Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:00AND DONATE, AS WELL. ALL OF US, ONCE WE PUT IT ALL
00:00:03OUT THERE BETWEEN TODAY AND NOVEMBER 3, ON THE EVENING OF
00:00:08NOVEMBER 3, YOU'RE SITTING COMFORTABLY ON YOUR COUCH
00:00:11WATCHING ELECTION RETURNS COME, IN KNOWING YOU'VE GIVEN THE ELECTION EVERYTHING YOU COULD
00:00:15AND YOU HEAR THE NEWS ANCHOR SAY, WE'RE ABOUT TO CALL THAT SENATE RACE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
00:00:18SO YOU LOOK UP AT THE TELEVISION
00:00:21AND INSTEAD OF, DARLIN OR
00:00:24RALPH'S FACE, YOU SEE MY PRETTY
00:00:26FACE POP UP ON YOUR TELEVISION.
00:00:35AND IN THAT MOMENT THERE WILL BE
00:00:37A CATHARSIS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA,
00:00:41WE WILL ALL FEEL COMPELLED TO GO DANCING IN THE STREETS.
00:00:44IN THAT MOMENT WHEN SOUTH CAROLINA IS CENTRAL TO THE NATIONAL STORY ABOUT HOW WE
00:00:48TURNED THE PAGE ON THIS HIRCH
00:00:50DIVISIVE, HYPERPARTISAN ERA OF
00:00:53AMERICAN POLITICS, IN THAT MOMENT WHEN SOUTH CAROLINA GETS
00:00:56TO START THE NEXT CHAPTER OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
00:01:00FROM THAT MOMENT I WANT YOU TO
00:01:02SAY THAT NOT ONLY WERE YOU THERE
00:01:04WHEN IT WAS HAPPENING BUT YOU HELPED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND
00:01:07THAT IS WHY WE ARE ALL HERE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
00:01:10THANK YOU.
00:01:28>> OH, MY GOODNESS.
00:01:30GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU.
00:01:38THANKS VERY MUCH.
00:01:45FANTASTIC SATURDAY MORNING WELCOME.
00:01:47I GOT TO COME HERE MORE OFTEN.
00:01:53IT IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD TO BE BACK IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
00:01:56THANKS FOR THE WARM WELCOME AND THANKS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
00:01:59LET'S HEAR ONE MORE TIME FOR
00:02:01YOUR FANTASTIC STATE CHAIR,
00:02:05CRYSTAL STAN, AND THE WHOLE
00:02:07SOUTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATIC PARTY TEAM.
00:02:10AND I WANT TO PARTICULARLY
00:02:12ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK TO RECRUIT EXCELLENT CANDIDATES MAKING SURE
00:02:16THAT EVERY SINGLE RACE FROM THE HOTTEST SWING RACE TO THE
00:02:19TOUGHEST UPHILL FIGHT HAS A DEMOCRAT READY TO RUN AND WIN.
00:02:22THAT'S PAYING OFF RIGHT NOW AND
00:02:23IT'S GREAT WORK.
00:02:27I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR DISCUSSION. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
00:02:31SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS AT THE OUTSET. FIRST OF ALL, I BRING GREETINGS
00:02:34FROM RURAL NORTHERN MICHIGAN WHERE I MAKE MY HOME.
00:02:38I BRING GREETINGS FROM OUR
00:02:40FAMILY WHO HAVE BEEN ENJOYING SUMMER TO THE FULLEST.
00:02:44OUR SON, OUR TWINS JUST
00:02:46CELEBRATED THEIR FIFTH BIRTHDAY
00:02:49SO OUR SON IS -- LITTLE GUY'S
00:02:53DEEP IN HIS LEGO PHASE.
00:03:01MASTERING ASSEMBLY SO MUCH,
00:03:03HE'LL SOON BE ABLE TO PUT AN IN APPLICATION.
00:03:05OUR DAUGHTER JUST LOST HER FIRST TOOTH AND I HAVE LEARNED THAT
00:03:09EVEN THE TOOTH FAIR SENOT IMMUNE
00:03:12TO 21ST CENTURY INFLAMMATION.
00:03:16INFLATION. I REMEMBER WHEN A QUARTER WAS PRETTY GOOD.
00:03:18IT WAS MADE CLEAR TO ME THAT THE
00:03:21EXPECTATION WAS PAPER MONEY ONLY UNDER THAT PILLOW.
00:03:23BUT THEY'RE DOING GREAT AND FRANKLY I DID NOT EXPECT TO BE
00:03:26AWAY FROM THE KIDS AND ON THE ROAD AS MUCH AS I I HAVE BEEN
00:03:30THIS YEAR BUT IT'S VERY MUCH FOR THEIR SAKE THAT I KNOW HOW
00:03:33IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE ON THE ROAD, ON THE TRAIL, GETTING OUT
00:03:37THERE AND WORKING TO SUPPORT GOOD CAUSES AND GOOD CANDIDATES
00:03:41AND GREAT STATE PARTIES LIKE WHAT WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY
00:03:44AT THIS ISSUES CONFERENCE TO DO. I'M GOING ANYWHERE PEOPLE WILL
00:03:48LISTEN TO OUR MESSAGE OF A BETTER EVERYDAY LIFE AND A
00:03:51RENEWED AMERICAN DREAM, ESPECIALLY TO MORE CONSERVATIVE
00:03:54AREAS AND DOING THINGS LIKE PRACTICING MY UNEXPECTED
00:03:58SPECIALTY OF BEING A FOX NEWS REGULAR WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING I
00:04:01EVER THOUGHT I'D BE DOING WHEN I
00:04:03GOT INTO POLITICS.
00:04:07WHAT I'VE SEEN AMID ALL OF THOSE TRAVELS AND ALL THESE
00:04:11CONVERSATIONS I HAVE BEEN HAVING AROUND THE COUNTRY HAS MADE ME
00:04:13BELIEVE EVEN MORE STRONGLY THAN I DID IN 2010 WHEN I FIRST PUT
00:04:17MY NAME ON THE BALLOT IN INDIANA
00:04:21AS A POLITICAL UNKNOWN, SOMETHING THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW
00:04:24SO WELL AS SOUTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATS WHICH IS THAT THERE IS
00:04:28NO SUCH THING AS A PERMANENTLY
00:04:31RED STATE.
00:04:36AND I THINK THIS YEAR'S GONE A
00:04:38LONG WAY TOWARD PROVING THAT.
00:04:40REPUBLICAN RULE HAS FAILED SOUTH
00:04:43CAROLINA AND IT HAS FAILED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
00:04:46WE KNOW THIS. THE REMARKABLE THING IS THEY
00:04:49KNOW IT, TOO.
00:04:53YOU CAN TELL BY LOOKING AT THEIR
00:04:57STRATEGY. THEIR STRATEGY HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THE REPUBLICANS THEMSELVES
00:05:01SEE THAT THEY CANNOT RUN AND WIN
00:05:05ON THEIR POLICIES OR ON THEIR RECORD.
00:05:08THINK ABOUT IT. THEY CANNOT RUN ON THEIR POLICIES BECAUSE THEIR POLICIES
00:05:12ARE DISASTROUS AND UNPOPULAR.
00:05:15WHEN YOU HAVE SPENT THE LAST TWO
00:05:17YEARS CUTTING MEDICAID, CUTTING
00:05:21S.N.A.P., CUTTING EDUCATION,
00:05:23RAISING HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS
00:05:26WHILE CUTTING TAXES FOR THE
00:05:30LARGEST CORPORATIONS AND THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE OF THE LAND,
00:05:33YOU CANNOT RUN ON YOUR POLICIES BECAUSE IF THEY DID THEY WOULD
00:05:37LOSE. AND THEY CAN'T RUN ON THEIR
00:05:39RECORD BECAUSE THE RESULTS HAVE
00:05:42BEEN DISGRACEFUL. SINCE REPUBLICANS HAVE SPENT THE
00:05:46LAST TWO YEARS MAKING GROCERIES
00:05:49MORE EXPENSIVE WITH THEIR TARIFFS, MORTGAGES MORE
00:05:52EXPENSIVE WITH THEIR DEFICITS AND GAS MORE EXPENSIVE WITH
00:05:54THEIR ILLEGAL WAR, THEY CANNOT POSSIBLY RUN ON THEIR RECORD.
