THE PRESIDENT HAS HAD 1,000
FRONT LINE WORKERS TO THE WHITE
HOUSE TO CELEBRATE THE COUNTRYS
INDEPENDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE
FROM COVID-19.
>> FREEDOM, OUR LIBERTY, AND
INDEPENDENCE, FOURTH OF JULY IS
A SACRED DAY IN OUR COUNTRY, A
DAY OF HISTORY, OF HOPE,
REMEMBRANCE, AND RESOLVE, OF
PROMISE AND POSSIBILITIES.
BEFORE ME STANDS MONUMENTS OF
THE GREATEST AND THE GOODNESS OF
OUR NATION, MONUMENTS OF LIGHT
AND LIBERTY.
THERES A TOWERING MEMORIAL TO
GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE GENERAL
WHO LED OUR REVOLUTION, THE
PRESIDENT WHO SET OUR NATION ON
ITS COURSE.
THERE IS A MEMORIAL TO THOMAS
JEFFERSON, WHOSE WORDS ABOUT
LIBERTY AND EQUALITY LITERALLY
CHANGED THE WORLD.
AND ACROSS THE TITLE BASIN OF
THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL, THERE
STANDS DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING
JR., HIS ARMS CROSSED, HIS ICE
FIXED AHEAD TOWARD THE PROMISED
LAND WHERE EQUALITY IS NOT ONLY
AN ASPIRATION, BUT A REALITY.
THEY HELPED DEFINE WHO WE ARE,
GUIDE WHAT WE DO, REMIND US OF
THE WORK THAT HISTORY HAS GIVEN
US IN OUR OWN TIME.
THIS YEAR, THE FOURTH OF JULY IS
A DAY OF SPECIAL CELEBRATION FOR
WE ARE EMERGING FROM THE
DARKNESS OF YEARS -- A YEAR OF
PANDEMIC AND ISOLATION, A YEAR
OF PAIN, FEAR, AND HEART
BREAKING LOSS.
JUST THINK BACK TO WHERE THIS
NATION WAS A YEAR AGO.
THINK BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE A
YEAR AGO.
AND THINK ABOUT HOW FAR WEVE
COME FROM SILENT STREETS -- --
FROM SILENT STREETS TO CROWDED PARADE ROUTES LINED WITH PEOPLE
PARADE ROUTES LINED WITH PEOPLE
WAVING AMERICAN FLAGS, FROM
EMPTY SAIDTADIUMS AND ARENAS TO
FANS BACK IN THEIR SEATS ROOTING
FOR TEAMS AGAIN.
FROM FAMILIES PRESSING THEIR
FACES AGAINST A WINDOW TO
GRANDPARENTS HUGGING EACH OTHER
AGAIN.
WE ARE BACK TRAVELING AGAIN.
WE ARE BACK SEEING ONE ANOTHER
AGAIN.
BUSINESSES ARE OPEN AND HIRING
AGAIN.
WE ARE SEEING RECORD JOB
CREATION, AND RECORD ECONOMIC
GROWTH.
THE BEST IN FOUR DECADES.
AND I MIGHT ADD, THE BEST IN THE
WORLD.
TODAY, ALL ACROSS THIS NATION,
WE CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE,
AMERICA IS COMING BACK TOGETHER.
245 YEARS AGO, WE DECLARED OUR
INDEPENDENCE FROM A DISTANT
KING.
TODAY, WE ARE CLOSER THAN EVER
TO DECLARING OUR INDEPENDENCE
FROM A DEADLY VIRUS.
THATS NOT TO SAY THE BATTLE
AGAINST COVID-19 IS OVER.
WEVE GOT A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.
BUT JUST AS OUR DECLARATION IN
1776 WAS NOT A CALL TO ACTION --
WAS A CALL TO ACTION, NOT REASON
FOR COMPLACENCY, OR A CLAIM OF
VICTORY.
IT WAS A CALL TO ACTION.
THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY.
BACK THEN, WE HAD THE POWER OF
AN IDEA ON OUR SIDE.
