Secretary. Cultural thanks so much for coming out tonight. Christmas. Happy holidays, happy hanukkah. Time we were here with our family, it was the hottest we were riding our bicycles up from where we we stayed at the hotel. Ate good food and then got on our bikes and went back. Its nice to be here in december. For coming out. And were Dallas County democrats, so were happy to [applause] they met joe biden when came to iowa to run for president. As i t them as much today did then. Solid. Ere rock go ahead and clap. E was rock solid then and hes rock solid now and thats why im supporting him in the iowa on february 3. [applause] so what do i want from the 2020 election . Want to be able to get up every day, knowing that i can trust that the people who live white house will keep in mind my best interests as they deal with issues around world, and i want to be able to look my grandchildren in the and know that they can look up to the president of the United States, because he values ts the american that we all share. And i want to be able to get up about my ing and go work as an educator and as a volunteer knowing that the People Living and working in to white house will be able work with people in congress, to problems that face us on the domestic level. Nd i know that joe biden is that person to do that. My neighbors [applause] want my neighbors, my friends, my colleagues, my family, to respect the they didnt en if vote for him. As i made my decision, i thought people i grew up with, ina town just outside perry, mount pleasant, southeast iowa. I thought about my classmates nowthe diverse students who attend Wesleyan College where i serve on the board of trustees thought about those eighth graders who i taught for 20 years who now have eighth of their own. And i thought about the kids, volunteered and i thought about all the people traveled around the state of iowa as first lady and in the Fourth District where congress, and ir thought about what do we need in in order to take care of all of those people that care about so much . And i think one of the most things is that word trust. Of do i trust to take care all of these people . And i think one of the most a ortant qualities that candidate has to have is compassion. And i have seen jill and joe over the last 33 years reach out and comfort people who were in trouble. Who have lost loved ones like sent d i, and who have their children off to the military and they didnt come home, or people who have been disasters. Natural after a year of listening to every candidate, i have heard person, tom and i have helped everybody who has asked for help. Read their policies. Weve helped to develop policies, i really decided the erson who could best beat donald trump in 2020 is joe biden. [applause] i met my first president i was 4 years en old. Where i lived, if i didnt have i wouldnt riends, have any friends at all and my i knew ed to make sure who i was early on. Ry county democrats wouldnt change me early in life. Married a guy who ran for president , who is sitting and i haved me here, supported many men and women in the iowa caucus through the that we could respect regardless of party. Ive always chosen rock solid in life and in my political life and im choosing rock solid again this year. All of you, especially those of you who havent made up your mind yet, really think hard about this. I hope youll think not just like or who you think best fits your political philosophy, because there are a people who wont come to the caucus or cant come to the need to be able to give our independent and a choice thatends is acceptable to them. I hope youll think about that, making that decision. And i hope you will think about the people in the middle, the people really make thisdle who will choice, in 2020, and i hope that biden. You choose is joe i would like to introduce to the podium our friend joe biden. [cheers and applause] thank you, thank. Ou chlt thank you. They were e told me going to be about 35 to 50 here. Thank you for giving me your time. Its great to be with you all, i want you to know that tom and christie, i want to thank them. Been great friends, but and by the way, dont used to it, okay . Why dont you say something. Say hi. Hi. Hi. Ay say hi. Okay. That may be the most intelligent thing you hear all night. You, thank you very much for coming out. I know its a really, really time, not tough time in terms of time, having time to couple of e only a days from christmas, and i want o thank you all for making the time. And let me tell you something. Around en on a bus tour iowa. Weve now gotten to 23 or 24 and i guess its now 12 days or thereabouts. 99 at one n to all time or another but were going to try to catch as many as we can. Fact is, that you all in iowa, you take this very the rest of the country listens to you and to be ery blunt about it, youve got a really difficult job right now iowase who you send out of with a plane ticket, iguratively speaking, to washington, that is, youre going its going to make a big difference as to whether or take back the to presidency and change the direction of this country. Giving appreciate you me a look. And i especially want to thank, coming out during the holidays. This is a really important time for our families. Fact, i get to go home tonight. I leave here, get to an airport, home, and ive already had four of any granddaughters call me, pop, when are you coming home, you know . By the way, they love me more than anybody in the