Good morning to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. Im wolf blitzer in washington. We are watching that at any moment now the president of the United States, joe biden, and the Vice President , Kamala Harris, they are about to arrive here at the u. S. Capitol on this, the oneyear anniversary of one of america democracys darkest days, january 6th, 2021, when thousands of violent protrump rioters attacked the u. S. Capitol, in an attempt to overturn the 2020 Election Results and stop the certification of President Bidens victory. Tragically five people died in the chaos. 140 Police Officers were hurt. All fueled by then President Trumps speech in front of the white house, just moments before the attack, where trump urged his supporters and im quoting him now to fight like hell. I remember that day well. I was live here, anchoring our coverage on cnn. Couldnt believe what i was seeing. Look at this. These protesters are inside statuary hall right now. You see the statues. This is a moment i never saw in my life. These individuals just rushed through security, they are inside statuary hall. This say legendary place where all of us who have covered capitol hill, it is hard to believe what were seeing right there, theyre just walking through. Where are Capitol Police . It is a strange it is an awful situation. What a difference a year makes today. Any moment now, President Biden and Vice President harris are about to address the nation and indeed the world from inside that very same National Statuary hall. A truly Historic Site at the u. S. Capitol. And the president has some convincing to do as a majority of republicans, yes, a majority of republicans still believe trumps big lie. My panelists here, were going to cover all of this, full disclosure, everyone on the set has been vaccinated, tested negative. Lets start with our chief White House Correspondent kaitlan collins. Set the scene for us, because the president is about to do something he has rarely done since becoming the president. Hes about to go after his predecessor. Yes, the white house says hes not going to shy away from that, and the role that former President Trump played in this day. President biden is on the way to the capitol right now. Hes going to speak. Youre also going to hear from Vice President harris in the remarks. This is a speech the president has been working on for several days now. The white house had basically cleared his schedule yesterday, so he could work on this, focus on it. I think they recognize what a moment it was. Because, remember, a year ago, President Biden was two weeks away from being sworn in, getting ready to deliver a speech on the economy, those remarks got delayed because, of course, they were also watching, like everyone else was, in disbelief what was happening on capitol hill that day. Hell be in the same hall where you saw rioters roam a year ago today. Hell say, quote, and so at this moment we must decide what kind of nation we are going to be. And are we going to be a nation that accepts Political Violence as a norm, are we going to be a nation where we allow partisan Election Officials to overturn the legally expressed will of the people . Are we going to be a nation that lives not by the light of the truth, but in the shadow of lies . We cannot allow ourselves to be that kind of nation. The way forward is to recognize the truth and to live by it. And, wolf, i think one big question that a lot of people have is will he call out former President Trump by name in this speech. The white house hasnt said yet, they were still finalizing this yesterday, but jen psaki said it will be clear who biden is talking about. In a way, he doesnt have to say donald trump. I expect President Biden will lay out the significance of what happened at the capitol and the singular responsibility trump has for the chaos and carnage we saw and press back on the lies spread by the former president and the attempt to mislead. Were told the president is en route right now, kaitlan, leaving the white house, heading down pennsylvania avenue up to capitol hill. And as, you know, the press secretary jen psaki said, the president will cite, quote, the singular responsibility President Trump has for the chaos and carnage that we saw. Pretty striking line. We did not know jen psaki was going to say that yesterday in the briefing or it was going to be this clear. But i think the view of the white house is kind of you cant avoid trump when talking about this, you cant separate what happened that day and act like he wasnt part of it. And, of course, trump views all of this so differently, he canceled a press conference today, he remembers that day pretty fondly, thinking of the crowd there for his speech that he gave on the ellipse. That was the one when he talked about marching down to the capitol, and so i think this has been something that has loomed over bidens entire first year in office, because, yes, we talked about other legislative struggles, Foreign Policy issues, this has been something domestically he had to deal with. In your introduction, you talked about how he has a lot of convincing to do. There are a lot of people who view that day, the same way that the former president does, and not the way that the current president does. So i think that has been a struggle for the white house to breach that gap. That, glory, is so horrible. There are so Many Americans now that actually believe that horrible big lie. Right. I mean, im just looking at a poll here, 72 of americans believe that people involved in the attack were threatening democracy. But 71 of republicans believe that the election was illegitimate itself and see those people as people protecting democracy. I mean, so you know, there is two different americas right now. And if we all had hope, watching what we watched a year ago today, somehow the country would come together after this, republicans took to the floor and said enough is enough, i remember Lindsey Graham saying that. That didnt materialize. It never materialized. Instead, january 6th and the election, the socalled rigged election lie, became a lit us in t litmus test in this country, donald trump on one side, leading one side of it. Jamie, these are live pictures were showing our viewers where the president and Vice President will be speaking from inside historic statuary hall on capitol hill. I want to follow up on what gloria was reporting, according to the washington post, at least 163 republicans have embraced trumps false claims and are running for statewide positions that would give them authority in upcoming elections. They have embraced the lie. They have embraced Donald Trumps base. And thats how they think they can get through primaries and get elected. And we have seen those republicans who didnt either have to retire or lose their elections and primaries. I want to point out earlier today, stephanie grisham, who was former press secretary, and worked with melania trump, she went, voluntarily, to cooperate with the january 6th committee yesterday. And she said something that i think you pointed out, she was not at the white house on january 6th. She was working remotely. She said something this morning on our air, she said maybe someone told her this, she said that that day trump was in the dining room, quote, gleefully watching on his tv as