Biden in late-night farewell: "I gave my best to you"
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U.S. second gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris, President Biden and first lady Jill Biden during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Ill. on Aug. 19. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A fiery President Biden delivered an impassioned defense of democracy at the DNC on Monday as he cast November's presidential election as an existential fight for the future of the country.
Why it matters: The 81-year-old president's speech ran past midnight Eastern time as the DNC was behind schedule. Biden passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris and said the fight against Trumpism is far from finished.
- "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."
Driving the news: Biden wiped away tears as he was greeted by a minutes-long standing ovation by the crowd that chanted "we love Joe" as he entered the stage. Asked about this later, Biden told pool reporters: "The reception was pretty overwhelming."
- His speech mixed touting his administration's legislative accomplishments, while delivering sharp criticisms of former President Trump, calling him a "liar" and a "loser."
- Biden reflected on his political career. "I made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you," Biden said to the nation.
- "For 50 years, like many of you, I've given my heart and soul to our nation and I've been blessed, a million times in return, with the support of the American people."
Zoom in: Biden said that selecting Harris as his running mate was the "best decision" he's made in his political career. He vowed to be the "best" campaign "volunteer" Harris and vice presidential running-mate Tim Walz "have ever seen."
- He added that "MAGA Republicans found out the power of women in 2022 and Trump "is going to find out the power of women in 2024."
The big picture: The president was introduced by his daughter, Ashley Biden, and first lady Jill Biden.
- "This is the fight of our lifetime," Ashley Biden said as she introduced her father, urging voters to fight for Harris.
- Biden said his daughter's introduction was the highlight of his night, according to a pool reporter early Tuesday.
Between the lines: Biden's speech, slated for primetime, began just before 11:30pm ET on Monday.
- "Because of the raucous applause interrupting speaker after speaker, we ultimately skipped elements of our program to ensure we could get to President Biden as quickly as possible so that he could speak directly to the American people," convention officials said in a statement.
Zoom out: Harris earlier on Monday made a surprise appearance on stage.
- "Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to this nation," Harris said. "We are forever grateful to you."
State of play: Biden's speech was a symbolic moment for the party.
- Biden for weeks resisted the pressure until the calls, including from top Democratic Party officials, became untenable, and he announced on July 21 that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing Harris.
- Since Harris' entry into the race, the Democratic Party has been riding a new wave of momentum that they hope to carry beyond the convention.
Go deeper: Behind the Curtain: Biden's bitter, sweet exit
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
