President Biden delivers post-election remarks

Biden campaigning in Maryland on Monday.

Following a much better than expected performance by Democrats on Election Day, President Joe Biden will appear at 4PM ET to deliver an address and take questions from the press. The ultimate state of the House and Senate are still in doubt, so don’t expect Biden to be announcing too many new plans at this point. Still, he has to be excited and relieved by Tuesday’s results.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 10:11:53 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

And that’s it. A lengthy session touching on a lot of different points.

Biden promised that he would “do another hour” later as reporters scrambled to get in another question at the end. Probably that doesn’t mean today.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 10:10:38 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about Russia’s nuclear weapon threats and their relationship with China.

Biden says he doesn’t think China has much respect for Russia or Putin, expresses his concern about any nuclear threat, and reminds reporters that they were dismissive of the Russian threat when he talked about it during the 2020 race.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 10:09:06 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about whether he is trying to get Ukraine to compromise.

Biden says it’s all up to Ukraine, and he’s not implying anything in terms of Ukraine making any kind of compromise. “It’s up to them.”

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 10:08:06 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about running again by a reporter who insists he has bad poll numbers.

Biden: Watch me.

Then he’s asked whether Ron DeSantis or Donald Trump would be a tougher opponent.

Biden: It’ll be fun watching them go after each other.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 10:06:02 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about continued aid to Ukraine in light of McCarthy making statements that he will not support continued high level aid.

Biden says that he thinks Americans want both parties to do things that benefit the nation rather than just acting out of desire to harm the other country. Biden denies that Ukraine has been given a blank check, and says that there are many things the United States hasn’t given — like not sending U.S. pilots to directly engage Russian pilots over Ukraine. “We want to make sure that there’s a relationship where they are able to defend themselves, and take on what’s the ugliest aggression since World War II…. I would be surprised if Leader McCarthy even has a majority of Republican colleagues who would support reducing aid to Ukraine.”

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 10:02:00 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Ooh. Biden is asked whether he believes Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter is a threat to national security, especially in light of the interest of the Saudis.

Biden says Musk’s activities as they relate to foreign governments are worth being looked at. Says he will not say that Musk is doing anything inappropriate. “And that’s all I’ll say.”

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 10:00:27 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about his dealings with China.

Repeats that he’s “looking for competition, not conflict.” Says that the Taiwan doctrine has not changed at all, and says he is looking forward to discussing with China about finding the “red lines.”

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:58:49 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about harsh rhetoric in politics. “You can’t legislate empathy.”

Biden returns to telling the story of how he lost his first wife and daughter, along with Beau. But says he got through it all with the help of family.

Emphases the need for people in tough times to get help, including mental health when necessary. Says that the child tax credit would help and he hopes to get it passed again.

Biden talks about COVID and how much it has hurt America. Over a million dead, and for everyone of them there were an average of nine people close to them. Then he talks about all the moments that people lost during the pandemic. 

(There were supposed to be just ten questions, one for each reporter, and this is really dragging on at this point. Biden is starting to seem a bit like he’s ready to get out of there.)

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:53:58 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden asked about pocket book concerns by The Grio reporter April Ryan.

Biden points to all time lows in Black unemployment and record numbers of new Black businesses. In fighting inflation, he goes back to the record profits being raked in by oil and gas companies.

Again hits how prescription costs are going to be falling next year, and how insulin will fall from $400 to $35.

Says he’s convinced that it’s possible to have a soft landing on inflation without going into a recession.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:49:54 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about the affirmative action issue before the Supreme Court. (Note: It’s really nice that this has become a very general press event, not just sticking to questions about Kevin McCarthy and Donald Trump).

Biden says the administration will object, before the Supreme Court, to any effort to eliminate affirmative action. He demonstrates that he understands the nuances of this particular case, extends the conversation to the need to improve public education and provide more schooling — both pre-K and technical training after high school. Segues into talking about the cost of college.

Going back to case, he says he’s not at all certain the Court is going to overturn affirmative action.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:45:50 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about Britney Griner, who was moved today to a Russian penal colony.

Biden says he thinks Putin will be more willing to talk seriously about a prisoner exchange “now that our election is over.”

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:44:44 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked repeatedly about whether he is going to run again. Says he intends to, but will make a final decision early next year.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:42:52 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Ha!

