Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2023

April 27, 2023

The First Lady. Thank you, Jose. Good evening. Every few years, we tell Americans that this is the most important election of their lives. And every year, we're rightâbecause the fight for freedom has no end. The fight for democracy, for America has no end. There will always be those who want to pull us backwards, who can only see glory in some imagined past.

So when they pull, we push. We push for progress. We push for the people we love. We push for the future we want, the future our children deserve. And when we all push together, shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart, we win.

That's what we did when we elected Joe and Kamala. I will never forget the moment we got word that they had won. We were sitting on a dock of a lake near our home in Wilmington. And then all of a sudden, we heard shouts of joy coming from our house. And we knew we had won.

Don't you remember it? The people who were banging pots and pans and dancing in the streets. It was like we were all holding our breath and suddenly we could breathe again. You made that possible: with a dozen phone calls, with a $5 donation, with a conversation you were a little nervous to have.

Just tiny moments again and again, until, together, we created something bigger than any one of us. So thank you for that work. Thank you for standing with us then and now.

With your help, Joe has changed our country for good. America has seen the true character of the person I've known for so long, whose heart is big enough to cross our divides and bring together Americans from all walks of life; whose vision and determination are strong enough to cut through the partisanship of our politics and pass historic legislation; whose commitment is steadfast enough not only to keep his promises, but surpass them.

And he's not done. He's ready to keep pushing us forward. We will win again, but not without you. We're all in this. And I'm asking you to be all in as well. Help us with those small moments: dollars donated, calls made, and doors knocked. We have to start now.

And we can't let up until we win. Because the fight for freedom doesn't end, and this is the most important election of our lives. I know we can win because we have you by our side.

Joe.

The President. Well, look, everyone, hello. Jill and I, and Kamala and Doug, wanted to get together for two reasons, all of us. One, the first is to thank you. So many of you were with us throughout the incredible ride in 2020, through to this very day. We wouldn't be here without you. And that's not hyperbole. We're counting on you to help us win this next time around. We can't do it without you. Just look at all we've accomplished so far. And think about everything else we can do together.

Let's finish the job. And we're within reach. And that's the second reason I wanted to talk to you. We need you. As Jill said, our democracy needs you. And that's, again, notâthat's literal. Because this is about our freedoms.

MAGA Republicans are trying to take us backwards. But together, we're not going to let them do that. Instead, our agenda is going to bring us forward and build on the progress we made to finish the job.

Look, we keep growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not from the top down. We said we'd do that. Let's protect a woman's right to choose. Let's get *Roe *v. *Wade*.

It's just a longâthere's just so much we have to do. Look, let's protect our children from gun violence, keep lowering the prescription drug cost. Let's protect Social Security and Medicare.

We've gotten so much done, but there's so much more to do.

Folks, we're still in the battle for the soul of America. And now we're at an inflection point. One of those moments not only that come around every few generations, they come around, and we're in one of them right now. And when we look back years from now, we'll know whether we met this moment.

You know, so you've got toâlet me tell you something, because that's so important: Because of all of you, we will meet this momentâbecause of youâjust like we did in 2020. Remember 2020, as Jill said, when everyone had us written off? But you knew we could do it, and we did because of you.

Remember 2022, those midterm elections. That red wave was supposed to wipe us out and a gigantic victory for Republicans. It never happened. We met the moment again and again with a broad coalition, with all of you. We're going to do it again in 2024. We're going to do it together.

So as we enter this reelection campaign, Jill and I, Kamala and Doug, want you to remember the power of America lies with you, the American people. You. You know all this. And now we need you to spread the word to our friends. Go to joebiden.com or text "share" to 30330.

You're the reason we've never been more optimistic about our future. And weâI've never been more optimistic. We just have to remember who we are. We're the United States of America. And there's simply nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.

So let's go win this thing. Let's finish the job. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Let's get it done.

NOTE: The President spoke at approximately 7:25 p.m. from the Map Room at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Douglas C. Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala D. Harris. The First Lady referred to Jose Nunez, organizing director, Democratic National Committee, who introduced her and the President.

Categories: Addresses and Remarks : President's 2024 reelection campaign, videoconference call with grassroots supporters.

Locations: Washington, DC.

Names: Biden, Jill T.; Emhoff, Douglas C.; Harris, Kamala D.

Subjects: 2022 midterm elections; 2024 Presidential election; Abortion; Economic improvement; Gun violence, prevention efforts; Medicare and Medicaid programs; Prescription drug costs, reduction efforts; Social Security program; Vice President.

DCPD Number: DCPD202300351.