he often did, look at all of the people fighting for me, hitting rewind, watching it again. Thats what i know. We have never heard that before. Shes clearly not a firsthand witness. But thats her understanding. We see the president ial motorcade has arrived now at the u. S. Capitol. The president and the Vice President , they will be walking in to as i keep calling it statuary, the historic statuary hall. Laura coates, our legal analyst is with us as well. I thought the attorney general Merrick Garland yesterday delivered a very forceful, powerful speech, making it clear, yes, they may have already indicted and charged more than 700 people who participated in the insurrection, but thats just the beginning. Theyre going to go after everyone. And isnt that striking that the attorney general after hundreds of people have been arrested, have been charged, that thats the tip of the iceberg. I think his speech was pragmatic. As a prosecutor, you know, it is not as if every other crime in the world stopped in washington, d. C. Alone when january 6th happened. Theyre having to balance Violent Crimes against the violent things they saw at the capitol as well. They have this overwhelming amount of resources being devoted to this and theyre still not done, nor are they backing down from that very notion. Why . It is what we have all been talking about today. When President Biden first entered this race, he thought he was fighting for the soul of the nation. Little did he know he would be fighting for the soul of our democracy. And in that, thinking about the heart of it, voting, the idea of the integrity of our elections, the idea that people could expect as Merrick Garland spoke about a peaceful transition of power. A year ago at this very time, none of us thought that that would be something that was a fools errand to expect or a pipe dream. Sure you had former President Trump at that time, then President Trump, articulating this extraordinary big lie, which frankly was the final installment of a trilogy that involved two Supreme Court decisions, frankly, one Supreme Court decision at the time that made the Voting Rights act anemic. People already had doubts about the ability to challenge discriminatory laws, but they still believed the integrity of our elections. When the big lie came out and ma tass t metastasized, people questioned that as well. And now were seeing the president is going to get there and have to be as forceful if not more, frankly he has to be more forceful than his own attorney general to say, look, this was an atrocity, our democracy requires more. We see the president now with the Senate Majority leader, the House Speaker walking toward statuary hall. Praying that we never have another day like we had a year ago today. Do you hold former President Trump personally responsible . [ inaudible ] theyre walking toward statuary hall now. You heard the president say he hopes there will never be another day like that. What is his mindset going into this, i pray well never have a day like we had a year ago. Thats the sentiment people feel about the shock of that day and just also look at the setting of where the president is giving this speech. One year ago, this afternoon, that is where people, rioters, pro trump rioters, were roaming the hallways freely. Youve seen the videos that reporters took or people took, staffers took, we were there that day, while we were huddling in the offices, a lot of them, as they were walking through. Thats whats so symbolic about the speech. I heard jake tapper talking earlier about, it is not just important what the president says today, it is important what republicans say today. It is their supporters who are the ones who dont view that day and the view in the lens of a l. That is also symbolic. I want to hear from the Vice President of the United States. She will speak first and then the president. Im glad she is. Remember, she is the Vice President of the United States. It was a Vice President of the United States who gallows were built for to hang a year ago today. Mike pence. Mike pence. It was a Vice President of the United States that was the last line of ideological defense for the certification of the Electoral College count. It was a Vice President who refused to back down and feed into a big lie that his own president was speaking of. And it was a Vice President who stayed in the capitol for the duration of january 6th i believe, not leaving and returning to the floor to finish the job that was started. I think it is important to hear from somebody like Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, because we have come to expect and hear from a president. But she knows, she was an attorney general of california, she was a senate she is the now the head of the senate as well. It is important to hear from her, knowing what stands against and knowing the pivotal role that a Vice President once played. Dont forget, joe biden and Kamala Harris served here. Exactly. Statuary hall is something that im sure joe biden has walked in thousands of times to go see his colleagues. And i think the same for Kamala Harris. And so these were his old stomping grounds. You can only imagine somebody who served for 36 years in the United States senate, reveres the United States senate, still sees himself as someone, as a senator, and that is in fact to his detriment sometimes as president. But thats his identity. And so when those insurrectionists came in, and were destroying it, imagine how he felt. Not only as somebody who was going to be sworn in as president of the United States, but it was like coming into his house, where he had been for decades. And so to add to kaitlan, it is so important that they do this, right there, at the scene of the crime. Because this is the scene of the crime. And, jamie, you know, it is really startling is that so many of the Republican Leadership on that day and the days that followed immediately condemned trump but since then, they have gone silent. Remember, Kevin Mccarthy, remember Mitch Mcconnell, remember Lindsey Graham, they all stood up and said exactly what had happened, and called out donald trump. And then 48 hours later, a few days later, everybody caved. And just went back, fell in line, Kevin Mccarthy went running to maralago to make up with trump. I want to just go back to something laura coates said about Merrick Garland. There were two phrases he used, some people in the analysis did not think that Merrick Garland was Strong Enough yesterday. I think Merrick Garland was speaking the way Merrick Garland speaks. Thats his tone. There are a couple of phrases that he used that stood out to me. He said, as long as it takes, whatever it takes, and then he said at whatever level. I think that was not by accident. One more line, he said perpetrators that he would deal with perpetrators who may not have been at the capitol. Right. Thats a hint. It is suggesting hes going after bigger fish right now. And just be patient, it is going to happen. Lets see how long it takes. Hes really going after them. He made that clear yesterday. Jim sciutto is watching all of this unfold. I remember your coverage a yore ago today, it was really powerful, jim. What goes through your mind as we await the Vice President of the United States and the president of the United States to address the people of the