WEBVTT 00:02.250 --> 00:03.970 - Two great gentlemen. 00:03.970 --> 00:05.320 Thank you very much and thank you all. 00:05.320 --> 00:06.170 Please, sit down. 00:08.150 --> 00:09.970 - [Audience Member] We love you, President! 00:09.970 --> 00:11.016 (audience applause) 00:11.016 --> 00:12.840 - Thank you. 00:12.840 --> 00:13.903 Thank you very much. 00:16.757 --> 00:19.050 And I want to thank Representative Donalds. 00:19.050 --> 00:20.784 There's somebody with a future. 00:20.784 --> 00:21.617 (audience laughs) 00:21.617 --> 00:24.800 I don't know if I'd trade him, that future, for the age. 00:24.800 --> 00:26.570 I'd love to pick up that age. 00:26.570 --> 00:28.330 That was a good age. 00:28.330 --> 00:30.760 But he's got a tremendous future ahead of him. 00:30.760 --> 00:33.940 And a very special thanks to Matthew Charles. 00:33.940 --> 00:36.710 I saw him on television the first time 00:36.710 --> 00:41.360 when he had so much difficulty trying to get 00:41.360 --> 00:43.080 something that he was really entitled to. 00:43.080 --> 00:45.060 And I looked at that smile. 00:45.060 --> 00:46.610 That smile is infectious, 00:46.610 --> 00:50.200 and he's a great gentleman and we're very proud of him. 00:50.200 --> 00:52.500 And I'm very proud of being involved 00:52.500 --> 00:55.370 with criminal justice reform and getting it done, 00:55.370 --> 00:56.260 getting it passed. 00:56.260 --> 00:58.060 And we had a lot of votes that normally 00:58.060 --> 00:59.150 wouldn't have gone that way. 00:59.150 --> 01:01.920 And they really, they were pushing me, 01:01.920 --> 01:03.810 some of them, at the end. 01:03.810 --> 01:06.500 And we have some of the folks here: 01:06.500 --> 01:08.150 Tim Scott and Lindsey. 01:08.150 --> 01:08.983 They're here. 01:08.983 --> 01:10.040 But I'm going to introduce them in a little while. 01:10.040 --> 01:13.340 But we had tremendous help. 01:13.340 --> 01:17.020 This was a bipartisan bill. 01:17.020 --> 01:19.800 We had a lot of support on both sides. 01:19.800 --> 01:21.930 And people that you would've least expected 01:21.930 --> 01:23.060 really helped us a lot. 01:23.060 --> 01:24.490 So, they've been trying to get this passed 01:24.490 --> 01:26.340 for many, many years. 01:26.340 --> 01:30.410 But to everyone at the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center: 01:30.410 --> 01:32.750 It's my great privilege to speak with you today, 01:32.750 --> 01:37.750 and my true honor to receive the Bipartisan Justice Award. 01:37.780 --> 01:39.890 I am very, very grateful for that. 01:39.890 --> 01:43.490 And it will be at a very high level in the Oval Office, 01:43.490 --> 01:45.390 a place called the Oval Office. 01:45.390 --> 01:47.240 Have you heard about that? (audience applause) 01:47.240 --> 01:49.140 It'll be right in the Oval Office with me. 01:49.140 --> 01:51.240 I'm very proud of it, thank you. 01:51.240 --> 01:52.790 I also want to thank everyone 01:52.790 --> 01:57.740 from one of our nation's incredible HBCUs, 01:57.740 --> 02:01.190 I've been working with them, Benedict College. 02:01.190 --> 02:02.734 We know Benedict College. 02:02.734 --> 02:05.734 (audience applause) 02:07.020 --> 02:10.940 And especially your very dynamic president, 02:10.940 --> 02:13.084 Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis. 02:13.084 --> 02:13.917 (audience applause) 02:13.917 --> 02:14.750 Where are you? 02:14.750 --> 02:16.135 Where is Doctor? 02:16.135 --> 02:17.302 Where are you? 02:18.880 --> 02:22.640 And the outstanding students who are joining us today. 02:22.640 --> 02:25.260 You are outstanding and you have a tremendous future. 02:25.260 --> 02:26.093 Thank you. 02:26.093 --> 02:26.940 Thank you all. 02:26.940 --> 02:27.930 Thank you. 02:27.930 --> 02:29.010 (audience applause) 02:29.010 --> 02:30.860 We're thrilled to be on your campus 02:30.860 --> 02:34.510 and to celebrate all that we have achieved together 02:34.510 --> 02:36.250 and to discuss the actions 02:36.250 --> 02:37.170 that we're taking to build 02:37.170 --> 02:39.070 a future of safety and opportunity 02:39.070 --> 02:42.100 and fairness for all Americans. 02:42.100 --> 02:45.730 Four years ago, 20 African American Republicans 02:45.730 --> 02:48.500 and 20 African American Democrats 02:48.500 --> 02:52.430 founded the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center 02:52.430 --> 02:56.710 to advance the cause of criminal justice reform. 02:56.710 --> 03:00.200 And I'd heard about it for so long and it was going nowhere. 03:00.200 --> 03:01.330 Nowhere. 03:01.330 --> 03:03.400 But they all got together, 03:03.400 --> 03:06.150 and you fought to fix a broken system. 03:06.150 --> 03:10.740 You sought to confront inequality and stop injustice. 03:10.740 --> 03:13.500 And you worked to restore hope and optimism 03:13.500 --> 03:16.560 where they are really needed the most 03:16.560 --> 03:18.820 and where there was very little. 03:18.820 --> 03:22.410 With your help, last year we brought the whole country 03:22.410 --> 03:27.140 together to achieve a truly momentous milestone. 03:27.140 --> 03:28.470 They said it couldn't be done. 03:28.470 --> 03:31.900 Past administrations had tried and failed. 03:31.900 --> 03:35.750 Some didn't try very hard, I will say that. 03:35.750 --> 03:37.010 But they tried and they failed. 03:37.010 --> 03:41.910 After years of waiting, we assembled a historic coalition. 03:41.910 --> 03:44.360 And it was indeed historic. 03:44.360 --> 03:46.490 We had them so liberal you wouldn't believe it, 03:46.490 --> 03:49.130 and so conservative you wouldn't believe it. 03:49.130 --> 03:50.080 And they got together. 03:50.080 --> 03:52.200 I said, "How did we do that one?" 03:52.200 --> 03:53.680 But it was a beautiful thing to watch. 03:53.680 --> 03:54.513 It really was. 03:54.513 --> 03:56.790 And we rallied activists, and faith leaders, 03:56.790 --> 04:00.210 and law enforcement, and lawmakers alike. 04:00.210 --> 04:03.520 We worked across party lines very strongly. 04:03.520 --> 04:05.330 After all of the work and effort, 04:05.330 --> 04:09.080 we passed the bill and I proudly signed it into law, 04:09.080 --> 04:12.570 the most significant criminal justice reform 04:13.480 --> 04:16.010 in many generations. 04:16.010 --> 04:17.950 We call it the FIRST STEP Act. 04:17.950 --> 04:20.277 I sort of liked the idea of just calling it 04:20.277 --> 04:22.417 "Criminal Justice Reform." 04:23.270 --> 04:26.697 But FIRST STEP is good because that allows a second step 04:26.697 --> 04:27.750 and a third step. 04:27.750 --> 04:31.047 And that's okay because we can go there, too. 04:31.047 --> 04:32.910 (audience applause) 04:32.910 --> 04:36.390 But the FIRST STEP Act proved that we can achieve 04:36.390 --> 04:39.450 amazing breakthroughs when we come together as a nation 04:39.450 --> 04:42.010 and we put the interests of our citizens 04:42.010 --> 04:45.630 before the interests of any political party. 04:45.630 --> 04:48.120 Since we passed this landmark legislation, 04:48.120 --> 04:51.970 10 states have followed our lead and passed legislation 04:51.970 --> 04:56.120 that takes critical steps to advance criminal justice reform 04:56.120 --> 04:57.470 at the state level. 04:57.470 --> 05:00.800 We gave it a beautiful stepping stone. 05:00.800 --> 05:03.610 And some states have come and they've really taken it 05:03.610 --> 05:06.180 to a level that you'd be very proud of. 05:06.180 --> 05:08.050 And it's only because of what we did 05:08.050 --> 05:12.520 that they were able to do it legally and in many other ways. 05:12.520 --> 05:16.410 So I want to say congratulations to all of the leaders here 05:16.410 --> 05:21.410 today from Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, 05:22.000 --> 05:25.680 Missouri, Michigan, Nevada, 05:25.680 --> 05:28.630 Oklahoma, Oregon, and Tennessee. 05:28.630 --> 05:29.590 Congratulations. 05:29.590 --> 05:31.468 Great job, really great job. 05:31.468 --> 05:34.468 (audience applause) 05:36.640 --> 05:38.870 We're also grateful to all of the mayors, 05:38.870 --> 05:41.810 city council members, and state legislators 05:41.810 --> 05:45.630 who are fighting for reform in your own communities. 05:45.630 --> 05:49.490 I especially want to thank the South Carolina leaders. 05:49.490 --> 05:50.850 And I have their names written down; 05:50.850 --> 05:52.670 there are so many of them. 05:52.670 --> 05:54.060 I'll do this before you, Henry. 05:54.060 --> 05:54.930 Is that okay? 05:54.930 --> 05:57.030 I want to introduce our great governor. 05:57.030 --> 05:58.052 They love Henry. 05:58.052 --> 05:59.780 (audience applause) 05:59.780 --> 06:02.810 They might like Peggy more, but that's okay. 06:02.810 --> 06:03.870 But we'll do this first. 06:03.870 --> 06:06.070 State Senator, and they've helped so much, 06:06.070 --> 06:08.800 and President of the Senate, Harvey Peeler. 06:08.800 --> 06:10.030 Harvey, where are you, Harvey? 06:10.030 --> 06:11.354 Thank you, Harvey. 06:11.354 --> 06:13.530 (audience applause) 06:13.530 --> 06:15.740 State Senator Gerald Malloy. 06:15.740 --> 06:17.540 Gerald, thank you very much. 06:17.540 --> 06:18.557 Thank you. 06:18.557 --> 06:19.860 (audience applause) 06:19.860 --> 06:23.170 State Senator Katrina Shealy. 06:23.170 --> 06:24.240 Thank you very much. 06:24.240 --> 06:25.460 Thank you. 06:25.460 --> 06:26.384 Thank you. 06:26.384 --> 06:27.250 (audience applause) 06:27.250 --> 06:29.400 I thought you were over there. 06:29.400 --> 06:33.470 And statehouse members: Speaker Jay Lucas. 06:33.470 --> 06:35.028 Jay? 06:35.028 --> 06:35.861 Thank you, Jay. 06:35.861 --> 06:37.900 Thank you, Jay. (audience applause) 06:37.900 --> 06:40.780 Majority Leader Gary Simrill. 06:40.780 --> 06:43.780 Gary, thank you. (audience applause) 06:43.780 --> 06:48.400 And all members: Brandon Newton, Mike Burns, Bill Chumley, 06:48.400 --> 06:52.290 Peter McCoy, Sylleste Davis, Chris Murphy, 06:52.290 --> 06:55.020 Bobby Cox, Alan Clemmons. 06:55.020 --> 06:58.080 I want to just thank all of you for being here. 06:58.080 --> 06:59.880 And I'm sure that we probably left some out 06:59.880 --> 07:01.394 and they'll never speak to me again, you see? 07:01.394 --> 07:02.227 (audience laughs) 07:02.227 --> 07:03.300 But all we can do is try. 07:03.300 --> 07:05.580 I have all these names written down. 07:05.580 --> 07:07.297 And they've worked very hard, and they've worked hard. 07:07.297 --> 07:09.530 And I said they really have to be mentioned 07:09.530 --> 07:12.490 because they've been tremendous supporters of all of us. 07:12.490 --> 07:13.740 So thank you all for being here. 07:13.740 --> 07:15.290 We appreciate it, thank you. 07:15.290 --> 07:18.290 (audience applause) 07:19.410 --> 07:22.270 With us this afternoon is a very special friend of mine. 07:22.270 --> 07:26.648 He was with me from day one, before it was fashionable. 