EGN NEWS DESK
President Joe Biden obtained an emotional standing ovation when he took the stage on the Democratic National Convention on Monday night time, roughly a month after he ended his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party’s nominee.
Biden, 81, appeared to wipe away tears as he hugged his daughter, Ashley, who launched him. The crowd cheered for greater than 4 minutes, chanting “We love Joe” and “Thank you, Joe,” earlier than he began his close to hour-long speech. The second marked a present of assist for Biden’s political profession, which has spanned greater than 50 years, and his determination to cross the torch to Harris.
His speech on the DNC had been thought of one in every of his closing possibilities to make the case for his legacy after a number of members of his personal party—many within the viewers—reportedly pressured him to exit the race. Throughout his remarks, Biden recounted the accomplishments of his Administration, defined why he ran for President in 2020, and took direct purpose at former President Donald Trump.
“As your President, I’ve been decided to maintain America shifting ahead, not going again,” Biden mentioned. “To stand in opposition to hate and violence and all its varieties, to be a nation the place we not solely reside with however thrive on variety, demonizing nobody, leaving nobody behind, and turn out to be a nation that we profess to be.”
Here are among the greatest moments from Biden’s speech on the DNC.
Biden formally passes the torch to Harris
Biden praised his vp all through his speech, telling Democrats that Harris might be a “President our youngsters may look as much as.” He made positive to credit score her for his or her Administration’s accomplishments after chants of “Thank you, Joe” broke out. “Thank you, Kamala, too,” Biden mentioned—a recognition that his legacy is now tied to hers.
“We’ve had some of the extraordinary 4 years of progress ever, interval. And once I say we, I imply Kamala and me,” he mentioned.
“She’ll be a President revered by world leaders, as a result of she already is,” Biden added. “She’ll be a President we will all be pleased with, and she or he might be a historic President who places her stamp on America’s future.”
He advised supporters that he would be the “finest volunteer” for her marketing campaign and urged voters to indicate up on Election Day. “Like a lot of our greatest Presidents, she was additionally vp,” he mentioned, an implicit nod to his personal background as a former vp.
Biden additionally used a part of his speech to highlight among the points Harris and her operating mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are championing, together with their marketing campaign’s recently-revealed financial coverage agenda: “Kamala and Tim will proceed to tackle company greed and convey down the price of meals,” he mentioned, in reference to her plan to cross a first-ever federal ban on value gouging.
“They’ll make housing extra reasonably priced by constructing 3 million new properties, offering $25,000 down fee help for the first-time homebuyer,” Biden added.
Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff joined Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on stage after he concluded his speech. Harris may very well be seen saying “I like you” whereas hugging the President.
Biden bids farewell and says he’s not indignant at Democrats who referred to as for his exit
A big portion of Biden’s speech was used to listing his Administration’s achievements, corresponding to bringing the nation again from the COVID-19 pandemic, making historic investments in infrastructure, creating thousands and thousands of jobs, and reducing prescription drug costs. But he additionally devoted time to mark a wistful bookend to his nationwide political profession, which started in 1972, when he got here into the highlight as a youthful and energetic 29-year-old operating for the Senate.
Biden boasts a prolonged political report: He was elected to the Senate at simply 29, ran for the Democratic nomination for President twice earlier than becoming a member of Barack Obama’s historic ticket as operating mate in 2008—serving two phrases as vp throughout which he used his expertise to assist usher by means of offers with Congress—and was lastly elected President in 2020. “Nowhere else on this planet may a child with a stutter and modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Delaware develop as much as sit behind the desk within the Oval Office,” he mentioned.
He touted his Administration’s legislative wins and mentioned that Harris and Walz “perceive that this nation should proceed to be a spot of potentialities, not only for the few of us, however for all of us.” Biden additionally recounted his dedication to “rebuild the spine of America—the center class” and mentioned that the payments he handed “did extra for pink states than blue.”
“I made a whole lot of errors in my profession, however I gave my finest to you. For 50 years, like a lot of you, I’ve given my coronary heart and soul to our nation, and I’ve been blessed one million instances in return with the assist of the American folks,” Biden mentioned. “I keep in mind being too younger to be within the Senate as a result of I wasn’t 30 but, and too previous to remain as President. But I hope you understand how grateful I’m to all of you.”
Biden additionally addressed the elephant within the room, telling the conference crowd that he harbors no unwell will in direction of the Democrats who publicly and privately urged him to drop out of the 2024 race.
“All this discuss how I’m indignant in any respect the individuals who mentioned I ought to step down—that’s not true,” Biden mentioned, as the gang chanted “We love Joe.”
“I like my nation extra, and we have to protect our democracy,” he mentioned.
Biden acknowledges anti-war protesters ‘have a degree’
Biden used a part of his speech to deal with the Israel-Hamas warfare, which has been a reason behind division inside the Democratic Party, saying that protesters calling for an finish to the violence in opposition to Palestinians “have a degree.”
“We’re working across the clock, my Secretary of State, to stop a wider warfare and reunite hostages with their households and surge humanitarian well being and meals help into Gaza now,” Biden mentioned. “To finish the civilian struggling of the Palestinian folks and at last, lastly ship a ceasefire and finish this warfare.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned Monday that Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge variations in ceasefire and hostage launch negotiations, and referred to as for Hamas to just accept the phrases. Anti-war protests have taken place throughout the nation, together with outdoors the conference in Chicago, as demonstrators hope to stress the Biden Administration and Democratic Party to cease supporting Israel.
“Those protesters out on the street, they’ve a degree, a whole lot of harmless individuals are being killed, each side,” Biden added. Around 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, whereas greater than 1,200 Israelis have been killed since Oct. 7 final yr, in response to estimates from the United Nations.
Biden takes purpose at Trump and urges supporters to get out and vote
Biden made a number of references to Trump all through his speech, calling the Republican nominee whom he beat in 2020 a “loser” who “put himself first and America final.” Biden took specific purpose at Trump’s frequent assertion that the U.S. is a rustic in decline: “He says we’re shedding. He’s a loser. He’s dead mistaken.”
“All of us carry a particular obligation,” Biden mentioned, addressing not simply Democrats however Americans of all political stripes. “We saved democracy in 2020 and now we should reserve it once more in 2024,” he added, urging folks to vote for Harris with a purpose to stop a second time period underneath Trump.
“We’re in a battle for the very soul of America,” Biden mentioned, echoing his marketing campaign chorus from 2020. “America’s future is in your palms.”