00:05:57YOU CAN'T RUN ON A RECORD OF
00:05:59COVERING UP THE EPSTEIN FILES
00:06:02AND -- RIGHT?
00:06:05[APPLAUSE]
00:06:09PETE: YOU CAN'T RUN ON A RECORD OF DOING THINGS LIKE THAT AND
00:06:12OBSESSIVELY WAGING CULTURE WARS WHILE EVERYTHING IN AMERICAN
00:06:16LIFE GETS HARDER, NOT EASIER, MORE EXPENSIVE, NOT MORE AFFORDABLE.
00:06:20NOT WHEN YOU RAN ON DRAINING THE
00:06:22SWAMP AND NOW INSTEAD YOU'RE
00:06:24RAKING IN CRYPTOMONEY AND FLYING
00:06:28AROUND IN A SECOND-HAND JUMBO JET FROM A FOREIGN PRINCE AND
00:06:31THE ONLY THING THEY'VE MANAGED TO DRAIN IS THE REFLECTING POOL
00:06:35IN FRONT OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
00:06:37THEY CANNOT RUN ON A RECORD LIKE
00:06:40THAT.
00:06:42SO, WHEN NO ONE LIKES YOUR
00:06:44POLICIES AND NO ONE CAN DEFEND YOUR RECORD, THEY HAVE ONLY ONE
00:06:48OPTION LEFT, TO TRY TO STAY IN POWER.
00:06:50AND THAT IS TO CHANGE THE RULES. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE DOING THIS.
00:06:54THEY'RE NOT EVEN TRYING TO
00:06:58PERSUADE VOTERS. THE STRATEGY, INSTEAD, IS TO
00:07:01DISEMPOWER VOTERS, TO REARRANGE
00:07:05VOTERS WITH RE-DISTRICTING, TO
00:07:08SUPPRESS VOTERS WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
00:07:11IT'S WHY YOU SEE THIS FRENZY OF
00:07:15PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING, THOUGH
00:07:17IT'S VERY TELLING, I THINK,, THAT THEY TOOK A LOOK AROUND IN
00:07:20SOUTH CAROLINA AND SAID MAYBE WE
00:07:22NEED TO HOLD OFF ON THIS FOR A MINUTE HERE.
00:07:26THAT IS A REFLECTION OF THE
00:07:27POWER OF SOUTH CAROLINA
00:07:31DEMOCRATS.
00:07:33BUT YOU SEE THIS CULMINATION OF
00:07:36THEIR GENERATIONAL PROJECT TO
00:07:39DISMANTLE BLACK REPRESENTATION IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS,
00:07:41ACROSS THE SOUTH, CULMINATING IN
00:07:44THE SUPREME COURT GUTTING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
00:07:47IT'S WHY YOU SEE AN UNPRECEDENTED FLOOD OF CORPORATE
00:07:50DARK MONEY TO MANIPULATE ELECTION OUTCOME.
00:07:54THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE PEOPLE AND
00:07:57CANNOT WIN AN ELECTION THAT IS FAIR AND FREE.
00:08:00BUT WE KNOW SOMETHING, TOO.
00:08:02WE KNOW THAT EVEN ON A TILTED
00:08:05PLAYING FIELD, YOU CAN WIN WHEN YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE
00:08:09PEOPLE AND THAT'S WHY WE WILL WIN. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT MANY OF OUR
00:08:13NEIGHBORS WHO HAVEN'T ALWAYS VOTED OUR WAY IN THE PAST ARE
00:08:15READY FOR CHANGE THIS TIME AROUND.
00:08:19IT'S NOT JUST DEMOCRATS WHO SEE
00:08:20THAT MONEY HAS GONE WAY TOO FAR
00:08:23IN OUR POLITICS, THAT THE SYSTEM IS TILTED IN ALL THE WRONG WAYS
00:08:27AND ALL THE WRONG PEOPLE ARE LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE
00:08:31BANK. IT'S NOT JUST DEMOCRATS WHO SEE
00:08:32THAT THINGS CANNOT GO ON LIKE
00:08:35THIS, THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY, THAT IT IS
00:08:38INCREASINGLY NOT ABOUT RED VERSUS BLUE.
00:08:41IT IS ABOUT TRUTH VERSUS
00:08:43FALSEHOOD AND RIGHT VERSUS
00:08:46WRONG.
00:08:50[APPLAUSE]
00:08:54PETE: AND OUR NEIGHBORS ALREADY UNDERSTAND THAT GOD DOES NOT
00:08:56BELONG TO A POLITICAL PARTY IN
00:08:58THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
00:09:02AND THEY DEFINITELY KNOW THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
00:09:05SHOULD NOT BE AT WAR HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD YET AGAIN WITH
00:09:10NO PLAN FOR WHAT'S NEXT AND NO END IN SIGHT.
00:09:13OUR NEIGHBORS KNOW THAT, NO MATTER HOW THEY VOTED IN THE
00:09:16LAST ELECTION. SO IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND ACROSS
00:09:20THE COUNTRY, WE CAN OFFER SOMETHING BETTER.
00:09:22WE CAN OFFER A CHANGE IN
00:09:24DIRECTION AND A CHANCE TO MAKE THINGS BETTER AND THIS IS IMPORTANT.
00:09:28NOT JUST BETTER THAN NOW.
00:09:30BUT BETTER THAN BEFORE.
00:09:32THIS IS NOT -- IS NOT ABOUT
00:09:35RETURNING TO SOME PREVIOUS
00:09:38STATUS QUO.
00:09:43IF OUR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
00:09:45AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS WERE SERVING
00:09:48US WELL THE LAST FEW DECADES, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE RIGHT NOW.
00:09:51ALL OF THAT IS WHAT LED TO ALL
00:09:55OF THIS AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMIND
00:09:57OURSELVES OF THAT, THAT THE CURRENT CHAOS CANNOT STAND BUT A
00:10:01RETURN TO POLITICS AS USUAL WILL NOT DO, EITHER.
00:10:05WE ARE NOT HERE MERELY TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE OR TO OFFER A
00:10:08WAY TO GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE.
00:10:11WE ARE HERE TO MEET THE FUTURE
00:10:12AND MAKE IT BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
00:10:21NOW, THE FIRST TIME I TURNED UP IN SOUTH CAROLINA, IT WASN'T FOR POLITICS.
00:10:24I WAS IN UNIFORM SENT HERE FOR
00:10:27COMBAT TRAINING, A LITTLE PLACE
00:10:30CALLED CAMP MCCREDE DOWN THE ROAD FROM FORT JACKSON.
00:10:33THE FIRST TIME I GOT TO KNOW
00:10:34MANY OF YOU WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO
00:10:37WHEN I DID WHAT ANY SUCCESSFUL
00:10:40SECOND-TERM MAYOR IN INDIANA
00:10:41WOULD DO AND WENT FOR THE
00:10:46NOMINATION OF THE PRESIDENCY. WE MAY EVEN HAVE BEEN HERE IN
00:10:49FLORENCE, A FIELD OFFICE WE OPENED OR AROUND THE DEBATE HELD
00:10:53IN CHARLESTON. THAT CAMPAIGN OBVIOUSLY DID NOT LEAD ME TO THE NOMINATION EIGHT
00:10:57YEARS AGO BUT IT DID LEAD TO THE
00:10:58THE ENORMOUS HONOR OF SERVING AS
00:11:03YOUR U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION UNDER PRESIDENT
00:11:05JOE BIDEN. [APPLAUSE]
00:11:09PETE BUTTIGIEG: I'M AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE ACHIEVED.
00:11:13WE MADE ROADS AND RAILROADS
00:11:15SAFER, EXPANDED THE RIGHTS OF AIRLINE PASSENGERS AND HELD
00:11:19POWERFUL CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABLE. WE ALSO MADE SURE THAT MORE OF
00:11:22THOSE WHO HAD BEEN EXCLUDED IN THE PAST HAD A CHANCE TO COMPETE
00:11:26AND EARN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
00:11:29I KNEW THAT THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF PROMISES IN THE PAST SO WE
00:11:33FOCUSED ON PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH WAS.