TODAY WE HAVE THE POWER OF
SCIENCE.
THANKS TO OUR HEROIC VACCINE
EFFORT, WEVE GAINED THORE
THANKS TO OUR HEROIC VACCINE
EFFORT, WEVE GAINED THORED THE
HAND AGAINST THIS VIRUS.
WE CAN LIVE OUR LIVES.
OUR KIDS CAN GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
OUR ECONOMY IS ROARING BACK.
DONT GET ME WRONG, COVID-19 HAS
NOT BEEN VANQUISHED.
WE ALL KNOW POWERFUL VARIANTS
HAVE EMERGED, LIKE THE DELTA
VARIANT, BUT THE BEST DEFENSE
AGAINST THESE VARIANTS IS TO GET
VACCINATED.
MY FELLOW AMERICANS, ITS THE
MOST PATRIOTIC THING YOU CAN DO.
SO PLEASE, IF YOU HAVENT GOTTEN
VACCINATED, DO IT.
DO IT NOW, FOR YOURSELF, FOR
YOUR LOVED ONES, FOR YOUR
COMMUNITY, AND FOR YOUR COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, THATS HOW WE ARE
GOING TO STAY AHEAD OF THESE
VARIANTS AND PROTECT THE
HARD-ONE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE.
WE NEVER AGAIN WANT TO BE WHERE
WE WERE A YEAR AGO TODAY.
SO TODAY, WHILE THE VIRUS HASNT
BEEN VANQUISHED, WE KNOW THIS.
IT NO LONGER CONTROLS OUR LIVES.
IT NO LONGER PARALYZES OUR
NATION.
AND ITS WITHIN OUR POWER TO
MAKE SURE IT NEVER DOES AGAIN.
AND FOR THAT, WE CAN THANK THE
SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS, THE
EDUCATORS, AND ALL THE OTHER
FRONT-LINE AND ESSENTIAL
WORKERS, LIKE MANY OF YOU HERE
TODAY.
WHO BECAME THE LIGHT TO SEE US
THROUGH THE DARKNESS.
I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT YOU, THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, HAVE BEEN PART
OF ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE
ACHIEVEMENTS IN AMERICAN
HISTORY.
BUT IN THIS MOMENT OF JOY, WE
KNOW THAT THIS DAY FALLS HARD ON
ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE LOST A
LOVED ONE.
AS I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE, EACH
DAY, I CARRY A CARD IN MY POCKET
WITH MY SELL THECHEDULE ON IT.
ON THE BACK OF THAT SCHEDULE, ON
THAT CORD, I HAVE THE NUMBER OF
AMERICANS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR
LIVES TO COVID, THE PRECISE
NUMBER.
AS OF TONIGHT, THAT NUMBER IS
603,018 PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR
LIVES.
THEY ARE HUSBANDS AND WIVES,
MOTHERS AND FATHERS, SONS AND
DAUGHTERS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
GRANDPARENTS, FRIENDS,
NEIGHBORS, COWORKERS.
I WOULD ALSO REMEMBER ALL THOSE
WHO LOST THIS YEAR THAT WE
LOST -- THAT FAMILY LOST TO
OTHER CAUSES, OTHER CAUSES OF
DEATH, AND CRUEL TWIST OF FATE.
THEY, TOO, LEFT BEHIND LOVED
ONES, UNABLE TO GRIEVE OR MOURN
OR FIND CLOSURE.
EACH OF THEM MEANT THE WORLD TO
SOMEONE THEY LEFT BEHIND.
AND THESE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN
THROUGH ALL THIS KNOW THAT TO
HEAL, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER.
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THEM.
AND WE WILL.
WELL COMMIT TO ALWAYS REMEMBER
THEM.
THATS WHAT WELL DO.
IVE LONG SAID THAT AMERICAS
UNIQUE, UNLIKE EVERY OTHER
NATION ON EARTH, WE WERE FOUNDED
BASED ON AN IDEA.
WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE
SELF-EVIDENT, THAT ALL PEOPLE
ARE CREATED QUALITY, ENDOWED BY
THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN
INALIENABLE RIGHTS AMONG THEM
LIFE, LIBERT AND THE PURSUIT OF
HAPPINESS.
WHILE WE HAVE NEVER FULLY LIVED
UP ON THOSE WORDS, WE HAVE NEVER
GIVE UP ON THEM.
THEY CONTINUE TO ANIMATE US AND
WHEN AT OUR BEST ARE WHAT
AMERICANS BELIEVE, WE BELIEVE IN
HONESTY AND DECENCY, TREATING
EVERYONE WITH RESPECT, GIVING
EVERYONE A FAIR SHOT, DEMONIZING
NO ONE, GIVING HATE NO SAFE
HARBOR, AND LEAVING NO ONE
BEHIND.
WE LEAD BY THE POWER OF OUR
EXAMPLE, NOT THE EXAMPLE OF OUR
POWER.
WERE PART OF SOMETHING SO MUCH
BIGGER THAN OURSELVES.
WE STAND AS A BEACON TO THE
WORLD.
ITS A CODE.
ITS A CODE, UNIQUELY AMERICAN
CODE.
ITS WHO WE ARE.
TO ALL THE SERVICE MEMBERS AND
YOUR FAMILIES WHO ARE HERE
TONIGHT, TODAY, ALL OF YOU
SERVING AROUND THE WORLD, IT IS
A THE GREATEST HONOR TO SERVE AS
YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF.
JILL AND I --
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
JILL AND I, AND OUR ENTIRE
FAMILY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.
SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.
LIKE SO MANY MILITARY FAMILIES,
THANK YOU FOR THE LOVED ONES WHO
SERVED.
WE THINK OF OUR SON, BEAU,
TODAY.
YOU ARE ALL PART OF A LONG CHAIN
OF PATRIOTS WHO PLEDGED THEIR
LIVES AND THEIR SACRED HONOR IN
DEFENSE THIS NATION AND
DEMOCRACY AROUND THE WORLD, FOR
FREEDOM AND FAIR PLAY, FOR PEACE
AND SECURITY, AND OPPORTUNITY,
FOR THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE, FOR
THE SOUL OF AMERICA ITSELF.
BUT THE DEFENSE OF ALL THAT WE
LOVE DOESNT FALL ON YOUR
SHOULDERS ALONE.
IT FALLS ON ALL OF US, EVERY ONE
OF US, EVERY AMERICAN.
EACH DAY, WERE REMINDED THERES
NOTHING GUARANTEED ABOUT OUR
DEMOCRACY, NOTHING GUARANTEED
ABOUT OUR WAY OF LIFE.
WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT.
DEFEND IT.
EARN IT.
FOLKS, ITS UP TO ALL OF US TO
PROTECT THE RIGHT TO LIFE,
LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF
HAPPINESS.
THE RIGHT TO EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER
THE LAW.
THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND HAVE THAT
VOTE COUNTED.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
THE RIGHT TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR,
DRINK CLEAN WATER, AND KNOW THAT
OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
WILL BE SAFE ON THIS PLANET FOR
GENERATIONS TO COME.
THE RIGHT TO RISE IN THE WORLD
AS FAR AS YOUR GOD-GIVEN TALENT
CAN TAKE YOU, UNLIMITED BY
BARRIERS OF PRIVILEGE OR POWER.
ONE OF THE GREAT GIFTS OF THE
SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE -- THINK
ABOUT THIS.
ONE OF THE GREAT GIFTS IS OUR
CAPACITY TO SEE OURSELVES WHOLE
AND SEE OURSELVES HONESTLY.
WHAT WEVE GOTTEN RIGHT, WHAT
WEVE GOTTEN WRONG, IT IS A
MEASURE OF THE GREATNESS OF
AMERICA.
AND WE ARE A GREAT NATION.
WE DONT SEEK TO BURY THE
WRONGS.
WE FACE IT.
