Vice President Kamala Harris delivered paperwork on Friday to appear on the ballot in South Carolina.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 [APPLAUSE]
00:02 Good morning, everyone.
00:04 Good morning.
00:06 [INTERPOSING VOICES]
00:09 So Madam Chair, I would like to officially connect you
00:22 with our papers to file in the first in the nation state,
00:27 beautiful state of South Carolina.
00:30 [INAUDIBLE]
00:32 Thank you so much.
00:33 [APPLAUSE]
00:37 Good morning, everyone.
00:43 My name is Crystal Spain, and I am
00:44 the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
00:47 Welcome to the final day of our filing
00:50 period for our historic first in the nation primary.
00:55 I am just completely overjoyed to be here today
00:59 with two of our party's most incredible leaders,
01:01 our very own Congressman James Clyburn and Vice President
01:08 Kamala Harris.
01:09 [APPLAUSE]
01:12 South Carolina voters matter, and their presence here today
01:16 confirms that.
01:18 South Carolina has a very special relationship
01:21 with President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris.
01:24 And I am proud of the role the Palmetto State
01:26 played in ensuring that they would go on
01:28 to win the White House.
01:30 And I am completely honored to accept their filing today.
01:33 This primary is historic, and our voters are going
01:36 to turn out for them again.
01:38 [APPLAUSE]
01:41 Now I'm going to pass it over to Congressman Clyburn.
01:45 Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
01:48 Thank you.
01:49 Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
01:50 Thanks for your leadership for this great party.
01:53 And thanks to all of you for being here today.
01:56 This is really, really an incredible demonstration
02:00 of what South Carolina is all about.
02:02 I tell people all the time that South Carolina
02:06 has four distinct cultures.
02:09 If you can acclimate and really penetrate
02:16 in the Pee Dee, the Piedmont, the Midlands,
02:19 and the Lowcountry, you have done
02:22 what is necessary to win the presidency in November.
02:27 [APPLAUSE]
02:29 And we've done that time and time again.
02:33 Now before I present our incredible Vice President,
02:38 let me thank, first of all, the men and women who
02:44 have served our nation so well, kept our freedoms intact,
02:51 laid foundations for me to be where I am,
02:55 for the Vice President to be where she is,
02:58 and for President Joe Biden to be where he is.
03:01 [APPLAUSE]
03:02 We are celebrating today Veterans Day.
03:08 I know Veterans Day is tomorrow.
03:13 But we are celebrating it today.
03:16 And I just want to thank them for the work they've done.
03:20 And I just want to point out--
03:22 I have no idea what the Vice President is going to say,
03:26 but I've got to say this.
03:29 When we were putting together the PAC Act,
03:34 the PAC Act to keep our promise to the men and women who
03:40 have given so much to preserve the freedoms
03:44 of this great country, many of us
03:47 felt there was not enough just to address the burn
03:51 pits in Afghanistan and Iraq.
03:56 But we knew that so many of the men and women from the Vietnam
04:03 era had not gotten what they deserved.
04:09 And the PAC Act went back to pick them up.
04:16 And on yesterday, I had a virtual meeting
04:20 with veterans and veterans' officers
04:23 around the state of South Carolina.
04:26 And to hear a gentleman from the Vietnam War,
04:31 to hear him talk about his injuries in that war,
04:36 and to hear him talk about only getting 10% disability,
04:42 to hear him talk about spending 23 months in the hospital,
04:47 and because of the PAC Act, he is now
04:51 getting 100% disability.
04:53 [APPLAUSE]
04:57 That is indicative of what the Biden-Harris administration
05:03 has been all about--
05:05 making sure that we repair the faults.
05:10 It's one thing to talk about the future.
05:13 But we can get into the future in a much better way
05:16 if we take the time and do the things that
05:19 are necessary to repair those faults that cause
05:23 us to be where we are today.
05:25 And we have done that for those Vietnam veterans.
05:29 And the Biden-Harris administration
05:30 needs to be congratulated.
05:32 The second thing I want to say before she comes before us,
05:37 I've got this little brochure here
05:39 that thanks to the South Carolina Democratic Party,
05:42 we want all you all to get some of these brochures
05:44 before you leave here today.
05:45 [LAUGHTER]
05:47 Because all these people that are running around,
05:50 talking, they don't know what he's done.
05:52 [LAUGHTER]
05:52 What is it?
05:54 It's summarized here.
05:57 But there's one thing that I want to point out
06:01 that I keep hearing that bothers me a great deal.
06:05 And it has to do with this.
06:08 This headline, "Joe Biden has dramatically
06:14 cut student loan debt."