00:11:36WE INCREASED THE DEPARTMENT'S
00:11:38CONTRACTS WITH SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES BY
00:11:42ALMOST $2 BILLION.
00:11:47[APPLAUSE]
00:11:47PETE BUTTIGIEG: AND WE AWARDED
00:11:52$435 MILLION TO HBCU'S DOING
00:11:56EXCELLENT WORK INCLUDING BENEDICT COLLEGE AND SOUTH
00:11:59CAROLINA STATE HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
00:12:01AND TO BE CLEAR, WE DID THAT NOT AS A FAVOR BUT BECAUSE WE
00:12:05RECOGNIZED THAT THEIR EXCELLENCE IN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND
00:12:08WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT WAS A
00:12:10BENEFIT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
00:12:16AND WE MADE SURE THE FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE TO CONNECT ONCE
00:12:20VIBRANT COMMUNITIES THAT WERE
00:12:23DIVIDED WHEN HIGHWAYS AND RAILROADS WERE BUILT THROUGH THEM.
00:12:27OVERALL WE FUNDED OVER 70,000 INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
00:12:30INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS RIGHT HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA WORKING ON EVERYTHING FROM
00:12:33REPLACING THE BRIDGES OVER LAKE
00:12:35MARION TO EXPANDING THE
00:12:39CONCOURSE AT MYRTLE BEACH
00:12:41AIRPORT TO EASING TRAFFIC IN
00:12:44CHARLESTON COUNTY. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW IS
00:12:48THAT IT WAS BIPARTISAN. I KNOW THIS IS A PARTISAN GATHERING BUT I WANT TO MENTION
00:12:52WE WORKED WITH A LOT OF REPUBLICAN LEADERS ACROSS THE
00:12:54COUNTRY TO IMPLEMENT THAT LAW
00:12:57INCLUDING YOUR LATE SENIOR SENATOR. LINDSEY GRAHAM VOTED FOR THAT BILL.
00:13:00HE SAID IT WAS GOOD FOR SOUTH
00:13:02CAROLINA AND HE WAS RIGHT.
00:13:05BUT I MUST POINT OUT THAT NOT ONE REPUBLICAN THAT THIS STATE
00:13:08SENT TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JOINED HIM.
00:13:11NOT ONE. AND YET WHENEVER THERE WAS A
00:13:15TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE WIN, I COULD
00:13:18ALWAYS COUNT ON SOME SOUTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL
00:13:22REPUBLICAN TO TAKE CREDIT FOR
00:13:22SOMETHING THEY VOTED AGAINST.
00:13:28REALLY REMARKABLE.
00:13:31THAT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT MAKES PEOPLE
00:13:34CYNICAL ABOUT POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT. BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT
00:13:38WAY. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
00:13:41AMERICANS, I AM CONVINCED, ARE READY FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
00:13:44AMERICANS KNOW THAT POLITICS CAN BE BETTER THAN THIS.
00:13:47THAT IT CAN BE USED TO BUILD
00:13:50TRUST INSTEAD OF BREAK TRUST.
00:13:54THE -- THAT POLITICS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A CAGE MATCH OR A BLOOD SPORT.
00:13:57I THINK PEOPLE WANT A FUTURE WHERE YOU LOOK AT YOUR LEADERS
00:14:00AND ACTUALLY FEEL YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT INSTEAD OF UP TO THE ROOF.
00:14:04WOULDN'T THAT BE NICE?
00:14:08BUT IT REQUIRES FOCUSING ON WHAT
00:14:11ACTUALLY MATTERS TO MAKE EVERYDAY LIFE DIFFERENT AND BETTER.
00:14:14NOT LAUNCHING ILLEGAL WARS ABROAD AND CULTURE WARS AT HOME,
00:14:18NOT GOVERNING BY TWEET AND
00:14:21INSULT, NOT ENDLESS DRAMA. PEOPLE WANT RESULTS AND WE CAN
00:14:25DELIVER. WE CAN DELIVER AN ECONOMY WHERE
00:14:28ONE JOB IS ENOUGH, WHICH IS HOW
00:14:30IT OUT -- OUGHT TO BE.
00:14:37WE CAN DELIVER HEALTHCARE NOT AS
00:14:39A PRIVILEGE FOR THE FEW BUT AS A
00:14:41RIGHT FOR ALL.
00:14:48WE CAN DELIVER AN EDUCATION SYSTEM WORTHY OF THE WORLD'S
00:14:51LEADING ECONOMY WHERE THERE ARE EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE
00:14:55STUDENTS GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AND TEACHERS GET THE
00:14:58RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE.
00:15:04AND WE CAN MAKE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE WITH A TAX CODE THAT
00:15:08SEES BILLIONAIRES PAYING AT
00:15:09LEAST A HIGH A TAX RATE AS TEACHERS AND FIREFIGHTERS, NOT A
00:15:13LOWER ONE LIKE THEY ARE TODAY.
00:15:19MOST AMERICANS ARE ALREADY LOOKING FOR THIS.
00:15:22WE CAN DELIVER A GOVERNMENT THAT
00:15:24WORKS PROPERLY, THAT HOLDS
00:15:28CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABLE SO THAT
00:15:30PEOPLE CAN GET MORE TIME BACK IN THEIR DAY AND MORE MONEY BACK IN
00:15:33THEIR POCKETS. WE CAN DELIVER A GOVERNMENT THAT RESPECTS PEOPLE'S FREEDOM, FROM
00:15:37THE FREEDOM TO CRITICIZE YOUR GOVERNMENT WITHOUT RETRIBUTION,
00:15:41TO THE FREEDOM TO BE WHO YOU ARE
00:15:50[CHEERING] THAT IS NOT TOO MUCH
00:15:58TO ASK. BUT TO DELIVER ALL OF THAT, WE HAVE TO GET TO WORK IMMEDIATELY
00:16:01TO DELIVER ABOUT UP -- A BETTER
00:16:05POLITICAL SYSTEM AND THAT IS THE WANT TO STRESS. LIKE I SAID, THE FIRST TIME I
00:16:09CAME TO THE STATE WAS IN UNIFORM. THE NEXT SEVERAL TIMES I CAME TO
00:16:12THE STATE WAS TO ASK FOR SOMETHING COME TO ASK FOR YOUR VOTES.
00:16:16AND THEN I CAME TO OFFER
00:16:19SOMETHING. INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.
00:16:23NOW I'M HERE TO PROPOSE SOMETHING. AND THAT IS AT REFORMING OUR
00:16:27BROKEN POLITICAL SYSTEM IS THE
00:16:28WORK OF OUR TIME.
00:16:32[APPLAUSE].
00:16:36>> FOR FAR TOO LONG, WE HAVE BEEN SHAKING OUR HEAD AT OUR
00:16:39BROKEN POLITICAL SYSTEM AND SAYING IT IS BROKEN AND THEN
00:16:42ACTING LIKE IT WASN'T. EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE I'M
00:16:46PREACHING TO THE CHOIR ON THIS, I MUST SAY THAT THERE ARE A LOT
00:16:49OF VOICES IN OUR OWN PARTY SAYING WE CANNOT DEAL WITH THE
00:16:53POLITICAL SYSTEM UNTIL AFTER WE FIX THE ECONOMY. I'M HERE TO INSIST THE ONLY WAY
00:16:57TO DO ONE IS TO DO THE OTHER AT
00:16:59THE VERY SAME TIME.
00:17:06IT IS TIME FOR AN END TO THE
00:17:10PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING BEING USED TO WIPE OUT FAIR REPRESENTATION.
00:17:13AND ENTRENCH SUPER MAJORITIES HOW TO STEP WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
00:17:17A SYSTEM WHERE FOUR OUT OF 10 PEOPLE AT LEAST IN THIS STATE
00:17:20VOTE DEMOCRAT AND SOMEHOW
00:17:24MR. CLYBURN IS ALL ALONE IN THE WHOLE FEDERAL DELEGATION THAT THE STATE SENDS TO WASHINGTON.
00:17:27PEOPLE KNOW THAT IS NOT FAIR AND
00:17:33IT HAS TO CHANGE.