u. S. And indeed the people of the world . I think the point here is that it is not just a political threat. It is a Security Threat. Im going to quote from christopher rays testimony before congress a couple of months ago in september where he described how what you saw january 6th as part of a broader threat to this country, violent extremists radicalized by personalized grievances, antiauthority sentiment to conspiracy theories. The fbi views what we saw january 6th as the principle domestic Security Threat right now. Even more so than international terrorism. So when folks look at this and they might say, well, this is a political argument, this is only something democrats say, the fact is the fbi looks at this as a domestic terrorism threat, a sign of how you have violent extremist groups in this country willing to commit violence to pursue political ends and driven by the kinds of things we hear from the former president , conspiracy theories, lies about the election. The fbi is taking this very seriously, not doing it in a partisan way or political way, because what we saw a year ago today is something they see as a continuing clear and present danger to this country. You know, jim, you remember that day very well. I remember that day well. And im sure both of us, like so many other reporters who have covered washington over the years couldnt believe what we were actually seeing here in the nations capitol. We see that kind of stuff in third world countries, but to see it here in washington, was so, so devastating. And, you know, wolf, you and i, we covered International Interference in our countrys election in 2016, driven primarily by russia, but other countries who do this. What changed in 2020 and frankly still exists today, right, is that the principle sources of disinformation, incitement, et cetera, are domestic. It is not coming from russia. It is not coming from china. It is coming from a former president. It is coming from his allies who are describing in very open public terms not just lies about the election, but what they were willing to do to overturn the election. Theyre speaking the quiet part out loud. They were willing to push members of congress to decertify results from half a dozen swing states, right, to change the outcome of the election. And, you know, this was principally a foreign threat a few years ago and in many ways now it is a domestic issue right now. And the question is how does the country respond . So far, right, we have not seen frankly a broad bipartisan response to this, and thats something that is sobering. It certainly is. And kaitlan, youre our chief White House Correspondent, the president could have addressed the American People from the oval office today. But they made a conscious decision, deliberate decision they were going it go to the scene of the riot, and go to capitol hill. And this is something they had been planning for a while. A speech, they know what it calls for, the gravity of this and what it matters what he says. It is something that has been there since, of course, day one of his presidency, he was being sworn in, at the capitol, just a few weeks after this had all happened, the barriers were still up, very few people there, of course. Really intense security that day because it was just a few weeks in the aftermath of this. They were still reconstructing the parts of the capitol that had been damaged. We were still hearing the firsthand accounts. I think that is why the white house decided this is the place that he should do it. And i think also as gloria said, this is a very special place to him. He relished the time he had in the senate, it is still one of his favorite times. He still said he considers himself to be in that chamber. I think that is a big fact near the scene setting of this. And showing people what happened. I think it is so symbolic to see the president going there, to see the Vice President going there, and i think one thing that has also loomed over this, you see the aides preparing the remarks for this, is Voting Rights. And what the president is going to say about that. Thats really been an issue that loomed over that day, and the aftermath of what we have talked about and you will hear President Biden touch on it today. I dont think hes going to get into it in a real substantive way. Hes giving a bigger speech on wednesday on Voting Rights. Do you know what i wish we were seeing here, though . I know a lot of republicans are going to former senator Johnny Isaksons memorial service, but i would like to see republicans speaking from this podium as well. And that saying this can never happen again. And we cannot excuse it, whether it be Mitch Mcconnell or the leader republicans in the senate. You know thats not going to happen. But thats what i would have liked to have seen, the president of the United States speak, and then leading republicans speak saying, right on. We we agree with you. This can never happen again. Well hear a lot from liz cheney, adam kinzinger, but not from the leadership of the Republican Party. Momentarily the Vice President of the United States and the president of the United States will be walking into statuary hall to make their presentations. Very substantive detailed speeches, they have been working on this for quite a while. Just moments ago there was an unusual shot. I want to show our viewers what was happening on pennsylvania avenue. U. S. Capitol police, they lined up we dont have that video yet, well get that video, but now we see the president and the Vice President walking towards the podium in statuary hall. The Vice President will speak first. Lets listen in as we get ready for this historic moment. Fellow americans, good morning. Certain dates echo throughout history, including dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them where they were, and what they were doing when our democracy came under assault. Dates that occupy not only a place on our calendars, but a place in our collective memory. December 7 th, 1941, september 11th, 2001, and january 6th, 2021. On that day, i was not only Vice President elect, i was also a United States senator. And i was here at the capitol that morning at a classified hearing with fellow members of the Senate Intelligence committee. Hours later, the gates of the capitol were breached. I had left, but my thoughts immediately turned not only to my colleagues, but to my staff, who had been forced to seek refuge in our office, converting filing cabinets into barricades. What the extremists who roamed these halls targeted was not only the lives of elected leaders, what they sought to degrade and destroy was not only a building, hallowed as it is, what they were assaulting were the institutions, the values, the ideals, that generations of americans have marched, picketed, and shed blood to establish and defend. On january 6th, we all saw what our nation would look like if the forces who seek to dismantle our democracy are successful. The lawlessness, the violence, the chaos. What was at stake then and now is the right to have our future decided the way the constitution prescribes it, by we, the people. All the people. We cannot let our future be decided by those bent on silencing our voices, overturning our votes, and pedaling lies and misinformation. By some radical faction that may be newly resurgent, but