President Joe Biden officially passed the leadership of the Democratic Party to Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she will be a “historic president.” He described Harris as the best person to protect democracy.
Biden, 81, received a standing ovation when he appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday (19) night. Harris, 59, is set to formally accept the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination on Thursday to challenge Republican rival Donald Trump, 78, in the November 5 election.
“Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris as the President of the United States of America?” Biden asked, to cheers from thousands of Democrats at the convention. He urged Americans to vote and elect his deputy of four years. Biden emphasized that Harris would be a “historic president.”
Thank you, @JoeBiden, for your historic leadership and for all you continue to do.
We are forever grateful. pic.twitter.com/vrQSnBVTWv
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 20, 2024
“I love my job. I love my country more. We need to preserve our democracy. We need you to beat Donald Trump and elect Kamala and Tim as President and Vice President of the United States,” Biden said. He added that Trump would soon understand the power of women in 2024, predicting that Harris would soon serve as the 47th President of the United States.
“We saved democracy in 2020, and we must do it again in 2024,” Biden said, urging Americans to recognize that the future of the country is in their hands. “America, America, I gave my best to you. I made a lot of mistakes in my career. But I gave my best to you,” he continued.
Biden then asked the crowd, “Are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America? And let me ask you: Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Waltz as president and vice president?”
He appeared emotional as he hugged his daughter, Ashley Biden, who introduced him at the convention.
Biden highlighted the importance of the decisions being made now, stating that they would determine the fate of the world and the country. He praised the four years of progress made during his and Harris’s time in office.
Making a strong case for electing Harris, Biden criticized Trump, saying, “Donald Trump promised infrastructure week every week for four years. He never built a damn thing.” Biden emphasized, “Together, we are building a better America,” and listed the key achievements of the Biden-Harris administration.
“You cannot say you love your country only when you win,” Biden said, adding that more Americans have health insurance today than ever before. He also highlighted that after 50 years of fighting, they finally gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, with Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.
“He (Trump) is the loser,” Biden said, attacking Trump. “America is winning. America is prosperous. America is safer today than it was under Donald Trump,” he added, accusing Trump of undermining the strongest border security bill in the country’s history.
