ReutersThis is not the speech Joe Biden wanted to give. At least, in this case, not this year.
But if anyone knows how quickly fortunes can change, it’s the president — whose personal and professional life has been scarred by tragedy and adversity.
In front of a packed house in Chicago on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Mr. Biden launched into a full-throated defense of his presidency — touching on many of the themes he campaigned on in 2020 and again before abandoning his bid this year. A few weeks after the performance, the campaign began in mid-July.
“Like so many of you, I gave my heart and soul to this country,” he said toward the end of his nearly hour-long speech, which was punctuated by shouts of “Thank you, Joe.” .
Biden was introduced to the stage by his daughter Ashley and wife Jill, who told the audience she “saw him look deep into his soul” when he decided to drop out of the presidential race.
After hugging Ashley, he covered his eyes with tissues to wipe away tears.
The president struck a chord, standing straighter at the podium and flashing a toothy smile as the crowd continued to cheer.
His speech focused on his place in history, but he spent much of his time praising his vice president — the woman he hopes will succeed him in the White House.
“Choosing Kamala was the first decision I made as a nominee and the best decision I’ve made in my entire career,” he said. “She is strong, experienced and has great integrity.”
Reuters Unlike his Oval Office speech four weeks ago, Biden did not directly talk about passing the torch to a new generation, but the message was clear enough. After the president finished speaking, Ms. Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, came out to hug Mr. Biden and his wife, Jill.
“I love you,” the vice president said to Mr. Biden after the hug.
While Mr. Biden spent much of the end of his speech focusing on Ms. Harris — a tacit admission that her run against Donald Trump in the November vote could determine how history and his party remember him. , may also make or break — but many speakers earlier in the evening made that point as they paid tribute to the current resident of the White House.
Ms. Harris herself, who made a planned but unannounced appearance, took the stage to thunderous applause.
“Jo, thank you for your historic leadership, your lifetime of service to our country, and all you continue to do,” she said. “We are forever grateful to you.”
Later, it was Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, one of Biden’s closest allies, who took his turn to sing the president’s praises.
“I’ve never met a more compassionate person than Joe Biden,” he said. “I have never seen a person recover from his own loss and his own faith and contribute so much to the future of so many people.”
Hillary Clinton also paid her respects when she took the stage earlier in the evening, telling the crowd that Biden “brought dignity, decency and competence back to the White House.”
The 2016 Democratic nominee received a round of applause, noting that while she didn’t break “the highest, hardest glass ceiling” by becoming the first female president, “on the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala “Harris is sworn in.”
Mr. Biden’s reception in the packed Democratic chamber was equally exciting. Chicago Democrats were in high spirits all day. But cheers for the president can serve as both an expression of gratitude for his grudging resignation and a tribute to his storied political career, which began when he was first elected to Congress in 1972 at the age of 29.
Tomorrow, Barack Obama will address the convention crowd. On Wednesday, it will be Bill Clinton’s turn. Both are former presidents who ran for and won re-election.
Mr. Biden will not have that opportunity. Instead, he defined and defended his legacy as a one-term president in a speech that, barring major national events in the next five months, will be his last to a vast American television audience.
Near the end of his speech, he quoted a line from the song “The American National Anthem.”
“When my days are over, please let me know in my heart that America, America, I gave you the best,” he said.
Another round of applause erupted from the crowd.
Eight years ago, Biden abandoned his presidential bid and backed Clinton after some not-so-subtle pressure from Obama. He won the nomination four years ago, but the coronavirus pandemic denied him the chance to enjoy the celebrations of a packed Democratic chamber and post-speech balloon drops.
Well, this will be the closest Mr. Biden will be in the spotlight to the Democratic National Convention.
After his speech, just after midnight on the East Coast, the president left the stage and headed to Air Force One to fly to California for his vacation. His time in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention was measured in hours, not days. Despite his desire to do so months ago, his remaining time as president will be measured in months, not years.