whose roots run old and deep. When i meet with young people, they often ask about the state of our democracy, about january 6th, and what i tell them is january 6th reflects the dual nature of democracy, its fragility and its strength. You see, the strength of democracy is the rule of law. The strength of democracy is the principle that everyone should be treated equally, that elections should be free and fair, that corruption should be given no quarter. The strength of democracy is that it empowers the people. And the fragility of democracy is this, that if we are not vigilant, if we do not defend it, democracy simply will not stand. It will falter, and fail. The violent assault that took place here, the very fact of how close we came to an election overturned, that reflects the fragility of democracy. Yet the resolve i saw in our elected leaders, when i returned to the Senate Chamber that night, their resolve not to yield, but to certify the election, their loyalty not to party or person, but to the constitution of the united st states, that reflects its strength. And so, of course, does the heroism of the Capitol Police, the d. C. Metropolitan police department, the National Guard and other Law Enforcement officers who answered the call that day, including those who later succumbed to wounds, both visible and invisible. Our thoughts are with all of the families who have lost a loved one. You know, i wonder how will january 6th come to be remembered in the years ahead . Will it be remembered as a moment that accelerated the unraveling of the oldest, greatest democracy in the world . Or a moment when we decided to secure and strengthen our democracy for generations to come. The american spirit is being tested. The answer to whether we will meet that test resides where it always has resided in our country. With you, the people. And the work ahead will not be easy. Here in this very building, a decision will be made about whether we uphold the right to vote and ensure free and fair elections. Lets be clear, we must pass Voting Rights bills that are now before the senate. And the American People must also do something more. We cannot sit on the sidelines, we must unite in defense of our democracy in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and to our prosperity and posterity. That is the preamble of the constitution, that President Biden and i swore an oath to uphold and defend. And that is the enduring promise of the United States of america. My fellow americans, it is my honor to introduce a Public Servant with the character and fortitude to meet this moment. A leader whose lifes work has been moving our nation toward that more perfect union. President joe biden. Madam Vice President , fellow americans, i state the obvious, one year ago today, in this sacred place, democracy was attacked, simply attacked. The will of the people was under assault, the constitution, our constitution faced the gravest of threats, outnumbered in the face of a brutal attack, the Capitol Police, the d. C. Metropolitan police department, the National Guard, and other brave Law Enforcement officials saved the rule of law. Our democracy held. We, the people, endured. We, the people, prevailed. For the first time in our history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the capitol. But they failed. They failed. And on this day of remembrance we must make sure that such attack never, never happens again. Im speaking to you today from statuary hall, in the United States capitol. This is where the house of representatives met for 50 years in the decades leading up to the civil war. This is on this floor, where young congressman from illinois, abraham lincoln, sat at desk 191. Above him, above us, over that door, leading into the rotunda, is a sculpture depicting cleo, the muse of history. In her hands an open book in which she records the events taking place in this chamber below. Cleo stood watch over this hall, one year ago today, as she has for more than 200 years. She recorded what took place, real history, the real facts, the real truth. The facts and the truth that Vice President harris just shared and that you and i and the whole world saw with our own eyes. The bible tells us that we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free. We shall know the truth. Well, here is the gods truth about january 6th, 2021. Close your eyes. Go back to that day. What do you see . Rioters rampaging, waving for the first time inside this capitol, Confederate Flag that symbolized the cause to destroy america, to rip us apart, even during the civil war that never, ever happened. But it happened here in 2021. What else do you see . A mob, breaking windows, kicking in doors, breaching the capitol. American flags on poles being used as weapons, as spears, fire extinguishers being thrown at heads of Police Officers. A crowd assaulted those Police Officers, dragged them, sprayed them, stomped on them. Over 140 Police Officers were injured. We all heard the Police Officers who were there that day testify to what happened. One officer called it, quote, a medieval battle and he was more afraid that day than he was fighting the war in iraq. They repeatedly asked since that day how dare anyone, anyone diminish, belittle or deny the hell they were put through. We saw with our own eyes rioters m men ous these halls, threatening the life of the speaker of the house, literally erecting gallows to hang the Vice President of the United States of america. What did we not see . We didnt see a former president who had just rallied the mob to attack, sitting in the private dining room off the oval office in the white house, watching it all on television and doing nothing for hours as police were assaulted, lives at risk, the nations capitol under siege. This wasnt a group of tourists. This was an armed insurrection. They werent looking to uphold the will of the people. They were looking to deny the will of the people. They were looking to uphold they werent looking to uphold a free and fair election. They were looking to overturn one. They werent looking to save the cause of america, they were looking to subvert the constitution. This isnt about being bogged down in the past. This is about making sure that the past isnt buried. Thats the only way forward. Thats what great nations do. They dont bury the truth. They face up to it. Sounds like hyperbole, it is the truth, they face up to it. We are a great nation. My fellow americans, in life there is truth, and tragically there are lives. Lies conceived and spread for profit and power. We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. And heres the truth. A former president of the United States of america has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election. Hes done so because he values power over principle. Because he sees his own interest as more important than his countrys interest, and americas interest. And because his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our constitution. He cant accept he lost even though thats what 93 United States senators, his own attorney general, his own Vice President governors and state officials in every battleground state have all said he lost. Thats what 81 million of you did as you voted for a new way forward. Hes done what no president in American History, the history of