06:16 [APPLAUSE]
06:20 And we keep hearing what he did not
06:23 do because of one lawsuit that kept him
06:26 from doing all he wanted to do.
06:30 But when I look at the number of people
06:35 just here in South Carolina--
06:36 I just want to point this out--
06:38 $116 billion-- I'm going to say it again--
06:44 $116 billion in student loan debt has been eliminated.
06:51 [APPLAUSE]
06:52 You tell me that.
06:55 And I can go through it and be talking
06:58 about for 3.4 million people.
07:04 Now, when people say we have not done anything,
07:07 I want you all to take this brochure with you,
07:09 keep it in your pocket like I will,
07:12 and answer these questions.
07:14 And so thank you so much for all that you do for this party
07:21 and for this country, for all that you did to make Joe Biden
07:28 and Kamala Harris the nominees of this party,
07:34 and all that you did to lay the foundation for them
07:38 to become the leaders of the free world.
07:42 And for her to come back here today and to be a part of this
07:46 says a whole lot about us South Carolina State people.
07:51 [APPLAUSE]
07:54 And those other seven HBCUs in South Carolina,
08:01 I have eight, and I represent seven.
08:06 And I'm glad she did not come this time last week,
08:14 because the Bulldogs showed the bison.
08:17 One thing or two last Saturday.
08:23 But I want her to know she is still all right with me.
08:27 Ladies and gentlemen, Kamala Harris.
08:30 [APPLAUSE]
08:34 You still all right with me, too?
08:36 Let me just start by just saying to all of the friends,
08:42 the longstanding friends who are here, thank you so very much.
08:47 It is my joy, my honor to be back here in South Carolina
08:51 with these extraordinary, extraordinary leaders,
08:54 starting with our leader, Jim Clyburn.
08:56 [APPLAUSE]
08:59 I don't need to tell the people of South Carolina
09:01 what a leader he is.
09:03 But I will tell you that he is one of the closest advisors
09:08 and friends to our president and to me,
09:12 always speaking with clarity, always speaking truth,
09:17 and always grounded on what is in the best
09:20 interest of the people of our country
09:22 and the families of our country.
09:23 So in front of all the friends, leader Clyburn,
09:26 I thank you for all that you are.
09:27 Madam Chair Spain, I just--
09:34 we see each other.
09:35 I see her traveling the country from time to time.
09:38 She is always representing South Carolina
09:43 and reminding people and Democrats everywhere
09:46 of South Carolina and its role.
09:49 And so to be here today and to just for a moment
09:55 appreciate this moment in the context of history,
09:59 first in the nation, and then putting it
10:02 in the context of what happened in 2020
10:06 when it was South Carolina that created
10:09 the path to the White House for Joe Biden and me.
10:14 South Carolina, who understood and believed
10:17 in the promise of America and the importance of with optimism
10:23 fueled by a sense of hope and understanding of what
10:26 is possible, then fought for our democracy
10:31 and for right of all people to participate.
10:34 So I'm here to first and foremost
10:36 thank everybody because of what you did in 2020.
10:41 We have then come into office and with your support
10:46 done a number of things that have
10:48 been transformational for our country because
10:50 of the work of the folks here in South Carolina,
10:53 seniors in our country, across our country,
10:56 who have been suffering from diabetes
10:58 and trying to make decisions about whether they could
11:01 afford to fill their prescription
11:02 or put food on the table.
11:05 Now are going to have their insulin capped at $35 a month
11:10 because of the work that came out of South Carolina.
11:14 I will never forget in 2019 and 2020,
11:17 traveling to rural parts of South Carolina
11:20 to meet with leaders and community leaders
11:23 to talk about the need for accessible and affordable
11:25 broadband.
11:27 It's so impacted the way that the president and I
11:31 have been thinking about it.
11:32 And because of the work of the people here,
11:35 we are now on path to get affordable and accessible
11:40 broadband for all people in our country,
11:42 including our rural families because
11:45 of the work of the folks here.
11:47 The folks here said, let's deal with the issue of lead pipes
11:50 finally, that our babies should not
11:53 have to drink toxic water coming out of those pipes that
11:56 impacts their health and their ability to learn.
11:59 Because of the work of the people in this room,
12:02 we were elected and have been able to now be on the path
12:05 to eliminate all lead pipes in our country
12:08 over the next several years.
12:10 Because of the people in this room, many of us
12:14 very proud HBCU graduates.
12:16 [LAUGHTER]
12:19 Some of us who graduated from the Mecca.
12:21 [LAUGHTER]
12:25 We understood the importance of recognizing
12:29 extraordinary academic institutions
12:32 and giving them the support they need.
