Biden's ABC town hall: Former VP lays out vision in stark contrast to Trump's

When asked about the environment, Biden reiterated that he would not ban fracking, calling instead for the practice to be managed "very, very well." 

"I think you have to make sure that fracking is, in fact, not admitting methane or polluting the well or dealing with what can be small earthquakes and how they're drilling," he said. "So it has to be managed very, very well."

The former vice president also said that the future rests in renewable energy and criticized Trump for his comments on the environment.

"Every time we talk about global warming or the environment, the president thinks of, you know, it's a joke and I think it's jobs," Biden said. 

"I, as president, am going to invest that $600 billion we spend on government contracts only on those things that, in fact, also are not only made in America, but building an infrastructure that's clean and new," he added. 

Stephanopoulos pushed back on Biden, citing a New York Times op-ed written by a member of the Boilermakers Local-154, who said that fracking was at odds with Biden's goal to end the use of fossil fuels.

After touting the union's endorsement, Biden said that he would end oil subsidies. He also tried to distinguish between his plan and the Green New Deal.

"The new green deal calls for the elimination of all -- all nonrenewable energy by 2030," he said.  "You can't get there. You're going to need to be able to transition, George, to be able to transition to get to the place where we invest in new technologies that allow us to do things that get us to a place where we get to net zero emission, including in agriculture."

Biden spoke about the current situation with the Supreme Court and didn't express confidence in Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett's testimony this week.

"I don't even think she has laid out much of a judicial philosophy, in terms of the bases upon which she thinks are there unenumerated rights in the Constitution," he said.

Biden reiterated that her hearings and vote should not have been held this close to the election.

"You get disagreement among scholars on this, but I believe it's inconsistent, when millions of people have already voted to put someone on the court. I think it ... should have been held until ... this election is over.

Stephanopoulos asked Biden if he would consider expanding the Supreme Court, noting that a year ago during a primary debate he was against court packing.

Biden declined to respond, because he said he didn't want to distract from the biggest issues.

"No matter what answer I gave you, if I say it, that's the headline tomorrow. It won't be about what's going on now. The improper way they're proceeding," he said.

When pressed by Stephanopoulos, Biden said he will have a more clear position before Election Day, "depending on how (the Senate) handled this."

Biden encouraged voters, however, to use this opportunity to vote for leaders who can influence the courts.

"That's your opportunity to get involved in lifetime appointments that have. Presidents come and go, justices stay and stay and stay," he said.

Angelica Politarhos, a Republican voter from Garnett Valley, Pennsylvania, asked Biden about his view now on the 1994 Crime Bill. 

"Things have changed drastically," the former vice president said. "That crime bill, when we voted, the black caucus voted for it, every black mayor supported it across the board."

When Stephanopoulos asked Biden if it was a mistake to support the bill, he said the mistake occurred at the state level.

"The mistake came in terms of what the states did locally," he said. "What we did federally, we said it was -- you remember, George, it was all about the same time for the same crime."

Stephanopoulos also asked Biden about previously saying that more police meant less crime. Biden said that only works if those police officers were doing community policing. 

"We had community policing from the mid '90s on until -- until (George W.) Bush got elected, what happened? Violent crime actually went down," Biden said. 

"The cops didn't like it," he added. "They didn't like the community policing because you had to have two people in a vehicle. They had to get out of their cars." 

Biden went on to call for de-escalation training for police. "So instead of anybody coming at you and the first thing you do is shoot to kill, you shoot them in the leg," he said. 

He also called for psychologists to accompany police officers on calls where mental health is a factor.

Cedric Humphrey, a Black student, brought up race issues in his question to Biden.

Humphrey noted that young Black voters are conflicted between voting for Trump and not voting. He also made a reference to controversial comments Biden made in May during an interview for a radio show, which he later apologized for.

"So my question for you then is, besides 'you ain't black,' what do you have to say to young black voters who see voting for you as further participation in a system that continually fails to protect them?"

Biden brought up several proposals including expanding educational opportunities for all Americans, which he said propels people to a better economic standing.

"The federal government spends billions of dollars a year on universities because they're ... the best-kept secret of where most of the major inventions come out of," he said. "And so that school will now be able to produce young black women and men who are going to go into a field of a future that's burgeoning."

Biden also said he would expand a program under President Barack Obama that provided over $1.5 billion to small business associations across the country.

Stephanopoulos asked Humphrey if he heard what he needed to hear, to which the voter responded, "I think so."

Biden said he would speak with Humphrey after the town hall to answer any more questions.