WE WORK TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, HISTORY TELLS US THAT
WHEN WE STAND TOGETHER, WHEN WE
UNITE IN COMMON CAUSE, WHEN WE
SEE OURSELVES NOT AS REPUBLICANS
OR DEMOCRATS, BUT AS AMERICANS,
THEN THERE IS SIMPLY NO LIMIT TO
WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE.
NONE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND TODAY, WE SEE THE RESULTS OF
THE UNITY OF PURPOSE.
THE UNIT OF PURPOSE WE ARE
FORGING IN OUR NATION FOR,
TOGETHER, WE ARE BEATING THE
VIRUS, TOGETHER, WE ARE
BREATHING LIFE INTO OUR ECONOMY,
TOGETHER, WE WILL RESCUE OUR
PEOPLE FROM DIVISION AND
DESPAIR.
BUT TOGETHER WE MUST DO IT.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, WEVE LIVED
THROUGH SOME OF OUR DARKEST
DAYS.
NOW I TRULY BELIEVE -- I GIVE MY
WORD AS A BIDEN, I TRULY BELIEVE
WE ARE ABOUT TO SEE OUR
BRIGHTEST FUTURE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
FOLKS, THIS IS A SPECIAL NATION.
A GREAT NATION.
AND THERE IS A TIMELESS TRUTH
ABOUT AMERICA, THE MOST POWERFUL
IDEA IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE THIS
COUNTRY.
IT BEATS IN ALL OUR HEARTS, NO
MATTER YOUR RACE OR ETHNICITY,
NO MATTER YOUR GENDER IDENTITY
OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, NO MATTER
YOUR DISABILITY, NO MATTER YOUR
FAITH, IT BEATS IN THE HEARTS OF
RICH AND POOR ALIKE.
IT UNITES AMERICA.
WHETHER YOUR ANCESTORS OR NATIVE
TO THIS LAND OR BROUGHT HERE
FORCIBLY AND ENSLAVED.
WHETHER YOU WERE IMMIGRANTS FROM
GENERATIONS BACK LIKE MY FAMILY
FROM IRELAND OR LOOKING TO COME
HERE TODAY LOOKING FOR A BETTER
LIFE FOR YOUR FAMILY LIKE THE
CITIZENS I SWORE IN IN THE WHITE
HOUSE TWO DAYS AGO.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THE AMERICAN CREED.
WE USE THAT PHRASE, THE AMERICAN
CREED.
BECAUSE WE ARE ALL EQUAL,
CREATED EQUAL.
IT WAS WRITTEN A LONG TIME AGO.
BUT THE GENIUSES THAT EVERY
GENERATION OF AMERICANS HAS
EXPANDED IT WIDER AND WIDER, TO
INCLUDE THOSE WHO WERE EXCLUDED
BEFORE.
THATS WHY IT HAS NEVER GATHERED
DUST IN OUR HISTORY BOOKS.
ITS STILL ALIVE TODAY, ALIVE IN
OUR HEARTS, ALIVE IN THE WORK OF
OUR HANDS, ALIVE NOT ONLY IN THE
HIS TREMENDOUS WE
HISTORY WE READ, BUT IN THE MAKI
MY FELLOW AMERICANS, NOW WE ARE
THE GUARDIANS OF THAT VERY IDEA
OF AMERICA.
IT IS UP TO SAVE IT, TO PRESERVE
IT, TO BUILD UPON IT.
AND I KNOW WE WILL.
ON THIS SACRED DAY I LOOK OUT TO
THOSE MONUMENTS ON OUR NATIONAL
MALL AND BEYOND THEM, INTO THE
HEARTS OF OUR PEOPLE ACROSS THE
LANDS, AND I KNOW THIS.
ITS NEVER, EVER BEEN A GOOD BET
TO GET AGAINST AMERICA!
NEVER!
WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER WHO WE
ARE.
WE ARE THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
AND THERE IS NOTHING, NOTHING WE
CANT DO IF WE DO IT TOGETHER.
FOLKS, HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY,
AMERICA!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND MAY GOD