07:26.648 --> 07:30.207 (audience laughs) 07:30.207 --> 07:31.150 And he picked a winner. 07:31.150 --> 07:32.979 It's like going to a horse race, isn't it? 07:32.979 --> 07:33.812 (audience laughs) 07:33.812 --> 07:35.050 He picked a winner. 07:35.050 --> 07:36.500 But he had good feelings, 07:36.500 --> 07:38.780 and he was tremendously loyal friend 07:38.780 --> 07:39.930 and he's a great governor. 07:39.930 --> 07:42.560 And he's become more and more popular. 07:42.560 --> 07:45.780 I never want to see his approval rating go above mine; 07:45.780 --> 07:46.980 otherwise, we'll have to come in 07:46.980 --> 07:49.390 and give it one slightly negative speech 07:49.390 --> 07:51.300 about Henry McMaster. 07:51.300 --> 07:52.519 Thank you, Henry. 07:52.519 --> 07:55.519 (audience applause) 07:57.170 --> 08:01.210 And also, please, Peggy McMaster, First Lady. 08:01.210 --> 08:03.180 Congratulations on a job well done. 08:03.180 --> 08:04.030 Thank you, Peggy. 08:05.320 --> 08:07.923 She has been by his side, I'll tell you. 08:08.940 --> 08:09.990 Thank you very much, both. 08:09.990 --> 08:12.730 Great job you're doing, too, as governor. 08:12.730 --> 08:16.220 Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette. 08:16.220 --> 08:17.290 Pamela, thank you. 08:17.290 --> 08:19.058 Pamela Evette, thank you. 08:19.058 --> 08:21.340 (audience applause) 08:21.340 --> 08:23.080 Thank you very much. 08:23.080 --> 08:25.140 And Alan Wilson is here someplace. 08:25.140 --> 08:25.973 Alan? 08:25.973 --> 08:26.806 Alan? 08:26.806 --> 08:27.840 Thank you, Alan. 08:27.840 --> 08:29.110 Great job, Alan. (audience applause) 08:29.110 --> 08:30.183 Thank you very much. 08:31.270 --> 08:34.640 Two friends of mine that are warriors, really, warriors. 08:34.640 --> 08:36.600 Two great people. 08:36.600 --> 08:38.810 And you have them both. 08:38.810 --> 08:40.610 They're senators and they fight. 08:40.610 --> 08:43.690 And somebody just said, Lindsey, we're up to 50 already 08:43.690 --> 08:45.270 and we, I haven't even made a phone call. 08:45.270 --> 08:47.657 50, 50 out of 53. 08:47.657 --> 08:49.487 And they said, "If you get to 40, that's pretty good, 08:49.487 --> 08:50.810 "if you haven't done anything." 08:50.810 --> 08:51.750 But we're up to 50. 08:51.750 --> 08:53.160 I don't know if you've heard that, Lindsey. 08:53.160 --> 08:54.500 Did you hear that? 08:54.500 --> 08:57.240 And Tim said that was going to happen. 08:57.240 --> 08:59.460 But two really great men. 08:59.460 --> 09:00.670 They love your state 09:00.670 --> 09:03.050 and they love the people of this country. 09:03.050 --> 09:04.050 They love our country. 09:04.050 --> 09:05.940 Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott. 09:05.940 --> 09:06.987 Could you please stand? 09:06.987 --> 09:09.987 (audience applause) 09:11.300 --> 09:12.683 Thank you, fellas. 09:14.018 --> 09:15.484 Thank you. 09:15.484 --> 09:18.480 All I can say is, thank goodness they're on my side, 09:18.480 --> 09:21.310 because if they weren't, I'd have big trouble, right? 09:21.310 --> 09:22.750 They're warriors, they really are. 09:22.750 --> 09:24.160 They've done so many different things: 09:24.160 --> 09:28.120 tax cuts and all of the things we've done for our military, 09:28.120 --> 09:29.280 and Choice. 09:29.280 --> 09:30.310 Military Choice. 09:30.310 --> 09:31.400 They were right in there. 09:31.400 --> 09:34.980 And, Tim and Lindsey, you never let the people down. 09:34.980 --> 09:36.680 Forget about me; you never let the people down. 09:36.680 --> 09:38.699 Thank you very much, great job. 09:38.699 --> 09:40.590 (audience applause) 09:40.590 --> 09:45.590 And Representative Ralph Norman. 09:45.840 --> 09:48.680 I want to just mention he's been a friend of mine, 09:48.680 --> 09:49.899 he's been a warrior. 09:49.899 --> 09:51.240 (audience applause) 09:51.240 --> 09:52.593 Very popular guy. 09:54.480 --> 09:57.020 But we learned a lot, because Ralph had one election. 09:57.020 --> 09:59.417 He was so far ahead that everybody said, 09:59.417 --> 10:01.310 "Hey let's not vote; he's going to win too easily." 10:01.310 --> 10:04.430 We can never let that happened again, because he won. 10:04.430 --> 10:06.740 But it was a little closer than we thought. 10:06.740 --> 10:07.650 Everybody stayed home. 10:07.650 --> 10:08.820 We can never let that happen. 10:08.820 --> 10:12.350 So we always have to pretend we're one point behind, right? 10:12.350 --> 10:15.550 But he is a fantastic man and he's been incredible, 10:15.550 --> 10:19.110 and he's really a popular person in South Carolina. 10:19.110 --> 10:20.080 And Joe Wilson. 10:20.080 --> 10:21.188 Joe? 10:21.188 --> 10:22.021 Joe, thank you. (audience applause) 10:22.021 --> 10:23.033 Thank you, Joe. 10:23.960 --> 10:25.490 Joe is an incredible guy. 10:25.490 --> 10:28.150 Been with us from day one, I think, Joe, right? 10:28.150 --> 10:28.983 Day one. 10:30.490 --> 10:32.270 He loves this state and he loves our country. 10:32.270 --> 10:33.350 Thank you very much, Joe. 10:33.350 --> 10:34.183 Great job. 10:34.183 --> 10:35.390 Appreciate it. 10:35.390 --> 10:38.110 And Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin. 10:38.110 --> 10:40.000 Steve, thank you very much. 10:40.000 --> 10:40.981 Steve. 10:40.981 --> 10:43.550 (audience applause) 10:43.550 --> 10:44.480 Thank you. 10:44.480 --> 10:46.390 Thank you, Steve, great job. 10:46.390 --> 10:48.740 Thanks also to my good friends, 10:48.740 --> 10:52.213 Pastor Darrell Scott and Kareem Lanier. 10:53.200 --> 10:54.373 Where is Darrell? 10:55.470 --> 10:58.998 You talk about a warrior, this guy. 10:58.998 --> 11:00.870 (audience applause) 11:00.870 --> 11:02.060 I met him a long time ago. 11:02.060 --> 11:05.690 He was defending me on CNN, low-ratings CNN. 11:05.690 --> 11:08.380 (laughter) 11:08.380 --> 11:09.420 And he was brutal. 11:09.420 --> 11:10.867 You know, I said, "He's a pastor. 11:10.867 --> 11:12.747 "He's a man of the cloth. 11:12.747 --> 11:15.950 "And, boy, can he go at it." 11:15.950 --> 11:18.470 So you have the two, you have that little dichotomy, 11:18.470 --> 11:20.860 but he never let it bother him. 11:20.860 --> 11:23.690 And what he has done in defending us, 11:23.690 --> 11:25.330 I will never, ever forget it. 11:25.330 --> 11:27.510 Darrell Scott has been incredible. 11:27.510 --> 11:28.640 Both of them. 11:28.640 --> 11:30.260 But when I saw Darrell on television, 11:30.260 --> 11:32.487 I said, "We have to find out who that man is. 11:32.487 --> 11:33.390 "He's fantastic." 11:33.390 --> 11:34.240 Thank you very much. 11:34.240 --> 11:36.563 Thank you, thank you both, thank you, Darrell. 11:36.563 --> 11:39.110 (audience applause) 11:39.110 --> 11:40.890 And I always thought he was a very young guy. 11:40.890 --> 11:43.880 How many years are you married to your great wife? 11:43.880 --> 11:45.740 - [Darrell] Only 38. 11:45.740 --> 11:46.970 - I said, "How many years are you married?" 11:46.970 --> 11:49.480 I thought he was like 40 years old. 11:49.480 --> 11:50.610 (audience laughs) 11:50.610 --> 11:52.210 He said, "We're having our anniversary." 11:52.210 --> 11:53.527 He's got an incredible wife. 11:53.527 --> 11:54.487 "Oh, how many years?" 11:54.487 --> 11:55.320 "38 years." 11:55.320 --> 11:56.880 I said, "You got to be kidding me." 11:56.880 --> 11:57.750 38, right? 11:57.750 --> 11:58.583 38. 11:58.583 --> 11:59.416 That's great. 11:59.416 --> 12:00.249 Congratulations, Darrell. 12:00.249 --> 12:01.210 Thank you, thank you very much. 12:01.210 --> 12:02.840 Great friend of mine. 12:02.840 --> 12:05.380 And we're also joined by several outstanding members 12:05.380 --> 12:07.090 of my administration, 12:07.090 --> 12:09.330 people that have really made a difference: 12:09.330 --> 12:12.141 Secretary of HUD Ben Carson. 12:12.141 --> 12:15.141 (audience applause) 12:19.910 --> 12:23.390 A man that has had more impact on investment 12:23.390 --> 12:26.670 in various cities and inner cities 12:26.670 --> 12:30.810 and people that really need help, an incredible, 12:30.810 --> 12:35.730 inspirational man; an unbelievable athlete; 12:35.730 --> 12:38.100 and somebody that's done a job that, 12:38.100 --> 12:40.910 we can't even believe what a great job he's done, 12:40.910 --> 12:43.250 because opportunity, you know, 12:43.250 --> 12:45.210 I don't know if you go see what's happening 12:45.210 --> 12:46.310 with Opportunity Zones; 12:46.310 --> 12:48.120 I don't think there's ever been anything like it. 12:48.120 --> 12:50.680 And I have to give Tim Scott a lot of credit for that. 12:50.680 --> 12:52.147 Maybe all of it. 12:52.147 --> 12:54.589 (audience applause) 12:54.589 --> 12:56.650 You know, I go around and I talk about Tim Scott 12:56.650 --> 12:57.870 where they're not that familiar. 12:57.870 --> 13:00.520 And I say, "Yeah, there's a senator from South Carolina." 13:00.520 --> 13:02.637 I could be in the other parts of the country. 13:02.637 --> 13:03.570 "Tim Scott." 13:03.570 --> 13:05.697 And they come to me, "Why did you mention Tim Scott? 13:05.697 --> 13:07.740 "Why didn't you take more credit?" 13:07.740 --> 13:09.870 I said, "Because, honestly, it was his idea." 13:09.870 --> 13:12.840 We got it done together, but it was. 13:12.840 --> 13:14.440 And, Tim, I don't think we could have picked 13:14.440 --> 13:17.240 a better person than Scott Turner 13:17.240 --> 13:19.650 to make our vision come true. 13:19.650 --> 13:20.960 It's the hottest thing there is. 13:20.960 --> 13:22.900 I don't think there's been anything like it. 13:22.900 --> 13:25.850 So, fantastic job. (audience applause) 13:25.850 --> 13:26.693 What a job. 13:29.260 --> 13:31.630 Johnathan Holifield, who's with me, 13:31.630 --> 13:34.480 and Ja'Ron Smith, who's with me and been with me 13:34.480 --> 13:35.350 for a long time. 13:35.350 --> 13:36.350 I want to thank you both. 13:36.350 --> 13:37.300 I know Ja'Ron was back here. (audience applause) 13:37.300 --> 13:39.550 Where is Ja'Ron? 13:39.550 --> 13:40.650 He was back here. 13:40.650 --> 13:41.483 There he is. 13:41.483 --> 13:42.370 He never wants credit. 