Mr. Biden good afternoon. My fellow americans, last night, we saw the president of the United States lie to the American People and repeatedly lie about the state of this pandemic. We saw him refuse to take responsibility for the crisis that should have been met with real president ial leadership. It has cost hundreds of thousands of american lives and pushed millions into poverty. We saw him diminish the pain felt by so Many Americans. President trump said, we are rounding the corner, its going away, we are learning to live with it. Those are quotes. As i told him last night, we are not learning to live with it. We are learning to die with it. This is a dark winter ahead. Already, more than 200 20,000 220,000dy more than people in the United States of america have lost their lives to this virus. 220,000 empty chairs at dinner tables all across this country. My heart goes out to everything a person who is to endure the agony of saying goodbye to someone they loved and adored over video chat, who could not gather their closest friends or family to grieve together at a funeral mass or service. Worse yet, a new study from Columbia University suggest that anywhere between 130,000 and 210,000 of those deaths were avoidable. Leading medical journal in america, frankly in the world, wrote an unprecedented editorial, to the best of my knowledge they have never written anything like this. They criticize President Trumps dangerously incompetent response and stated that he took a crisis and turned it into a tragedy. Covid19 dwarfs anything we have faced in recent history and it is not showing any signs of slowing down. The virus is surging in almost every state. We passed 4. 8 million cases. When trump was asked this week what he would do differently to get the Pandemic Response right from the start, his answer was, and i quote, not much. Not much. As many as 210,000 avoidable deaths, there is not much he would do differently . The United States is 4 of the entire world population, yet we make up 20 of all the deaths worldwide. If this is a success, what does a failure look like . We are more than eight months into this crisis, the president still does not have a plan. He has given up. He has quit on you. He has quit on your family. He has quit on america. He just wants us to go numb and resign to the horrors of this death toll and the pain it is causing so Many Americans. He cant erase his own words or deeds. In february, he knew how dangerous this virus was. He told bob woodward, this disease was deadly, far worse than the flu. But instead of telling us how bad it was going to be, according to the new york times, his administration only gave wall Street Investors a heads up. They made a bundle doing something called selling short or betting against the market the rest of us took the full brunt of it. In june, when we begin to see the resurgence of covid19, i called out President Trump for wavering, and waving the white flag of surrender to the virus. But then, it was as if he decided to go on offense for the virus, holding rallies with no masks, no social distancing, where people contracted the virus, inviting the virus into the white house, hosting what dr. Fauci called superspreader events, endangering more peoples lives by telling the public, dont worry, dont worry about the disease, dont let it dominate you. How many people in arizona will end up suffering because they listened to the president . Kristin said her dad voted for trump, listened to him, didnt think the virus was a big deal. At dad became infected enter and he died. Kristin said her dads only preexisting condition was trusting trump. Even after contracting the virus himself, donald trump still refused to promote universal mask wearing which couldve saved over 100,000 lives, and could still save over whenever and could still save over 100,000 american lives in the next few months. The longer Donald Trumps president , the more reckless he gets. We dont have to be held prisoner by this administrations failures. We can choose a different path. We can do what americans have always done, come together with great passion and determination. I will tell you exactly what i planned to do if i have the honor of being elected your next president. I will immediately put in place a National Strategy to position our country to finally get ahead of this virus, and get back our lives. I will reach out to every governor in every state, red and blue, as well as mayors and local officials, during transition, to find out what support they need and how much of it they need. I will ask the new congress to put a bill on my desk by the end of january, with all the resources necessary to see how both our Public Health and economic response can be seen through the end, what is needed. Look, a pandemic doesnt play favorites, nor do i. As i said, no red states, no blue states, just the United States, united in our spots, united in our response, united in our purpose to stop the spread of covid19 and beat this virus. First, i will go to every governor to get a mask mandate in their state said if they refuse, i will go to city and county executives to get local mask mandates in place nationwide. As president , i will mandate mask wearing an all federal buildings and interstate transportation, because masks save lives. Period. Look at what happened in arizona. The republican governor initially tried to bar local governments from initiating mask mandates in their communities. What happened . In june, arizona entered a surge of cases, hospitals were flooded. The state Health System was overwhelmed. Cities and counties appealed the governors ruling. They imposed their own local mandates, covering most of the state. The result . Cases fell by 75 . Wearing a mask is not a political statement, it is a scientific imperative. It is a point of patriotic