Factbase Transcripts

Jessica Williams

Very Positive

00:00:00-00:00:16 (17 sec)

"Nosy neighbors. Tomorrow is such an important day. It is Super Tuesday, so I had to get an expert on the line. Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to present to you the 46th president of the United States of America, President Joe Biden. Hello, President Joe Biden." 1

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:00:16-00:00:20 (4 sec)

"Hello, Jessica. How are you, kiddo? Great to talk to you." 2

Jessica Williams

Very Positive

00:00:20-00:00:44 (24 sec)

"I am wonderful. It is such an honor. And thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak to the people of North and South Carolina. As I stated, tomorrow, we hit the polls for the primaries. But in North Carolina, the process is going to look a little different because we are one of eight states that now require voters to have a photo ID, and this new law is going to affect about 29 million Americans." 3

Jessica Williams

Very Positive

00:00:44-00:01:01 (17 sec)

"And if we're being honest, we know that many people don't vote in the primaries. And with this new law in place, even more Americans might not be voting. President Biden, can you tell us why this election that is taking place tomorrow is so important and what is at stake, especially for our Black voters?" 4

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:01:01-00:01:20 (19 sec)

"Well, I think what's at stake for everyone, and particularly the Black voters, is that our very democracy is at stake. When I ran in 2020, the black community was really significant in my winning in the first place. When I ran in 2020, I said, "Democracy is at stake." And the press said, "Oh, wait a minute." 5

Joe Biden

Very Negative

00:01:20-00:01:40 (20 sec)

"That's an exaggeration," except the vast majority of people understood what I meant. For example, making it harder to vote. What do you need to vote? An ID card to be able to go vote, a photograph. You know, this is a once in a generation for us to be able to stand up and take on the extreme division and violence that the MAGA Republicans are pushing." 6

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:01:40-00:01:58 (18 sec)

"Primaries is another opportunity to make your voice heard. So, you know, Super Tuesday, the polls are open for you and listeners all across the country. If you haven't voted yet for the primary season, go to iwillvote.com to learn more about where you vote and have your voice heard. It's a big deal." 7

Jessica Williams

Very Positive

00:01:58-00:02:17 (19 sec)

"Very, very big deal. And I know that there is a hot topic that I have my eye on specifically, and that is student debt and loan forgiveness. I am one of million Americans that are still paying on my student loans. I have two wonderful nephews, David and Caden, and they are getting ready to enter into college next year." 8

Jessica Williams

Somewhat Positive

00:02:17-00:02:39 (22 sec)

"So, the conversation about cost of college and all of those types of things are very important in our family. Under your administration, you've approved nearly $138 billion in student debt cancellation for more than 3.9 million borrowers. What is your plan moving forward to continue your work around this important topic?" 9

Jessica Williams

Neutral

00:02:39-00:02:44 (6 sec)

"And can you also speak to some of your additional accomplishments that you've had while in office?" 10

Joe Biden

Leans Positive

00:02:44-00:03:07 (23 sec)

"Well, look, first of all, with regard -- let's talk about the idea of dealing with student debt. You know, what I've done, people are going to receive a letter from me who qualify, continue to qualify, and it's going to be 25,000 people a month are going to get a letter saying their debt has been forgiven because I've been able to expand what's happening in terms of the debt forgiveness." 11

Joe Biden

Neutral

00:03:07-00:03:30 (24 sec)

"And they're going to keep and it makes a gigantic difference, gigantic difference. I mean, one of the things we did in addition to forgiving debt is we provided -- look, the HBCUs are critically important to being a critical part of my whole career, the Delaware State University and others. And you have a number of Black universities in your state." 12

Joe Biden

Slightly Positive

00:03:30-00:03:54 (24 sec)

"And one of the things that is really important is that we provided $7 billion to HBCUs. You know why? Because although they have their -- their students are just as qualified, they don't have the endowments, so they can't build a fancy laboratories and technical facilities they need for the new high-paid jobs across the whole economic spectrum." 13

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:03:54-00:04:12 (18 sec)

"And so, this provides them the ability to do that so that, now, they're being trained in ways that are going to be able to get those jobs in those new factories, get those jobs in those new businesses, where they get paid a whole hell of a lot more because they'll have the training for these more sophisticated opportunities." 14

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:04:12-00:04:34 (22 sec)

"And look, there's not a damn thing that can't be done by the Black communities done by any other community. And I just think it's really important that we focus on it. For example, in North Carolina, what we've done in North Carolina is we've increased the amount of investment in North Carolina dramatically, dramatically." 15

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:04:34-00:05:01 (27 sec)

"There's 450,000 -- nearly 450,000 new jobs in North Carolina, more than three times as many that were created under Trump. And we capped the -- we capped the cost of insulin, for example, for those with diabetes at 35 bucks instead of 400. We recorded 1 million North Carolinians will save hundreds of dollars through the Affordable Care Act this year, provided a student loan debt for tens of thousands as you pointed out." 16

Joe Biden

Negative

00:05:01-00:05:26 (26 sec)

"We're repairing the neglected infrastructure in Black communities. We're going to make sure we get rid of every lead pipe going into a -- into a home that causes brain damage for kids. And we're going to make sure everybody has affordable high-speed internet. So, there's -- and by the way, $3 billion we're going to provide in North Carolina for high-speed affordable internet." 17

Joe Biden

Leans Negative

00:05:26-00:05:47 (21 sec)

