympathetic listening, a willingness to make adjustments and accommodations to bring people on board. When the law finally passed, the president tapped his partner to run the program. Joe tracked every dollar calling mayors and governors. Talking to them on the phone one-on-one. He gave all of them his cell phone. And I watched him bring his heart to that job. It matters that you have in your mind the family that you're trying to.

to reach the neighborhood that you're trying to reach the people whose lives are affected by what you do. The skills that had made him so effective had not come easy. When he entered school, there was a problem. Joe had a stutter. And it's mortifying. It allows that child become an object to ridicule. When his teacher mimicked him and Joe ran home from school, his mother drove him back. Did you say to my son, Mr. Bubba Biden, the nuns said, I was just trying to make a point. My mother stood up, all five foot two of her. Did you ever talk to my son like that again? I'll come back and rip that damn bonnet off your head.

Do you understand me? Joey, go back to class. Joe resolved to overcome his stutter. Some letters are harder than others. And I used to get up at night and go stand in front of the mirror with a flashlight and practice. She'd make me look her in the eye. Look at me. Remember, Joey. You're the smartest boy in that class. Nobody's better than you, Joey. From having to deal with stuttering, it gave me insight into other people's pain, other people suffering. At 19, Joe sought out a summer job that few of his peers considered taking. He was a lifeguard along with the black lifeguard. That's my first scene, Joe, and we became friends.

It was one of the best things ever done, because it gave me a sense that we really didn't know one of them. After Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, riots broke out in Wilmington, and the National Guard stayed for almost a year. I quit the law firm and asked for a job to become a public defender. That's what sort of got me involved in politics. Thanks. Jay Caleb Boggs was a popular war hero in a solidly Republican state, and few took Joe's campaign seriously. In Delaware, the Democratic Party was non-functional.

When it got time to put up a candidate, they didn't want to touch it. This young upstart, Joe Biden, who had a lot of ideas and no money, no influence, the party said, okay, well then go ahead, Biden, give it a world. That's all I can ask. Look, if you like you can see, help me out, if not go for the other fellow. Look me over, if you would. You know, we'd have a coffee, and we'd come out on that. We'd have five more coffees.

He was very articulate on the issues. He brought people to say, not just that, well, I agree with what you're doing, is, you know, what can I do to help? Delaware is the first state. Jay Caleb Boggs, who is the incumbent Republican, being challenged by Joseph Biden. Biden is a Democrat who's 29 years of age.

But exhilaration soon turned to tragedy. I mean, it was clear he had decided that I'm not going to be a senator, that the boys need me too much. I was prepared to walk away in 1973. The men like Ted Kennedy and Mike Mansfield and you were at Humphrey and Fritz Hollings and Danny and Hawaii. They convinced me to stay. To stay six months, Joe, remember?

to stay six months. He couldn't allow the suffering to debilitate him. That's like he couldn't allow the stuttering to define him. That's the backbone. There's something bigger than Joe's suffering. The Senate turned out to be a wonderful place for him. He had a real gift for bringing people together. The three of them had a bond that was forged in sorrow and expanded into joy when Jill entered.

They had built this beautiful family, this circle of trust. And then the extra gift of Ashley. Growing up, it was full of adventure, laughter. We do everything as a family, and we've always done everything as a family. He was always a good, loving father. I mean, there's nothing more important to Joe than his children. It's hard to explain how ever present he was in our lives. You don't have to guess what my dad believes.

A great benefit of being my father is that he doesn't have to contort himself into different people at different times. Bow was going to do fine things. I mean, he had it all, and then he got sick. The whole world tilted, and it felt like we were all falling off. Once again, Joe faced the unimaginable. My mother, she said, bravery resides in every heart, and someday it will be summoned. The way he survived losing my mom and my sister,

and then losing my brother, is understanding that you have to have purpose. Every day I get up, I ask myself, I hope he's proud of me, because that's the thing that makes me move on. From his time in the Senate and then the White House, Joe always found a way forward, forging unlikely friendships and alliances and time after time he made progress possible and always holding in his heart

the struggles of his family and every family always fighting to make his country home it's a very rare quality to bring your empathy skills to the process of governing Joe Biden never forgets that that's the point of moving the

of government. He will keep his word. He will reach out and hear what other people have to say. To have somebody who believes in what's best in us, somebody like Joe Biden who actually believes in the American idea, that's the kind of person who I won the lawyers. Good evening. Ella Baker, a giant of the civil rights movement, left us with this wisdom. Give people light, and they will find the way. Give people light. Those are words for our time.