pride, so we can pull our country out of this godawful spiral that we are in. It is a testament of what we were taught by our families and by our faith, Love Thy Neighbor as thyself. Second, i will put a National Testing plan in place with the goal of testing as many people each day as we are currently testing each week, a sevenfold increase. There is a key difference in this campaign between donald trump and me. I believe in testing. Donald trump does not. I believe in science. I believe in Public Health officials. I believe in the example of other countries that proved that widespread gains are needed to keep our country open critically, every school, every worker, every american should have easy access to regular, reliable, free testing. To achieve this, we need to increase both lapbased diagnostic testing with results back in 24 hours or less, and faster, cheaper screening tests that you could take at home or in school. What we have right now isnt anywhere near good enough. States are still operating on the fly. School districts are mostly on their own. And Many Americans still dont know when it is important to get a test, or how. This isnt beyond our capacity to master, not if we are directing a coordinated effort to cross government on the private sector, instead of leaving chaos terrain chaos to reign. We will massproduce the supplies to make sure we have enough tests and tap more of our nations lab capacity, so that you can get your test results more quickly. We will build a National Corps of contact tracers in these communities that are most at risk. We will also take steps to ensure that no one has to choose between getting a test and putting food on the table. And that no one, no one is scared that being tested for covid might jeopardize their immigration status. The only way we will defeat this virus is if we defeat it everywhere. The third point i would like to make is, we will close the personal protective equipment, the ppe gap, and get gear out to where it is needed. Every Health Care Worker will have a reliable supply of properlyfitted n95 masks. It is unconscionable that more than eight months into this crisis, frontline Health Care Workers are still rationing their personal protective equipment. As president , i will use the full power of the defense production act to drive the production of personal protective equipment, masks, gowns, gloves and more, and ensure it is distributed equitably. I wont stop until the nations supply exceeds the demand and our stock piles plan is, and our stockpile is replenished especially in hardhit areas and communities disproportionately affected by the virus. I will appoint a fullyempowered supply commander in charge of feeling in the gaps. We will make sure we can manufacture critical supplies right here at home, so we are not dependent on the other countries in this crisis. Fourth, i will provide consistent, reliable, trusted, detailed nationwide guidance and Technical Support for reopening safely, and the resources to make it happen. We need a Single Source of guidance that we can trust, where we know the information wont change for any reason, other than the science that guides it. Not political expediency. Not public image. Social distancing is not an on and off thing, and we learn more every day about the virus and how it spreads. We need to be able to adapt and adjust our behavior to responsibly respond appropriately. Schools and businesses cant make responsible decisions if they dont have the information, the science. Its not just more detailed and effective guidance they need, it is consultations and Technical Support so people have a place to turn with their questions. It is having a government that it is in your corner, not a government that has turned its back on you. And once we got our federal, state and local governments working together, once there is universal masking, enough ppe and testing to go around, signsbacked writings to help us make the right decisions, then we can get our kids back to school safely, our business is growing, and our economy growing again without wasting another minute. As i said last night, i am not going to shut down the economy. I am not going to shut down the country. I am going to shut down the virus. And finally, we focus on developing safe and effective treatments and a safe and effective vaccine. President trump claims he found a cure. Yet we have 1000 people dying each day. More than 40,000 people are in hospitals right now battling the virus. Lifesaving therapies shouldnt just be available to the wealthy and wellconnected. We need to make sure they are available to everybody, available and affordable. It is also possible because learn any day that one of these vaccines currently in trial is showing itself to be effective. That will be a wonderful day for our people, and people around the world everywhere, whether it comes next week or in the next two months. But it will still be many months before any vaccine is widely available, and we need a president who will take responsibility for making sure it gets to every Single Person in this country in a way that is equitable and accountable. And we need a president who, in the meantime, is doing his job to protect the American People. Once we have a safe and effective vaccine, it has to be free to everyone, whether or not you are insured. Let me say that again. The vaccine must be free, and freely available to everyone. This is not just one more reason that it is so despicable that donald trump is fighting, in the middle of a pandemic, to get the u. S. Supreme court to strike down the entire Affordable Care act, which i work so damn hard to get the votes for. Under the aca, insurers are required to cover recommended vaccines for free. So overturning the aca would mean people have to pay to get the covid19 vaccine. That is