CHICAGO (WLS) — A rousing, nearly hour-long speech from President Joe Biden capped off the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which saw the party looking forward to its new nominee, Kamala Harris.
After 52 years rising to the pinnacle of influence within his party, Biden, 81, received a hero’s welcome for the act of stepping aside for Harris, weeks after many in his party were pressuring him to drop his bid for reelection. One month after an unprecedented mid-campaign switch, the opening night of the convention in Chicago was designed to give a graceful exit to the incumbent president and slingshot Harris toward a faceoff with Republican Donald Trump, whose comeback bid for the White House is viewed by Democrats as an existential threat.
A visibly emotional Biden was greeted by a more than four-minute-long ovation and chants of “Thank you Joe.”
“America, I love you,” he replied.
Speaking clearly and energetically, Biden appeared to relish the chance to defend his record, advocate for his vice president and go on the attack against Trump. His delivery was more reminiscent of the Biden who won in 2020 than the mumbling and sometimes incoherent one-time candidate whose debate performance against Trump in June sparked the downfall of his reelection campaign.
Biden, in his remarks, repeated his 2020 theme that “we’re in a battle for the very soul of America,” and pressed the case for why Harris and her running mate Tim Walz were best prepared to wage it.
“Because of you, we’ve had the most extraordinary four years of progress ever, period,” Biden declared. And then he interjected, “I say ‘we,’ I mean me and Kamala,'” sharing the credit for his most popular successes with the vice president to whom he handed over his political operation.
Other speakers during DNC primetime Monday include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Olympic men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr, United Auto Workers Union President Shawn Fain, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
Harris herself made a surprise appearance on stage. Welcome by massive applause, she thanked Biden and said she was feeling optimistic.
“This is going to be a great week. And I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden who will be speaking later tonight. Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you,” she said.
“And looking out, looking out at everyone tonight, I see the beauty of our great nation. People from every corner of our country and every walk of life are here, united by our shared vision for the future of our country,” she continued. “So guided by our love of country, knowing we all have so much more in common than what separates us, let us fight for the ideals we hold dear, and let us always remember when we fight, we win.”
The night will be capped by a keynote address from President Joe Biden himself, who stepped aside from the 2024 race a month ago to make way for the Harris-Walz ticket.
Clinton saluted Harris for her chance to break the “highest, hardest glass ceiling.” She walked out to an ovation lasting several minutes, and in her speech referenced Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first woman to ever run for president in 1972, and Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman nominated to be vice president in 1984. She also spoke of her own candidacy in 2016, even though she lost to Donald Trump.
“And afterwards, we refused to give up on America. Millions marched. Many ran for office. We kept our eyes on the future. Well, my friends, the future is here. I wish my mother and Kamala’s mother could see us. They would say, ‘keep going.’ Shirley and Gerry would say, ‘keep going,'” she said.
“Be proud champions for the truth and for the country that we all love. I want – I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to know I was here at this moment, that we were here, and that we were with Kamala Harris every step of the way,” she said in conclusion. “This is our time, America. This is when we stand up. This is when we break through. The future is here. It’s in our grasp. Let’s go win it.”
Kerr called the audience to action, invoking his team’s gold medal performance in Paris.
“Think about what our team achieved with 12 Americans in Paris, putting aside rivalries to represent our country,” he said. “ow imagine what we could do with all 330 million of us playing on the same team. Not as – not as Democrats, not as Republicans, not as Libertarians, but as Americans. Who know the greatness of this nation doesn’t come from any one of us, but from each of us doing our part to build a more perfect union. That vision is what this campaign is all about.”
Fain tailored his message to the working class and union members, highlighting Biden’s historic choice to stand with the UAW on the picket line in 2023.
“On one side, we have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the working class. On the other side, we have Trump and Vance. Two lap dogs for the billionaire class, who only serve themselves. So, for us in the labor movement, it’s real simple. Kamala Harris is one of us,” he said.
Ocasio-Cortez shored up Harris and Walz’ progressive bona fides, and thanked Biden “for his leadership.”
“I am here tonight because America has before us a rare and precious opportunity. In Kamala Harris, we have a chance to elect a president who is for the middle class because she is from the middle class,” she said. “She understands the urgency of rent checks and groceries and prescriptions. She is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to taking on corporate greed.”
The other speakers paid tribute to President Biden, thanking him for his career in public service and his accomplishments as president even as they built excitement for this year’s candidate.
“We’re going to give him all the flowers. We’re going to talk about the fact that he’s probably the greatest labor president, the greatest renewal president, we’ve had, and we’re going to continue to support him,” said U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois)
Monday’s theme is “For the People.” Delegates are also set to vote on the 2024 Democratic party platform Monday evening.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have fought tirelessly for the American middle class to reduce costs, and his trusted vice president, Kamala Harris, is the right person to carry forward that fight, and this week is about celebrating what it means to be ‘for the people,'” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware).
“Joe Biden showed this country what real leadership looks like. It’s about getting things done for the American people. Results, progress doing the right thing simply because it’s the right thing. And now Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have united our party around their vision to lead us into the future,” said Cedric Richmond, Harris-Walz campaign co-chair.
Enthusiasm high as Democratic Convention kicks off
Earlier in the day, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker took on the role of lead party cheerleader at the Illinois delegation breakfast Monday morning, but Democrats started their day with enthusiasm to spare.
“Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris, the first woman president of the United States? Barack gave us hope. Kamala is going to move us forward,” said Illinois House Speaker Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-IL 7th District).
Party leaders reveled in the momentum they feel behind the vice president going into the convention and looking down the road to November.
“I think what’s important to know is the vice president had three tasks: unite the party, fire up the base, reverse the polls. We sense that has all been checked off. Now we take that enthusiasm and try to expand on it,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago).
Vice Presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz praised President Joe Biden at the Congressional Black Caucus meeting and expressed excitement about the party’s future.
“But that’s a man, who all the good decisions he made, one of the first ones he made was he put Kamala Harris at his side to make sure, and then he listened to her and then he passed the torch to her,” Walz said.
The proceedings will be co-chaired by Peggy Flanagan, lieutenant governor of Minnesota. Later primetime programming will be hosted by Tony Goldwyn.