13:42.370 --> 13:44.300 You know, usually he'll stay back there 13:44.300 --> 13:45.530 and I don't want you ever to be, 13:45.530 --> 13:48.370 I want you to be right where you should be. 13:48.370 --> 13:50.900 But you are, what a job you guys have done, 13:50.900 --> 13:51.750 thank you very much. 13:51.750 --> 13:54.730 And a very special thanks to someone 13:54.730 --> 13:58.800 who worked tirelessly to get this law passed. 13:58.800 --> 13:59.930 You know, I've always said, 13:59.930 --> 14:01.560 I think I was telling Tim before, 14:01.560 --> 14:03.370 and I pulled Lindsey aside. 14:03.370 --> 14:05.237 I said, "You know, I think he's a liberal. 14:05.237 --> 14:06.940 "He could be a liberal." (audience laughs) 14:06.940 --> 14:07.900 Jared Kushner. 14:07.900 --> 14:09.068 He could be a liberal. 14:09.068 --> 14:12.068 (audience applause) 14:15.830 --> 14:17.420 He wanted to get that through. 14:17.420 --> 14:18.550 He came to me. 14:18.550 --> 14:20.737 I said, "Jared, okay. 14:20.737 --> 14:22.927 "Okay, just don't ever come again. 14:22.927 --> 14:24.146 "Please, just leave me alone." 14:24.146 --> 14:25.220 (audience laughs) 14:25.220 --> 14:26.420 And we got it done, right, Jared? 14:26.420 --> 14:27.980 We called a couple of folks that people 14:27.980 --> 14:29.130 didn't think would come along 14:29.130 --> 14:30.990 and they were incredible once they understood 14:30.990 --> 14:31.823 what we were doing. 14:31.823 --> 14:34.050 And it's really, you know, it's really worked out. 14:34.050 --> 14:35.110 It's been a while now, right? 14:35.110 --> 14:35.943 It's been a while. 14:35.943 --> 14:37.210 And it's really worked out. 14:37.210 --> 14:38.420 We've had tremendous support, 14:38.420 --> 14:40.730 and a lot of people are very happy. 14:40.730 --> 14:43.030 I want to extend my warmest condolences 14:43.030 --> 14:45.780 to the family and many friends of Elijah Cummings, 14:45.780 --> 14:49.950 who are celebrating his life today in Baltimore. 14:49.950 --> 14:53.637 Not long ago, I met with Elijah in the Oval Office, 14:53.637 --> 14:56.380 and I saw the passion he had with me 14:56.380 --> 14:59.330 for lowering prescription drug prices. 14:59.330 --> 15:01.230 He had a very strong passion for that. 15:02.390 --> 15:03.700 We're going to get it done. 15:03.700 --> 15:06.500 I will tell you, we are absolutely getting it done. 15:06.500 --> 15:11.500 But I was with Elijah and I have rarely seen anybody 15:11.520 --> 15:13.210 want to do something like that. 15:13.210 --> 15:16.250 And we're going to have that done. 15:16.250 --> 15:18.630 Prescription prices are coming down. 15:18.630 --> 15:20.750 We're the first year in 50 years 15:20.750 --> 15:23.100 where they have actually come down. 15:23.100 --> 15:25.500 And if we could get support on the other side, 15:25.500 --> 15:28.730 we'll get those prices so far lower than they are right now, 15:28.730 --> 15:29.780 you won't even believe it. 15:29.780 --> 15:31.450 I think people are going to be very surprised. 15:31.450 --> 15:33.990 So I want to give my warmest respects. 15:33.990 --> 15:34.823 Please. 15:34.823 --> 15:37.524 (audience applause) 15:39.960 --> 15:43.200 Every African American leader here today, 15:43.200 --> 15:46.580 we have lot of great leaders from all parts of our country, 15:46.580 --> 15:49.320 is very proud of a noble heritage. 15:49.320 --> 15:52.250 Throughout our history, African Americans have strengthened, 15:52.250 --> 15:55.260 uplifted, sustained, defended, 15:55.260 --> 15:57.793 and inspired the United States of America. 15:58.670 --> 16:00.260 At the founding of our republic, 16:00.260 --> 16:03.220 African American heroes gave their lives 16:03.220 --> 16:05.490 for the cause of independence. 16:05.490 --> 16:09.300 In the next century, leaders like Sojourner Truth 16:09.300 --> 16:12.630 and Frederick Douglass escaped the evil of slavery 16:12.630 --> 16:15.510 and fought for the ideals enshrined 16:15.510 --> 16:18.090 in the Declaration of Independence: 16:18.090 --> 16:20.570 that we are all created equal 16:20.570 --> 16:23.777 and that our rights come from God. 16:23.777 --> 16:26.777 (audience applause) 16:27.820 --> 16:28.653 True. 16:30.382 --> 16:34.440 In the 20th century, African American churches, 16:34.440 --> 16:39.140 civic organizations, and HBCUs, like this one, 16:39.140 --> 16:41.950 this great one that we have right here. 16:41.950 --> 16:42.783 It's a beauty, isn't it? 16:42.783 --> 16:45.230 A nice auditorium too, by the way, I have to say. 16:46.065 --> 16:47.030 I go to a lot of places. 16:47.030 --> 16:48.110 This is one of the nicer ones. 16:48.110 --> 16:49.694 Do you mind if we come back? 16:49.694 --> 16:52.070 (audience laughs) 16:52.070 --> 16:54.960 But you helped lead the righteous struggle 16:54.960 --> 16:57.070 to secure civil rights. 16:57.070 --> 16:59.340 African Americans have given their blood, 16:59.340 --> 17:02.010 sweat, and tears for this nation. 17:02.010 --> 17:03.610 You are entitled to a government 17:03.610 --> 17:06.820 that protects your families, your jobs, your safety, 17:06.820 --> 17:10.473 and that always puts American citizens first. 17:12.070 --> 17:14.350 So true. (audience applause) 17:14.350 --> 17:15.183 So true. 17:17.080 --> 17:20.320 From the beginning, my vow has been to stand up 17:20.320 --> 17:21.860 for those who have been forgotten, 17:21.860 --> 17:23.823 neglected, overlooked, and ignored. 17:24.750 --> 17:29.200 And we stand up loudly and clearly in our nation's capital. 17:29.200 --> 17:32.870 My goal has been to give a voice to the voiceless 17:32.870 --> 17:35.870 and to make Washington see and hear those 17:35.870 --> 17:40.870 who have been made to feel silent and to feel invisible. 17:41.010 --> 17:44.740 Although criminal justice reform was not a theme 17:44.740 --> 17:49.740 of my campaign initially, when I came into office, 17:49.860 --> 17:52.640 I heard from countless leaders and listened 17:52.640 --> 17:55.760 to many diverse points of view, 17:55.760 --> 18:00.760 including to our great church leaders and religious leaders. 18:01.090 --> 18:04.930 Everyone from governors to law enforcement officers, 18:04.930 --> 18:06.820 faith-based ministries. 18:06.820 --> 18:08.090 They call came to see me, 18:08.090 --> 18:12.900 asked me to fight on behalf of this forgotten community. 18:12.900 --> 18:16.680 I knew criminal justice reform was not about politics. 18:16.680 --> 18:20.810 I'm, to this day, not sure that what I did was a popular 18:20.810 --> 18:22.240 thing or an unpopular thing, 18:22.240 --> 18:24.385 but I know it was the right thing to do. 18:24.385 --> 18:27.385 (audience applause) 18:30.270 --> 18:31.457 Thank you. 18:33.260 --> 18:36.573 Last year, Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West, 18:37.940 --> 18:39.260 they came to see me. 18:39.260 --> 18:40.680 And really good people. 18:40.680 --> 18:42.120 They really are. 18:42.120 --> 18:47.120 And they told me the story of a woman named Alice Johnson. 18:48.570 --> 18:53.230 Alice had already served 22 years for a first-time, 18:53.230 --> 18:56.290 non-violent drug offense. 18:56.290 --> 18:59.610 And she was going to be in prison for, 18:59.610 --> 19:03.253 it looked like, at least another 28 years. 19:04.164 --> 19:06.090 That's her whole life. 19:06.090 --> 19:07.410 During her time in prison, 19:07.410 --> 19:11.810 Alice became a minister and mentored fellow inmates. 19:11.810 --> 19:13.470 She's an incredible woman. 19:13.470 --> 19:16.570 She took responsibility for her actions, 19:16.570 --> 19:20.073 but her sentence was simply not proportionate to her crime. 19:21.110 --> 19:24.760 And that's why I commuted Alice's sentence. 19:24.760 --> 19:27.060 And I'll never forget the scene: 19:27.060 --> 19:29.930 She came out of prison, and there were her children, 19:29.930 --> 19:34.930 all grown up: big, strong guys; beautiful, 19:35.370 --> 19:37.450 really beautiful, incredible women 19:37.450 --> 19:38.760 with such love in their hearts. 19:38.760 --> 19:40.920 And they embraced and they kissed and they hugged 19:40.920 --> 19:45.833 and they cried outside of this big, monstrous prison. 19:47.110 --> 19:49.590 It was a scene that played all over our country, 19:49.590 --> 19:54.130 and it was a scene that I don't think anybody 19:54.130 --> 19:58.440 has any idea the impact of what that had 19:58.440 --> 20:03.440 on a lot of people that don't maybe think like we do. 20:03.750 --> 20:05.130 It had an incredible impact. 20:05.130 --> 20:07.900 It was a beautiful thing to see. 20:07.900 --> 20:09.010 There was so much love. 20:09.010 --> 20:10.253 That was true love. 20:11.210 --> 20:12.830 And that was a truly happy family. 20:12.830 --> 20:14.820 And that was something they never expected. 20:14.820 --> 20:16.800 28 more years. 20:16.800 --> 20:20.350 I knew in that moment that I made the right decision. 20:20.350 --> 20:23.210 And we're all delighted that Alice is with us. 20:23.210 --> 20:27.170 She's been such an incredible representative. 20:27.170 --> 20:28.700 In fact, sometime I'm going to sit her down 20:28.700 --> 20:31.620 and ask what is it that you do? 20:31.620 --> 20:33.120 Please explain it to me, Alice, 20:33.120 --> 20:35.490 because I'd like to have a little bit of what you have. 20:35.490 --> 20:36.620 (audience laughs) 20:36.620 --> 20:37.453 But she has been, 20:37.453 --> 20:40.810 she's got an incredible warmth and passion. 20:40.810 --> 20:45.370 And she really is a very special person. 20:45.370 --> 20:46.630 I've gotten to know her. 20:46.630 --> 20:49.910 So, Alice, please come up and say a few words. 20:49.910 --> 20:51.263 Alice, thank you. 20:51.263 --> 20:54.263 (audience applause) 21:06.255 --> 21:07.838 Thank you, darling. 21:15.222 --> 21:19.400 - I never in my wildest dreams would have thought 21:19.400 --> 21:23.420 that I'd be standing before such a group as this. 21:23.420 --> 21:25.110 What an honor. 21:25.110 --> 21:30.110 Being incarcerated, separated from my family for 22 years, 21:31.180 --> 21:33.420 almost 22 years, 21:33.420 --> 21:37.340 was one of the hardest challenges of my life. 21:37.340 --> 21:40.040 When one person goes to prison, 21:40.040 --> 21:43.255 it impacts not only that person, but their family, 21:43.255 --> 21:47.650 their communities, their society. 21:47.650 --> 21:50.480 For generations, we are impacted. 21:50.480 --> 21:55.480 Criminal justice reform is not a partisan issue. 