The current president has cloaked American darkness for much too long. Too much anger, too much fear, too much division. Here and now, I give you my. word. If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I'll be an ally of the light, not the darkness. It's time for us, for we the people to come together and make no mistake. United, we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America. We'll choose hope over fear, facts over fiction, fairness over privilege. I'm a proud Democrat. And I'll be proud to carry the banner of our party into the general election. So it's with great honor and humility. I accept this nomination for president

for the United States of America. But while I'll be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president. I'll work hard for those who didn't support me, as hard for them as I did for those who did vote for me. That's the job of a president to represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment.

So one with the calls for hope and light and love, hope for our future, light to see our way forward and love for one another. America isn't just a collection of clashing interest of red states or blue states, we're so much bigger than that, we're so much better than that. No, nearly a century ago, Franklin Roosevelt pledged a new deal in a time of massive unemployment, uncertainty, and fear. Stricken by a disease, stricken by a virus, FDR insisted that he

would recover and prevail, and he believed America could as well. And he did, and we can as well. Well, this campaign isn't just about winning votes. It's about winning the heart and, yes, the soul of America. Winning it for the generous among us, not the selfish. Wanting it for workers who keep this country going, not just the privilege few at the top. Winning it for those communities who have known the injustice of a knee on the neck. All the young people have known only America being in rising in equity. and shrinking opportunity, they deserve the experience of America's promise.

They deserve to experience it in full. You know, no generation ever knows what history will ask of it. All we can ever know is whether we're ready when that moment arrives. And now history has delivered us to one of the most difficult moments America's ever faced. four, four historic crises, all at the same time, a perfect storm, the worst pandemic in over 100 years, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the most compelling call for racial justice since the 60s, and the undeniable realities and just the accelerating threats of climate change. So the question for us is simple. Are we ready? I believe. I believe

believe we are. We must be. You know, all elections are important. We know in our bones, this one is more consequential. As many have said, America is at an inflection point, a time of real peril, but also of extraordinary possibilities. We can choose a path of becoming angrier, less hopeful, more divided, a path of shadow and suspicion, or we can choose a different path and together take this chance to heal, to reform, to unite, a path of hope and light. This is a life-changing election. This will determine what America is going to look like for a long, long time. Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot.

Decency, science, democracy, they're all on the ballot. Who we are as a nation. What we stand for. Most importantly, who we want to be. That's all on the ballot. And the choice could not be more clear. No rhetoric is needed. Just judge this president on the facts.

Five million Americans infected by COVID-19. More than 170,000 Americans have died. By far, the worst performance of any nation on earth. More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year. More than 10 million people are going to lose their health insurance this year. Nearly one in six small businesses have closed this year. And this president, if he's reelected, you know what will happen. Cases and deaths will remain far too high.

More mom and pop businesses will close their doors and this time for good. working families will struggle to get by and yet the wealthiest 1% will get tens of billions of dollars in new tax break and the assault on the Affordable Care Act will continue until it's destroyed taking insurance away from more than 20 million people

including more than 15 million people on Medicaid and getting rid of the protections that President Obama worked so hard to get passed for people who have 100 million more people who have pre-existing conditions. And speaking of President Obama, a man I was honored to serve alongside for eight years as vice president. Let me take this moment to say something. We don't say nearly enough. Thank you, Mr. President. You were a great president. A president and our children could and did look up to.

No one's going to say that about the current occupant of the White House. What we know about this president is if he's given four more years, he'll be what he's been for the last four years. President who takes no responsibility, refuses to lead, blames others, coesies up to dictators and fans the flames of hate and division. He'll wake up every day believing the job is all about him, never about you. Is that the American you want for you, your family, your children? I see a different America. One that's generous and strong, selfless and humble. It's an American we can rebuild together.

As president, the first step I will take, we need to get control of the virus that has ruined so many lives. Because I understand something this president hasn't from the beginning. We will never get our economy back on track. We will never get our kids safely back in schools. We'll never have our lives back until we don't. deal with this virus. The tragedy of where we are today is it didn't have to be this bad.

Just look around. It's not this bad in Canada or Europe or Japan or almost anywhere else in the world. And the president keeps telling us the virus is going to disappear. He keeps waiting for a miracle. Well, I have news for him. No miracle is coming. We lead the world in confirmed cases, lead the world in deaths. Our economies in tatters with black, Latino, Asian American, Native American communities bearing the brunt of it. And after all this time, the president still does not have a plan.

