VIDEO: What Joe Biden Said In His First Press Conference As President

Joe Biden held the first press conference of his presidency Thursday, confronting a variety of policy issues along with recent events like the recent mass shootings. Opponents online latched onto several moments where he trailed off or muddled sentences, but the immediate reception was largely positive.

Press conferences, discontinued during the Trump presidency, are designed to give the public a look into where national policy is headed.

Here are some of Biden’s quotes on the major issues.

On Children At The Border

"[We’re] going to be moving a thousand of those kids out quickly. That's why I got Fort Bliss opened up. That's why I've been working from the moment this started happening to try to find additional access for children ... to safely be housed while we follow through," Biden said. Conditions at migrant facilities are "totally unacceptable."

On COVID-19 Vaccine Goals

After accomplishing his initial goal of 100 million vaccinations in 100 days, Biden set his sights on 200 million. "I know it's ambitious. Twice our original goal. But no other country in the world has even come close, not even close to what we are doing. I believe we can do it," he said.

On Stimulus Checks

"As of yesterday more than 100 million payments of $1,400 have gone into people's bank accounts. That's real money in people's pockets bringing relief instantly, almost. And millions more will be getting their money very soon," Biden said.

On Infrastructure

Biden’s next focus will be revitalizing "physical and technological infrastructure in this country so we can compete and create significant numbers of really good-paying jobs."

On Voting Restrictions

Republicans are trying to make "Jim Crow look like Jim Eagle... What I'm worried about is how un-American this whole initiative is. It's sick. It's sick," he said. "Deciding in some state that you cannot bring water to people waiting in line? ... The Republican voters I know find this despicable."

The press conference also invited plenty of opportunities for comparison with Trump’s public speaking events. Commentators took to Twitter to ridicule the former president and express relief at a return to normalcy.

On Running In 2024

"My plan is to run for reelection. That’s my expectation," Biden said.

The question about 2024 comes after Trump famously said he would seek reelection before he was inaugurated in his first term.

Biden, 78, was asked about whether Kamala Harris would be his running mate. Biden said he "would fully expect" Harris to join him on the ticket.