Remarks by President Biden to Overflow Crowd at Campaign Event | Madison, WI

Sherman Middle School
Madison, Wisconsin

2:57 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, hello, hello, hello!  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

As my mother would say —

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.  Hey, folks, look, first of all, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you being here.  No, I really mean it.  I really mean it.

You know, when you’re way ahead and everything is working, everybody is there.  But when you take a hit and you got knocked down, you get back up, and you’re with us, that’s a big deal.  That’s a big deal.  (Applause.)  Number one.

Number two, I — you know — I think we all agree.  I mean what I said: We cannot let Trump win.

AUDIENCE:  Nooo —

THE PRESIDENT:  No, I mean, that’s not hyperbole.  We can’t.  This is the most dangerous election in American history.  And we beat him once, and I’m confident we can beat him again.  (Applause.)  Number one.

We got — we got a long way to in this election.  Over 125 days, I think — something like that.  So, there’s a lot to get done.  A lot to get done.

And I wasn’t joking.  I got raised politically by — when I first got elected, there was an accident in my family.  I was about to be sworn in, then I got a phone call saying my wife and daughter had just been killed in a car accident and my two sons weren’t going to make it.

And so, I decided I wasn’t going to stay.  But one of the guys who came to see me talked me into staying.  He said, “Just stay — just stay six months.”  (Laughs.)  Six months.  (Laughter.)

It was Gaylord Nelson.  He stepped in.  He put together a group of senators, including some Republicans.  He said, “Just come and stay, help us out.”  And they turned out — saved my sanity and saved my life.  And they were — no, I really mean it.

So, you know, you — all of you have had somebody there when things were tough, that have reached out, and it makes a difference.  Well, quite — that’s how I collectively think of all of you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I re- — I really — (applause).

And everybody under the age of 12 who had to be here because their parents took them — (laughter) — I owe you. 

What’s your name?

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Leo.

THE PRESIDENT:  Leo, my name is Joe.  How old are you?

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Eleven.

THE PRESIDENT:  Eleven.  When I was 11, I came up to about your shoulders.  (Laughter.)  Well, it’s good to see you.

Who are you with today?

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  His dads.

THE PRESIDENT:  His dad.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  His dads.

THE PRESIDENT:  You know, we dads are hard to raise.  You got to be patient with us.  (Laughter.)  You know what I mean?

Anyway.

But thank you very much.  I — I’m go — I have to — not have to — I’m about to do an interview with George Stephanopoulos.  It’s going to be televised.  And he’s waiting in another room somewhere.  I’m not sure where.  (Laughter.)  So, I’m going to have to head off. 

But I wish I could say —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you, Joe!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)

Just go ahead and snap.  Come here.

All right.  And, by the way, tell the press how much you like Wisconsin.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Go win, Joe! 

THE PRESIDENT:  We’re going to give it hell.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.  Appreciate it.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Let’s go, Joe!  Let’s go, Joe!  Let’s go, Joe!

   3:01 P.M. CDT