Dane County Regional Airport
Madison, Wisconsin

1:36 P.M. CDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi, everyone.  Good afternoon.  So, we are in the closing days of this campaign, and Donald Trump and I have been presenting our closing arguments to the American people.

As you’ve heard me say many times, my pledge to the American people is to pursue commonsense solutions, to listen to those — even those who disagree with me, to listen to experts, and to be a president for all Americans.

Donald Trump’s closing argument is very different.  He pits Americans against one another.  He spends full time having Americans point their fingers at one another.  And he spends a considerable amount of time plotting his revenge on his political opponents.

As of last night, just to add more, he has indicated that the person who would be in charge of health care for the American people is be someone who has routinely promoted junk science and crazy conspiracy theories, who once expressed support for a national abortion ban, and who is the exact last person in America who should be setting health care policy for America’s families and children.

And then, even worse, he has increased his violent rhetoric — Donald Trump has — about political opponents and, in great detail — in great detail, suggested rifles should be “trained” on former Representative Liz Cheney. 

This must be disqualifying.  Anyone who wants to be president of the United States who uses that kind of violent rhetoric is clearly disqualified and unqualified to be president.

Representative Tr- — Cheney is a true patriot who has shown extraordinary courage in putting country above party.  Trump is increasingly, however, someone who considers his political opponents the enemy, is permanently out for revenge, and is increasingly unstable and unhinged.  His enemies list has grown longer, his rhetoric has grown more extreme, and he is even less focused than before on the needs and the concerns and the challenges facing the American people.

 I have also thought a lot about what this means in terms of our standing in the world.  As vice president, I have represented the United States of America around the world, and what I know is that when we walk in those rooms representing the United States of America, we have the earned and self-appointed authority to then talk about the importance of democracy, the importance of rule of law.  And as a result, people around the world who are fighting for freedom and opportunity hold us up as a model.

America deserves better than what Donald Trump is offering.  America deserves a president who understands our role and responsibility to our people and to the rest of the world to be a model. 

So, I’ll end with this.  Voters are making their decisions.  Many have voted, but there are still those who are making a decision about who they’ll vote for.  And what I offer is I ask folks to, among the many issues before you, just consider who’s going to be sitting in the Oval Office on January 20th.  Either you’re going to have Donald Trump there, who will be stewing over his enemies list, or I will be there, working hard on your behalf on my to-do list. 

That is the choice, among many, that is at stake in this election, and I would be proud to earn the vote of the American people.  And I do intend to win.

     With that, I’ll take any questions. 

     AIDE:  Aamer, AP.

Q    Thank you, Vice President.  Have you had a had a chance to talk to Liz Cheney?  And then, secondly, are you concerned about her general security?  And does — concerning the situation and how tense things are, do you think that the government or the administration, in some form, needs to provide her with security in this situation?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, I’ve not talked to her since this comment was made.  But I will tell you I know Liz Cheney well enough to know that she is tough, she is incredibly courageous and has shown herself to be a — a true patriot at a very difficult time in our country, where, to your point, we see this kind of rhetoric that is violent in nature, where we see this kind of spirit coming from Donald Trump that is so laden with the — the desire for revenge and retribution. 

 And Liz Che- — Cheney is a tough person.  She is an incredible American.  And I have an incredible amount of respect for her. 

     Q    Are you worried about her safety?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I think that Liz Cheney is courageous and that we will always make sure that we are all fighting against and speaking out against any form of political violence.

     AIDE:  Nandita, from Reuters. 

Q    Thank you.  Madam Vice President, you spoke about early voting.  What is your assessment?  What is the data that you are seeing across the battlegrounds?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I’m seeing the folks who are showing up at the various places where we are inviting people to come and talk with us, and where we are talking about the issues at stake.  And I’m seeing an incredible amount of enthusiasm from people of every walk of life, every generation, from our first-time voters to folks who are seniors and have a lot at stake on issues like Social Security and Medicare. 

And what I am enjoying about this moment most is that in spite of how my opponent spends full time trying to divide the American people, what I am seeing is people coming together under one roof who seemingly have nothing in common and know they have everything in common.  And I think that is in the best interests of the strength of our nation.

Q    Are you encouraged by a lot more women showing up in Pennsylvania — a lot of Democratic women, first-time voters?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Women, men, folks of every background are showing up.

AIDE:  Jen Epstein.

Q    Vice President, you’ve had quite a lot of interruptions during your speeches recently, a lot of pro-Gaza protesters.  And, you know, you certainly have — have spoken about democracy when responding to them.  But do you think that you need to say a little bit more about the Mid-East conflict or about what you would do to try to satisfy them? 

And are you concerned at all about how you’ll do on — in college towns and in Michigan, in particular, with them?  President Trump today is going to Dearborn, is going to a Palestinian restaurant.  He’s really — this is the second kind of Arab American restaurant he’s gone to.  He seems to be really trying to make a play for a group that would traditionally be pretty Democratic.  Do you think you’ve done enough to reach these voters?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’m very proud to have a significant amount of support from the Arab American community, both because of my position about what we need to do in Gaza and in the region to end the war and bring the hostages home, and my commitment to a two-state solution, but also because, within that community, there are many issues that challenge folks and that they want to hear about, including what we’re going to do to make housing affordable, what we’re going to do to bring down the cost of groceries, what we’re going to do to invest in small businesses. 

I have a plan for all of those things, and that is something that resonates within that community and with all Americans.

Q    Just for voters who say that they’re going to protest, that they want to show the administration that what they did, the — the policy and support for Israel is wrong and are going to make a statement and that they don’t care if it makes Trump the president, what would you tell them?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, there’s a real contrast in this race when you look at who stands for democracy and democratic principles and who does not.  Donald Trump is talking about an enemies list.  He is talking about using the American military to turn on American citizens.  He talks in a way that suggests that there should be retribution and severe consequences just because people disagree with him. 

My point is very clear.  I believe in our democracy.  Democracies are complicated, in a wonderful way, because we like debate.  We accept and receive differences of opinion, and we work them out. 

One of the reasons I am going to have a Republican in my Cabinet is because I want different views.  I — I enjoy and benefit from diverse views, from different perspectives that allow me then to make the best decisions I can make. 

That’s a big difference between me and Donald Trump, and that’s the big difference between someone who truly is a leader and someone who is in it for themselves and wants unchecked power. 

     AIDE:  Thank you, Madam Vice President.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  Thank you all.                             

END                1:45 P.M.