Skip to content
Fact
ba
.
se

Press Gaggle: Joe Biden Speaks to the Press Before Air Force One Departure - October 15, 2021

  • Joe Biden
    Person
  • Question
    Person

Question

Positive
00:00:00-00:00:10 (10 sec)
"Mr. President, can you give us some details on the talks you've been having this week: who you've been talking to, what the focus has been, if there's been any specific progress?" 1

Joe Biden

Slightly Positive
00:00:10-00:00:20 (10 sec)
"That wouldn't be appropriate. It's still -- negotiation is still going on. There has been progress, but -- and I'll be meeting with and talking with folks today and tomorrow and -- and on Monday." 2

Question

Very Negative
00:00:20-00:00:37 (17 sec)
"Secretary Kerry said the other day that if you come to Scotland without legislation passed by Congress -- your climate bill -- that would be as bad for credibility as when Trump pulled out of Paris. What do you make of that? That's what Secretary Kerry said." 3

Joe Biden

Leans Negative
00:00:37-00:00:56 (19 sec)
"Well, I -- I think it'd be good to have an agreement on the climate piece, but we're going to get the climate piece. And I think Senator Kerry has a little hyperbole there. He pulled out. And the question is whether or not I have enough Republicans who understand the plan that's in jeopardy. And that's what we're working on." 4

Question

Leans Negative
00:00:56-00:01:04 (8 sec)
"But what's your message to the union workers who are on strike across the country right now?" 5

Joe Biden

Neutral
00:01:04-00:01:05 (1 sec)
"I'm sorry?" 6

Question

Neutral
00:01:05-00:01:10 (5 sec)
"What's your message to the union workers striking across the country right now?" 7

Joe Biden

Neutral
00:01:10-00:01:25 (14 sec)
"My message is that they have a right to strike and they have a right to demand higher wages. And the companies they're striking on are doing very well. I'm not going to get into the negotiation, but my message is: If you think that's what you need, then you should do it." 8

Question

Slightly Positive
00:01:25-00:01:39 (15 sec)
"Mr. President, you expressed some uncertainty about the two years of free community college in your reconciliation package during your speech at the childcare center. Would you sign a package that doesn't include that proposal?" 9

Joe Biden

Neutral
00:01:39-00:01:43 (3 sec)
"Look -- [Laughs] -- obviously -- are you married?" 10

Question

Neutral
00:01:43-00:01:43 (1 sec)
"I'm not." 11

Joe Biden

Very Positive
00:01:43-00:02:15 (32 sec)
"Okay. Well, you're going to have to learn how to negotiate better. All kidding aside, look, it's clear that it's not going to be $3.5 trillion. So, the question is: How much of what is important do we get into the legislation? I'm of the view that it's important to establish the principle on a whole range of issues without guaranteeing you get the whole 10 years." 12

Joe Biden

Neutral
00:02:15-00:02:38 (23 sec)
"It -- it doesn't -- it matters to establish it. I don't know of any major change in American public policy that's occurred by a single piece of legislation. There probably is; I just can't think of one. And so, what happens is you pass the principle and you build on it if in fact it either works or it doesn't work." 13

Joe Biden

Very Positive
00:02:38-00:03:00 (22 sec)
"And I'm convinced that's why I think you see so much support, even from the folks who are holding out, for the Child Tax Credit. Well, the Child -- but they didn't have that idea when I convinced them to pass it the first time when we did the act in Januar- -- I mean February. But now people are seeing it." 14

Joe Biden

Neutral
00:03:00-00:03:12 (11 sec)
"It's practical, it works, and it's fair. And so, you know, I doubt whether we'll get the entire funding for community colleges, but I'm not going to give up on community colleges as long as I'm President." 15

Question

Very Positive
00:03:12-00:03:26 (14 sec)
"What about just the Child Tax Credit and all that childcare money that you talked about today? Do you have any sense of whether Senators Manchin and Sinema support putting that in the reconciliation package?" 16

Joe Biden

Very Positive
00:03:26-00:03:28 (2 sec)
"Yes. Yes." 17

Question

Positive
00:03:28-00:03:29 (2 sec)
"Yes, they do? They both do?" 18

Joe Biden

Positive
00:03:29-00:03:30 (1 sec)
"Yes, I have a sense." 19

Question

Neutral
00:03:30-00:03:34 (4 sec)
"What did you say to President Clinton today? How did you guys --" 20

Joe Biden

Slightly Positive
00:03:34-00:03:49 (15 sec)
"Oh, I wanted to see how he was doing. And -- because I've been trying to get a hold of him. He's doing fine; he really is. And he's going to be released from the hospital. And we talked about -- which we were going to do before -- getting together -- I haven't seen him in a while -- and for him to come over and have some lunch and talk." 21

Joe Biden

Somewhat Positive
00:03:49-00:03:59 (10 sec)
"He was very encouraging about why he thought the policies I was pursuing made sense, but we didn't get into much detail, except -- it was mainly just to see how he's doing." 22

Question

Neutral
00:03:59-00:04:02 (3 sec)
"Is he staying in the hospital, or is he getting out?" 23

Joe Biden

Neutral
00:04:02-00:04:11 (9 sec)
"I think he's -- he's not in any serious condition. He is getting out shortly, as I understand it. Whether that's tomorrow or the next day, I don't know." 24

Question

Neutral
00:04:11-00:04:17 (6 sec)
"Did you guys talk about McAuliffe's race -- Terry McAuliffe's race in Virginia?" 25

Joe Biden

Slightly Negative
00:04:17-00:04:24 (7 sec)
"No, we didn't talk about any -- that I can think of -- I don't think we talked about any particular race. I'm going to go in for the governor." 26

Question

Neutral
00:04:24-00:04:34 (10 sec)
"Do you -- do you think McAu- -- do you think Terry McAuliffe's race is a foreshadowing for what the Democrats -- how the Democrats will fare in the midterm? Is that how you see it?" 27

Joe Biden

Very Positive
00:04:34-00:04:59 (25 sec)
"Now, look, I think everybody understandably reads the two gubernatorial off-year elections as being a bellwether of what may happen. Sometimes it's been right; sometimes it's been wrong. I -- I think Terry is going to win. If he doesn't win, I don't know how much you read into that, but, you know, I -- well, I think he'll win." 28

Question

Neutral
00:04:59-00:05:03 (4 sec)
"Have you met recently with Lael Brainard or Chair Powell about the Fed Chair search?" 29

Joe Biden

Positive
00:05:03-00:05:05 (2 sec)
"It's been nice talking to you." 30

Question

Slightly Positive
00:05:05-00:05:12 (7 sec)
"Senator Dodd has been a big supporter of Chairman Powell. I mean, did you talk to him about that today? And where are --" 31

Joe Biden

Slightly Negative
00:05:12-00:05:13 (1 sec)
"No, I didn't." 32

Question

Neutral
00:05:13-00:05:19 (6 sec)
"Earlier, you said that, in regard to not getting the full $3.5 trillion, later you would go back for the rest." 33

Joe Biden

Somewhat Positive
00:05:19-00:05:19 (1 sec)
"Sure." 34

Question

Neutral
00:05:19-00:05:21 (2 sec)
"What exactly did you mean by that?" 35

Joe Biden

Leans Negative
00:05:21-00:05:28 (7 sec)
"Figure it out. If you can't figure it out, you shouldn't be a reporter. Thank you." 36