Biden is asked about the possibility of Trump running again by a reporter who says “He is still very strong.”

Biden (laughing): Oh, yeah?

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:42:15 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about “breaking the fever.”

Biden: I don’t think we’re going to break the fever for the super mega maga members of the Republican Party, but they’re a minority.

Insists that the rest of the world is looking to the United States for unity. Retells the story of how at his first G7 meeting, world leaders were concerned about America’s tendency to isolate itself under Republican leadership. Says other world leaders were very frightened by the instability they saw on Jan. 6. 

Again, this is an impressive Q&A for Biden’s extended answers.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:38:06 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked how the leaders at the G20 should look at this moment in America.

Biden: First of all, these world leaders know that we’re doing better than anyone else in the world. 

Says world leaders are calling him for advice. “How are you doing it?” Lots of leaders reached out in hopes of cooperation.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:36:57 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked what he thinks of Kevin McCarthy. Biden says “I think he’s a Republican leader, and I haven’t had much opportunity to talk to him.”

CBS tries to get Biden to say that Republicans are going to control the agenda for the next 2 to 6 years. Biden refuses, pokes at everyone who predicted a red wave. 

Biden is asked about how Republicans want to launch a “raft of investigations” into everything, especially Hunter Biden. Biden tells them “lots of luck… I think the American people will look at that for what it is. Almost comedy. But hey, I can’t control what they are going to do.”

Biden is very relaxed. Laughing with the reporters.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:33:59 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is asked about Russia’s withdrawal from Kherson (whoo hoo). He immediately notes that Russia waited until after the election to make this announcement.

Biden says both Russia and Ukraine may “recalibrate” over the winter, and that Ukraine may find some compromise, but it’s up to them. Says he’s going to go to the G20 and will know more then.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:31:57 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

AP starts right off with a doom & gloom question saying that America is heading in the wrong direction. What is Biden going to change.

Biden: Nothing. Because people are just beginning to find out what we’ve done. You know anybody who doesn’t want those roads built? Who doesn’t want lower drug prices?

A really strong answer. You can be news shows are going to cut it off right after the “Nothing” in an effort to make it seem like a bad answer. It’s not. Biden is continuing to talk about how the things he’s done are just starting to kick in.

“I’m not going to change. In fact, there are things I’d like to add to,” immediately mentioned gun control and says “I’m going to ban assault weapons.”

Biden again expresses his feeling that “the conversations are becoming more decent” and says he’s working very hard to generate unity.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:28:34 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden is clearly feeling very good his afternoon. It’s obvious he’s not just reading this, but demonstrating his enthusiasm for America with a lot of extemporizing and off the cuff remarks. He’s a man who is hoping that the fever has broken, that his message is getting through, and … he’s just plain happy.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:26:41 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Side note: The woman doing the ASL during this speech is wonderfully expressive — especially when showing her disgust for Republican issues.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:25:24 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden promises that he will not compromise on drug prices, or the climate crisis, saying these are commitments he is not going to walk away from. Insists that he will not cut taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:24:08 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden says he’s going to “continue to work across the aisle.” And honestly, if Republicans are smart, they’ll see last night as a repudiation of Trump and work with Biden in an effort to rebuild a Republican middle.

Republicans are not that smart.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:22:38 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden notes that, while Republicans are talking about Democratic spending as a source of inflation, the deficit has been cut by more than any other administration.

Takes time out to take a poke at the polls. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t know how to read them any more.”

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:21:12 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden acknowledges the role that young voters played in keeping Democrats in the game. Singles out 25-year-old Maxwell Frost who he called to congratulate.

Biden is careful to note that young people voted out of concern for the climate crisis, personal freedoms, and democracy after noting that he also understands that people are concerned about inflation.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:18:55 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden notes that this was the best midterm election, in terms of congressional seats, for any Democratic president in the last 40 years. The best night for Democratic governors since the 1980s.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:18:09 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden reports that the election appears to be very clean. Gives thanks for the peaceful completion of the election and that threats did not emerge against poll workers.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:17:02 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden starts right out saying, “We had an election yesterday. And it was a good day for democracy. A good day for America.”

UPDATE: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022 · 9:08:37 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

This is one of those occasions where you have to assume that Biden had two versions of a speech prepared. On the other hand, last night’s results might have surprised him so much that he just couldn’t wait to get out there.

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