00:17:37IT IS ALSO TIME FOR AN END TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BEING
00:17:39THE ONLY ONE IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE YOU CAN EARN THE MOST
00:17:42VOTES AND STILL NOT WIN.
00:17:48>> AND I SHOULD ADD THAT A NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE WOULD MEAN
00:17:52THAT THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA PLAY A ROLE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION AS WELL AS IN
00:17:55THE PRIMARY BECAUSE YOU DESERVE
00:17:57ATTENTION IN THE FALL TOO.
00:18:05AND IT IS TIME TO END THE
00:18:08DISSENT OF OUR JUDICIARY AND SUPREME COURT INTO A NAKEDLY
00:18:12PARTISAN INSTITUTION LOSING
00:18:15LEGITIMACY BY THE DAY. WE CANNOT BE AFRAID TO REFORM.
00:18:19ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT THEY HAVE
00:18:22DONE.
00:18:25AND IT IS DEFINITELY TIME TO END
00:18:27THE ONSLAUGHT OF DARK MONEY AND
00:18:31OUR POLITICS. AND IF THAT TAKES A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, SO BE
00:18:33IT.
00:18:39LOOK, I KNOW THAT DOWN HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU KNOW A LOT
00:18:42ABOUT STANDING UP TO BROKEN SYSTEMS. YOU KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT
00:18:45STANDING UP TO INJUSTICE.
00:18:49SOUTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATS COULD TEACH THE NATIONAL PARTY A THING
00:18:52OR TWO ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE
00:18:55IN OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM AND THE STRUGGLE FOR FAIRNESS IN OUR
00:18:58ECONOMIC POLICY.
00:19:01WHERE THOSE ISSUES MEET I BELIEVE IS THE DEFINING QUESTION
00:19:03OF THE 2020'S.
00:19:06AND I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU AT THE CONFERENCE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND I'M
00:19:10LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING SOME
00:19:11QUESTIONS.
00:19:21[CHEERING] [APPLAUSE].
00:19:32>> SO HOW DID THAT GO? HE IS A GREAT COMMUNICATOR,
00:19:36ISN'T HE? WE HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS I HAVE
00:19:40ALREADY KIND OF PREPARED.
00:19:43BUT I KNOW WE HAVE TO FIND OUT
00:19:48IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. I'M SURE THE SECRETARY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL. .BE SURE TO GET THOSE WRITTEN
00:19:51DOWN. MY FIRST QUESTION MR. SECRETARY,
00:19:55AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ACCEPTING OUR INVITATION AND
00:19:57COMING HERE AND BEING OUR
00:20:01SPEAKER FOR THE ISSUES CONFERENCE. WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOU
00:20:05TO BE HERE TODAY.
00:20:07>> MY FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT
00:20:10MEETING THIS POLITICAL MOMENT WE ARE IN. WHAT DO YOU THINK DEMOCRATS SHOULD BE DOING DIFFERENTLY
00:20:14RIGHT NOW TO MEET THIS POLITICAL MOMENT AND REBUILD TRUST WITH
00:20:18OTHERS WHO FEEL THE PARTY IS NOT
00:20:20SPEAKING TO THEM.
00:20:24>> THIS IS WHY I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO SHOW THAT WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT REFORM.
00:20:28BECAUSE THE REALITY WE ARE IN,
00:20:32WHERE YOU CAN SAY YOU ARE GOING TO CUT PRICES AND INSTEAD YOU
00:20:36INCREASE THEM OR YOU SAY YOU WILL BE FOR PEOPLE'S HEALTHCARE
00:20:38AND YOU CUT HEALTHCARE. YOU SAY YOU CARE ABOUT EDUCATION
00:20:42AND YOU ABOLISH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BASICALLY.
00:20:45ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN ONLY
00:20:46HAPPEN IN A SYSTEM WHERE THERE
00:20:49IS NOT REAL REPRESENTATION. LET'S BE HONEST. THE TWISTED NATURE OF THE SYSTEM
00:20:53MAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT BOTH PARTIES AND SAY, TO HELP
00:20:56WITH ALL OF IT. WE KNOW THERE IS NO EQUIVALENT
00:21:00WITHIN THE TWO PARTIES. TO REACH A LOT OF THE PEOPLE
00:21:02THAT WALKED AWAY FROM THE PROCESS ALTOGETHER, WE HAVE TO
00:21:06SHOW THAT WE GET THAT THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND PUT
00:21:09FORWARD, AS I HAVE TRIED TO DO IN MY REMARKS, SPECIFIC,
00:21:12CONCRETE THINGS WE WILL DO ABOUT IT WILL MEETING PEOPLE WHERE
00:21:15THEY ARE AND TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT MAKE EVERYDAY LIFE
00:21:18TOUGH AND COULD BE BETTER IF WE
00:21:19HAD BETTER POLITICAL DECISIONS.
00:21:23>> PERFECT. SO WE TALK A LOT ABOUT YOUNG VOTERS.
00:21:27HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. DEMOCRATS TALK ABOUT YOUNG
00:21:29VOTERS.
00:21:31SOMETIMES PEOPLE CONSIDER IT A
00:21:37RETIREMENT STATE. WE HAVE A LOT OF CALLS TO THE
00:21:39UNIVERSITIES AND WE HAVE A YOUNG ROBUST VOTER POPULATION.
00:21:42THAT IS MY NEXT QUESTION. MANY YOUNG VOTERS HERE ARE
00:21:46INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED WITH POLITICS AND SKEPTICAL THAT
00:21:49GOVERNMENT CAN IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. HOW DO DEMOCRATS REENGAGE YOUNG
00:21:53VOTERS WHO FEEL DISILLUSIONED BY
00:21:56OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM SHALL?
00:22:00FIRST, I HAVE TO SAY, WE GET IT.
00:22:02YOU CAME OF AGE ANY TIME SINCE
00:22:05THE FINANCIAL CRISIS OR THE IRAQ
00:22:09AND AFGHANISTAN WARS OR THE FIRST TRUMP TERM OR WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH NOW, YOU HAVE
00:22:13WITNESSED SO MANY POLICY FAILURES THAT HAVE MADE YOUR
00:22:16GENERATION WORSE OFF.
00:22:19THE AMERICAN DREAM IS NOT THERE IN THE SAME WAY FOR THE YOUNGER
00:22:22GENERATION THAT IT WAS BEFORE. IF YOU ARE BORN THE YEAR MY
00:22:25PARENTS WERE BORN, THERE IS A
00:22:29NINE OUT OF 10 CHANCE OF COMING OUT ECONOMICALLY AHEAD
00:22:33. AND 90% CHANCE YOU WOULD HAVE MORE THAN YOUR PARENTS DID.
00:22:36BY THE TIME I WAS BORN, THAT WAS A COIN FLIP.
00:22:41AND NOW YOU HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE DOUBTING IF THEY WILL EVER BE
00:22:44ABLE TO OWN A HOUSE. IT USED TO BE, THE TYPICAL AGE
00:22:48TO GET YOUR FIRST HOUSE WOULD BE IN YOUR 20s.
00:22:50NOW IT IS OVER 40. AND CONTINUES TO HEAD IN THE
00:22:54WRONG DIRECTION. I THINK THE MESSAGE WE NEED TO BRING TO YOUNG PEOPLE'S, WE SEE THAT.
00:22:57WE HEAR YOU AND THE LONGER YOU
00:23:00ARE PLANNING TO BE HERE, THE MORE YOU HAVE AT STAKE AND A WHOLE SET OF DECISIONS ARE ABOUT
00:23:04TO BE MADE AND ARE BEING MADE RIGHT NOW. THE DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH
00:23:07OR WITHOUT YOU.
00:23:10AGAIN, NOT TO BE A BROKEN RECORD.
00:23:14YOUNG PEOPLE WILL HAVE MORE
00:23:14CONFIDENCE WHEN THEY SEE A
00:23:19SYSTEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT IS ACTUALLY REPRESENTING.
00:23:22AND THIS IS PART OF WHY THE STRATEGY WE ARE SEEING FROM THE
00:23:26OTHER SIDE IS SO DEADLY TO OUR
00:23:29ENTIRE NATIONAL FABRIC. WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
00:23:32ESPECIALLY SINCE THE SUPREME
00:23:37COURT BASICALLY CREATED A DE FACTO RIGHT TO PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING.
