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CHICAGO – On night one of the convention, President Joe Biden was met with a nearly five-minute standing ovation as he took to the stage to highlight his historic record and make the case for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz. After an emotional welcome from his daughter, Ashley Biden, President Biden endorsed the Harris-Walz vision for building a brighter future and spoke of the stakes of this election.
President Biden pointed to the historic accomplishments he and Vice President Harris have achieved together: successfully overcoming a once in a century pandemic, transforming an economy that was flat on its back to the strongest economy in the world, defending democracy at home and abroad, and restoring decency and dignity to the White House.
Throughout the Democratic National Convention, Democrats will continue to celebrate President Biden’s legacy, rally around our nominees, and chart a path forward.
In Print:
For roughly three and a half minutes the crowd welcomed Biden with a sustained ovation. His attempts to speak were repeatedly drowned out by cheers and chants of “thank you, Joe.”
Many in the crowd, Biden included, were brought to tears.
After reiterating his support for the new Democratic ticket, Biden took ample time to reflect, chiefly on his accomplishments since ousting Trump.
“With a grateful heart, I stand before you now, on this August night, to report that democracy has prevailed,” Biden said. “Democracy has delivered, and now democracy must be preserved.”
The New Yorker: Proud and Impassioned, Joe Biden Passes the Torch at the D.N.C.
Onstage, Biden insisted that his speech was not a goodbye. “I’ve got five months left in my Presidency,” he said. “I’ve got a lot to do.” But as a personal and political matter it signified the end of Biden’s quest, reaching back more than five decades.
The speech that followed was a valedictory, mapping the arc that he hopes will form the center of his legacy, the story of America passing from a moment of national peril to one of possibility. He conjured the depths of the pandemic, and the horror of January 6th: “I stand before you now on this August night to report that democracy has prevailed.” He spoke of legislative gains—on drug prices, climate change, gun control, infrastructure—that will endure beyond the careers of the politicians who achieved them.
President Joe Biden delivered a forceful and emotional speech to close out night one of the Democratic National Convention. Whatever anger he might have had toward fellow Democrats, he channeled all of it toward Donald Trump.
“I love the job, but I love my country more,” Biden said. “All this talk about how I’m angry at all those people who said I should step down. That’s not true.”
“Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made when I became the nominee, and it was the best decision I made my whole career,” he said, the crowd again erupting into “thank you, Joe” chants.
He responded, “Thank you, Kamala.” He said Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, would carry forward the progress of his first term.
“Join me in promising your whole heart to this effort,” he said.
“Democracy has prevailed, democracy has delivered and democracy must be preserved,” the president declared, speaking with a booming voice that echoed throughout the Chicago arena where Democrats gathered to nominate Ms. Harris in his place.
Mr. Biden took the stage at the convention after an emotional introduction by Ashley Biden, his daughter, who described him as “the OG girl dad.” The president wiped tears from his eyes as he approached the lectern.
President Biden took the stage to chants of "Thank you, Joe" after an emotional introduction by his daughter, Ashley Biden. He ended his remarks by quoting from the song "American Anthem" by Gene Scheer: "Let me know in my heart when my days are through, America, America. I gave my best to you."
"I believed then and I believe now that progress was and is possible," Mr. Biden said. "Justice is achievable. And our best days are not behind us — they're before us. Now, it's summer. The winter has passed. And with a grateful heart, I stand before you now on this August night to report that democracy has prevailed. Democracy has delivered. And now, democracy must be preserved."
Mr. Biden celebrated the accomplishments of his presidency, ticking off a list — 60 million new jobs, a record high stock market, bringing inflation down, the smallest racial wealth gap in 20 years and getting health insurance coverage for more Americans than ever.
The president said Harris and Walz understand this nation must continue to be a place of possibilities, not just for the few, but for all, and Democrats need to ensure they win.
"I promise I'll be the best volunteer Harris and Walz's campaign have ever seen," the president said.
“As your President, I’ve been determined to keep America moving forward, not going back,” Biden said. “To stand against hate and violence and all its forms. To be a nation where we not only live with but thrive on diversity, demonizing no one, leaving no one behind, and becoming a nation that we profess to be.”
“She’ll be a President respected by world leaders because she already is,” Biden added. “She’ll be a President we can all be proud of. And she will be an historic President who puts her stamp on America’s future.”