whole world. Started off when they were little babies. They would be at the house, and sayinger, i shouldnt be jean my mother used biden would always sing, have to sleep, and i cant sing worth a darn but i when put the kids to bed they were little babies and i would say loud enough for the whole family to hear it, your favorite person in the whole world is pop. Hard, but ked very im anxious to see them, as you are anxious to get back home and you have to e work do at home. Know, from the start of my campaign, i said something want to talk about tonight. And i have said we need to unify this nation. We have to unify the country. And from the moment i got in the race, that was the focus, and i was told at the time thats a big naive. But i think its even more true now. Were going to go through an impeachment. Ive been there twice for impeachments, and there is elebrate about the impeachments. Nothing at all. And hard on the country its hard on the people, but dont get me wrong, trump has, brought it on himself. On the house lawn and basically indicted himself. The congress has no choice. Ondoesnt make it any easier the country. It but what it does mean, will be more important that the next president work on unifying the country more than at any in modern history because its so divided and unnecessarily divided. To unify the country. And when i say that, my in nents, all good people the democratic primary, they say past. Im living in the they say that i dont understand republican party. And that and i love this one. Im naive. At really . I understand these people, i anyone in er than politics today. The reason i say that there is running for president who has more reason to be angry with party than publican me. After all the lies and smears at attacks they have leveled me. They tried to ruin my only surviving son. After my family. So but this isnt about me. Its not about me. About my family. Its so much bigger than that. Its about our democracy. Literally, our democracy is in trouble. Point. Were at breaking i dont think thats hyperbole. I dont think thats an exaggeration. Most important election no matter how young or old you are that you have ever voted in thus far. It really and truly is. You all know it. In your gut. Folks, it is nostalgia to talk the country. We have to, i have to, we all have to rise above the attacks try to do something to bring this nation together. Just ow, i think its called president ial leadership, to try to bring the country together. And we desperately need it. I dont say this because im oh, ing around and hoping, were going to hold hands with sing kum ba ns and be and everything will wonderful. Only way weause the can get anything done, but all i think it e, really, really is important. And, look, its the way our system is designed to work. Its a constitutional system requires consensus. Nothing can get done unless you buse the constitution and executive power that you dont have. Saying its t because how i think its automatic. Is just how our government designed. Thats why i say our democracy is at risk. Others are willing but i propositioncept the that well be permanently with the other party. What happens to us if thats the case . To us . Ppens i refuse to accept it. Nd its because, this is the United States of america. The United States of america. Its because, it begins right here, begins right here in america. Small town america. I put forward an ambitious plan rural economies. And by the way, mine is a rural state. Come from hinks i delaware, an eastern state, a big corporate entity largest city the in my state is 86,000 people, one large county, and then the rest of the, remaining two counties all the way down virginia, the largest city that, it an after averages probably 4,000 or 5,000 people. Its agricultural. Like you do, nts, heart and soul of the country. Ou know, when you think about t, you know, its where, its kind of where our soul resides. All of you know things, whether oure a democrat or a republican or independent, you i doubt whether any of by someone on one on your rural roads who had a flat tire and dont try to stop and help. Not a joke. I doubt whether any of your neighbors, even if youre not they have athem, if problem, you decide to try to help. Matters. , honesty sounds corny to say it today. But honesty matters. Word matters. When you give your word, it means something. About, again, who we are. I say what i mean, when youre literally the heart and soul of our country. We have to rebuild Rural America policies that youve been undergoing or that weve been undergoing, have been just ating for not agriculture but for small towns in Rural America all across the country. If you think about it says, you know, as tom when we put together my rural my ag plans, it recognizes that iowa farmers, as tom would ay, you arent looking for a payoff. Youre looking for an opportunity. Lead the nity to community. Lead the country. World, players in the for real. I dont know anybody, i dont agriculture who is saying, all i want, just pay and ill be fine. I dont care what i produce in my work. G producer should be on the cutting edge. The cutting edge of using land to store carbon to begin a frontal attack on Global Warming and getting rewarded for it. G having opportunities to actually gain would you be doing for the entire country and the world and should be awarded for it. To invest in renewable energy, creating millions of new jobs on the way. Our ethanol plants, our ethanol plants