21:55.640 --> 21:58.100 We are human beings. 21:58.100 --> 22:01.520 I represent, as you see my face here, 22:01.520 --> 22:04.960 see the faces of the ones that you will never see 22:04.960 --> 22:07.560 unless we come together; 22:07.560 --> 22:10.330 unless we come together to act 22:10.330 --> 22:14.010 to cause other families to be reunited the way 22:14.010 --> 22:16.440 that I was reunited with my family. 22:16.440 --> 22:21.440 It was only by the grace of God that our President's heart 22:21.750 --> 22:24.680 was touched by my story 22:24.680 --> 22:28.140 and signed papers to commute my sentence. 22:28.140 --> 22:29.474 Kim, thank you. 22:29.474 --> 22:32.474 (audience applause) 22:42.455 --> 22:46.610 And I want to thank all of you for the warm reception 22:46.610 --> 22:49.310 that I have received since I came home. 22:49.310 --> 22:54.150 I think that my story touched so many who saw it, 22:54.150 --> 22:56.870 who read about it, who heard about it, 22:56.870 --> 22:59.640 because we are just regular people. 22:59.640 --> 23:04.310 When I came home, I didn't come home as an ex-felon, 23:04.310 --> 23:07.436 I came home as a returning citizen. 23:07.436 --> 23:10.730 (audience applause) 23:10.730 --> 23:13.530 So I just want to say thank you again 23:13.530 --> 23:15.960 for all of the work that is being done. 23:15.960 --> 23:20.090 I thank all of our legislators who have come together 23:20.090 --> 23:23.550 and put aside all of their political differences 23:23.550 --> 23:26.810 to work on this very important issue, 23:26.810 --> 23:30.510 because this truly has become a movement 23:30.510 --> 23:34.180 and it is one that we as returning citizens 23:34.180 --> 23:37.010 would not allow you to forget 23:37.010 --> 23:39.991 those who have been left behind, thank you. 23:39.991 --> 23:41.240 (audience applause) 23:41.240 --> 23:42.840 - Fantastic, thank you, darling. 23:44.890 --> 23:46.307 I'm proud of you. 23:54.330 --> 23:55.220 Thank you, Alice. 23:55.220 --> 23:58.540 And Alice's story not only touched my heart, 23:58.540 --> 24:01.740 but it showed me that significant disparities 24:01.740 --> 24:06.100 and injustices can exist in the criminal justice system. 24:06.100 --> 24:09.157 And I actually went to Alice and I said, 24:09.157 --> 24:11.657 "Alice, you were in a prison for 22 years. 24:11.657 --> 24:14.397 "You got to know a lot of people in that prison. 24:14.397 --> 24:16.720 "How many people do you have in that were," 24:16.720 --> 24:17.877 there's only one Alice, right? 24:17.877 --> 24:19.657 "But people like you. 24:19.657 --> 24:23.157 "People that are there for so many years for something that, 24:23.157 --> 24:25.620 "really, it's time to come out?" 24:25.620 --> 24:27.100 And I said, "Because I want their names." 24:27.100 --> 24:28.120 And she knows, right? 24:28.120 --> 24:29.070 She knows the ones. 24:29.070 --> 24:30.870 She knows the ones that we're talking about. 24:30.870 --> 24:32.930 Some great people are there. 24:32.930 --> 24:34.895 And so we're going to work on that, right? 24:34.895 --> 24:37.860 You're going to give me a big list and we're going to do, 24:37.860 --> 24:40.010 we're going to do some good things, okay? 24:40.010 --> 24:40.843 (audience applause) 24:40.843 --> 24:42.767 She goes, "Hmm, probably." 24:43.610 --> 24:45.143 Thank you, Alice, great job. 24:47.020 --> 24:48.780 The more people I spoke with, 24:48.780 --> 24:51.040 the more clear it became that the system 24:51.040 --> 24:53.550 could be deeply unfair, 24:53.550 --> 24:56.140 contributing to a tragic cycle of poverty 24:56.140 --> 24:58.920 and crime and incarceration. 24:58.920 --> 25:00.580 To redress this unfairness, 25:00.580 --> 25:04.350 the FIRST STEP Act made transformative changes. 25:04.350 --> 25:06.800 We rolled back the unjust provisions 25:06.800 --> 25:11.415 of the 1994 Clinton crime law 25:11.415 --> 25:14.415 (audience applause) 25:16.010 --> 25:17.890 which disproportionately harmed 25:17.890 --> 25:19.660 the African American community. 25:19.660 --> 25:20.493 You know that. 25:20.493 --> 25:23.640 I remember very well what happened. 25:23.640 --> 25:26.540 Here with us today is one of the Americans 25:26.540 --> 25:29.530 who changed her life and was recently released 25:29.530 --> 25:33.360 under the FIRST STEP Act: Tanesha Bannister. 25:33.360 --> 25:36.550 And please, Tanesha, come up and tell us your story, 25:36.550 --> 25:38.261 thank you very much, please. 25:38.261 --> 25:41.261 (audience applause) 26:12.759 --> 26:15.759 (audience applause) 26:19.440 --> 26:21.840 - As the President of the United States says, 26:21.840 --> 26:24.280 my name is Tanesha Bannister. 26:24.280 --> 26:28.380 I was released, after doing 16 and a half years, 26:28.380 --> 26:29.630 under the FIRST STEP Act. 26:31.300 --> 26:33.189 And it was because of that act 26:33.189 --> 26:36.273 that I was able to reunite with my family. 26:37.360 --> 26:40.710 I'm joined here today by my son, Abel. 26:40.710 --> 26:42.320 He's somewhere in the crowd. 26:42.320 --> 26:43.261 There. 26:43.261 --> 26:46.261 (audience applause) 26:48.410 --> 26:50.610 I want to thank all the political leaders 26:50.610 --> 26:53.213 and the organizations that helped push this act, 26:54.050 --> 26:56.060 organizations like Cut50 26:56.060 --> 27:00.050 that led this act to free not only just me, 27:00.050 --> 27:02.320 but thousand of others. 27:02.320 --> 27:04.670 I want to thank all the political leaders 27:04.670 --> 27:07.460 that crossed party lines and stepped out 27:07.460 --> 27:09.803 of their comfort zone to make this happen. 27:11.660 --> 27:14.080 So many, like myself, have been displaced 27:14.080 --> 27:16.683 in the criminal justice system for so long. 27:17.670 --> 27:20.320 But I stand here today to say: 27:20.320 --> 27:22.340 Because of the FIRST STEP Act, 27:22.340 --> 27:25.543 we're able to move towards the second step. 27:27.630 --> 27:29.880 I want to thank the President 27:30.730 --> 27:34.393 for giving me another lease on life. 27:35.358 --> 27:38.358 (audience applause) 27:41.280 --> 27:42.960 If it wasn't for you, Mr. President, 27:42.960 --> 27:45.333 I'll still be serving five years in prison. 27:46.759 --> 27:48.980 - All right, that's good, that's good. 27:48.980 --> 27:51.640 - And I'll be forever grateful for that. 27:51.640 --> 27:52.550 - Thank you. 27:52.550 --> 27:55.970 - I just want society to know that this is one bright spot 27:55.970 --> 28:00.970 that we can stand on that's not an issue 28:01.040 --> 28:03.753 that has to be forgotten about. 28:04.850 --> 28:08.520 It's one that has been focused on 28:08.520 --> 28:11.070 by not only just the political leaders, 28:11.070 --> 28:15.170 but the organizations that fight the trash to Washington. 28:15.170 --> 28:19.810 That was our voice when we didn't have a voice to be heard. 28:19.810 --> 28:21.607 And I just want to say "thank you." 28:22.780 --> 28:27.253 I want to say that, in order to take the first step, 28:28.650 --> 28:31.360 you have to be willing to do things 28:31.360 --> 28:32.910 that you're not comfortable with. 28:32.910 --> 28:35.440 You don't have to be willing to have conversations 28:35.440 --> 28:37.770 that you're not willing to have. 28:37.770 --> 28:40.780 For decades, the criminal justice conversation 28:40.780 --> 28:43.993 has been a hard conversation to have. 28:45.910 --> 28:47.443 Almost non-existent. 28:48.770 --> 28:51.670 It was all about the political leaders thinking 28:51.670 --> 28:53.670 about who can be tough on crime, 28:53.670 --> 28:56.870 who can lock up the most and throw away the key. 28:56.870 --> 28:58.173 It dehumanized. 28:59.250 --> 29:00.960 But I'm standing here today saying: 29:00.960 --> 29:03.951 This is what a second chance looks like. 29:03.951 --> 29:06.951 (audience applause) 29:09.486 --> 29:10.390 - Beautiful. 29:10.390 --> 29:13.913 - I'm determined not to let my past define my future, 29:15.320 --> 29:19.490 but to continue to move forward day by day, step by step, 29:19.490 --> 29:23.220 and not forget about the ones that are left behind. 29:23.220 --> 29:25.410 There's still work to do. 29:25.410 --> 29:29.570 But what I can say is, on this day, 29:29.570 --> 29:31.810 a change has been made, 29:31.810 --> 29:34.600 and we'll looking forward to things 29:34.600 --> 29:36.163 to come in the near future. 29:37.050 --> 29:40.240 Thank you, Mr. President, thank you, Benedict College, 29:40.240 --> 29:42.870 for having me, thank all the political leaders 29:42.870 --> 29:45.300 and organizations that fought 29:45.300 --> 29:48.053 for not just myself but others like me. 29:49.100 --> 29:52.290 FIRST STEP Act not only freed thousand of people, 29:52.290 --> 29:55.000 but it helped rehabilitate us, 29:55.000 --> 29:58.610 to have us ready to integrate back into society 29:59.620 --> 30:01.373 and live a comfortable life. 30:02.950 --> 30:06.255 And I just want to say thank you again. 30:06.255 --> 30:09.359 - Thank you, darling. (audience applause) 30:09.359 --> 30:10.774 Thank you, darling. - God bless you. 30:10.774 --> 30:12.211 - Beautiful 30:12.211 --> 30:13.044 Thank you. 30:16.270 --> 30:18.920 Alice, when is she running for office, please? 30:18.920 --> 30:20.090 I want to back her. 30:20.090 --> 30:21.453 We have to back her, right? 30:23.230 --> 30:25.000 That was not a written speech, folks. 30:25.000 --> 30:26.723 That was delivered from the heart. 30:27.600 --> 30:28.913 That was incredible. 30:30.090 --> 30:32.350 Tanesha, do you mind if I take a couple of the lines 30:32.350 --> 30:35.258 you just gave and use them in my future speeches, please? 30:35.258 --> 30:36.570 (audience laughs) 30:36.570 --> 30:38.510 And, Tanesha, like Alice, 30:38.510 --> 30:40.840 I want you to go give me some recommendations 30:41.740 --> 30:45.030 of people that you lived with for many years 30:45.030 --> 30:46.730 that you know are good people, 30:46.730 --> 30:49.130 that are in there for a long period of time. 30:49.130 --> 30:50.840 I want you to give me a list of names, okay? 30:50.840 --> 30:52.915 Because I know, give me only the right ones. 30:52.915 --> 30:54.270 (audience applause) 30:54.270 --> 30:55.850 You got a tough couple of bad ones 30:55.850 --> 30:57.330 in there too, Tanesha, right? 30:57.330 --> 30:59.260 And that's okay, too. 30:59.260 --> 31:02.460 But give me the right ones, the two of you, 31:02.460 --> 31:04.368 and as soon as you can, okay? 31:04.368 --> 31:05.650 Because you know some great people 31:05.650 --> 31:08.270 that are going to be there for many, many years, Alice. 