this country, has ever, ever done. He refused to accept the results of an election, and the will of the American People. Some courageous men and women on the Republican Party are standing against it, trying to uphold the principle of that party. Too many others are transforming that party into something else. They seem no longer want to be the party, the party of lincoln, eisenhower, reagan, the bushes. Whatever my other disagreements are with republicans to support the rule of law and not the rule of a single man, i will always seek to Work Together with them. To find shared solutions where possible, because we have a shared belief in democracy, then anything is possible. Anything. So at this moment, we must decide what kind of nation are we going to be. Are we going to be a nation that accepts Political Violence as a norm, are we going to be a nation where we allow partisan Election Officials to overturn the legally expressed will of the people . Are we going to be a nation that lives not by the light of the truth, but in the shadow of lies . We cannot allow ourselves to be that kind of nation. The way forward is to recognize the truth, to live by it. The big lie being told by the former president and many republicans who fear his rath is that the insurrection in this country actually took place on election day, november 3rd, 2020. Think about that. Is that what you thought . Is that what you thought when you voted that day . Taking part in an insurrection, is that what you thought you were doing . Or did you think you were carrying out your highest duty as a citizen and voting . Former president s supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see election day as the day of insurrection. And the riot that took place on january 6th as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at america . I cannot. Heres the truth, the election of 2020 was the greatest demonstration, democracy, in the history of this country. More of you voted in that election than have ever voted in all of American History. Over 150 million americans went to the polls and voted that day. In a pandemic. Some at great risk to their lives. They should be applauded, not attacked. Right now in state after state, new laws are being written. Not to protect the vote, but to deny it. Not only to suppress the vote, but to subvert it. Not to strengthen and protect our democracy, but because the former president lost instead of looking at the Election Results from 2020 and saying they need new ideas or better ideas to win more votes. The former president and supporters have decided the only way for them to win is to suppress your vote and subvert our elections. It is wrong. It is undemocratic. And frankly it is unamerican. Second big lie being told by the former president s supporters is that the results of the election of 2020 cant be trusted. The truth is that no election, no election in American History has been more closely scrutinized or more carefully counted. Every legal challenge questioning the results and every court in this country that could have been made was made and was reject ed, often rejectd by republican appointed judges, including judges appointed by the former president himself, from state courts to the United States Supreme Court. Recounts were undertaken in state after state. Georgia, georgia, counted its results three times with one recount by hand. Phony partisan audits were undertaken. Long after the election in several states. None changed the results. And in some of the irony, the margin of victory grew slightly. Lets speak plainly about what happened in 2020. Even before the first ballot was cast, the former president was preemptively sewing doubt about the Election Results. He built his lie over months, wasnt based in any facts. He was just looking for an excuse, a pretext, to cover for the truth. Hes not just a former president. Hes a defeated former president. Defeated by a margin of over 7 million of your votes. A full and free and fair election. There is simply zero proof the Election Results were inaccurate. In fact, in every venue, where evidence had to be produced, an oath to tell the truth had to be taken, the former president failed to make his case. Just think about this. The former president and his supporters have never been able to explain how they accept as accurate the other Election Results that took place on november 3rd. The elections for governor, United States senate, house of representatives, elections which they closed the gap in the house. They challenged none of that. The president s name was first, then we went down the line. Governor, senators, house of representatives, somehow those results were accurate on the same ballot, but the president ial race was flawed . On the same ballot, the same day, cast by the same voters. The only difference, the former president didnt lose those races, he just lost the one that was his own. Finally, the third big lie being told by a former president and his supporters, that the mob who sought to impose their will through violence are the nations two patriots. Is that what you thought . When you looked at the mob, ransacking the capitol, destroying property, literally defecating in the hallways. Rightfully and through the deaths of senators and representatives, hunting down members of congress, patriots, not in my view. To me, the true patriots were the more than 150 americans who peacefully expressed their vote at the ballot box. The election workers who protected the integrity of the vote. And the heroes who defended this capitol. You cant love your country only when you win. You cant obey the law only when it is convenient. You cant be patriotic when you embrace and enable lies. Those who stormed this capitol and those who instigated and incited and those who called on them to do so held a dagger at the throat of america, at american democracy. They didnt come here out of patriotism or principle. They came here in rage. Not in service of america, but rather in service of one man. Those who incited the mob, the real plotters who were desperate to deny the certification of this election, defy the will of the voters, but their plot was foiled. Congr congressmen, democrats, republicans, stayed. Senators, representatives, staff, they finished their work the constitution demanded. They honored their oath to defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Look, folks, now it is up to all of us to we, the people, to stand for the rule of law, to preserve the flame of democracy, to keep the promise of america al alive. That promise is at risk, targeted by the forces that value brute strength over the sanctity of democracy. Fear over hope. Personal gain over public good. Make no mistake about it, were living at an inflexion point in history. Both home and abroad, were engaged anew in a struggle between democracy and autocracy. Between the aspirations of the many and the greed of the few. Between the peoples right of selfdetermination and selfseeking autocrat. From china to russia and beyond, theyre betting that democracys days are numbered. Told me democracy is too slow, too bogged down by division, to succeed in todays rapidly changing complicated world. And theyre betting, theyre betting america will become more like them and less like us. Theyre betting that america is a place for the autocrat, the