provide good jobs, and we the environment, can make more of that happen with new now wave of biofuels, unless you yield to the oil companies. Like weve seen happen. Were going to invest in rural broadband. That of all the potential exists in this town. Think of all the potential, some unmatched. Oes unmet. The children in schools in my state and all around the country, they dont have access to broadband in many places. Here, i dont know. But most places dont. So automatically they are at a disadvantage. I dont care where they come from, that phone has more computing capacity literally, not favorably. You ever watch these kids, how they can handle it . I really mean it. They have no problem. None whatsoever. But some are put at a disadvantage because they do not have the kind of access, the immediate access that people have in urban areas and suburban areas. There is so much potential that exists here. Folks, we have to invest, as i said. We have to invest in making sure not only we have broadband, but when you have broadband, you have access to global markets. You do not have to wait for the chicago board of trade to tell you when you can trade and when you cannot trade. You know what to do. There is so much to do we are leaving undone that would build the whole country not just small town america, but all america. You are the seed corn, figuratively speaking, for our rebirth as a country. Folks, look, i hope, god willing, if we get elected and our plan comes to fruition, no longer will you be faced with children or grandchildren believing the only way they can make it is to leave home, to go somewhere else to get that good job. Theres no reason why it cant happen here. My plan is to restore the promise of the middle class for Rural America, in Rural America. Given the choice, they would rather live where they can work, where they can make a living, where you can raise your family. And that is being denied because of the policies of this administration. Now, we put together a plan because we know the prosperity of the whole country literally depends on communities like perry. Theres thousands of perrys all over america, all over america, s potential going unmet. But it is more than that. The character of the country is on the ballot. The literal character of the country. How the rest of the world views us. What they think of us. Whether we are that shining city on the hill. Why has the rest of the world repaired to us . We are the most powerful nation in the history of the world. But it has not been the power we have, but the example. The power of our example that has united the world. Why dont people come . They come not only because we are economically prosperous. They come because we, the United States of america, stand for the values of the free world, and those yearning to be free, care about. But look what has happened. The president treats nato like it is a protection racket. He embraces thugs and white supremacists. What happens . You see what is happening now. Our alliances are fraying. Not a joke. Ands, look, his reckless unnecessary trade war has decimated farmers and producers throughout the country, and particularly throughout this state. But even more than his policy failures, which i will not keep talking about because i get you know them, but even more than that, even worse, the damage he has done to the soul of this country. I mean it. To the soul of this nation. Fanning the flames, fanning the flames of hate groups here at home. Fanning the flames. Think about it. I am a kid came out of the civil movement, my state has the eighth largest black population in america. Was segregated by law. I got involved. I thought after all we went i was at a train station waiting to be picked up by a black man as a public defender after parts of my city had been burned to the ground, i was waiting for a black man to come 27 miles from philadelphia to pick me up to be sworn in as Vice President of the United States. I thought we made it. I dont just mean barack and i had made it. I thought the nation turned a corner. But i was wrong. I didnt realize. Hate doesnt go away. It only hides. Hides. When it is given oxygen to breathe, it grows. A president s words matter. They can send brave women and this marineike here. They can send people, they can bring people home. They can end wars. They can make markets rise or fall. But they can also breed hate that brings out the worst elements of american society. The history of america is not a fairytale. When you give bad people authority, things get tough. Our children are listening. Our children are listening. When you find when you have ice agents ripping children from their parents arms at the border my wife, jill, is not here today because she just crossed the border to meet with people on the other side with a democratic congressman from texas, brownsville, to see them huddled on the other side of the border, seeking asylum. Never before have we refused to allow Asylum Seekers to at least come and have a hearing. Its damaging us in ways that is hard to tell. This is who we are. And folks, i believe we can overcome four years of donald trump. With significant difficulty, we can overcome it. But if we give him another four years, i believe he will permanently alter the character of the country, at least several generations. We cannot afford in this dangerous world we find ourselves in. So, i am asking you, i am asking you to consider joining me, joining tom and christie, joining