Well, I do. If I'm your president on day one, we'll implement the national strategy I've been laying out since March. will develop and deploy rapid test with results available immediately. We'll make the medical supplies and protective equipment that our country needs. We'll make them here in America. So we will never again be at the mercy of China or other foreign countries in order to protect our own people. We'll make sure our schools have the resources they need to be open, safe, and effective. We'll put politics aside.

We'll take the muzzle off our experts. So the public gets the information they need and deserve. Honest, unvarnished truth. They can handle it. We'll have a national mandate to wear a mask, not as a burden, but as a patriotic duty to protect one another. In short, we'll do what we should have done from the very beginning. Our current president has failed in his most basic duty to the nation.

He's failed to protect us. He's failed to protect America. And my fellow Americans, that is unforgivable. As president, I'll make you a promise. I'll protect America. I will defend us from every attack, seen and unseen. Always, without exception, every time. Look, I understand.

I understand how hard it is to have any hope right now. On this summer night, let me take a moment to speak to those you who have lost the most. I have some idea how it feels to lose someone you love. I know that deep black hole that opens up in the middle of your chest and you feel like you're being sucked into it. I know how mean, cruel and unfair life can be sometime. But I've learned two things. First, your loved one may have left this earth,

but they'll never leave your heart. They'll always be with you. You'll always hear them. And second, I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose. As God's children, each of us, have a purpose in our lives. We have a great purpose as a nation. to open the doors of opportunity to all Americans, to save our democracy,

to be a light to the world once again, and finally to live up to and make real the words written in the sacred documents that founded this nation that all men and women are created equal, endowed by their creator, with certain inalienable rights, among them, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You know, my dad was an honorable, decent man.

He got knocked down a few times, pretty hard. But he always got back up. He worked hard, and he built a great middle-class life for our family. He used to say, Joey, I don't expect the government to solve my problems, but I sure in hell expect them to understand them. And then he'd say, 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 lick your kid in the eye and say, honey, it's going to be okay and mean it. I've never forgotten those lessons. That's why my economic plan is all about jobs, dignity, respect, and community. Together we can and we'll rebuild our economy. And when we do, we'll not only build back, we'll build back better. with modern roads, bridges, highways, broadband, ports and airports as a new foundation for economic growth, with pipes of transport clean water to every community, with 5 million new manufacturing

and technology jobs, so the future is made in America. Well, the health care system that lowers premiums, deductibles, drug prices, by building on the Affordable Care Act, he's trying to rip away. But then educationist isn't that trains our people for the best jobs of the 21st century. There's not a single thing American workers can't do. And where cost doesn't prevent young people from going to college and student debt doesn't crush them when they get out. The child care and elder care system that makes it possible for parents to go to work and for the elderly to stay in their homes with dignity. with an immigration system that powers our economy and reflects our values and with newly

empowered labor unions. They're the ones that built the middle class. With equal pay for women, with rising wages, you can raise a child on, a family on. And yes, we're going to do more than praise our essential workers. We're finally going to pay them, pay them. We can and we will deal with climate change. It's not only a crisis, it's an enormous opportunity, an opportunity for America to lead the world in clean energy and create millions of new good paying jobs in the process. And we can pay for these investments by ending loopholes, unnecessary loopholes, and the president's $1.3 trillion tax giveaway to the wealthiest 1%, and the biggest, most profitable corporations, some of which do not pay any tax at all.

Because we don't need a tax code that rewards wealth more than it rewards work. I'm not looking to punish anyone. Far from it. But it's long past time, the wealthiest people and the biggest corporations in this country paid their fair share. And for our seniors, Social Security is a sacred obligation, a sacred promise made they paid for. The current president is threatening to break that promise. He's proposing to eliminate a tax that pays for almost half the Social Security without any way of making up for that lost revenue resulting in cuts. I will not let that happen. If I'm your president, we're going to protect Social Security and Medicare.

You have my word. One of the most powerful voices we hear in the country today is from our young people. They're speaking to the inequity and injustice that has grown up in America. Economic injustice, racial injustice, environmental injustice. I hear their voices, if you listen to. and you can hear them too. And whether there's existential threat posed by climate change, the daily fear of being gunned down in school

or the inability to get started in your first job will be the work of the next president to restore the promise of America to everyone. And I'm not going to have to do it alone because I'll have a great vice president at my side. Senator Kamala Harris, She's a powerful voice for this nation. Her story is the American story.

