3rd Report of Political Discourse
Transcript of Biden Press Conference Q+A, Feb. 24th, 2022, following the monologue. All dialog is as heard. The editorial practice off <sic> seems to me to indicate a lack of faith in the correctness of the text. Rather amazingly, I have made a better transcript then The White House, which contains many lacunas due to a claimed inaudibility, and an absurd amount of grammatical formatting.
BIDEN: Associated Press, Zeke.
ZEKE: Do you have any plans to speak with President Putin at this point, and what interactions have you had with the Russian government?
BIDEN: I heard the first part, do I have any plans to speak with Putin at this point, and what?
ZEKE: What communications have you had with the Kremlin as far as military offers to Ukraine and making sure this does not spiral into a larger conflict?
BIDEN: Well it's a large conflict already, and the way we are going ensure it doesn't spiral into a larger conflict is by providing all the forces needed in the Eastern European nations that are members of NATO. NATO is more united than it's ever been, and I have no plans to talk with Putin. Wall Street Journal, Tarina.
TARINA: Mister President, you didn't mention SWIFT in your sanctions that you announced. Is there a reason why the US isn't doing that? Is there a disagreement among allies regarding SWIFT and whether Russia should be allowed to be part of it.
BIDEN: The sanctions that we have proposed on all their banks are of equal consequence, maybe more consequence than SWIFT, number one. Number two, it is always an option but right now that's not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take. Cecilia Vega of ABC.
VEGA: Sir, sanctions clearly have not been enough to deter Vladimir Putin to this point. What is going to stop him? How and when does this end, and do you see him trying to go beyond Ukraine? And a second question I'll just give to you now, this statement that he gave last night will, that the threat that he gave the West will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. Is he threatening a nuclear strike?
BIDEN: I have no idea what he's threatening, I know what he has done, number one. Number two, no one expected the sanctions to prevent anything from happening. It has to, this is going to take time. And we have to show resolve, so he knows what's coming, and so the people of Russia know what he's brought on him. That's what this is all about. This is going to take time, it's not gonna occur, he's going to say, 'oh my God, these sanctions are coming, I'm gonna stand down'. He's going to test the resolve of the West to see if we stay together, and we will. We will and it will impose significant costs on him.
VEGA: Will he go beyond Ukraine sir, do you see him going beyond Ukraine?
BIDEN: Yes. (He is speaking to another reporter to allow them to speak.)
REPORTER: Thank you. Two topics, just really quick. First, markets are down and gas prices are up. I know you always stress the difference between Wall street and Main street, but everybody seems to be in for some economic pain. How economically painful is it gonna get for people in this country? And I do have one more question.
BIDEN: First of all, there is no doubt that when a major nuclear power attacks and invades another country that the world is gonna respond, and markets can respond all over the world. So their's no doubt about that. Number one. Number two, the notion that this is going to last for a long time is highly unlikely as long as we continue to stay resolved in imposing the sanctions we are going to impose on Russia, period. What's the next question? I'm sorry.
REPORTER: The next question is: did you underestimate Putin? And would you still describe him the way you did this summer, as 'a worthy adversary'?
BIDEN: At the time he was, I made it clear he was an adversary, and I said he was worthy. I didn't underestimate him. And I've read most of everything he's written. Did you read the, I'm sorry, I shouldn't say, I'm not a wise guy. You heard the speech he made. Almost an hour through the speech, is why he is going into Ukraine. He has much larger ambitions than Ukraine. He want's to in fact reestablish the former Soviet Union. That's what this is about. And I think that his ambitions are, are completely contrary to the place where the rest of the world has arrived.
REPORTER: You're confident that these devastating sanctions are going to be as devastating as Russian missiles and bullets and tanks?
BIDEN: Yes. Russian bullets, missiles, tanks in Ukraine. Yes I am.
2nd REPORTER: Thank you President Biden. If sanctions cannot stop President Putin, what penalty can?
BIDEN: I didn't say sanctions couldn't stop him.
2nd REPORTER: You've been talking about the threat of these sanctions for several weeks now...
BIDEN: Yes but the threat of the sanctions and imposing the sanctions and seeing the effect of the sanctions are two different things. They're two different things. We're now gonna, he's gonna begin to see the effect of the sanctions.
2nd REPORTER: And what will that do? How will that change his mindset here, given that he's attacking Ukraine this...
BIDEN: It will so weaken his country that he will have to make a very very difficult choices of whether to continue the move towards being a second rate power, or in fact respond.
2nd REPORTER: You said in recent weeks that big nations cannot bluff when it comes to something like this. You recently said that the idea of personally sanctioning President Putin was on the table. Is that a step that you're prepared to take, and if not...
BIDEN: It's not a bluff, it's on the table.
2nd REPORTER: Sanctioning President Putin?
BIDEN: Yes.
2nd REPORTER: Why not sanction him today sir? Why not sanction him today sir?
3rd REPORTER: Mister President if I can, you detailed some severe and swift new sanctions today, and said the impact it will have over time, but given the full scale invasion, given that you're not pursuing disconnecting Russia from what's called SWIFT, the international banking system, or other sanctions at your disposal, respectfully sir, what more are you waiting for?
BIDEN: Specifically, with the sanctions we've imposed exceed SWIFT. The sanctions we imposed exceed anything that's ever been done. The sanctions we imposed have generated two thirds of the world joining us. They are profound sanctions. Let's have a conversation in another month or so to see if they are working. (Pointing to another reporter) Yes.
4th REPORTER: Can I ask you about Zelensky? Sir, you spoke to Vladimir Zelensky yesterday sir.
5th REPORTER: What's the risk that we are watching the beginning of another cold war? And is there now a complete rupture in US and Russian relations?
BIDEN: There is now a complete rupture right now in US Russia relations, if they continue on this path that they are on. And in terms of a cold war, that depends. You have the vast majority of the rest of the world in total opposition to what he's doing. From Asia to South America to Europe to Cri... to around the world. And so it's gonna be a cold day for Russia. The idea, you don't see a whole lot of people coming to his defense.
5th REPORTER: And are you, are you, if I could follow up sir, are you urging China to help isolate Russia. Are you urging China to help isolate Russia?
BIDEN: I'm not prepared to comment on that at the moment.
6th REPORTER: Thank you mister President. How concerned are you that Putin wants to go beyond Ukraine into other countries and the US will have to get involved if he moves into NATO countries?
BIDEN: Well if he did move into NATO countries he will be involved, we will be involved. The only thing that I'm convinced of is if we don't stop now he'll be emboldened. If we don't move against him now with these significant sanctions he will be emboldened. Look, you know, every... well, anyway.
7th REPORTER: Why not sanction Putin directly today?
BIDEN: I'm sorry I can't hear you.
8th REPORTER: (Speaking with a thick Indian accent) Sir, India which is a military defense partner of the United States, is India fully with you on the issue of Ukraine and Russia?
BIDEN: Does the defense department of the United States?
8th REPORTER: Sir, India is one of your military defense partners, is India fully in sync with the United States on Russia?
BIDEN: We are in consultation with India today. We haven't resolved that completely. OK, thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you.