iowans across the state to give donald trump his walking papers. [cheers and applause] mr. Biden i hope you will consider coming out and caucusing for me on february 3. I believe we can do this. I believe we can defeat donald trump. I believe we can restore the soul of this nation. And once again, we can lead to the world. Ownan on the 21st can the 21st century. Think about this. There has never been a time in American History never. Its not hyperbole. There has never been a time when america has set its mind to a goal that it has not been able to accomplish it. You know that better than anybody, old buddy. Thanks for being here. There is nothing we have not been able to do. We have got to remember who we are. This is the United States of america. Nothing, nothing is beyond our capacity. So my discreet message to you is this, its time to get the heck up. Remember who we are. Outfitin to take this back. Now. Now. Now. Now. Thank you. We can do it. And ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce a buddy of mine. One of the greatest guys i know. Former governor and secretary of agriculture tom vilsack. [cheering and applause] gov. Vilsack it is a pretty difficult challenge to speak knowing i am between you and getting back to those grandkids. And you all have been patient. I ask to speak for just a couple of minutes. The staff has asked me to talk to you a little bit about why i am supporting joe. We had an earlier event in atlanta, and there was a conversation about the Vice President was at church, saw him at the church and at the event. It may me think of my grandson jake. A couple months ago, his parents came to me. We had gone through a family crisis. Jake had missed his first communion class and his parents asked if i would teach him his first communion class. I got the materials. I studied up. We had eight or nine sessions about reconciliation, confession, the 10 commandments. I was trying to explain the 10 commandments. I said, jake, its pretty simple. The first three are about how we respect god and love god. The last seven are about how we respect and love each other. I thought i had to give an example. I said, for example, there are pastors and ministers in evangelical churches around the country that are upset with President Trump. Jake said, why are they upset . Well, because the president takes the lords name in vain in public far too often. I thought that was a good example. I was going to move on. Jake did not hesitate a millisecond and he said, and thats why we need joe biden for president. [laughter and applause] gov. Vilsack three quick reasons i am supporting joe and a personal note. First reason, you can have the greatest plans in the world, you can have the greatest vision in the world, but you have to have the experience, the knowledge, and the relationships to get it done. I have had the privilege of with three different president s, two democrats, one republican. I appreciate what you have to have to get things done. There is no one in this race that has the kind of transformational ideas, progressive ideas that are doable, that has the experience and the knowledge and the relationships to get it done han joe biden. Think about this. Think about it. When president obama needed something done in congress, when he needed to convince a republican or democratic member of congress, this is the man he sent up to do the job because he knew that joe had the relationships, the knowledge, the awareness of what it would take to convince members of congress and the senate to act. Its that experience, that knowledge that will ensure this rural plan that joe has, which will create new Revenue Opportunities for farmers, manufacturing jobs in places like perry and all across the United States, expanding access to health care, these are the kinds of things that can get done with a man with his experience, knowledge, and relationships. He mentioned americas place in the world. On any given day the president of the United States can be confronted with the following. A pandemic in africa, a cyber attack in europe, a terrorist attack in asia, a gun violence incident in the United States. Any given day. The rest of the world needs leadership to tackle issues like climate, to tackle issues like Cyber Attacks and terrorism. They have always looked until recently to the United States for that leadership, and we have always provided it. But today, there is uncertainty. There is hesitancy. There is a lack of awareness about what america stands for and what it cares about. We need a president from the very first minute of this administration, to be able to begin the process of healing and repairing the credibility and reputation of the u. S. And i will tell you, there is nobody in this race, including donald trump, who has the experience and knowledge and relationships with World Leaders than joe biden. He can begin on day one. It will not be a year or two of trying to figure out how to do it. He can get it done on day one. [applause] gov. Vilsack but you cant do any of this. You cant expand access to health care with the public option, you cannot fix the rural economy, you cannot repair our relationships around the world unless you get elected. Kind of a prerequisite. Youve got to win. The other night before i went to bed, christie was reading, as she does. I was there with my ipad, she said, what are you doing . I said, im looking at the polls. I am looking at state polls, not national polls, state polls. I