00:23:41AND LET'S JUST BE CLEAR WITH
00:23:42THESE FOLKS SAY, WE ARE NOT
00:23:46BREAKING UP THESE DISTRICTS BECAUSE THEY ARE BLACK. WE ARE BREAKING UP THE DISTRICTS
00:23:49BECAUSE THEY ARE DEMOCRATIC.
00:23:50THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
00:23:55AND THIS BRIEF CYNICISM, THROUGH
00:23:55EVERY GENERATION, WE HAVE TO
00:24:00RESPOND WITH A CREDIBLE AGENDA THAT WILL DEFEAT THAT KIND OF THING.
00:24:03AND RECRUIT YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
00:24:07>> GREAT ANSWER.
00:24:11SO LET'S MOVE ON TO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE FUN FOR US.
00:24:15IT IS CALLED FIRST IN THE NATION.
00:24:19YES. .THAT DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
00:24:21[APPLAUSE] SOUTH CAROLINA IS NOW
00:24:26THE FIRST IN THE NATION DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY STATE.
00:24:30WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU SEE IN US THAT MAKE SOUTH CAROLINA
00:24:32WELL-POSITIONED TO LEAD THE
00:24:34DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN THIS EFFORT.
00:24:38>> CONGRATULATIONS ON THE FIRST IN THE NATION STATUS. I KNOW IT WAS HARD WON AND
00:24:41WELL-EARNED.
00:24:44WHAT EXCITES ME ABOUT IT IS THE DIVERSITY OF THE STATE.
00:24:47AND I DON'T JUST MEAN THE RACIAL DIVERSITY OF THE STATE BUT THE ECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHIC
00:24:51DIVERSITY OF THE STATE. THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO ASCEND TO THE HIGHEST OFFICE OF THE
00:24:55LAND ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEAK
00:25:01TO ECONOMIES FROM MANUFACTURING
00:25:01TO AGRICULTURE AND THEY ARE
00:25:05GOING TO HAVE TO SPEAK TO A RACIALLY DIVERSE STATE THAT HAS
00:25:09BEEN ON THE BUSINESS END OF SO
00:25:09MUCH OF THE DISEMPOWERMENT OF
00:25:13BLACK AND LATINO VOTERS AND CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTRY.
00:25:17I'M ALSO EXCITED BECAUSE I DON'T
00:25:21THINK -- I NEVER ENCOUNTER FOLKS
00:25:23HERE THAT FEEL ENTITLED TO THE
00:25:26ATTENTION OF NATIONAL POLITICIANS. BUT YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET A WHOLE
00:25:30LOT OF IT.
00:25:32AND SEEING THE ROLE THAT
00:25:37ORDINARY PEOPLE PLAY IN VETTING PEOPLE THAT WANT TO STEP UP IS,
00:25:41I THINK ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING THINGS ABOUT A
00:25:44POLITICAL SYSTEM. THAT TOO OFTEN FEELS LIKE IT IS
00:25:47ONLY PLAYING OUT ON THESE
00:25:50NATIONAL GAME BOARDS AND INCREASINGLY, THESE DIGITAL SPACES TOO. THAT IS THE OTHER THING THAT I
00:25:55THINK IS IMPORTANT AND EXCITING
00:25:56ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS.
00:26:00THAT IN ORDER TO COMPETE IN
00:26:03SMALLER STATES, YOU HAVE TO BE
00:26:07OFF-LINE A LITTLE BIT. YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET OUT THERE IN REAL LIFE AND TOUCH
00:26:11GRASS AND MEET PEOPLE AND KNOCK ON DOORS. ENGAGE.
00:26:13THAT IS WHAT ALL THE BEST
00:26:17LEADERS ARE DOING. HAVING CUT MY TEETH AS A MAYOR, THAT IS HOW I BELIEVE POLITICS
00:26:20OUGHT TO WORK. I'M SO EXCITED FOR WHAT WILL
00:26:24HAPPEN WHEN, HERE IN SOUTH
00:26:26CAROLINA AND IN OTHER STATES, THE PROCESS IS GOING TO SERVE AS
00:26:30AN ANTIDOTE TO WHAT IS HAPPENING.
00:26:33WERE SO MANY OF US ARE GETTING
00:26:34THE POLITICS BY WAY OF THE FEED,
00:26:37THAT PUTS US IN A BAD MOOD.
00:26:38IT BRINGS OUT OFTEN THE WORST IN PEOPLE.
00:26:42AND SOMEHOW TAKES OUR AS OF THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE TELL YOU
00:26:46MATTER THE MOST TO THEM WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM AND EYE AND SAY, WHAT IS HELPING AND WHAT IS
00:26:50HURTING AND WHAT COULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY CHECK? WE ARE READY TO MEET THAT
00:26:53MOMENT, AREN'T WE, GUYS SHALL?
00:26:56[CHEERING] [APPLAUSE] SOUTH
00:26:59CAROLINA DEMOCRATS ARE GETTING
00:27:02READY TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE
00:27:04HAVE NOT DONE IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.
00:27:06AND THAT TOOK A HELL OF AN
00:27:09EFFORT BY A LOT OF PEOPLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. WE WERE ABLE TO FEEL THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR EVERY
00:27:13OFFICE ON OUR BALLOT.
00:27:16[APPLAUSE] [CHEERING].
00:27:24>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ADVICE FOR LOCAL CANDIDATES IN SOME OF THEM ARE IN THE ROOM
00:27:28NOW. LOCAL CANDIDATES OFTEN HAVE TO CONNECT WITH VOTERS ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
00:27:31WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A
00:27:32DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE,
00:27:37PARTICULARLY THOSE RUNNING IN COMMUNITIES WHERE DEMOCRATS MAY BE IN THE MINORITY?
00:27:39AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE. >> THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I
00:27:43THINK OUR SALVATION WILL COME TO THE LOCAL LEVEL. THE CLOSER YOU GET TO HOME, THE
00:27:46LESS IT IS JUST ABOUT PARTY
00:27:49HATS. SOMETIMES PEOPLE USUALLY VOTE A DIFFERENT WAY AND MAYBE WILL
00:27:52VOTE A DIFFERENT WAY FOR THE TOP OF THE TICKET AND THEY ARE READY TO HEAR OUT WHOEVER HAS THE BEST
00:27:56ANSWERS. WHEN I WAS PREPARING TO RUN FOR
00:27:59MAYOR IN MY HOMETOWN IN INDIANA,
00:28:03I STARTED OUT BY HAVING A CUP OF
00:28:04COFFEE WITH EVERY BUDDY WHO
00:28:09SHOULD BE CONSULTED. AND THE DEFINITION FOR THAT IS WHOEVER THINKS THEY SHOULD BE
00:28:12CONSULTED. AND ALWAYS AT THE END OF THAT
00:28:15CUP OF COFFEE, I WOULD ASK FOR TWO OR THREE NAMES OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO OUGHT TO BE
00:28:19CONSULTED. AND I KEPT DOING THAT UNTIL THEY
00:28:22WERE FINALLY -- THE NAMES ARE
00:28:23PEOPLE I ALREADY CONSULTED.
00:28:26IT WAS MORE LISTENING AND SPEAKING. AND I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT
00:28:30WAS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT WAS ON PEOPLE'S MINES.
00:28:33SOMETIMES IT CAME BACK TO ME THAT SOMEBODY FELT OUR MEETING
00:28:36HAD BEEN A GREAT MEETING.
00:28:40AND I WOULD THINK, I CAN'T
00:28:43REMEMBER SAYING ANYTHING DURING THAT MEETING BECAUSE IT IS SO EASY TO FORGET.
00:28:45THE WAY POLITICS IS SET UP THAT
00:28:48STORYTELLING IS A TWO A PROCESS AND POLITICS IS MORE ABOUT LISTENING THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
00:28:52THE LEADERS THAT LISTEN THAT WAY AND THE LEADERS THAT GO
00:28:54EVERYWHERE, I THINK HAVE AN
00:28:57ENORMOUSTUNITYO BREAK THROUGH THIS PARTISAN THAT. AND THE OTHER GREAT THING ABOUT
00:29:01THE LOCAL LEVEL IS YOU ARE IN A FACTUAL REALITY.