dictator, the strong man. I do not believe that. That is not who we are. That is not who we have ever been. And that is not who we should ever, ever be. Our founding fathers, as imperfect as they were, set a motion and experiment that changed the world, literally changed the world. Here in america, the people would rule. Power would be transferred peacefully. Never at the tip of a spear or a barrel of a gun. And they committed to paper an idea that couldnt live up to they couldnt live up to, but an idea that couldnt be constrained. Yes, in america, all people are created equal. Reject the view that if you succeed, i fail. If you get ahead, i fall behind. If i hold you down, i somehow lift myself up. The former president who lies about this election and the mob that attacked this capitol could not be further away from the core american values. They want to rule or they will ruin. Ruin what our country fought for at lexington and concord, at gettysburg and omaha beach, seneca falls, selma, alabama. And what were fighting for. The right to vote. The right to govern ourselves. The right to determine our own destiny. With rights come responsibilities, responsibility to see each other as neighbors, maybe we disagree with that neighbor, but theyre not an adversary. Responsibility to accept defeat, then get back into the arena and try again the next time to make your case. Responsibility to see that america is an idea, an idea that requires vigilant stewardship. As we stand here today, one year since january 6th, 2021, the lies that drove the anger and madness we saw in this place, they have not abated. So we have to be firm, resolute and unyielding in our defense of the right to vote, and to have that vote counted. Some have already made the ultimate sacrifice in this sacred effort. Jill and i have mourned Police Officers in this capitol rotunda, not once, but twice, in the wake of january of 6th, once for Brian Sicknick who lost his life the day after the attack, and second time to honor officer billy evans who lost his life defending this capitol as well. We think about the others who lost their lives and were injured, and everyone living with the trauma of that day. Those defending this capitol to members of congress in both parties and their staffs, to reporters, cafeteria workers, custodial workers and their families. Dont kid yourself. The pain and scars from that day run deep. Said it many times, and it is no more true or real than we think about the events of january 6th, we are in a battle for the soul of america. A battle that by the grace of god, the goodness and gracious greatness of this nation we will win. Believe me, i know how difficult democracy is. Im Crystal Clear about the threats america faces. I also know our darkest days can lead to light and hope from the death and destruction the Vice President referenced in pearl harbor, from the brutality of bloody sunday on the Edmund Pettus bridge came historic Voting Rights legislation. Now, lets step up, write the next chapter in American History, for january 6th marks not the end of democracy, but the beginning of a renaissance of liberty and fair play. I did not seek this fight brought to this capitol one year ago today. But i will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach, i will defend this nation, i will no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy. We will make sure the will of the people is heard, that the ballot prevails, not violence, but authority in this nation will always be peacefully transferred. I believe the power of the presidency and the purpose is to unite this nation, not divide it. To lift us up, not tear us apart. It is about us, about us, not about me. Deep in the heart of America Burns a flame, almost 250 years ago, of liberty, freedom and equality. This is not a land of kings or dictators or autocrats. Were a nation of laws, of order, not chaos, of peace, not violence. Here in america, the people rule. Through the ballot, and their will prevails. So let us remember together where one nation, under god, indivisible, this today, tomorrow and forever at our best we are the United States of america. God bless you all. May god protect our troops. And may god bless those who stand watch over democracy. The president of the United States delivering an extremely powerful, very, very significant speech, arguably the most important words he has uttered as the president of the United States, directly over and over and over again, blaming the former president of the United States, donald trump, for the violence that erupted at the u. S. Capitol exactly one year ago today. He never mentioned trump by name. But repeatedly referred to the former president over and over again, and the fact that he had to deliver this speech, he really did not want to do it, but the fact that he did seems to underscore the peril to democracy here in the United States, at least as seen by President Biden. Lets go to our chief White House Correspondent kaitlan collins. Were you surprised he never mentioned trump by name, repeatedly referring to him as the former president , the former president , the former president . I dont think he had to mention him by name. It was very clear obviously who he was talking about. I do think thats a notable choice made by the president , made by the white house, not to just say his name during that entire speech, but, wolf, some of the lines seemed designs with only trump in mind, as if only trump was watching this speech, saying hes not just a former president , hes a defeated performer president , biden leaned into the camera to say that line, saying he failed to make his case, saying that he lost, saying he is a former president , over and over again, hammering that point home. I think it is notable to see President Biden walking into statuary hall, and basically calling his predecessor a liar. He said he created and spread a web of lies about what happened in the election, which he tried to break down there, talking about not only broadly what he said, but going into detail about how can you claim that only your election was rigged when all the other republicans who were elected, their elections were not. Their elections were valid, how can you make that argument . I think it is notable, i do think i wonder, you know, this is a speech he could have given a year ago at his inauguration. He could have talked about that then. That was a speech focused on healing the nation, on unity, it does show where we have come a year from january 6th, where some people maybe thought we would be in a different position in the United States. But clearly the president of the United States feeling the need to go on the anniversary of this and say his predecessor is a liar is notable. He didnt mention trump by name. He didnt have to mention trump by name. He referred to the former president over and over again. I was watching biden there, in the senate, in the house, the statuary hall is there, i was watching him as somebody who was kind of had to get this off his chest. That this has been around since he was inaugurated, it has he has acknowledged that the lies of donald trump have infected the entire nation. And as the leader of the country, he finally decided a year after january 6th that they had to speak the truth, and they had to lay it out for the American People. And, of