Transcript - Interview: Sage Steele Interviews Joe Biden for ESPN in Pittsburgh - March 31, 2021 | Factba.se

Sage Steele

00:00:00 - 00:00:05 ()

Mr. President, thank you for being here as we get set for a wonderful day in sports.

Joe Biden

00:00:05 - 00:00:05 ()

I'm happy to be here.

Sage Steele

00:00:05 - 00:00:23 ()

Opening day for America's national pastime. So as thankful as we are to have baseball starting on time this year, we are obviously still in the rollout phase of the COVID-19 vaccine and that affects teams and fans, everybody. So Mr. President, how do you envision this season going with so much up in the air still?

Joe Biden

00:00:23 - 00:00:47 ()

Well, there's not so much up in the air if we -- if we listen. What I was able to do is get over 600 million doses of the -- of the vaccines available, the three vaccines. We've -- and I -- When I announced -- I've only been in office a little over a hundred days, not -- not quite a hundred days. And I announced we were going to do -- we're going to make sure we did a hundred million shots.

Joe Biden

00:00:47 - 00:01:13 ()

We're gonna be up to 200 million. We have 600 million vaccinations available by -- And so, we have enough to begin to vaccinate everybody in the entire United States. But people have to be responsible, Sage. They have to continue in the meantime to wear masks when they're around someone. I have my mask off now because there's no within 30 feet of me but you have to wash your hands and keep social distancing.

Joe Biden

00:01:13 - 00:01:41 ()

And so it's gonna be a little while. We can't, you know, and some people think they're being tough guys not wearing mask. Well guess what? They're -- they're hurting themselves and other people as you have a patriotic duty to protect the people around you. But God willing, the way with the vaccines are getting out now, and the way we're working, I think we ought to be able to, as I said, a goal that by the Fourth of July we'd be at least to have a small barbecue in the backyard with family.

Joe Biden

00:01:41 - 00:01:48 ()

And by the time we get into the fall, hopefully, things are moving. I don't think early in the baseball season that's going to happen though.

Sage Steele

00:01:48 - 00:02:09 ()

Well, we're looking forward to -- to all of those days, those barbecues. And when you talk specifically about athletes and fans, many of whom have gotten the vaccine, others looking forward to it. There are people who are hesitant, athletes or hesitant. So Mr. President, if you're in a clubhouse or a locker room with those athletes what would you say to those who are hesitant to get vaccinated?

Joe Biden

00:02:09 - 00:02:33 ()

I'd say, "Look, I'm President of United States, I got vaccinated. You know, it's not I don't have an unimportant job when I take the vaccination, the vaccine. If I didn't -- If I think it was going gonna hurt me or affect my capacity. Look, we've done an incredible scientific research on the three vaccines that we're using now: the JNJ, Pfizer, and Moderna.

Joe Biden

00:02:33 - 00:02:51 ()

And they work. There's even studies now showing that with a Pfizer that works on younger people, 15, 16, 17 years old. So we're making progress but we have to get to the point where enough people have taken the vaccine, so you've diminish exponentially the prospect of it being able to continue to spread.

Joe Biden

00:02:51 - 00:03:16 ()

You know, I carry in my pocket a -- my schedule, and every single day I have my staff -- I don't -- well, I take it out here. Every single day I have my staff list the total number of people who have died as a consequence of these -- of this COVID crisis. It's 547,296 people dead. We've got to be more responsible.

Sage Steele

00:03:16 - 00:03:32 ()

So on that note, I'm interested to hear what you have to say about what's going on in Texas and as you know Governor Greg Abbott lifted the mask mandate in a state allowing businesses to operate at full capacity. So the Texas Rangers say there will not be any attendance restrictions in their stadium this season.

Sage Steele

00:03:32 - 00:03:43 ()

That means it could be filled to capacity, Mr. President. Forty thousand people with masks required except when actively eating and drinking. What are your thoughts on the Rangers' decision?

Joe Biden

00:03:43 - 00:03:55 ()

Well, that's a decision they made. I think it's a mistake. They should listen to Dr. Fauci and the scientists and the experts. And -- but I think it's not responsible.