00:29:05IF THERE IS A HOLE IN THE ROAD,
00:29:09THE MAYOR DOES NOT GET TO SAY, THAT IS FAKE NEWS.
00:29:12THERE IS NO HOLE IN THE ROAD. PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR BACKYARDS.
00:29:16AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU CAN BUILD DIFFERENT KINDS OF COALITIONS.
00:29:20THERE ARE STILL POLITICS. POLITICS IS ALWAYS POLITICS. SOMETIMES IT IS NOT SO
00:29:23PREDICTABLE ON THE LINES OF IDEOLOGY.
00:29:27AND I THINK THE BEGINNING OF HOW
00:29:29WE REBUILD THE FABRIC OF TRUST
00:29:32IN THE POLITICAL LIFE OF THE COUNTRY WILL NOT COME TO
00:29:34WASHINGTON -- DOWN BUT COME FROM
00:29:38THE GROUND UP. >> THANK YOU.
00:29:42>> IF YOU ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE AT ANY LEVEL, PLEASE STAND UP
00:29:45AND BE RECOGNIZED AND LET US GIVE YOU A ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE.
00:29:49>> THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP.
00:29:54[CHEERING].
00:29:59>> I SEE PEOPLE RUNNING STATEWIDE. STATE HEALTHCARE. ATTORNEY GENERAL, STATE
00:30:02TREASURER.
00:30:04A BUNCH OF THE 124 STATE HOUSE
00:30:07FOLKS I SEE OUT HERE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING
00:30:09OUT HERE. >> MR. SECRETARY, WE ARE GOING
00:30:13TO SWITCH OVER TO SOME AUDIENCE QUESTIONS.
00:30:17I WILL LET YOU WILL STAND UP AND DO IT BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T
00:30:19REALLY ASK A QUESTION. THEY JUST FILIBUSTER. WE WANT TO ACTUALLY GET TO THE
00:30:23QUESTION. THIS QUESTION IS SUBMITTED BY
00:30:26DEBORAH BREEDLOVE. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO HELP DEMOCRATS RECOMMIT WITH WORKING
00:30:30FAMILIES AND WIN BACK TRUST IN
00:30:33COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE SOUTH? I GUESS THAT MEANS, IF YOU GET INTO THE POSITION TO DO THAT,
00:30:37WHAT YOUR PLAN WOULD BE.
00:30:41>> THANK YOU. I THINK THE TRUTH IS, A LOT OF
00:30:45WORKING FAMILIES HAVE FELT TAKEN FOR GRANTED BY DEMOCRATS.
00:30:47AND WE NEED TO MAKE IT -- THIS
00:30:53IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, IS MUCH AS I WILL BE QUICK TO POINT OUT THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE
00:30:56REPUBLICANS IN CHARGE RIGHT NOW, IF ALL WE ARE DOING IS TALKING
00:30:59ABOUT THEM -- IF ALL WE ARE DOING IS TALKING ABOUT HIM, WE
00:31:03ARE NOT REALLY TALKING ABOUT YOU.
00:31:05[APPLAUSE] I THINK POLITICS
00:31:14NEEDS TO BE ABOUT THE EVERY DAY. HOW IS YOUR LIFE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IF WE ARE IN CHARGE
00:31:18VERSUS SOMEBODY ELSE? HOW IS YOUR GROCERY BILL GOING
00:31:21TO LOOK DIFFERENT, SPECIFICALLY LOWER, WHEN WE GET RID OF THESE
00:31:25TARIFFS AND HAVE ALL OF US
00:31:28PAYING $1000 PER HOUSEHOLD? BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT WANTED US TO.
00:31:31WHAT IF WE HAD A DIFFERENT TRADE POLICY THAT WAS ABOUT EMPOWERING WORKING FAMILIES AND NOT ASKING
00:31:35THEM TO PAY THE BILLS. HOW WILL YOUR HEALTHCARE BILL BE
00:31:38DIFFERENT WHEN WE HAVE THE RIGHT
00:31:41KIND OF SUPPORT, STARTING WITH
00:31:42RESTORING THOSE HALF CREDITS FOR
00:31:45THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. NOT TRYING TO GET RID OF THE
00:31:47AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
00:31:50LIKE I WAS SAYING IN MY COMMENTS EARLIER, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD
00:31:54GO TO WORKING FAMILIES AND SAY, GUESS WHAT. GOOD NEWS.
00:31:57PUT US IN AND WE WILL MAKE THE WORLD LOOK JUST LIKE IT LOOKED
00:32:00FIVE YEARS AGO OR 10 YEARS AGO. YOU'RE WELCOME.
00:32:04THAT IS NOT AN ANSWER EITHER. WE HAVE TO GO FURTHER TO MAKE
00:32:06SURE -- FOR EXAMPLE, BENEFITS
00:32:10ARE PORTABLE. YOU CAN HAVE BENEFITS WITHOUT FEAR YOU WILL LOSE THEM IF YOUR
00:32:13JOB CHANGES BECAUSE IN A WORLD OF AI AND OTHER THINGS
00:32:17HAPPENING, PEOPLE'S JOBS WILL CHANGE MORE OFTEN. WE HAVE TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT WE
00:32:21ARE DOING SO IT -- TO SUPPORT CHILDCARE. NOT ONLY IF YOU HAPPEN TO RELY
00:32:24ON FORMAL CHILDCARE -- IF YOU
00:32:29DROPPED A CHILD OFF AT A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE LOOKED AFTER FROM
00:32:328:00 UNTIL 4:00 OR WHATEVER.
00:32:36BUT BELIEVING IN SUPPORT FOR FAMILY CAREGIVING OF CHILDREN
00:32:38AND OF PARENTS WERE NECESSARY.
00:32:41FOR THAT SANDWICH GENERATION.
00:32:44WE NEED TO SHOW OUR FAMILY VALUES INCLUDE MAKING SURE YOU
00:32:46HAVE THE MEANS TO ACTUALLY
00:32:49AFFORD TO RAISE A FAMILY.
00:32:52AND WE NEED TO SHOW THAT WE GET THERE WERE TWO SIDES TO THE
00:32:55EQUATION OF AFFORDABILITY. ONE IS COST OF COURSE.
00:32:59THE COST OF EVERYTHING.
00:33:02MORTGAGE, RENT, UTILITY BILL, GROCERIES. CHILDCARE, HEALTHCARE.
00:33:05ALSO, WHETHER YOU CAN AFFORD
00:33:09SOMETHING IS, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST AND HOW MUCH DO YOU MAKE?
00:33:13ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE THAT HAS NOT RAISED ITS MINIMUM WAGE
00:33:16SINCE THE LAST FEDERAL MINIMUM
00:33:19WAGE INCREASE IN 2009. WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE
00:33:22IS LITERALLY MORE MONEY IN YOUR POCKET.
00:33:26AND THE MORE WE CAN SPEAK TO THOSE ISSUES AND THEN CONNECT THE DOTS TO THE POLITICAL
00:33:29PROBLEMS, A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS
00:33:32THESE THINGS TO PERSIST, I THINK
00:33:35THE MORE CREDIBLE WE WILL BE WITH WORKING FAMILIES WHO HAVE COME TO WONDER WHETHER DEMOCRATS
00:33:39CARE ABOUT THEM.
00:33:42THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
00:33:46>> THANK YOU. AND I WILL HAVE YOU STAND UP WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
00:33:49PATTY HAMPTON OF HORRY USA.
00:33:56HOW DO WE KEEP THE CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION FROM
00:33:59GUTTING AND RUINING OUR MILITARY
00:34:04SHOW? THANK YOU FOR SERVING. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE WHO
00:34:07SERVED.
00:34:09I WAS HAVING A LOT OF FLASHBACKS.
00:34:13WE LANDED IN CHARLESTON LAST NIGHT IN THE ROLE OF THOSE C-17'S LINED UP AND THE PALMETTO
00:34:16LOGO THAT -- AND THOSE ABOUT ME
00:34:24TO AFGHANISTAN.