course, there are going to be people out there, we know them, who say this is ridiculous, they dont like joe biden, they dont like what hes doing. For them, you know, okay, fine. But i believe that when we look back on joe bidens tenure as the president as president , you know, this may well become the strongest speech hes ever given. It was from the heart. And he said at the end, you know, i did not seek this fight, but i will not shrink from it either. I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy. And time and time again he talked about the former president creating and spreading a web of lies, and how he values power over principle, sees his own interests as more important than the countrys interests. It was as if he was giving a summation and a trial and he was standing there with the American Public watching him, and saying, listen, im laying it all out for you, guilty as charged. Hes guilty of doing this to our country. He minced no words at all in directly blaming trump for the violence this erupted one year ago today. To glorias point, i think it will be looked back at his most powerful speech. I think it is also a historic speech. This is his democracy in peril speech. Dagger at the throat of democracy. And he laid it at the feet of donald trump. There is one person responsible. He also went at trump with not just calling hu ing him a liar, said, quote, he cant accept he lost. There is very plain language that he used, that he has a bruised ego. That this was not a group of tourists, this was an armed insurrection. So it was both i have to say i know the historian john meacham, a lot of these lines sound like john meacham had something to do with this speech. It was both historic, but i think it was very pointed, joe biden taking on donald trump in a way hes never done it before. For me it was not just a speech about donald trump, which was the big elephant in the room, but when he invoked that number of 81 Million People, he asked that rhetorical question of, they would like you to believe that by voting, you were actually the insurrectionists. Right. Do you think that was true . Did you know that by participating in our democracy, by upholding your highest civic duty, that you were the insurrectionists . By putting it out there, he was thinking to 81 Million People who never entered the capitol building, who entered voting booths, and entered their polling locations with the idea of voting and having their will be honored. He was speaking to that notion. He also spoke, remember how it began, Vice President harris invoking the phrasing of the date that will live in infamy. Pearl harbor, 9 11, and now january 6th. These are key moments, critical moments over the history of the United States of america to which other countries were looking at this country, saying, what are you going to do now . He harkened back to that very question again of what kind of nation do you think we should be . It is imperative to understand in my opinion, there is only one answer, it can only be a democracy. Famous people talked about the idea of democracy is not the best kind of government, but i know of no greater one. And he was thinking about that very notion today as he spoke, and, you know, for an audience of one, he also talked about those who were fearful of incurring the rath of donald trump. He was talking to republican members of the congress right now, who are looking at seeing the plain truth that the three articulated and enumerated lies he spoke about today, theyre helping to continue that, to what gain, fear of rath and think about it, is a bruised ego of a defeated president enough to continue to batter our democracy . I certainly hope not. Otherwise we wont have one. He spoke to that today. And i want to point out that the president was rather really blunt in saying that democracy was attacked one year ago today. And he said, kaitlan, he said this is really i think significant for the first time in American History a president , referring to trump, a president trayed ed to tried to prevent a peace. Transfer of power. I know in 2022, we have some accustomed to insanity and having lived through the attack, having lived through the pandemic, having lived through what the world looked like over the last five years, but to have a moment where someone like President Biden who has been this mild mannered kind of president , politician, well known figure who was Vice President , obviously served in the senate for three decades, to go to capitol hill and call his predecessor a liar is significant. Likely something that President Biden, joe biden never thought he was ever going to do. And for him to go out there, we say, yes, of course, he called him a liar, yes, we know former President Trump lied about what happened that day, but to have him go out and so bluntly say it with the president ial seal in front of him, the two american flags on either side of him, the Vice President standing right there, is still so notable. And talking not only about that hes a liar and talking about him being a liar, inciting the mob, provoking them that day with hiss speech and going back to the west wing, and as weve talked about, as the january 6th committee has talked about and we reported that day, saying former President Trump was sitting in the office right outside the oval office, watching television, and highlighting his lack of action as what unfolded that day is something im not sure that biden has done in a significant way and put a lot of emphasis on it as he did there. He just called the former president of the United States twisted. As you were talking about how he regards november 3rd as the insurrection, he said can you think of a more twisted way to look at america . That that was the day people cast their votes. I mean, this is, you know, joe biden unbound here. Its just it is remarkable how he directly went after the former defeated president as he said from statuary hall, getting this all off his chest and effectively saying, you know, i work with republicanings. Whatever disagreements i might have with them, thats fine, he said. But this goes beyond that because this is warped. Just for context, though, its not just to get it off his chest, just to go back to two lines, we are living at a turning point in history, we are in a battle for the soul of america. He then said a battle we will win but, again, he gave this speech today as you said, a speech he probably never would have to give because a year later he thinks democracy is teetering. Im glad too. I also was a Voting Rights attorney through the department of justice and i was thrilled to hear him not begin with just november 3rd, as if that was the moment in time where the campaign for the big lie began. He spoke about it being a preemptive strike, even before the election, planting the seeds, laying the foundation for people to be distrustful of the integrity of our elections, and talking about the big lie as a continuous motion, more fluid than simply a guy night period of time when he was, in fact, defeated by the will of the people. That was so important. A lot of us thought hes giving that speech in atlanta next week about Voting Rights. Will he lead into the idea that here they are in this place where Voting Rights are being fought for by the house in many ways hurdles being put in place in the