31:08.270 --> 31:09.200 Right? 31:09.200 --> 31:11.630 And you're going to give me some names, all right? 31:11.630 --> 31:12.849 Thank you both, thank you. 31:12.849 --> 31:15.010 (audience applause) 31:15.010 --> 31:16.360 Incredible, thank you both. 31:17.400 --> 31:19.930 To ease former inmates' return to society, 31:19.930 --> 31:21.550 the single-most important action 31:21.550 --> 31:25.860 we can take is to help them find a good job. 31:25.860 --> 31:29.010 As a result of our tax cuts, our regulatory cuts, 31:29.010 --> 31:31.410 and pro-American trade and, you know, 31:31.410 --> 31:32.870 we're putting America first, 31:32.870 --> 31:36.990 I think everyone likes that very much, the energy reforms, 31:36.990 --> 31:39.260 our economy is booming. 31:39.260 --> 31:41.130 It's booming like never before. 31:41.130 --> 31:45.850 Nothing better for former prisoners that are coming home 31:45.850 --> 31:49.950 to look for a job when there's very low unemployment. 31:49.950 --> 31:51.460 And that's what we have right now. 31:51.460 --> 31:55.320 Because of this, the tight labor market, 31:55.320 --> 31:57.600 employers are now recruiting Americans 31:57.600 --> 32:00.230 who have been on the sidelines for far too long, 32:00.230 --> 32:03.510 including those with criminal records. 32:03.510 --> 32:05.780 And they're doing a phenomenal job. 32:05.780 --> 32:08.600 They come out, and they're being hired. 32:08.600 --> 32:11.320 And I've had many people tell me, 32:11.320 --> 32:12.620 people that are doing the hiring, 32:12.620 --> 32:14.160 saying these people are unbelievable. 32:14.160 --> 32:15.500 They never got a chance before. 32:15.500 --> 32:18.000 So we are being helped by, 32:18.000 --> 32:20.570 they call it the "Trump economy," but a great economy. 32:20.570 --> 32:23.280 We're being helped by a great economy. 32:23.280 --> 32:27.750 And perhaps our economy is the best criminal justice reform 32:27.750 --> 32:31.510 of all, because when people can get a job, 32:31.510 --> 32:33.750 earn a paycheck, and find purpose in their work, 32:33.750 --> 32:36.030 and especially when they are coming out of prison, 32:36.030 --> 32:37.420 it's an incredible thing. (audience applause) 32:37.420 --> 32:39.020 It's really an incredible thing. 32:42.630 --> 32:44.420 And we're setting records also. 32:44.420 --> 32:48.870 When they come out, they're not going back, in many cases. 32:48.870 --> 32:51.170 Statistically much, much better. 32:51.170 --> 32:53.220 That's because they get a job and they like it. 32:53.220 --> 32:54.053 They love it. 32:54.053 --> 32:56.440 But before, they were never getting that job 32:56.440 --> 32:59.870 and bad things were happening. 32:59.870 --> 33:02.220 For years, applicants with criminal records 33:02.220 --> 33:05.257 were dismissed out of hand, just automatically: 33:05.257 --> 33:07.499 "Nope, we're not interested." 33:07.499 --> 33:09.590 And even if they were qualified, 33:09.590 --> 33:11.660 and even if you thought they were reformed, 33:11.660 --> 33:13.150 they couldn't get work. 33:13.150 --> 33:15.440 My administration is working vigorously 33:15.440 --> 33:18.360 to remove barriers to re-entry 33:18.360 --> 33:21.200 and to encourage second-chance hiring. 33:21.200 --> 33:23.410 And we're really doing a great job. 33:23.410 --> 33:26.140 When we say "Hire American," we mean all Americans. 33:26.140 --> 33:27.450 Every single American. 33:27.450 --> 33:28.900 That's what we want. 33:28.900 --> 33:31.840 Instead of hiring low-wage labor from overseas, 33:31.840 --> 33:34.480 we're asking companies to hire American citizens, 33:34.480 --> 33:38.730 including former prisoners who have been reformed. 33:38.730 --> 33:41.650 America is stronger, and our society is brighter, 33:41.650 --> 33:44.140 when everyone can contribute, participate, 33:44.140 --> 33:46.860 and join in our national revival. 33:46.860 --> 33:47.750 And that's what it is. 33:47.750 --> 33:50.770 We have a national revival going on 33:50.770 --> 33:53.940 like you haven't seen in a long time. 33:53.940 --> 33:56.860 Our two great senators, Tim and Lindsey, 33:56.860 --> 33:58.460 have been so helpful. 33:58.460 --> 34:00.640 I can't even tell you how helpful. 34:00.640 --> 34:02.870 Here with us today is Jerome Brown, 34:02.870 --> 34:07.010 who served 11 years in prison and now is a master barber. 34:07.010 --> 34:09.010 Oh, good, I can have my hair properly cut. 34:09.010 --> 34:12.070 Where is he? (audience laughs) 34:12.070 --> 34:14.463 Lindsey, do you have a scissor on you, by any chance? 34:14.463 --> 34:16.570 (audience laughs) 34:16.570 --> 34:18.393 Finally, I can get a good haircut. 34:19.810 --> 34:21.943 I've been criticized for a long time. 34:23.740 --> 34:26.168 Now, it's doing really well. 34:26.168 --> 34:28.220 He has more than 500 clients. 34:28.220 --> 34:32.900 And, Jerome, I'd love you to come up and say a few words. 34:32.900 --> 34:34.750 But perhaps more importantly, check out my hair. 34:34.750 --> 34:36.398 See what you can do for me. 34:36.398 --> 34:38.164 (audience laughs) 34:38.164 --> 34:41.164 (audience applause) 34:53.024 --> 34:54.400 - First, I would just like to say thank you 34:54.400 --> 34:58.580 to the President for giving everybody a chance. 34:58.580 --> 35:01.680 Because, a lot of times, there are people in prison, 35:01.680 --> 35:05.470 and you don't really know, like, their goals or, 35:05.470 --> 35:09.480 you know, what they want in life unless they have a chance. 35:09.480 --> 35:11.480 I was kind of fortunate. 35:11.480 --> 35:12.850 When I walked through the doors 35:12.850 --> 35:15.250 of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, 35:15.250 --> 35:17.430 I had a goal in mind. 35:17.430 --> 35:21.230 And my goal was to educate myself, 35:21.230 --> 35:25.770 and to read and to help my entire 11 years. 35:25.770 --> 35:30.110 So, during that time, I made curriculums. 35:30.110 --> 35:31.447 I started a program called, 35:31.447 --> 35:33.320 "Criminal and Addictive Thinking." 35:33.320 --> 35:35.370 I had barber classes. 35:35.370 --> 35:37.510 And I was mentoring guys that couldn't read or write. 35:37.510 --> 35:38.450 I would help them. 35:38.450 --> 35:39.810 Anything I can do to help somebody, 35:39.810 --> 35:41.963 because helping them helped me. 35:43.250 --> 35:47.100 And it couldn't have been done without support neither. 35:47.100 --> 35:50.060 So, support from my family and my wife Keisha. 35:50.060 --> 35:52.690 We've been married 24 years. 35:52.690 --> 35:54.190 The staff in the BOP. 35:55.180 --> 35:58.340 And now that I'm looking at the FIRST STEP Act, 35:58.340 --> 35:59.660 the President is also giving 35:59.660 --> 36:03.370 a lot of guys and women support again. 36:03.370 --> 36:04.760 Because without the support, 36:04.760 --> 36:07.920 they don't have the incentive to do things positive 36:07.920 --> 36:10.890 for their life and to make a change. 36:10.890 --> 36:12.771 So, for that, Mr. President, I thank you very much. 36:12.771 --> 36:13.641 - Thank you, Jerome. 36:13.641 --> 36:15.268 You're so beautiful, thank you very much. 36:15.268 --> 36:18.200 (audience applause) 36:18.200 --> 36:20.810 - My goal now is just to mentor people as much as I can. 36:20.810 --> 36:23.440 I mentor guys now that still come home. 36:23.440 --> 36:26.330 I try to show them the right way, not to give up, 36:26.330 --> 36:27.880 because a lot of people give up easily 36:27.880 --> 36:29.860 just because of a criminal record. 36:29.860 --> 36:31.967 And they just think that's the easy way out, just to say, 36:31.967 --> 36:35.280 "Oh, I have a record, they're not going to hire me anyway." 36:35.280 --> 36:37.600 One quick example: When I was in prison, 36:37.600 --> 36:39.640 I had to renew my barber's license. 36:39.640 --> 36:41.440 And for five years straight, 36:41.440 --> 36:45.030 New York state denied me because of moral turpitude, 36:45.030 --> 36:46.820 because of my conviction. 36:46.820 --> 36:47.950 Every year, I say, I don't care. 36:47.950 --> 36:50.060 I'm just going to spend $40 every year. 36:50.060 --> 36:51.000 And if they deny me, 36:51.000 --> 36:53.210 I'm just going to do it every day until I get out. 36:53.210 --> 36:55.970 And eventually, they approved it. 36:55.970 --> 36:58.316 And I had letters from staff and everybody 36:58.316 --> 37:00.690 that gave me support. 37:00.690 --> 37:03.160 So it's like, you can never give up. 37:03.160 --> 37:06.540 You know, like I said, the support 37:06.540 --> 37:08.083 right now from the FIRST STEP Act, 37:08.083 --> 37:09.430 I think it's going to help a lot of men. 37:09.430 --> 37:12.810 There's still a lot of good men left in there, and women. 37:12.810 --> 37:14.950 So, my motto was just, you know: 37:14.950 --> 37:17.100 To help one person in any way is to help secure 37:17.100 --> 37:18.867 the future everywhere, thank you. 37:18.867 --> 37:20.725 - Thank you, Jerome, fantastic job. 37:20.725 --> 37:22.245 - Thank you. - Thank you very much. 37:22.245 --> 37:25.245 (audience applause) 37:29.499 --> 37:30.980 Thank you, Jerome. 37:30.980 --> 37:31.923 Incredible job. 37:34.050 --> 37:37.770 On criminal justice reform, trade, the economy, 37:37.770 --> 37:41.050 and so much else, our America First Agenda 37:41.050 --> 37:43.930 is focused on expanding opportunity for citizens 37:43.930 --> 37:47.200 of every race, religion, color, and creed. 37:47.200 --> 37:50.300 For decades, politicians of both parties 37:50.300 --> 37:53.260 put their own interests ahead of your interests, 37:53.260 --> 37:55.530 and put the interests of foreign nations 37:55.530 --> 37:59.390 ahead of the interest of our nation. 37:59.390 --> 38:04.390 Our leaders spent $8 trillion on wars in the Middle East, 38:04.480 --> 38:06.060 but they allowed our great cities 38:06.060 --> 38:09.590 to fall into tragic decay and disrepair. 38:09.590 --> 38:14.400 For the cost of one year of war in the Middle East, 38:14.400 --> 38:15.910 we could have given scholarships 38:15.910 --> 38:18.060 to every child at every inner city school 38:18.060 --> 38:23.060 in America and had tremendous numbers of dollars left over. 38:23.390 --> 38:25.950 Politicians drained America's wealth 38:27.220 --> 38:31.930 policing ancient tribal conflicts overseas, 38:31.930 --> 38:35.400 while leaving generations of African American children 38:35.400 --> 38:38.290 trapped in failing government schools 38:38.290 --> 38:41.280 and in failing inner cities. 