Sage Steele

00:03:55 - 00:04:11 ()

So it's also not just baseball, it's in football as well. As you know, Commissioner Goodell said, Tuesday, the league is making plans to open its stadiums to full capacity for the upcoming season. Is it different maybe with them because the preseason is four months from now, versus the Major League Baseball season beginning now?

Sage Steele

00:04:11 - 00:04:15 ()

What's your reaction to Commissioner Goodell's decision right now?

Joe Biden

00:04:15 - 00:04:34 ()

Well, the longer time we have to get more people vaccinated -- We're now at the point where we have almost 75 -- we'll have 75% of the people over the age of 65, the most vulnerable population vaccinated. And we're moving across the board that way we're significantly increasing the number of people vaccinated.

Joe Biden

00:04:34 - 00:04:57 ()

And that's going to diminish the prospects of its spread. And so what I think, it's just in terms of being responsible. You see what's happening in Europe now when they lifted the mandates. They're going back. I don't know why we just don't follow the science and beat this. Just flat out beat it. We're gonna have enough vaccination -- vaccinations, vaccinators.

Joe Biden

00:04:57 - 00:05:16 ()

I've gotten thousands more vaccinators, people to do the vaccinations. We've opened up places particularly for -- there's some communities that are really hesitant because of past history. The Black community knows that as recently as the end of World War II there was experimentation, you know, on African-Americans.

Joe Biden

00:05:16 - 00:05:37 ()

That's not happening now but I understand the hesitancy. And we're -- we're doing everything we can to make it clear to people. Get the vaccine as quickly as you can get it. Get in line. And by the end of -- by the end of this month, we're gonna be in a position where everyone, everyone in fact, is going to be able to get the vaccine no matter what your age.

Joe Biden

00:05:37 - 00:05:43 ()

It's not going to be only people over 65 etc. I think we should move in that direction.

Sage Steele

00:05:43 - 00:06:07 ()

I'd like to switch gears quickly, Mr. President. Sports and politics cross paths sometimes. That's exactly what happened last week in Major League Baseball. Tony Clark is the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. He said, he would quote, look forward to discussing moving the All-Star Game out of Atlanta because Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law a bill passed by the Republican-led state legislature to overhaul how it state elections are run.

Sage Steele

00:06:07 - 00:06:17 ()

So Mr. President, what do you think about the possibility that baseball decides to move their All-Star Game out of Atlanta because of this political issue?

Joe Biden

00:06:17 - 00:06:42 ()

I think today's professional athletes are acting incredibly responsibly. I would strongly support them doing that. People look to them, they're leaders. Look at what's happened with the NBA as well. Look what's happened across the board. The very people who are victimized the most are the people who are the leaders in these -- in these various sports.

Joe Biden

00:06:42 - 00:07:08 ()

And it's just not right. This is Jim Crow on steroids what they're doing in Georgia and 40 other states. What is this all about? Imagine passing a law saying you can not provide water or food for someone standing in line to vote. Can't do that? Come on. Or you're going to close a polling place at five o'clock when working people just get off.

Joe Biden

00:07:08 - 00:07:14 ()

This is all about keeping working folks and ordinary folks that I grew up with from being able to vote.

Sage Steele

00:07:14 - 00:07:31 ()

If they do decide to move the Major League Baseball All-Star game it won't be the first time in professional sports. They move the 2017 NBA All-Star Game out of Charlotte for political reasons as well. Final question, Mr. President, I know you're a sports fan, I know the first lady, Dr. Jill Biden, is a sports fan.

Sage Steele

00:07:31 - 00:07:46 ()

You're from Scranton Pennsylvania, she's from Philadelphia, and you've described her as a diehard Phillies fan. I mean, we know how intense and passionate Phillies fans are. So can you give us a glimpse when Dr. Biden is watching Phillies games. What is she like?

Joe Biden

00:07:46 - 00:08:13 ()

You don't talk to her. You don't talk to her and the other -- the other time, like, for example: I was having a meeting when I'm vice president when the Flyers were in the playoffs. We have a German Shepherd who is an old guy now but he was much younger and I'm downstairs with -- with a meeting with the Republican and Democratic leadership trying to work out a deal, and all of a sudden I hear, "Ahhh, whoa!", screaming, coming from upstairs.