senate, because of the filibuster and other mechanisms, and he leaned into that notion of talking about how this was a preemptive strike in the development of ways to claw back Voting Rights also presented the pretextual reason to have this big lie metastasize the way it did. I think its a very important point he raised and one that should not be lost even though january 6th was the emphasis. We know the days that mark our history are not defined by one 24hour period. It is over the course of weeks, of months, of clawing back, of letting them go away until poof, one day theyre gone. He was reinforcing that democracy was back. Also significant, he didnt just accuse the former president of lying but he said trump and his supporters were lying and lying to spread this notion for profit and power. The former president of the United States was spreading a web of lies because he believes in power over principle and over democracy. Im glad you brought that line up because i do think that that goes back to kind of the center of all this. The way that former President Trump supporters and his allies have viewed this, the ones who viewed it favorably and said its overhyped, oversold, not what you thought it was even though a lot of us who were here and if you werent here and watched it, you know what happened that day, is talking ant what motivated it and this idea of how these people referred to themselves as patriots and President Biden saying theyre not and what drove former President Trump to do what he did, he didnt want to deal with an election loss, saying he not only put power over principle, saying he sees his own interest as more important than the countrys interest. And i just want we talk about what it was like on that day and i was rereading some of my notes from that day, calls that i have to sources were frantic that day. White house aides who were in the west wing that day were deeply shaken by his reaction, not just by what happened on capitol hill, some of them having worked on the hill before, been in washington for a while, they were so shaken by how trump responded to it because he genuinely was not viewing it through the same lens everyone im sorry did. And a lot of people, Kevin Mccarthy and others, have changed the way they each viewed that day in the aftermath, how theyve reverted back to defending him, but that day, in the conversations i had with these people, they were deeply shake bin the way trump responded. Watching him be borderline enthusiastic, which we reported his reaction that day, watching it, they couldnt believe it. Even though they knew him, knew what happened internally, a chaotic west wing where things happened you never expected, that was a day that stood out so much to him. Biden said it was his own interest that drove this, putting it over the United States interests, that is something a lot of people may not say publicly, but a lot of allies of this president would concede is what drove him since he lost the election to act in the way in the year he has since. I think this speech pushed every trump button, every one of them. Absolutely. And im sure he was watching. Hell say maybe he wasnt, but im sure he was watching. And every button. Every button went directly at trump about the lies, being defeated former president , the mob are the true patriots joe biden said to the country, is that what you really thought . Every single point, the big lie, the three things he went over. Directly aimed at donald trump. Didnt have to say his name. Just had to talk about the lies that he is telling. Again, to the jury, in his summation, saying, you know what, you cant love this country only if you win. And that was sort of his closing. You cant obey the law only when its convenient. Speaking of love, sorry, wolf, he made that statement, those who profess to love Law Enforcement assaulted them that day. We talk about that phrase, a nation of laws, talk about the ways in which republican members in the white house have looked at this, some members, and said what about black lives matter protest es, antifa, talk about different notionings and incorporating this with flashy diamonds . In reality, we were seeing one of the reasons the attorney general is having an issue right now with trying to prosecute everyone involved, because people were able to walk back out, number one, of that capitol, obviously they were overwhelmed. We know about the ratio that was in play, but also about the idea of this whitewashing to say these were people who really valued Law Enforcement and a nation of laws. They were trying to uphold these principles. You saw that quite clearly about this hold on a second. Hes speaking now. The president is going beyond that, its way beyond that. [ inaudible question ] the way you have to heal you have to recognize the extent of the wound. You cant pretend. This is serious stuff. A lot of people understandably want to go you know, i just assume not face it. Youve got to face it. Thats what great nations do. They face the truth, deal with it, and move on. Mr. President mr. President all right. The president walking out of the u. S. Capitol, answering a couple questions from reporters. This is serious stuff. He says you have to face it, you have to face the truth. You know, and the president , President Biden was really blunt in, you know, going after trump in all sorts of ways. He could have gone even further and noted that trump was going originally to give a speech today, but decided in the end not to do it presumably because he wasnt going to get a lot of attention. He was planning that press conference around the time there was supposed to be a candlelight vigil tonight at the capitol. He canceled it because republicans did not want that. Theyre the ones who have struggled to maintain respond to questions about what happened that day. I do think what gloria said, he did hit all the trigger points for the former president , mentioning him 16 times as my colleague noted and saying he lost, he failed, he lost, he lied. Using all these words you heard former President Trump use so many times, using him to describe him and his behavr in the aftermath of that. The reporter was asking President Biden about his inauguration speech, about healing the nation, given how divided it is. He was saying you have to address it head on. He said at the end, move on. I dont know that thats like what that looks like going forward, especially ahead of the 2022 elections. What weve talked about with them changing elections nationwide and the efforts by democrats to get some kind of Voting Rights legislation passed. You know, the idea of moving on if thats even possible, that remains to be seen. I dont think thats clear to anyone. You know, just remember that in the immediate aftermath of the insurrection you had eight senators and 139 House Democrats voted against certification. Can i tell you trump has just put out a statement and liz harrington, his spokesman, has put it on twitter. Trump says, biden, whos destroying our nation with insane policies of open borders, corrupt elections, Disastrous Energy policpolicies, used my n today to try to further divide. He actually didnt use his name. This is a bad day for donald trump and a bad week for donald trump. He canceled that press conference. Republicans may not have wanted him to do it, but he doesnt