38:41.280 --> 38:43.870 The same Washington establishment enacted 38:43.870 --> 38:46.370 ruinous trade policies that shuttered 38:46.370 --> 38:48.540 our factories and shipped our jobs 38:49.820 --> 38:52.810 very far away to other countries. 38:52.810 --> 38:54.980 More than half a million African Americans 38:54.980 --> 38:59.290 lost good-paying manufacturing jobs 38:59.290 --> 39:01.740 after the twin disasters of NAFTA 39:02.590 --> 39:06.750 and China's entrance into the World Trade Organization. 39:06.750 --> 39:08.710 That was a bad day. 39:08.710 --> 39:11.470 At the same time, lawmakers and corporations 39:11.470 --> 39:14.620 joined forces to push immigration policies 39:14.620 --> 39:18.320 that hurt working-class Americans of all backgrounds. 39:18.320 --> 39:20.780 Many politicians fight harder in Congress 39:20.780 --> 39:22.920 for illegal immigrants 39:22.920 --> 39:26.563 than they do for United States citizens. 39:26.563 --> 39:29.563 (audience applause) 39:33.860 --> 39:35.810 My administration will always put 39:35.810 --> 39:38.390 American communities first. 39:38.390 --> 39:41.890 On issue after issue, politicians raked in cash 39:41.890 --> 39:44.420 from special interests while selling out 39:44.420 --> 39:48.480 our nation's workers and our nation's great families. 39:48.480 --> 39:49.960 Under this administration, 39:49.960 --> 39:54.850 the great betrayal of the American worker is over. 39:54.850 --> 39:57.276 After years of rebuilding, (audience applause) 39:57.276 --> 39:58.109 thank you. 40:00.840 --> 40:03.720 After years of rebuilding foreign countries, 40:03.720 --> 40:08.100 we are finally rebuilding our country, renewing our cities, 40:08.100 --> 40:10.080 and securing our neighborhoods, 40:10.080 --> 40:14.836 and protecting our own forgotten communities. 40:14.836 --> 40:16.680 - Make America great! - All my life, that's right. 40:16.680 --> 40:17.802 Make America great. 40:17.802 --> 40:19.475 (audience laughs) 40:19.475 --> 40:20.750 I couldn't have said it better than you did, 40:20.750 --> 40:23.410 thank you, thank you, darling. 40:23.410 --> 40:25.370 All my life, I've been committed 40:25.370 --> 40:27.490 to advancing fairness and opportunity 40:27.490 --> 40:30.400 for the African American community. 40:30.400 --> 40:34.630 And today, I am here before you with the empty, 40:34.630 --> 40:36.393 and we have to say, 40:37.420 --> 40:41.670 we've had so many people with empty political rhetoric. 40:41.670 --> 40:43.850 We're doing the opposite. 40:43.850 --> 40:45.490 We're acting, not talking. 40:45.490 --> 40:46.728 People have talked. 40:46.728 --> 40:47.660 (audience applause) 40:47.660 --> 40:48.493 They've talked. 40:49.810 --> 40:52.943 They've talked a lot and they've got nothing done. 40:54.130 --> 40:55.920 And we're talking about for a century. 40:55.920 --> 40:58.500 We're talking about for over a hundred years 40:58.500 --> 41:02.740 it's been all talk by a certain group of politicians 41:02.740 --> 41:05.870 and no action. 41:05.870 --> 41:07.920 Tim Scott, Lindsey Graham, 41:07.920 --> 41:10.160 they've done more in the last couple of years 41:10.160 --> 41:13.750 than some of our, I hate to call them opponents, 41:13.750 --> 41:17.100 but I guess that's what they are, unfortunately. 41:17.100 --> 41:20.160 But they have done more than they have in a hundred years. 41:20.160 --> 41:23.660 I am here to report on real actions that we've taken, 41:23.660 --> 41:25.840 real promises that we've kept, 41:25.840 --> 41:28.480 and real results that we've delivered. 41:28.480 --> 41:30.300 Since the election, 41:30.300 --> 41:33.023 the unemployment rates for African American, 41:33.860 --> 41:37.220 Hispanic American, Asian Americans 41:37.220 --> 41:39.840 have achieved all-time, historic, 41:39.840 --> 41:42.570 in the history of our country, lows. 41:42.570 --> 41:44.006 Today we have more working... 41:44.006 --> 41:47.006 (audience applause) 41:49.770 --> 41:54.180 Today we have people working at a level and a number, 41:54.180 --> 41:56.080 in the history of country. 41:56.080 --> 41:58.140 We've never had so many people working before. 41:58.140 --> 42:00.820 Almost 160 million people. 42:00.820 --> 42:02.510 Never come close. 42:02.510 --> 42:04.780 African American youth unemployment, 42:04.780 --> 42:08.240 so important, a number that, three years ago, 42:08.240 --> 42:10.500 when I was running, was through the roof. 42:10.500 --> 42:13.370 It was, you know, just incredible. 42:13.370 --> 42:16.500 It recently reached the lowest rate ever recorded. 42:16.500 --> 42:17.700 Youth unemployment. 42:17.700 --> 42:18.743 So important. 42:19.600 --> 42:23.420 African American poverty rate has reached its lowest level 42:23.420 --> 42:25.550 ever recorded in the history of our country. 42:25.550 --> 42:28.550 (audience applause) 42:32.950 --> 42:34.760 So, when I'm up on the debate stage 42:34.760 --> 42:36.904 with one of these characters, whoever it may be, 42:36.904 --> 42:38.280 (laughter) 42:38.280 --> 42:40.850 and I rattle off a couple of those stats, 42:40.850 --> 42:42.260 I don't know how they're going to beat me. 42:42.260 --> 42:44.840 They're going to have to be awfully good. 42:44.840 --> 42:47.490 They're going to have to be awfully good. 42:47.490 --> 42:50.360 More than two million Americans have been 42:50.360 --> 42:52.730 raised out of poverty, taken out of poverty, 42:52.730 --> 42:54.410 lifted out of poverty. 42:54.410 --> 42:56.170 For the first time on record, 42:56.170 --> 42:59.980 most new hires of prime working age 42:59.980 --> 43:01.500 are minorities and women. 43:01.500 --> 43:03.690 That's the first time in the history of our country. 43:03.690 --> 43:07.100 Minorities and women. (audience applause) 43:07.100 --> 43:09.310 Wages are rising fast. 43:09.310 --> 43:11.470 And they are rising twice as fast 43:11.470 --> 43:13.950 for the lowest-income workers 43:13.950 --> 43:16.520 than they are for the high-wage earners. 43:16.520 --> 43:19.140 Proportionately, they're doing the best of all. 43:19.140 --> 43:24.140 Women, the best year for employment in 71 years. 43:25.610 --> 43:28.320 And soon, I think, it will be historic. 43:28.320 --> 43:29.481 It will be in history. 43:29.481 --> 43:32.481 (audience applause) 43:34.230 --> 43:35.320 That's a good number. 43:35.320 --> 43:38.880 A recent analysis found that middle class income 43:38.880 --> 43:42.320 has risen by $5,000. 43:42.320 --> 43:46.540 But add to that, that's median household income, 43:46.540 --> 43:50.560 add to that $2,000 from the tax cuts 43:50.560 --> 43:52.870 and then $2,000 for energy, 43:52.870 --> 43:54.810 because our energy is much cheaper. 43:54.810 --> 43:56.350 And when you look at other countries, 43:56.350 --> 43:57.490 what we've done with energy, 43:57.490 --> 43:59.080 we become the number-one producer 43:59.080 --> 44:01.470 anywhere in the world, by far. 44:01.470 --> 44:05.430 And so that would be $9,000 per household. 44:05.430 --> 44:07.860 Median income. 44:07.860 --> 44:10.080 Think of the household median income. 44:10.080 --> 44:12.100 Nobody has ever come close. 44:12.100 --> 44:15.370 If you go back and you look at the Bush, eight years, 44:15.370 --> 44:18.420 it's $400, for eight years. 44:18.420 --> 44:22.500 You go back and you look at the Obama, eight years, 44:22.500 --> 44:25.840 it's less than $1,000. 44:25.840 --> 44:29.130 And with us, it's $9,000, 44:29.130 --> 44:30.570 when you add, think of that. 44:30.570 --> 44:32.150 And that's for two and a half years, 44:32.150 --> 44:33.530 if they stopped at two and a half. 44:33.530 --> 44:37.800 It's even better now, because we're almost up to three. 44:37.800 --> 44:39.660 I don't even know if you folks know that, 44:39.660 --> 44:42.887 but think of that statistic: $400 for eight years, 44:42.887 --> 44:47.668 $975 for eight years, 44:47.668 --> 44:51.272 and $9,000 for two and a half years. 44:51.272 --> 44:53.955 (audience applause) 44:53.955 --> 44:56.955 - [Audience Member] Four more years! 44:58.406 --> 45:00.286 - Four more years! - Thank you. 45:00.286 --> 45:01.939 - [Audience] Four more years! 45:01.939 --> 45:02.980 - Thank you. 45:02.980 --> 45:04.270 I just, that just came out. 45:04.270 --> 45:06.340 That came out in a poll, Moody's. 45:06.340 --> 45:08.620 And it just came out in a poll. 45:08.620 --> 45:09.940 And you can never take this, 45:09.940 --> 45:11.310 they said I'll win the election, 45:11.310 --> 45:12.600 practically, no matter what. 45:12.600 --> 45:15.150 They had three different forms of win. 45:15.150 --> 45:17.570 And they've been right in every year except for one. 45:17.570 --> 45:18.760 You know what the one was? 45:18.760 --> 45:19.593 The last one. 45:19.593 --> 45:20.502 They got that one wrong. 45:20.502 --> 45:21.390 (audience laughs) 45:21.390 --> 45:22.223 Did you know that, fellas? 45:22.223 --> 45:23.160 They got that one wrong. 45:23.160 --> 45:25.020 They said, "We were wrong about 2016." 45:25.020 --> 45:26.190 They don't even mention that I happened 45:26.190 --> 45:27.023 to be in that election. 45:27.023 --> 45:28.710 But they said that was the only one they got wrong. 45:28.710 --> 45:30.305 That's okay with me. 45:30.305 --> 45:31.560 (audience laughs) 45:31.560 --> 45:32.393 If they're going to get one wrong, 45:32.393 --> 45:35.520 that was the one we wanted them to get wrong, right? 45:35.520 --> 45:37.090 But those are incredible numbers. 45:37.090 --> 45:39.350 Those are numbers that nobody would have believed possible. 45:39.350 --> 45:40.990 If I would have said that on the campaign trail, 45:40.990 --> 45:42.410 people would have said, "You have to be kidding." 45:42.410 --> 45:43.717 They would have said, the fake news said, 45:43.717 --> 45:44.869 "You have to be kidding." 45:44.869 --> 45:46.047 (audience laughs) 45:46.047 --> 45:48.460 "He's not telling the truth, ladies and gentlemen." 45:48.460 --> 45:49.910 Well, it turned out that's far more 45:49.910 --> 45:52.210 than we even anticipated. 45:52.210 --> 45:54.250 Through our Pledge to American Workers, 45:54.250 --> 45:56.770 more than 360 companies have committed 45:56.770 --> 46:00.340 to providing over 14 million training jobs 46:00.340 --> 46:03.660 and career opportunities for the American worker. 