Transcript in Progress
The Special Counsel released today its findings about its look into my handling of classified documents. I was pleased to see they reached the conclusion I believed all along they would reach – that there would be no charges brought in this case and the matter is now closed.
This was an exhaustive investigation going back more than 40 years, even into the 1970s when I was a young Senator. I cooperated completely, threw up no roadblocks, and sought no delays. In fact, I was so determined to give the Special Counsel what they needed that I went forward with five hours of in-person interviews over two days on October 8th and 9th of last year, even though Israel had just been attacked on October 7th and I was in the middle of handling an international crisis. I just believed that’s what I owed the American people so they could know no charges would be brought and the matter closed.
Over my career in public service, I have always worked to protect America’s security. I take these issues seriously and no one has ever questioned that.
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President Joe Biden: Hi Everybody. Let me see a few things before I take questions. As you know the Special Counsel release its finding today about they’re look into my handling of classified documents. I was pleased to see he reached the firm conclusion that no charges should be brought against me in this case. This was an exhaustive investigation going back more than 40 years, even in the 1970s when I was still a new United States Senator. The Special Counselor acknowledge that cooperated completely. I did not throw up any roadblocks. I sought no delays. In fact, I was so determined to get a special counsel what he needed, I went forward with the 5-Hour in person interview over two days on October the 8th and 9th of last year, even though Israel had just been attacked by Hamas on the 7th and I was very occupied. I was in the middle of handling an international crisis.
I was especially pleased to see Special Counsel make clear the stark distinction and difference between this case and Mr. Trump’s case. Special Counsel wrote, and I quote, several material distinctions between Mr. Trump’s case Mr. Biden’s are clear, continuing to quote. Most notably, after giving multiple chances to return classified documents to avoid prosecution, Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite. According to the indictment, he not only refused to return the documents for many months. He also obstructed justice by enlisting others to destroy evidence and then to lie about it. In contrast, they went on the say Mr. Biden turned in classified documents to the National Archives and Department of Justice, consented to the search of multiple locations, including this home, sat for voluntary interview and in other way another ways cooperated with the investigation, end of quote.
I’ve seen the headlines since the report was released about my willful retention of documents. This, these, assertion is not only misleading, they’re just plain wrong. On page 215, if you had a chance, I know it’s long to think document, on page 215 that reported a Special Counsel found the exact opposite. Here’s what he wrote, there is in fact a shortage of evidence that I willfully retain classified materials related to Afghanistan. On page 12 Special Counsel also wrote for another documents, the decision to decline criminal charges was straightforward. The evidence suggested Mr. Biden did not willfully retain these documents.
In addition another some attention paid to some language and report about my recollection of events. There’s even reference that I don’t remember when my son died. How in the hell dare he raise that. Frankly, when I was asked the question I thought to myself, it was none of their damn business. Let me tell you something. Some of you commented, I wear, since the day he died, every single day, the rosary he got from Our Lady Of [very long pause]. Every Memorial Day we hold a service remembering him attended by friends and family and the people that loved him. I don’t need anyone. I don’t need anyone to remind me when he passed away, if he passed away. Simple truth is, I sat for 500 and over two days of events going back 40 years, at the same time I was managing an international crisis. Their task was to make a decision about whether to move forward with charges in this case. That’s their decision to make. That’s the Counsels decision to make. That’s his job. They decided not to move forward.
For any extraneous commentary, they don’t know what they’re talking about. It has no placement report. Bottom line is the matter is now closed, and I’ll continue what I’ve always focused on, my job of being President of the United States of America.
Thank you and I’ll take some questions.
Peter Duece: President Biden, something the Special Counsel said in his report is that one of the reasons you were not charged is because, in his description, you are a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.
Joe Biden: I’m well-meaning and I’m an elderly man and I know what the hell I’m doing. I’ve been president and I put this country back on his feet. I don’t need his recommendation. It’s totally out . . .
Peter Duece: How bad is your memory and can you continue as President?
Joe Biden: My memory is so bad I let you speak . . . that’s, that’s
Reporter 1: Do you feel your memory has gotten worse, Mr. President?
Joe Biden: Now look, My memory is not gotten, my memory is fine. My memory, take a look at what I’ve done since I’ve become president. None of you thought I could pass any of the things I got past. How that happened? You know I guess I just forgot what was going on.
Reporter 2: Voters have concerns about your age. How are you going to dissuade them and do you fear that this report is only going to fuel further concerns about your age?
Biden: Only by some of you.
Reporter: Do you take responsibility for being careless with classified material?
Biden: I take responsibility for not having seen exactly what my staff was doing cuz it goes into points out things that appeared in my garage things that came out of my home things that were moved we’re moved not by me but my staff but my staff.
Reporter3 : Mr. President, for months when you were asked about your age you would respond with the words “watch me.” Many American people have been watching and they have expressed concerns about your age . . .
Biden: That is your judgement. That is your judgement.That is not the judgement of the press.
They’ve expresses concerns about your mental acuity, that you are too old, Mr. President in December you told me that you believed there are many other Democrats who could defeat Donald Trump, so why does it have to be you now? What is your answer to that question?
Biden: Because I’m the most qualified person in this country to be President of the United States and finished the job I started.
Reporters: [Indistinguishable]
Biden: I did not share classified information. I did not share it.
Reporter: With your ghostwriter?
Biden: With my ghostwrite. I did not, guarantee you did not.
Reporter: But the Special counsel said that . . .
Biden: No, they did not say that. They did not say that. Let me answer your question. The fact of the matter is what I didn’t want repeated, I didn’t want him to not I didn’t read it to him was I had written a long memorandum to President Obama, why we should not be in this in Afghanistan, and I was of this multiple pages, and so when I was referring to I said classified it, I should have said it was should be private because it was a contact between the president and vice president as to what was going on. That’s what it is referring to. It was not classified information in that document, that was not classified.