Joe Biden

00:08:13 - 00:08:22 ()

I walk upstairs, she's sitting, I swear to God, sitting in front of this television, with our dog Champ, with a Flyers jersey on, the dog had the Flyers jersey --

Sage Steele

00:08:22 - 00:08:23 ()

Joe Biden

00:08:23 - 00:08:36 ()

-- watching the game. The dog did, she put it on the dog. But she is a -- Look, Philadelphia fans are incredibly notable fans but, boy, are they tough. They are really tough, tough fans.

Sage Steele

00:08:36 - 00:08:48 ()

They are tough. And what I would do to be a fly on the wall with the first lady yelling and screaming at the TV with the dog right there. I imagine you just have to walk out of the room at times, right?

Joe Biden

00:08:48 - 00:09:07 ()

Where I'm at -- I do but one of the things is that, you know, it's interesting. I thought I was a pretty good athlete in high school. And and when I played ball, baseball and football, and -- and my my brothers as well. But the real athletes in our -- in our family are -- are -- are -- are -- are the women.

Joe Biden

00:09:07 - 00:09:17 ()

I have a young daughter, granddaughter I should say, who is two state -- state -- all-state and two sports.

Sage Steele

00:09:17 - 00:09:18 ()

Joe Biden

00:09:18 - 00:09:37 ()

And almost in a third sport. I got all the girls in my family are -- they're really competitive, good athletes. I have a niece who is an All-American. And then I get some really, really talented women in my family, so I take the backseat to the women in my family.

Sage Steele

00:09:37 - 00:09:46 ()

Although we know - we know that back in the day, President Biden was getting it done on the football field at the University of Delaware but I like that you're focusing on the women in your family.

Joe Biden

00:09:46 - 00:10:20 ()

Well, they are. I tell you what. It's -- And it's about time they get paid, by the way. The idea that we're have -- we -- we went to the World Cup in 50 with my granddaughters out in -- out in Vancouver and watched the women's team win. We watched -- we went to the -- Also in South Africa. Anyway, and the idea that these women are getting paid depending -- just overall where women 82 cents on the dollar.

Joe Biden

00:10:20 - 00:10:36 ()

If you're a Black woman it's like 55 cents on the dollar, generically, just across the board. But the idea that, you know, women's soccer players are -- are getting paid so much less than the men. I just don't think it's right. I don't think it's fair.

Sage Steele

00:10:36 - 00:10:37 ()

I know that recently you met --

Joe Biden

00:10:37 - 00:10:39 ()

And that is why I am such a big supporter of Title IX.

Sage Steele

00:10:39 - 00:10:43 ()

Right. And I know you met with Megan Rapinoe and other athletes recently to talk about just that.

Joe Biden

00:10:43 - 00:10:44 ()

Sage Steele

00:10:44 - 00:10:50 ()

And that means so much to everybody, not just women but throughout the sports world, just like the rest of us, Mr. President. I know that you would love --

Joe Biden

00:10:50 - 00:10:51 ()

I think so too.

Sage Steele

00:10:51 - 00:10:56 ()

I know you'd love to get sports back as quickly and safely as possible, so thank you for what you're doing.

Joe Biden

00:10:56 - 00:10:57 ()

Absolutely positively.

Sage Steele

00:10:57 - 00:10:58 ()

Joe Biden

00:10:58 - 00:11:19 ()

Well, the one -- the one thing is I -- I -- when I threw the first pitch out in Washington a couple of years ago, I remember everybody talked about this -- why you're doing it from the rubber? It's because that's where you pitch from. And I thank God it was -- And the catcher at the time said, "Whoa, it was a typical ball.

Joe Biden

00:11:19 - 00:11:22 ()

High and outside." At least it went across the plate.

Sage Steele

00:11:22 - 00:11:26 ()

That is a victory. Absolutely. President Joe Biden, I cannot --

Joe Biden

00:11:26 - 00:11:27 ()

Tha's a victory.

Sage Steele

00:11:27 - 00:11:28 ()

-- thank you enough --

Joe Biden

00:11:28 - 00:11:29 ()

Sage Steele

00:11:29 - 00:11:33 ()

-- for your time for joining us here on ESPN. Thank you so much. We hope to talk to you soon.

Joe Biden

00:11:33 - 00:11:36 ()

I look forward to seeing you. I look forward to meeting your person. Thank you.

Sage Steele

00:11:36 - 00:11:36 ()