President Obama and Vice President Biden: A Socially Distanced Conversation
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and former Pres. Barack Obama hold a socially distant conversation to discuss America’s future.
The two discuss how Trump has mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic, the process of choosing a running mate, and how to connect with all types of voters. Though the two talk regularly, this was the first time they met and spoke in person since Biden became the presumptive nominee.
In the video, Obama and his former vice president assailed how Trump has handled the COVID-19 crisis. Biden asked Obama if he’d ever say, “It’s not my responsibility, I take no responsibility,” as Trump did in March as the virus peaked.
Obama responded that was not his style. “Those words didn’t come out of our mouths when we were in office,” Obama said.
“One of the things that I have always known about you, Joe, it’s the reason why I wanted you to be my vice president and the reason why you were so effective. It all starts with being able to relate,” Obama told Biden.
Obama added that families in America could see themselves through Biden.
“If you can sit down with a family and see your own family and the struggles that you’ve gone through or your parents went through or your kids are going through, if you can connect those struggles to somebody else’s struggles, then you’re going to work hard for them. And that’s always what’s motivated you to get into public service,” Obama said.
Biden and Obama also criticized Trump for dividing Americans. Obama said his vice president would restore “basic decency” and “what’s best in America.”
Biden responded that he “had faith in the American people,” to make that possible.