I know you will be watching.
Thanks Lisa and amna.
While results continue to come
in and the balance of power in
congress remains in question, as
we heard earlier, president
Biden today is celebrating what
he called a strong night for
Democrats and he promised to
work with Republicans to find
bipartisan solutions if they win
majorities.
For more on the president's
reaction to the election and
what it means for the next two
years, I'm joined by Laura
barron-lopez at the white house.
Where she was last night.
We told everyone about the
president's news conference this
afternoon.
You were there.
Give us the gist of what he was
saying.
Laura: The president was
cheerful, saying that the
prognosticators got it wrong,
about big Republican gains.
He also expressed confidence
about the signal that voters
sent to the public.
You can listen here.
Pres. Biden: They send a clear
message that they want to
preserve our democracy and
protect the right to choose in
this country.
Laura: The president also gave a
shout out to young voters, those
aged 18 to 30.
Because of the fact that it
looks as though young voters
turned out in record numbers,
matching 2018 numbers.
They are a key constituency for
Democrats, also a key
constituency for president Biden
when he won the presidency in
2020.
Judy: We know the president
acknowledged, he does not know
yet, we don't know yet, whether
there will be a Republican
majority in either or both
houses.
What is the president saying
about how that would affect his
agenda?
What is he saying his agenda
will be, especially if there is
a divided congress?
Laura: The president did not
give a lot of specifics about
what he may propose, new
legislation he may propose.
.
He talked a lot about his use of
his veto pen.
He said he would use his veto
pen against any attempts to
propose a national abortion ban.
He said he would use it if
Republicans try to undo the laws
we saw him pass in his first two
years, namely the infrastructure
law, prescription drug reform,
elements of the inflation
reduction act that had to do
with addressing the climate
crisis.
The president was asked about
Ukraine and specifically,
comments by minority leader
Kevin Mccarthy where he recently
said, prior to the election,
that there should not be a blank
check in aid for Ukraine, and
this was the president's
response.
Pres. Biden: There is so much at
stake.
I would be surprised if leader
Mccarthy even has a majority of
his Republican colleagues who
say they are not going to fund
the legitimate defensive needs
of Ukraine.
Laura: The president said that
he hopes that Kevin Mccarthy, if
he ends up being the speaker, as
well as other Republicans,
particularly if the senate ends
up in Republican hands even by
once he, that they will work --
one seat, that they will work
with him.
Judy: He did hear him say he
hopes to work across the aisle.
We know a number of Republicans
are talking about investigating
the president, his
administration, if they win the
majority, especially in the
house.
They have talked about
investigating immigration
policy, the withdrawal from
Afghanistan last year.
And also members of the
president's own family.
The president himself.
How is the white house preparing
for what could come?
Laura: The president was asked
about that today.
He treated it as though it is
comedy.
He specifically said if
Republicans try to do that, it
is comedic, and he also said it
is out of his control, and
ultimately, he was going to
focus on trying to push forward
other agenda items for the
American public.
You are right.
The white house is preparing.
They brought on over the summer
a senior lawyer, they brought
him over from veterans affairs
in preparation for this
onslaught of possible
investigations.
They also brought on a new calm
spokesperson -- spokesperson to
handle this.
Another important thing I want
to note is the president was
very optimistic, even though a
lot of the races are still left
to call.
He said this was the best
midterm election for a first
president in the last 40 years.
Judy: It appears to be going
against trends.
We are watching at all, as we
wait for the final numbers to
come in.
Laura Baran Lopez at the white
house, thank you, Laura.