wrong, very, very wrong. Unlike donald trump, i believe will health care isnt a privilege. I think it is a right. That is why, as president i will build on and protect the aca by adding a public option that will compete with private plans to expand coverage and Lower Health Care costs across the board. I will bring down rug prices by allowing medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies. I will make sure americans have insurance, and those with insurance have access to free covid19 vaccine. And i will direct the federal government to bulk purchase as many doses as necessary of the covid19 vaccine, so we can provide it free to those who are uninsured, underinsured, or medicaid eligible. Throughout all this, yes, mr. President , i will listen to the scientists. And i will empower them. I know how much President Trump has damaged faith in our institutions and in our leaders, and government itself. We have to rebuild the trust between the public and public servants. It is one of the most difficult tasks we face in the coming years. If i am elected president , i will always give it to you, as fdr said, straight from the shoulder. I will deliver on my promises. I will listen to the American People no matter what their politics. I will let doctors and scientists speak freely, so you can make the best decisions possible for yourself and your family. And i wont let four years of donald trump rob us of the most fundamental american qualities, our hope in the future and our faith in ourselves. We can beat this virus. We are not to divided to achieve big think we are not too divided to achieve big things. We are americans. Imagine a true, nationallycoordinated plan that spares no expense so that our schools have the resources to reopen with full health and safety protocols in place. Imagine every Small Business getting a restart that helps cover the cost of installing plexiglass, ppe, and minimizing the risk of exposure to customers and workers. Imagine Older Americans and people with disabilities having the peace of mind that comes with trusting that the Public Health system is working for them. Imagine, instead of staying locked in their rooms, they are able to hug their grandchildren and others that they love and havent been able to see. Imagine if you are a member of a community that has been hit particularly hard, black, latino, asian american, native american, imagine a Public Health and economic response that treats your needs as a priority, not as an afterthought. Imagine a day in the nottoodistant future when you can enjoy a dinner with your friends and your family and maybe go to a movie, when you can celebrate your birthday, weddings, graduations, surrounded by your nearest and dearest friends. That is the bidenharris agenda to beat covid19. It is going to take all of us working together, and that is not hyperbole, all of us working together, watching out for one another. We are also going to have to wear a mask, and practice social distancing a while longer. It is going to be hard. But if we follow the science and keep faith in one another, with one another, i promise you we will get through this and come out on the other side much faster than the rate we are going now. You all know this. The American People have always given their best to this country in times of crisis, and this time isnt any different. Im not joking when i say this, i think every day about the brave doctors and nurses and hospital workers, police officers, firefighters, emts and other first responders. They are not figuratively, but literally putting their lives on the line day in and they out to care for people. Im thinking of the essential workers who carried the rest of us on their shoulders through these many months, grocery clerks, delivery clerks, drivers, folks on the assembly line, the meatpackers and so many more people too often overlooked, too often overlooked, under compensated, have given the best of their to their country when we needed it the most. Think of the Small Businesses who moved heaven and earth to take care of their employees and keep their business is open, and sadly, of all those who couldnt because they didnt get the help they were promised. I think of the parents working from home with added mans of with the added demands of overseeing their childs education. I think about educators who are spending hours learning how to teach online. They are doing what they always do, giving above and beyond for their students. I think of the families and the communities who stepped up, donating to charities, doing grocery runs for older relatives and neighbors, finding new ways to connect and support one another. That is the america that we know. That is the United States of america. That is who we are. And like john f. Kennedy, when he committed to take us to the moon, he said, i refuse to postpone the possibilities that exist for this country. I refuse to postpone the american purpose that will not only lead our country back, but lead the entire world. There is no challenge, there is no challenge we cannot meet, no enemy we are unable to face, no threat we cant conquer if we stand together, united, bound by our common resolve, determination and values. Folks, together we can harness the unlimited potential of the American People, not just to get back to where we were before this virus, but to get back better. I promise you, and you know in your heart, we can do this. We must do this. And we will do it together. You know we can do it. This is the United States of america. May god bless you all, and may god protect our frontline workers and all those who have lost a loved one. Thank you, and keep the faith. Vice president mike pence talked about the administrations achievements. He outlined what four more years under President Trump would look like versus a joe biden presidency