Biden also used part of his speech to spotlight some of the issues Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are championing, including their campaign’s recently-revealed economic policy agenda: “Kamala and Tim will continue to take on corporate greed and bring down cost of food,” he said, in reference to her plan to pass a first-ever federal ban on price gouging.
On the Airwaves:
WATCH: NBC NEWS
“President Biden's remarks, a swan song of sorts, running well into the early morning hours with many Democrats leaving here perhaps exhausted but certainly exhilarated after showering the outgoing president with love.”
“President Biden delivering a rousing endorsement of his vice president…Praising Harris as she tries to make history as America's first woman president.”
WATCH: Good Morning America
“In many ways this was his swan song: the president touting and defending his record, making a forceful case for Kamala Harris to carry his legacy forward.”
“The president, ticking through his accomplishments, arguing it's Harris, not him, who is best suited to finish the job.”
WATCH: CBS NEWS
“President Joe Biden got a standing ovation as he took the stage to honor his candidate for president.”
On Social:
@KamalaHarris: We love you, Joe.
@BarackObama: What I admire most about Joe is his decency, his resilience, and his unshakable belief in the promise of our country. Over the last four years, those are the values America has needed most. I am proud to call him my president, and I’m so grateful to call him my friend.
@PeteButtigieg: Thank you, @JoeBiden, for always putting our country first.
@Tim_Walz: What an incredible first night of the Democratic National Convention. The energy here is electric. All I have to say is: Thank you, Joe.
@KamalaHQ: Ashley Biden: Joe Biden is the OG girl dad. He told me I could do anything. And he wasn't just a girl dad. I could see that he valued and trusted women
@TheDemocrats: People attending the Democratic National Convention in Chicago have a message for President @JoeBiden.
Thank you.
@Morning_Joe: "[Biden] may not have had as long a presidency as he wanted to have. But I don't think he will have any better of a presidency than he has had." @RepJamesClyburn on Joe Biden's presidential legacy
@InsideWithPsaki: Presidential historian @BeschlossDC on Joe Biden’s convention speech: “Those words, ‘America, America, I gave my best to you,’ I can recite them verbatim and will for years. This is someone America was lucky to have as president.”
@BenLaBolt: New Yorker: “Proud and Impassioned, Joe Biden Passes the Torch at the D.N.C. In a valedictory speech in Chicago, the President mapped his legacy and asked to be remembered as a man who pulled the country from the maw of tragedy.” @eosnos
@RBReich: "Wall Street didn't build America. The middle class built America. And unions built the middle class." President Biden is right.
@robreiner: Joe Biden will go down as one of the most consequential Presidents in American history. We love you Joe. Thanks for your extraordinary service to our country.
@cspan: President Biden: "I made a lot of my mistake in my career, but I gave my best to you. For 50 years...I give my heart and my soul to our nation...I was too young to be in the Senate...and too old to stay as president. I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you." #DNC
@JBPritzker: Thank you, @JoeBiden
@timkaine: I want to celebrate President @JoeBiden for his lifetime of public service. As President, he's put Americans first — passing historic legislation to rebuild our economy and infrastructure, creating 15+ million jobs, and cutting costs for families. I'm proud to call him a friend.
@iamwesmoore: Thank you, @JoeBiden —Maryland is so thankful for your leadership. Because of you, we are a better state, and country.
@ChrisCoonsforDE: The kid from Claymont with a stutter, made president by a nation of possibility. Thank you, Joe.
@TinaSmithMN: Joe Biden put us on a path towards a better future — and it’s bright
Minnesota says thank you, Mr. President!
@GinaRaimondo: President Biden took office in one of our darkest moments and ushered in a brighter tomorrow. We are forever better as a nation because of his service.
@MiaTretta: Thank you @JoeBiden/@POTUS. I will never forget what you did for gun violence survivors like me. Strongest gun safety champion ever to hold office! You are our hero! “I love my country more”#ClassAct #ThanksJoe #DNC #DemConvention2024 #GVP #KamalaHarris2024 #possibilities
@Victorshi2020: Speechless. Never seen anything like this before. 4+ minute thunderous standing ovation from the audience and deafening chants of, “WE LOVE JOE” & “THANK YOU, JOE” from the audience. WE LOVE JOE.
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