46:03.660 --> 46:06.800 My daughter, Ivanka, worked so hard on that. 46:06.800 --> 46:07.730 That's her love. 46:07.730 --> 46:08.590 It's her passion. 46:08.590 --> 46:09.790 It's incredible. 46:09.790 --> 46:12.600 She came to me at the beginning of the administration, 46:12.600 --> 46:14.927 and she said, "I want to help people get jobs, Dad. 46:14.927 --> 46:16.240 "But they have to be trained." 46:16.240 --> 46:18.000 She was a great student. 46:18.000 --> 46:19.530 She's a great person. 46:19.530 --> 46:21.600 And she said, "But they have to be trained." 46:21.600 --> 46:22.550 I said, "What's your goal?" 46:22.550 --> 46:24.670 She said, "500,000 jobs." 46:24.670 --> 46:26.330 She just hit 14 million. 46:26.330 --> 46:27.956 I said, "That's Ivanka." 46:27.956 --> 46:29.277 (audience applause) 46:29.277 --> 46:30.110 That's Ivanka. 46:30.110 --> 46:33.431 14 million jobs. (audience applause) 46:33.431 --> 46:34.750 It's an incredible, it's one of the reasons, 46:34.750 --> 46:36.870 I think, that our employment numbers are so good. 46:36.870 --> 46:40.630 I hope that you will judge my administration based 46:40.630 --> 46:43.300 on the tremendous amount that we've achieved, 46:43.300 --> 46:45.670 not talking, but achieving. 46:45.670 --> 46:48.200 We've made, it's really something. 46:48.200 --> 46:49.866 It's really something. (audience applause) 46:49.866 --> 46:52.560 And the support that you've given is incredible. 46:52.560 --> 46:55.350 We've made our nation stronger than ever before. 46:55.350 --> 46:58.570 And I'm here to tell you that we're just getting started. 46:58.570 --> 46:59.770 And we're just getting started 46:59.770 --> 47:01.710 for the African American community too. 47:01.710 --> 47:02.823 Please remember that. 47:03.940 --> 47:05.230 And I will say this, 47:05.230 --> 47:07.130 and I really say this with great confidence: 47:07.130 --> 47:08.738 The best is yet to come. 47:08.738 --> 47:11.738 (audience applause) 47:14.186 --> 47:17.447 - [Audience Member] Four more years! 47:17.447 --> 47:18.612 Four more years! 47:18.612 --> 47:20.396 Four more years! 47:20.396 --> 47:21.546 - Thank you. 47:21.546 --> 47:23.414 - [Audience Member] Four more years! 47:23.414 --> 47:24.890 Four more years. 47:24.890 --> 47:27.372 - Thank you. - Four more years! 47:27.372 --> 47:29.378 Four more years! 47:29.378 --> 47:31.470 - [Audience Member] Four more years! 47:31.470 --> 47:32.743 - Thank you very much. 47:34.130 --> 47:35.960 Now, don't say, "16 more years," 47:35.960 --> 47:36.990 because you'll drive them crazy. 47:36.990 --> 47:38.200 (audience laughs) 47:38.200 --> 47:39.033 They're afraid. 47:39.033 --> 47:40.480 They said, "You know, he's going to win." 47:40.480 --> 47:42.697 They said, one of these characters said, 47:42.697 --> 47:44.377 "You know, he's going to win, don't you? 47:44.377 --> 47:45.397 "You know, he's going to win." 47:45.397 --> 47:46.637 "Well, no, we're going to fight." 47:46.637 --> 47:49.627 "He's going to win and then he's never getting out. 47:49.627 --> 47:51.865 "He'll be here for another four, and then another four, 47:51.865 --> 47:52.698 "and then another. 47:52.698 --> 47:53.740 "We're never going to get him out." 47:53.740 --> 47:55.030 So when we say "four more years," 47:55.030 --> 47:56.640 sometimes say "16 more years". 47:56.640 --> 47:57.893 It drives them crazy. 47:57.893 --> 47:58.800 (audience laughs) 47:58.800 --> 48:01.030 And we like doing that, don't we? 48:01.030 --> 48:02.840 But as we make tremendous strides 48:02.840 --> 48:06.050 to deliver greater economic promise to all our citizens, 48:06.050 --> 48:09.460 we'll never let up on our efforts to ensure 48:09.460 --> 48:14.460 that our justice system is fair for every single American. 48:14.920 --> 48:16.950 And I have my own experience, you know that. 48:16.950 --> 48:20.040 You see what's going on with the witch hunt. 48:20.040 --> 48:22.570 It's a terrible thing that's going on in our country. 48:22.570 --> 48:24.470 No crimes there. 48:24.470 --> 48:26.820 It's an investigation in search of a crime. 48:26.820 --> 48:30.213 It's been going on for longer than I'm in office. 48:30.213 --> 48:31.046 (audience laughs) 48:31.046 --> 48:31.890 It's true. 48:31.890 --> 48:34.690 It happened before I even got here with, remember? 48:34.690 --> 48:36.020 The insurance policy. 48:36.020 --> 48:38.961 Strzok and Page, the lovers, the great lovers. 48:38.961 --> 48:40.690 (audience laughs) 48:40.690 --> 48:42.090 The two great lovers. 48:42.090 --> 48:44.220 They talked about the insurance policy, right? 48:44.220 --> 48:46.867 That, "She's going to win, but just in case she doesn't, 48:46.867 --> 48:48.740 "we have an insurance policy." 48:48.740 --> 48:53.740 That was long before Mueller, and that whole deal. 48:53.800 --> 48:57.810 We had 18 angry Democrats that hated Trump, looking at me. 48:57.810 --> 48:59.860 Spent $45 million, and they found nothing. 48:59.860 --> 49:02.400 I think I could do that with almost everyone in the room, 49:02.400 --> 49:03.790 except maybe your two senators. 49:03.790 --> 49:06.166 I could never find a, that's why they're senators, 49:06.166 --> 49:08.520 because they're so clean, right? 49:08.520 --> 49:11.740 But, in America, you're innocent until proven guilty. 49:11.740 --> 49:16.740 And we don't have investigations in search of that crime. 49:17.390 --> 49:19.400 It's a terrible thing. 49:19.400 --> 49:21.900 It hurts people very badly and it divides the country. 49:21.900 --> 49:25.660 Innocent people, and those surrounding innocent people, 49:25.660 --> 49:28.680 were being destroyed and humiliated. 49:28.680 --> 49:32.630 We have so many people that have been hurt, destroyed, 49:32.630 --> 49:36.820 and humiliated in ways that we've never seen before 49:36.820 --> 49:38.760 in the history of our country. 49:38.760 --> 49:42.820 And we're working to put an end, for everybody, 49:42.820 --> 49:45.670 to horrible injustice 49:45.670 --> 49:49.070 and the horrible practices that we've seen. 49:49.070 --> 49:52.320 It's just, not only here, it's in other places. 49:52.320 --> 49:54.660 It's in some pretty high places. 49:54.660 --> 49:56.950 Justice, fairness, and due process 49:56.950 --> 50:00.640 are core tenets of our democracy. 50:00.640 --> 50:02.390 These are timeless principles 50:02.390 --> 50:05.340 I will faithfully uphold as President. 50:05.340 --> 50:07.370 They're principles Republicans stand for 50:07.370 --> 50:10.010 and, historically, Democrats have stood for in the past. 50:10.010 --> 50:11.720 They used to stand for them. 50:11.720 --> 50:12.700 If this were a Democrat, 50:12.700 --> 50:14.500 they would never allow this to happen. 50:14.500 --> 50:17.293 They would never, ever allow this to happen. 50:18.330 --> 50:19.210 And I'll tell you, 50:19.210 --> 50:22.430 Tim Scott made the finest statement yesterday. 50:22.430 --> 50:24.887 He said, "The President is innocent. 50:24.887 --> 50:26.177 "Forget about due process. 50:26.177 --> 50:27.700 "He's innocent." 50:27.700 --> 50:29.400 And I won't forget that statement. 50:30.466 --> 50:33.466 (audience applause) 50:35.531 --> 50:37.960 We have to remember, a big factor, 50:37.960 --> 50:39.680 and I say it in more and more of my speeches, 50:39.680 --> 50:43.480 because Honest Abe was something pretty special. 50:43.480 --> 50:46.010 Abraham Lincoln, he was a Republican, 50:46.010 --> 50:48.240 a President revered for what he did 50:48.240 --> 50:52.760 to preserve our nation and union and to abolish slavery. 50:52.760 --> 50:54.120 Abe Lincoln was a Republican. 50:54.120 --> 50:55.270 A lot of people forget that. 50:55.270 --> 50:56.870 Fellas, I think we have to start bringing that up 50:56.870 --> 50:57.992 a little bit, okay? 50:57.992 --> 50:59.340 (audience applause) 50:59.340 --> 51:00.173 People forget that. 51:00.173 --> 51:01.006 They don't know that. 51:01.006 --> 51:02.920 They don't assume it, actually. 51:02.920 --> 51:06.200 We're committed to upholding his legacy 51:06.200 --> 51:09.680 and the sacred principle that all people are entitled 51:09.680 --> 51:12.130 to live in freedom and dignity. 51:12.130 --> 51:16.140 I'm talking about Lincoln more and more, 51:16.140 --> 51:20.710 because the Democratic policies have let African Americans 51:20.710 --> 51:23.440 down and taken them for granted. 51:23.440 --> 51:24.273 And they have. 51:24.273 --> 51:28.210 They've taken African American communities for granted. 51:28.210 --> 51:31.370 And I promise you that Republicans will never, ever do that. 51:31.370 --> 51:32.590 We're going to keep fighting for you 51:32.590 --> 51:35.915 and we're fighting hard, and we're really having an impact. 51:35.915 --> 51:36.910 (audience applause) 51:36.910 --> 51:39.453 And you're having an impact on elections now. 51:40.540 --> 51:42.150 And you should never let that happen, 51:42.150 --> 51:44.360 but they have taken advantage. 51:44.360 --> 51:48.380 I will always fight against abuses of power from any source. 51:48.380 --> 51:51.570 And I will always champion the right to due process, 51:51.570 --> 51:52.820 the right to a fair trial, 51:52.820 --> 51:57.820 the right to good legal representation for every American, 51:58.130 --> 52:01.375 regardless of race, background, position, right? 52:01.375 --> 52:02.630 (audience applause) 52:02.630 --> 52:04.410 It's a big thing, legal representation. 52:04.410 --> 52:06.103 A lot of people get in a lot of trouble 52:06.103 --> 52:08.880 because they have the wrong representation. 52:08.880 --> 52:10.447 And they say, "Why I didn't have somebody 52:10.447 --> 52:15.447 "that knew what he was doing or tried or was fair?" 52:16.370 --> 52:19.010 This is my promise to each and every one of you: 52:19.010 --> 52:21.920 I'm hearing that more and more African Americans 52:21.920 --> 52:24.170 are supporting our Republican policy agenda 52:24.170 --> 52:26.544 because they see the results that we're delivering. 52:26.544 --> 52:29.544 (audience applause) 52:31.612 --> 52:32.710 You know, during the campaign, 52:32.710 --> 52:35.660 I read a long list of things. 52:35.660 --> 52:38.630 It was a speech, regular speech. 52:38.630 --> 52:39.670 Long list. 52:39.670 --> 52:41.990 Highest crime rate: African American. 52:41.990 --> 52:43.133 Highest crime rate. 52:44.170 --> 52:46.043 Worst housing situation. 52:47.530 --> 52:49.480 Lived in the worst areas. 52:49.480 --> 52:50.460 Everything was bad. 52:50.460 --> 52:51.530 Worst education. 