She knows about all the obstacles thrown on the way of so many in our country. Women, black women, black Americans, South Asian Americans, immigrants, the left out and the left behind. But she's overcome every obstacle she's ever faced. No one's been tougher on the big banks and the gun lobby. No one's been tougher in calling out the current administration for its extremism. It's failure to follow the law. It's failure to simply tell the truth. Kamala and I both draw from our families.

That's where we get our strength. For Kamala is Doug and their families. For me, it's Jill and ours. I've said many times, no man deserves one great love in his life, let alone two. But I've known too. After losing my first wife in that car accident, Jill came into my life. She put our family back together. She's an educator, a mom, a military mom, and an unstoppable force.

If she puts her mind to it, just get out of the way. She's going to get it done. She was a great second lady. And I know she'll make a great first lady for this nation. She loves this country so much. And I'll always have the strength that can only come from family. Hunter, Ashley, all our grandchildren, my brothers, my sister, they give me courage. They lift me up while he's no longer with us.

Bo inspires me every day. Bo served our nation in uniform. You're in Iraq and decorated Iraqi war veteran. So I take very personally and the profound responsibility of serving his commander-in-chief. I'll be a president who will stand with our allies and friends and make it clear to our adversaries. The days of cozying up to dictators is over. Under President Biden, America will not turn a blind eye to Russian bounties on the heads of American soldiers. nor will I put up with foreign interference in our most sacred democratic exercise, voting.

And I'll always stand for our values of human rights and dignity, my work in common purpose or more secure, peaceful, and prosperous world. History has thrust one more urgent task on us. Will we be the generation that finally wipes out the stain of racism from our national character? I believe we're up to it. I believe we're ready. Just a week ago yesterday was the third anniversary of the events in Charlottesville. Close your eyes. Remember what you saw on television? Remember seeing those neo-Nazis and Klansmen and white supremacists coming out of fields with lighted torches, veins, bulging, spewing the same anti-Semitic bile heard across Europe in the thirties.

Remember the violent clash that ensued between those spreading hate and those are the courage to stand against it. Remember what the president said when asked? He said there were, quote, very fine people on both sides. It was a wake-up call for us as a country. And for me, call to action. At that moment, I knew I'd have to run with my father taught us that silence was complicity. And I can never remain silent or complicit. At the time, I said we're in the battle for the soul of this nation. And we are. You know, one of the most important conversations I've had this entire campaign. It was someone

who was much too young to vote. I met with six-year-old Gianna Floyd, the day before her daddy, George Floyd, was laid to rest. She's an incredibly brave little girl. And I'll never forget it. When I leaned down to speak to her,

she looked in my eyes and she said, and I quote, Daddy changed the world. Daddy changed the world. Her words burrowed deep into my heart. Maybe George Floyd murder was a breaking point. Maybe John Lewis is passing the inspiration. But however it's come to be, however it's happened, America is ready in John's words to lay down, quote,

the heavy burden of state at last. And to end the hard work of rooting out. our systemic racism. You know, American history tells us that it's been in our darkest moments that we've made our greatest progress, that we found the light. In this dark woman,

I believe we're poised to make great progress again. We can find the light once more. You know, many people have heard me say this, but I've always believed you can define America in one word, possibilities, the defining feature of America, everything is possible. That in America, everyone, and I mean everyone, should be given an opportunity to go as far as their dreams

and God-given ability will take them. We can never lose that. In times, as challenging as these, I believe there's only one way forward. as a united America, a united America, united in our pursuit of a more perfect union, united in our dreams of a better future for us and for our children, united in our determination to make the coming years bright. Are you ready?

I believe we are. This is a great nation. We're a good and decent people. For Lord's sake, this is the united. states of America. There's never been anything we've been able to accomplish when we've done it together. The Irish poet Seamus Heaney once wrote, History says don't hope on this side of the grave, but then once in a lifetime,

the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up and hope and history rhyme. This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme with passion and purpose. Let us begin. You and I together, one nation, under God, unite in our love for America, uniting in our love for each other. For love is more powerful than hate.

Hope is more powerful than fear. And light is more powerful and dark. This is our moment. This is our mission. May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light join in the battle for the soul of the nation. And this is a battle we will win and we'll do it together.

I promise you. Thank you and may God bless you and may God protect our troops. The world go round We've got to make the world now We're the people Well Thanks for listening to the full episode of the Young Turks

Support our work, listen to ad-free Access members, only bonus content And more by subscribing to Apple Podcasts at apple.com slash t-y-t. I'm your host, Shank Heuger, and I'll see you soon.