00:34:26AND I HAVE TO SAY, WHEN I TOOK
00:34:29THE OATH TO SERVE, I KNEW THAT AT THE VERY TOP OF THE CHAIN OF
00:34:34COMMAND WOULD BE THE SECRETARY Y OF DEFENSE, THE PRESIDENT. I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MY
00:34:37PROBLEM OF THE -- AS A SERVICE
00:34:44MEMBER, WITH THE POLITICS WERE. BUT THEY WOULD POLITICIZE THE
00:34:47MILITARY SO DEEPLY THAT PEOPLE WERE THINKING ABOUT, WHETHER TO
00:34:51KEEP SERVING.
00:34:55I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE A DAY WHERE THE PRESIDENT OF THE
00:34:57UNITED STATES IS ASKED ABOUT FAMILY MEMBERS OF DEPLOYED
00:35:00TROOPS BEING CONCERNED FOR THEIR WELFARE.
00:35:04NO, THEY ARE NOT. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE SO
00:35:08MANY OF THESE THINGS WE ARE
00:35:09SEEING RIGHT NOW UNDER -- IF I'I
00:35:14MY SAY SO, THE WORST SECRETARY
00:35:17EVER.
00:35:20[APPLAUSE] BUT HERE TOO, I KNOW
00:35:25THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SUPPORT THE TROOPS, AUTHENTICALLY SUPPORT THE TROOPS.
00:35:29EVEN IF THE PRESIDENT AND THE
00:35:30SECRETARY SOMETIMES DON'T.
00:35:34AND OF COURSE, ONE OF THE SUREST WAYS TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR
00:35:36THE TROOPS IS TO NEVER PUT THEIR
00:35:39LIVES ON THE LINE WITH MILITARY DEPLOYMENT IF YOU HAVE AN
00:35:41ALTERNATIVE.
00:35:45SOMETHING THE PRESIDENT PROMISED TO DO. ONLY TO DO THE REVERSE.
00:35:49IT IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME,
00:35:51I THINK, TO BE POLITICIZED, THE MILITARY. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO THE
00:35:55MILITARY IN THIS ADMINISTRATION. WHAT I ALSO HAVE TOTAL
00:35:59CONFIDENCE IN IS THE CONTINUED PROFESSIONALISM OF THOSE WHO DO
00:36:02SERVE AND THEIR READINESS TO DO RIGHT BY THE COUNTRY.
00:36:06THE COUNTRY JUST NEEDS TO SHOW ITSELF READY TO DO BETTER BY
00:36:08THEM.
00:36:12>> THANK YOU.
00:36:14ALL RIGHT.
00:36:17DEBORAH BLUMBERG OF GREER.
00:36:23WITH ALL THE DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THE CURRENT
00:36:25ADMINISTRATION, WHEN DEMOCRATS
00:36:28TAKE CONTROL, HOW DO THEY VOTE
00:36:30FOR UNDO DAMAGE AND DO WHAT IS NEEDED FOR THE PEOPLE?
00:36:34IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE. >> I WOULD NOT BE DOING THIS IF
00:36:36I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE.
00:36:39I THINK PARTICIPATING IN POLITICS IN ANY WAY IS AN ACT OF
00:36:41HOPE AND I KNOW HOPE HAS GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OUT OF STYLE AND
00:36:44OUR POLITICS. PART OF WHY I'M HERE AND PART OF
00:36:48WHY I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN RIGHT HERE IN 2026 AND RIGHT HERE IN PLACES LIKE
00:36:52SOUTH CAROLINA IS THAT IT IS NOT
00:36:52TOO LATE TO CHANGE THE
00:36:56TRAJECTORY OF THIS COUNTRY. .I DON'T EVEN THINK IT IS TOO LATE FOR THE 2020s TO BECOME A
00:37:00DECADE WE ARE PROUD OF. I KNOW IT IS A STRANGE THING TO
00:37:03SAY SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW. BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE
00:37:06STORIES I'M GOING TO TELL OUR KIDS WHEN THEY SAY, AND I'M SURE
00:37:09THEY WILL, WHAT WERE YOU ALL
00:37:12DOING BACK IN THE 2020s?
00:37:15THERE IS STILL TIME FOR US TO TAKE ACTION. I LOVE THE WAY YOU PUT THE QUESTION.
00:37:19WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF
00:37:22DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE. LIKE I KEEP SAYING, IT DOESN'T
00:37:26MEAN WE PUT EVERYTHING BACK TO THE WAY IT USED TO LOOK. IN SOME WAYS, THEY ARE GIVING US
00:37:30AN OPPORTUNITY. I HATE THAT THEY DESTROYED THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. I BELIEVE THAT WE PUT IT
00:37:34TOGETHER ON DIFFERENT AND BETTER
00:37:36TERMS THAN WHAT HAD A LOT OF
00:37:40PEOPLE BANGING THEIR HEAD AGAINST THE WALL 10, 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO.
00:37:43AND I THINK THAT IS TRUE ACROSS SO MANY OF OUR INSTITUTIONS.
00:37:47WHAT THEY SMASHED. WE ARE NOT JUST LOOKING AROUND FOR THE PIECES AND TRYING TO PUT
00:37:51THEM BACK TOGETHER. IT'S WHAT WILL MEET THE MOMENT FOR NEXT QUARTER-CENTURY.
00:37:55WHERE THE ECONOMY IS CHANGING BECAUSE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
00:37:58AND WHAT IS POSSIBLE IN OUR POLITICS IS CHANGING.
00:38:01INFORMATION IS CHANGING. AND HOW PEOPLE GET INFORMATION.
00:38:03THE WORLD IS CHANGING.
00:38:06INCLUDING HAVING TO CONTEND WITH A CHINA THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT
00:38:08FROM WHAT CHINA LOOK LIKE IN THE
00:38:10WHOLE FRAMEWORK OF ALLIANCES.
00:38:13SO TO BE A LITTLE MORE TACTICAL,
00:38:15WHAT I BELIEVE NEEDS TO HAPPEN, AS SOON AS DEMOCRATS TAKE THE
00:38:19MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, AS WE WILL, WITH YOUR
00:38:21HELP, IS A SERIES OF BILLS.
00:38:31PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT AMOUNT TO CLARIFYING FIGHTS THAT
00:38:34REMIND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT TWO THIRDS OF THEM AGREE WITH US
00:38:37ON ISSUE AFTER ISSUE. AGAIN, ON TAXES.
00:38:40THE FACT THAT THE WEALTHY NEED TO PAY MORE IN TAXES. THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE
00:38:44AND NOT LESS ON HEALTHCARE. THE REALITY THAT WE SHOULD BE
00:38:48DOING MORE AND NOT LESS TO TAKE CARE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE IN THIS COUNTRY.
00:38:52THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION. EVEN ISSUES WHERE DEMOCRATS USED TO BE ON DEFENSE.
00:38:56MARRIAGE EQUALITY.
00:38:59OR AT LEAST DOING BACKGROUND CHECKS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE. MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF
00:39:03AMERICANS AGREE WITH US ON THAT.
00:39:05AND THE SAME IS TRUE ON THE POLITICAL REFORM ISSUES.
00:39:09GETTING MONEY OUT OF POLITICS AND ENDING GERRYMANDERING. WHAT I BELIEVE WE DO IS A SERIES
00:39:12OF CLEAN BILLS THAT WILL FORCE
00:39:14REPUBLICANS OF THIS PRESIDENT TO DO ONE OF TWO THINGS.
00:39:18EITHER SOMEHOW COME ALONG WITH IT, BECAUSE THEY SEE HOW MUCH
00:39:22THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT THESE THINGS.
00:39:25I WOULD AT A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
00:39:29OR, CHALLENGE THEM TO VOTE AGAINST IT AND REALLY SHOW WHAT
00:39:30SIDE THEY ARE ON.
00:39:34EITHER WAY, IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND I THINK IT SETS
00:39:36US UP WELL FOR THE FUTURE. >> THANK YOU.
00:39:40THIS WILL BE THE LAST QUESTION. I KNOW WE ARE TRYING TO WRAP UP AND STAY ON SCHEDULE.
00:39:44THIS IS FROM CYNTHIA BROWN.
00:39:46IS CYNTHIA STILL HERE?