52:51.530 --> 52:54.380 There were like 10, And I'm going over 10 things, 52:54.380 --> 52:57.500 over and over and over. 52:57.500 --> 53:00.060 Highest rate of incarceration. 53:00.060 --> 53:02.660 And this is all African American. 53:02.660 --> 53:06.190 And I said to myself, probably I shouldn't say it, 53:06.190 --> 53:08.067 but I'm going to say, "Vote for me. 53:08.067 --> 53:09.670 "What the hell do you have to lose?" 53:09.670 --> 53:10.767 Do you remember that? (audience applause) 53:10.767 --> 53:12.710 "What the hell do you have to lose?" 53:12.710 --> 53:14.122 I said it. 53:14.122 --> 53:17.480 (audience applause) 53:17.480 --> 53:18.790 By the way, I hate to say this to you, 53:18.790 --> 53:21.050 but my poll numbers with African Americans, 53:21.050 --> 53:22.963 Tim, went like a rocket ship, okay? 53:24.130 --> 53:26.250 My people said, "I don't know if that was good to say." 53:26.250 --> 53:27.497 I said, "Look, it's the truth. 53:27.497 --> 53:29.750 "What the hell do you have to lose?" 53:29.750 --> 53:30.600 And you know what? 53:30.600 --> 53:33.200 I said it, and sometimes I take the word "hell" out 53:33.200 --> 53:34.347 because the fake news would say, 53:34.347 --> 53:35.727 "He used a horrible word. 53:35.727 --> 53:37.670 "The word 'ell' was a horrible." 53:37.670 --> 53:39.637 I said, "I've heard worse than that." 53:39.637 --> 53:42.070 (audience laughs) 53:42.070 --> 53:44.470 But it was true. 53:44.470 --> 53:47.360 And look at what we've done in less than three years. 53:47.360 --> 53:48.860 I mean, look at the progress you've made. 53:48.860 --> 53:51.420 Everything is historic, meaning it's never happened 53:51.420 --> 53:53.980 in the history of our country, what we've done. 53:53.980 --> 53:55.290 And we're very proud of it. 53:55.290 --> 53:59.920 And, you know, it's an incredible, talented, smart, 53:59.920 --> 54:02.350 wonderful, warm, look at the people that came up today; 54:02.350 --> 54:04.170 warm group of people. 54:04.170 --> 54:06.480 And I have so many friends. 54:06.480 --> 54:08.590 They're great, great, and I am so honored. 54:08.590 --> 54:10.070 I just am so honored. 54:10.070 --> 54:12.010 And, Jerome, I'm putting you in the same category 54:12.010 --> 54:13.280 with these two incredible women. 54:13.280 --> 54:16.350 If you have some people in there that you've been with 54:16.350 --> 54:17.350 for a long period of time, 54:17.350 --> 54:19.090 you're going to give me some names. 54:19.090 --> 54:21.370 I only want the right names, Jerome. 54:21.370 --> 54:22.600 Okay? 54:22.600 --> 54:23.760 I only want the right ones. 54:23.760 --> 54:26.610 But I think it's a tremendous thing we can do. 54:26.610 --> 54:29.240 We can do a lot of great things from, 54:29.240 --> 54:30.660 it's called the power of the White House. 54:30.660 --> 54:33.730 We can do some incredible things. 54:33.730 --> 54:35.930 And we want to only do the right things. 54:35.930 --> 54:40.010 But these are three unbelievable representatives. 54:40.010 --> 54:41.670 And there are so many more out there 54:41.670 --> 54:42.560 that we don't know about. 54:42.560 --> 54:44.080 We want to find out who they are 54:44.080 --> 54:45.290 so we can help them out too. 54:45.290 --> 54:47.500 Jared, I'll put you in charge of that little project. 54:47.500 --> 54:49.430 That's something he'd like to do very much, right? 54:49.430 --> 54:52.440 (audience applause) 54:52.440 --> 54:56.530 So as part of our agenda to lift up forgotten Americans, 54:56.530 --> 54:59.650 we are investing in distressed communities. 54:59.650 --> 55:03.930 Under the crucial provision, 55:03.930 --> 55:07.250 a very, very important provision of our new tax law, 55:07.250 --> 55:10.270 America's governors have designated 55:10.270 --> 55:14.060 nearly 9,000 communities as the Opportunity Zones 55:14.060 --> 55:17.520 that we just discussed, including this very neighborhood 55:17.520 --> 55:19.170 surrounding Benedict College. 55:19.170 --> 55:21.310 And you see what's happening even just around 55:21.310 --> 55:23.550 your college and in your college. 55:23.550 --> 55:25.020 To bring back prosperity, 55:25.020 --> 55:28.870 we slashed taxes on new investment in these areas. 55:28.870 --> 55:30.560 And people are investing in these areas 55:30.560 --> 55:33.750 that would have never, ever been investing here. 55:33.750 --> 55:36.020 And in some cases, they're rich, and in some cases, 55:36.020 --> 55:37.180 they're not so rich, 55:37.180 --> 55:39.370 but the money is flowing into your community. 55:39.370 --> 55:42.190 9,000 different places. 55:42.190 --> 55:44.490 And I directed every member of my Cabinet 55:44.490 --> 55:47.853 to support Opportunities Zones in every possible way. 55:48.730 --> 55:51.860 And leading these efforts is Secretary Ben Carson, 55:51.860 --> 55:53.500 along with executive director 55:53.500 --> 55:57.450 of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, 55:57.450 --> 55:59.470 Scott Turner, great job. 55:59.470 --> 56:01.050 Mick Mulvaney is here someplace. 56:01.050 --> 56:01.883 Where's Mick? 56:01.883 --> 56:02.716 He's here someplace. 56:02.716 --> 56:03.959 Where is Mick? 56:03.959 --> 56:07.520 (audience applause) 56:07.520 --> 56:08.560 And a lot of people are here, 56:08.560 --> 56:11.050 a lot of people that have done an incredible job 56:11.050 --> 56:13.000 for this community and for the country. 56:13.970 --> 56:15.640 Within my first weeks in office, 56:15.640 --> 56:17.450 I also signed an executive order 56:17.450 --> 56:21.390 to support historically black colleges and universities, 56:21.390 --> 56:26.260 by moving federal HBCU initiative to the White House, 56:26.260 --> 56:27.093 where it belongs. 56:27.093 --> 56:28.860 It's now in the White House. 56:28.860 --> 56:30.420 Over the past two years, 56:30.420 --> 56:34.600 we have increased federal funding for HBCUs 56:34.600 --> 56:36.230 by a record 13%. 56:36.230 --> 56:37.900 Check out the last administration. 56:37.900 --> 56:38.900 See what they did for you. 56:38.900 --> 56:41.740 Not too much, not too much. 56:41.740 --> 56:43.440 You said it: "Nothing." 56:43.440 --> 56:44.503 Not much. 56:45.760 --> 56:46.593 Check it out. 56:46.593 --> 56:47.940 I don't want to get into this. 56:47.940 --> 56:49.250 I'll get myself in trouble. 56:49.250 --> 56:51.250 But I want you to check it out yourself. 56:52.800 --> 56:57.800 My administration will always treasure and protect HBCUs, 56:57.900 --> 56:59.000 like Benedict College. 56:59.000 --> 57:00.070 It's very important. 57:00.070 --> 57:02.060 It's very important. 57:02.060 --> 57:04.680 The story of this institution reminds us all 57:04.680 --> 57:06.190 how African American leaders 57:06.190 --> 57:09.270 have helped America stand for what is just, 57:09.270 --> 57:11.300 noble, right, and true. 57:11.300 --> 57:14.670 Nearly 150 years ago, Benedict College 57:14.670 --> 57:19.670 began with 10 students and one great Baptist minister. 57:21.010 --> 57:23.280 Their first classes took place 57:23.280 --> 57:26.250 in a former plantation mansion. 57:26.250 --> 57:29.210 In the 1930s, Benedict students participated 57:29.210 --> 57:32.260 in one of the first civil rights campaigns 57:32.260 --> 57:34.260 in South Carolina. 57:34.260 --> 57:36.890 From the halls of this campus came American 57:36.890 --> 57:40.640 pastors and poets, advocates and athletes, 57:40.640 --> 57:43.500 innovators and entrepreneurs. 57:43.500 --> 57:46.650 In their courage, their vision, their determination, 57:46.650 --> 57:48.800 their wisdom, and their grace, 57:48.800 --> 57:51.580 they lifted up the sights of our nation 57:51.580 --> 57:53.960 and called America to greatness. 57:53.960 --> 57:55.600 They have done an incredible job. 57:55.600 --> 57:57.717 This has been an incredible institution. 57:57.717 --> 58:00.717 (audience applause) 58:06.497 --> 58:08.580 The extraordinary legacy of generations 58:08.580 --> 58:11.900 of African American patriots shows us 58:11.900 --> 58:15.760 that the heart and spirit and soul of our nation 58:15.760 --> 58:19.010 is always found in our people. 58:19.010 --> 58:22.210 You are the source of America's strength, 58:22.210 --> 58:25.000 the captains of America's destiny, 58:25.000 --> 58:28.300 and the authors of America's future. 58:28.300 --> 58:30.860 Now, after decades of bitter disappointments 58:30.860 --> 58:32.623 and betrayals from Washington, 58:33.500 --> 58:36.690 and you have had the most bitter disappointments, 58:36.690 --> 58:39.640 more than anyone, my administration 58:39.640 --> 58:44.640 is making a decisive break with the failures of the past. 58:44.900 --> 58:47.490 We are taking on the entrenched interests, 58:47.490 --> 58:49.580 the corrupt power structures, 58:49.580 --> 58:54.330 and the rigged systems of the old status quo. 58:54.330 --> 58:55.840 With confidence in our vision, 58:55.840 --> 58:58.020 we are putting this nation on a better 58:58.020 --> 59:01.020 and brighter path for you, for your families, 59:01.020 --> 59:04.040 and for all of our great citizens. 59:04.040 --> 59:06.330 We're keeping our promises. 59:06.330 --> 59:09.130 We're solving problems, righting wrongs, 59:09.130 --> 59:12.040 and boldly confronting injustices, 59:12.040 --> 59:16.220 wherever and whenever we find them. 59:16.220 --> 59:19.200 Through it all, we are honoring our allegiance 59:19.200 --> 59:21.670 to the hardworking men and women 59:21.670 --> 59:26.300 whose sweat and sacrifice make our country run. 59:26.300 --> 59:29.020 Together, we are reaffirming the sacred bonds 59:29.020 --> 59:32.130 of loyalty and love that unite us together 59:32.130 --> 59:36.040 as citizens and patriots and as Americans. 59:36.040 --> 59:38.000 We are defending freedom and justice 59:38.000 --> 59:40.850 and equality for every man, woman, 59:40.850 --> 59:43.263 and child all across our nation. 59:44.180 --> 59:47.070 We are fighting to bring opportunity, dignity, 59:47.070 --> 59:52.070 and hope to every block, every neighborhood, 59:52.300 --> 59:55.450 and every city and town all throughout 59:55.450 --> 59:57.760 this magnificent land. 59:57.760 --> 59:59.850 Above all, we are putting our faith 59:59.850 --> 01:00:02.290 in the greatness of our people, 01:00:02.290 --> 01:00:07.290 the grace of our God, and the glorious power of redemption. 01:00:07.360 --> 01:00:08.570 Thank you. 01:00:08.570 --> 01:00:10.840 God bless you and God bless America. 01:00:10.840 --> 01:00:12.390 Thank you very much, thank you.