12:34 And because of the work of the people in this room,
12:36 we have now invested over $7 in our HBCUs.
12:40 [APPLAUSE]
12:45 The time that I and the president
12:47 spent in South Carolina, a lot of it
12:49 was with small business owners who
12:52 talk with us about their ambitions and their dreams
12:55 about growing their business because they are not
12:57 only business leaders, but civic leaders and community leaders
13:01 and role models.
13:03 And so we got in office and have now invested billions of dollars
13:07 in increasing access to capital for our small businesses
13:11 with an emphasis on minority business owners,
13:15 understanding what they do contribute
13:17 to the strength of our economy.
13:19 And I could keep going on.
13:21 But I say all of that to say, again, thank you.
13:25 It started here in South Carolina.
13:28 The work that we have accomplished
13:29 that will benefit people who we may never meet,
13:34 people who may never know any of our names, so much of it
13:40 can be attributed to the fight, to the commitment,
13:44 and to the perseverance of the people in this room
13:46 and in this state.
13:48 So I'm here to say thank you.
13:50 I am here to say, let's do it again.
13:52 [APPLAUSE]
13:56 We will do it again.
13:59 2024, there is so much at stake.
14:03 As I travel the country, I don't need to tell anybody.
14:05 I do believe there is a full-on intent
14:10 by some very powerful people to attack
14:14 so many of our hard-fought, hard-won fundamental freedoms
14:18 and rights.
14:20 And it is time that we then show them
14:24 that we understand that the American people do
14:27 believe in the foundational ideals of our country, which
14:31 include the freedom of a woman to make decisions
14:35 about her own body and not have her government tell her
14:39 what to do, the freedom of our young people,
14:43 in particular, to be freed from the fear of gun violence
14:47 and the need for reasonable gun safety laws,
14:51 the freedom of people to be able to love who they love proudly
14:57 and without judgment, the freedom of people
15:01 to be able to have access to opportunity
15:03 where we are not afraid to discuss diversity and equity
15:08 and inclusion, understanding that that
15:10 is part of how we will create a stronger
15:13 economy and a stronger nation.
15:17 We are fighting for fundamental freedoms,
15:19 including the freedom of people to have access to the ballot
15:22 and be able to vote.
15:24 In the midst of those who are passing laws, who
15:27 would dare to make it against the law
15:31 to even give people food and water when they're
15:35 standing in line for hours, the hypocrisy abounds.
15:41 What happened to love thine neighbor?
15:45 These are some of the basic things
15:47 that are at stake in 2024, a fundamental fight
15:52 for our freedoms.
15:54 And so we are here with the wind in our back.
15:57 Because did anyone notice what happened on Tuesday?
16:00 Yeah.
16:00 [APPLAUSE]
16:05 I'm going to require a longer memory.
16:07 Did anyone notice what happened in the midterms?
16:09 [LAUGHTER]
16:11 In the midterms, remember all the punditry
16:14 talked about a red wave?
16:17 That red wave never hit.
16:19 No.
16:21 What we saw was from Kansas to California,
16:24 and then on Tuesday, from Ohio to Virginia,
16:29 the people, whether they be in so-called red or blue states,
16:34 voted for freedom.
16:35 They voted for liberty.
16:38 And by extension, they voted to uphold our democracy.
16:42 And so all of that is at stake.
16:44 We have momentum.
16:46 The wind is at our back.
16:48 And so let us continue to do what we know how to do.
16:51 This is a fight for, not against.
16:55 And it is a fight born out of our sincere and deep love
16:58 for our country and understanding what is at stake.
17:02 And I'll close with this point.
17:04 I have now, as vice president, met
17:08 with over 100 world leaders--
17:10 presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, and kings.
17:15 When we walk in those rooms representing the United States
17:18 of America, we walk in chin up, shoulders back,
17:22 with the self-appointed and earned authority
17:27 to talk about the importance of rule of law, democracy,
17:32 human rights.
17:34 And the thing about being a role model, everyone here knows.
17:38 When you're a role model, people watch what you do
17:41 to see if it matches what you do.
17:44 People around the world are watching what is happening.
17:50 And I'm so proud to walk in those
17:52 and say that I know how our country and the people
17:57 of our country are prepared to fight for our democracy.
18:00 And we understand that our democracy will only
18:03 be as strong as our individual willingness to fight for it.
18:07 And so fight we will.
18:09 And when we fight, we win.
18:11 Thank you all.
18:12 [APPLAUSE]
18:13 [SPEAKING SPANISH]
18:15 [APPLAUSE]
18:17 Everyone look right here.