"And so, there's a lot going on, repairing neglected infrastructures in Black communities. They've always been the last -- the so-called fenceline communities. I came from one of those communities up when I was growing up in Claymont, Delaware. It was right in the Pennsylvania border near the largest number of oil refineries and anywhere but Houston, Texas." 18

Joe Biden

Neutral

00:05:47-00:06:05 (18 sec)

"I got asthma. A lot of other people did because of winds blew over us. For example, I get up in the morning to drive -- my mom would drive us in third -- first grade, my sister, to the local school. And whenever the -- whenever there was a serious frost, first frost, you'd turn on the windshield wiper, there's be oil slick in the window." 19

Joe Biden

Slightly Positive

00:06:05-00:06:09 (4 sec)

"Well, that's affecting usually minority communities --" 20

Jessica Williams

Positive

00:06:09-00:06:09 ( sec)

"Yes." 21

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:06:09-00:06:18 (9 sec)

"And poor communities, and we're focusing on making sure they get the help immediately. So, there's a lot going on. And we can do a lot more, and I'm confident we will." 22

Jessica Williams

Neutral

00:06:18-00:06:26 (7 sec)

"President Biden, I'm actually -- just to let you know, I'm one of those HBCU graduates. I graduated from Johnson C. Smith University." 23

Joe Biden

Neutral

00:06:26-00:06:26 ( sec)

"All right." 24

Jessica Williams

Neutral

00:06:26-00:06:29 (3 sec)

"I'm a fifth-generation Smith right here in Charlotte, North Carolina." 25

Joe Biden

Neutral

00:06:29-00:06:31 (1 sec)

"Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa." 26

Jessica Williams

Very Positive

00:06:31-00:06:32 (2 sec)

"Yes, yes, yes. So, it's --" 27

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:06:32-00:06:45 (12 sec)

"Well, I'm Delaware State. So, we got to -- got to -- you know, the vice president and I have an ongoing debate on what's the best HBCU in America." 28

Jessica Williams

Very Positive

00:06:45-00:06:52 (8 sec)

"Well, you can tell her that my nephews that I spoke of earlier, they both were accepted into Howard University, and that is their top pick, so --" 29

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:06:52-00:06:57 (5 sec)

"Well, I tell you what, it's a great school. Not as good as Delaware State." 30

Jessica Williams

Positive

00:06:57-00:07:07 (10 sec)

"One more question before we let you go, President Biden. Your name is on the ballot. Why did you decide to run again for president of the United States?" 31

Joe Biden

Neutral

00:07:07-00:07:09 (1 sec)

"To finish the job." 32

Jessica Williams

Slightly Positive

00:07:09-00:07:09 ( sec)

"Yeah." 33

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:07:09-00:07:30 (21 sec)

"There's so much more that has to be done. Look, we're on the verge of making significantly greater change in healthcare availability to everybody. We're in a job. We're in the -- in the business of making sure we make the tax system fair. For example, you got 1,000 billionaires in America. They pay 8.2% federal tax." 34

Joe Biden

Slightly Negative

00:07:30-00:07:52 (22 sec)

"If they pay just 24% in taxes, guess what? They'd be in a position where you'd have another $500 billion over the next 10 years. We'd have childcare, we'd have elder care available. So, allowing people to go out and work and do so much more. We'd make sure that we had the ability to cut child poverty, Black poverty in half again." 35

Joe Biden

Somewhat Positive

00:07:52-00:08:17 (26 sec)

"And not only them, but others. Black homeownership is up. We're going to make sure we have more housing for people, available housing; repairing, as I said, neglected infrastructure; you know, increased Pell Grants. We've done by 900 bucks, affecting 60% of the Black undergraduates. There's so much more on the agenda that we can do that, by the way, all the stuff I've done, guess what?" 36

Joe Biden

Very Negative

00:08:17-00:08:46 (29 sec)

"We've also, at the same time, cut the federal deficit, cut the federal deficit. When I took on the Big Pharma and made them -- and said Medicare could negotiate with them, how much they're going to pay. It not only reduced, for example, the price of insulin to -- from $400 to $35, but it also cut the federal deficit $160 billion because the federal government doesn't have to pay out this money to pharma to meet the medical needs of people." 37

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:08:46-00:09:02 (16 sec)

"There's just a lot we can do, so much more we can do in education and healthcare and infrastructure, and making sure people have an opportunity for -- to purchase housing, get an early start. And so, there's just -- and I think we're just getting started. We're just getting up." 38

Jessica Williams

Very Positive

00:09:02-00:09:19 (16 sec)

"President Biden, thank you so much. I know that you are a busy man. It means the world to have you stop and spend some time with the people of North and South Carolina one more time. Can you just remind everyone to get out there and vote tomorrow for Super Tuesday?" 39

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:09:19-00:09:30 (12 sec)

"Please show up 6:30, the polls open; 7:30 p.m., they close. Go to iwillvote.com to find your polling place. Vote. It matters. It truly, truly matters." 40

Jessica Williams

Very Positive

00:09:30-00:09:45 (14 sec)

"Thank you so much, President Biden. And I have to tell you, you moved me up in the ranking of my family as the favorite child when I called my parents and told them that I would be interviewing the president of the United States, Joe Biden. So thank you for that." 41

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:09:45-00:09:56 (11 sec)

"Well, could you do me a favor? When you -- when you get off the line here, give me your mom and dad's phone number. I'll call them. For real. I'm serious." 42