want to know whats going on in georgia, in North Carolina and michigan and wisconsin. I want to know whats going on in texas and arizona and nevada. I want to see which candidate in our current primary, which candidate has the greatest amount of strength in all the states. There is only one candidate in this race today that is either beating donald trump by a significant margin or is tied with donald trump in each and every one of the states, and that candidate is here in perry tonight, joe biden. [applause] gov. Vilsack just imagine on election night, when democrats win georgia and North Carolina and wisconsin and michigan and texas, nevada, arizona we not only win the presidency. We win a lot of congressional races. We win a lot of senate races. We begin to turn the corner on what has occurred the last three years. That is why i am supporting joe biden. [applause] gov. Vilsack let me finish with a very personal note. Christie mentioned we have undergone a tragedy in our family. We lost our fiveyearold granddaughter a few years ago. When you go through Something Like that, it knocks you out. It makes for you it makes it hard for you to understand, whats the reason, whats the purpose . Our son and daughterinlaw have gone through a serious challenge. In earlier this year, jeff went to a joe biden event. Joe saul jeff in the crowd and he went up to him and he said, how are you doing . Jeff thought it was a politician going, how are you doing . He answered it like, im fine. Joe biden stopped my son, looked him in the eye and said, no, no, no. I want to know how you are doing. Because you and i are members of a fraternity we did not choose to be part of, of having lost a loved one. I need to know how you are doing. I share that story with you for two reasons. One, because i want you to know that this man has great empathy. Empathy is something that a president needs. Think about it. The president of the United States goes into a gymnasium with parents whose children have been gunned down. That president needs empathy. The president is in the oval office on the phone with grieving parents who lost children in an armed conflict. That president needs empathy. Or they travel to a tornado or flood destroyed community, where everything has been destroyed, lives have been lost. The president needs empathy. Not only does the president have to understand what those people are going through and what it means to suffer, they also have the responsibility of providing a sense of hope. Getting to the next day. Beginning the process of rebuilding. And making something out of an extraordinarily tragic situation. I want my president to have that capacity. And weve seen the last three years the current president lacks empathy. I want my president to understand that the country itself is suffering. That in fact, we do not want to be the disUnited States of america. We truly do want joe bidens vision of a united america. We need someone to take us butwe need someone to take us there. We need someone to help heal us. That requires empathy. It also requires heart. A great president not only has to have the experience, the knowledge, the wisdom, the relationships, the awareness of the complexity of the world. That president has to have heart, because thats who we are. I am supporting joe biden because hes the one candidate in this race who can win. Because he is the one candidate in this race who has doable, transformational plans and visions that can get accomplished because of his experience and relationships. He can begin repairing americas damaged image and reputation on day one. And because i will never, ever have to worry in any circumstance where a president has to have empathy and understanding that my president will lack that. I am asking you to do what christie and i have done if you have not already done, fill one of these cards out. Make a commitment to joe tonight. If youve already filled one out, you can be a precinct captain. Joe needs you. The Democratic Party needs you. Perhaps most importantly of all, the country needs you. Thank you very much. [applause] campaign 2020. Watch our live coverage of the president ial candidates on the campaign trail and make up your own mind. Your unfiltered view of politics. Heres a look at some of our featured programming this holiday week on cspan. Tonight at 8 00 eastern, the symposium on religious freedom. Then at 9 30, the festivities surrounding the White House Christmas tree. On Christmas Day at 10 00 eastern, view this years white house decorations with milani of trump. Plus a look back at Previous Year decorations by previous first ladies hillary clinton, laura bush, and michelle obama. At 12 30, a discussion of Global Technology issues. Eastern, Hillsdale College journalism director john miller on the history of journalism and fake news at the liberty forum. , a joint Economic Committee hearing on the high cost of raising a family. Then at 9 10, constitutional litigator Justin Pearson talks about occupational licensing requirements at the federalist society. Watch this holiday week on cspan. Senate democratic leader Chuck Schumer held a News Conference monday to push for witnesses at a Senate Impeachment trial. Senator schumer also requested specific documents and emails be subpoenaed by the senate. The u. S. House voted to impeach President Trump last wednesday on two counts abuse of power and obstruction of congress. They pelosi has not sent articles of impeachment to the u. S. Senate