00:39:50FROM GREENWOOD. THERE YOU GO. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGING AROUND
00:39:54DATA CENTERS? I KNOW MOST PEOPLE ARGUE AGAINST
00:39:58BUT WHAT ARE THE BEST TALKING POINTS? THANK YOU. >> THIS IS GETTING REALLY CLOSE
00:40:01TO HOME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
00:40:03I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE CLEAR, WE ARE NOT ANTIBUSINESS.
00:40:07WE ARE NOT ANTITECHNOLOGY. WE WANT TO PUT ONE OF THESE THINGS IN.
00:40:10FIRST YOU HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR
00:40:12OWN POWER NEEDS AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, YOU SHOULD BE
00:40:15GUARANTEEING THAT UTILITY RATES WILL GO DOWN AND NOT UP BY THE
00:40:19TIME YOU'RE DONE WITH IT. YOU SHOULD PROVE THAT THERE IS A
00:40:23WAY TO GET THE WATER NEEDS MET
00:40:27WITHOUT IMPACTING THE LOCAL
00:40:31COMMUNITY'S ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE WATER. IF YOU CAN'T PROVE IT, YOU CAN'T COME.
00:40:35AND WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST WELL-CAPITALIZED CORPORATIONS ON
00:40:39THE PLANET, YOU DO NOT NEED A
00:40:43TAX SUBSIDY IN ORDER TO LOCATE
00:40:45YOUR FACILITY.
00:40:54NOW JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHERE THE DATA CENTERS GO, IS WHAT
00:40:56COMES OUT OF THEM.
00:40:59THAT IS WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS
00:41:02ABOUT HOW TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE WHOSE PLACE IN THE ECONOMY IS
00:41:05GOING TO BE DISRUPTED. WE KNOW THIS IS COMING.
00:41:08WE KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING. I GREW UP IN THE INDUSTRIAL
00:41:10MIDWEST. HOME TO THE STUDEBAKER CAR
00:41:13COMPANY. WHICH WENT OUT OF BUSINESS 20
00:41:17YEARS BEFORE I WAS BORN BUT 50
00:41:20YEARS AFTER THAT WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, WE WERE STILL DEALING WITH IT.
00:41:24AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT WAS A DOMINANT FACT ABOUT OUR CITY
00:41:27WHEN I TOOK OFFICE IN 2012. AND WE WORKED OUR WAY THROUGH
00:41:31THAT BY LOOKING TO THE FUTURE. WE DID NOT SAY WE WERE GOING TO
00:41:34SOMEHOW BRING STUDEBAKER BACK. I DID NOT SAY IT WAS GOING TO
00:41:38MAKE SOUTH BEND INDIANA GREAT AGAIN. WE LOOKED TO THE FUTURE.
00:41:41BUT THAT TAUGHT ME JUST HOW
00:41:45PROFOUND THESE DISRUPTIONS WOULD BE. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THE
00:41:4990S, THE CHINA SHOCK. TRADE AND AUTOMATION. A LOT OF FOLKS CAME THROUGH OUR
00:41:53COMMUNITY SAYING, NO PROBLEM. YOU ARE GOING TO QUIT YOUR JOB
00:41:56AS A MACHINIST AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET A NEW JOB DOING SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER BE DONE BY
00:42:00MACHINE, WHICH IS WRITING
00:42:03COMPUTER CODE.
00:42:06THINGS ARE CHANGING SO FAST. IT WILL NOT ONLY AFFECT PEOPLE'S
00:42:09INCOME BUT IT WILL AFFECT
00:42:11PEOPLE'S PLACE IN THE SOCIETY.
00:42:15SO BELONGING FROM THE
00:42:19NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY TO NATION AND SERVICE, TO FAMILY
00:42:21AND FAITH, THEY ARE ABOUT TO
00:42:24BECOME MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A TOP TO BOTTOM PLAN WHERE WE
00:42:28THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM THE ZONING AND THE LAND USE, TO THE
00:42:31NEXT DATACENTER ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO HELP PEOPLE FIND
00:42:35MEANING IN OUR SOCIETY. ONLY THEN ARE WE REALLY
00:42:39PREPARING FOR ALL THE CHANGE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WILL BRING.
00:42:41IF WE DO IT NOW, WE WILL BE
00:42:44MAKING THE DECISION BETWEEN TWO FUTURES. ONE, WHERE THE PROMISE IS
00:42:47ACTUALLY KEPT AND WE CAN HAVE MORE MONEY IN OUR POCKET AND A
00:42:51SHORTER WORK WEEK OR THE ONE WE
00:42:52ARE HEADED TOWARD WHERE YOU HAVE EVEN MORE CONCENTRATION OF
00:42:56WEALTH AND POWER THAN WE HAVE ALREADY GOT IT WHICH ONE OF THOSE TWO THINGS HAPPEN?
00:43:00I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR. IT IS NOT A TECHNOLOGY PUZZLE.
00:43:04IT IS A POLICY CHOICE. AND IT DEPENDS COMPLETELY ON WHO
00:43:07OUR ELECTED LEADERS HAVE IN MIND
00:43:10WHEN THEY ARE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS IN THOSE BIG BUILDINGS IN THE STATE CAPITALS AND IN
00:43:14WASHINGTON DC. >> AMEN.
00:43:17LET'S GIVE SECRETARY A ROUND OF
00:43:29APPLAUSE. THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRESENCE TODAY.
00:43:33THANK YOU SO MUCH, PETE BUTTIGIEG.
00:43:37[CHEERING] [APPLAUSE].
00:43:48>> TONIGHT, OUR CAMPAIGN 2026 COVERAGE INCLUDES THE FINAL
00:43:51DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY DEBATE FOR THE U.S. SENATE IN MASSACHUSETTS
00:43:55BETWEEN INCUMBENT SENATOR ED
00:43:56MARKEY AND REPRESENTATIVE SETH MOULTON.
00:44:00WE WILL HAVE THE ENTIRE DEBATE FOR YOU TO WATCH AT 8:00 P.M.
00:44:02EASTERN ON C-SPAN.
00:44:07>> CAMPAIGN 2026 IS UNDERWAY AND
00:44:09THE STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER.
00:44:12EVERY SEAT IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS UP
00:44:14FOR GRABS ALONG WITH 33 U.S.
00:44:17SENATE RACES AND THE OUTCOME
00:44:20COULD RESHAPE THE BALANCE OF POWER IN WASHINGTON. VOTERS WILL ALSO DECIDE 36
00:44:24GUBERNATORIAL CONTESTS. FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO
00:44:26ELECTION NIGHT, FOLLOW CAMPAIGN
00:44:312026 ON THE C-SPAN NETWORK. C-SPAN, BRINGING YOU DEMOCRACY
00:44:33UNFILTERED.
00:44:39>> SPEAK -- C-SPAN'S WASHINGTON
00:44:42JOURNAL, A LIFE FORM INVITING YO DISCUSS THE LATEST ISSUES AND
00:44:46GOVERNMENT FOR POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY.
00:44:49COMING UP SUNDAY MORNING. WE WILL TALK WITH DEMOCRATIC
00:44:53STRATEGIST AND REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST DISCUSSING CAMPAIGN
00:44:572026 AND POLITICAL NEWS OF THE WEEK. AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
00:45:00THE NONPROFIT, FAIRPLAY.
00:45:04JOSH ROWLAND TALKS ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRIAL AGAINST META- OVER
00:45:08CLAIMS THAT CHILDREN ARE BECOMING ADDICTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
00:45:11THE C-SPAN WASHINGTON JOURNAL. JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION LIVE AT
00:45:157:00 EASTERN SUNDAY MORNING ON C-SPAN. C-SPAN NOW, THE FREE MOBILE
00:45:19VIDEO APP OR ONLINE AT
00:45:21C-SPAN.ORG.
00:45:28>> NEXT WEEK ON C-SPAN2, WE ARE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM
00:45:32ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS.
00:45:33AT 9:00 A.M. EASTERN, WE SEE THE
00:45:39CHALLENGING OF BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AND A NEW PROGRESSIVE
00:45:43COMMENTATOR HOST THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL
00:45:47STORIES AND AT 3:00,
00:45:47CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOST THE
00:45:52CARR SHOW WITH HIS TAKE ON
00:45:56POLITICS AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY. WATCH LIVE NEXT