Biden says ‘I gave my all’: Democratic national convention’s first night recapped
Joe Biden passed the torch to Kamala Harris as the Democratic national convention ended the first of its four nights in Chicago.
Here’s a look back at what happened this evening:
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Biden told the convention that “democracy has prevailed” and recounted his accomplishments, while also saying that Harris and Tim Walz would carry on his work.
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As he closed his speech, Biden said he had dedicated himself to serving the US, and had never felt more optimistic about the country’s future. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you for 50 years. Like many of you, I gave my heart and soul to our nation.”
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Harris briefly spoke from the convention stage, telling attendees it was “going to be a great week” and thanking Biden for his leadership.
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Hillary Clinton gave Harris her endorsement, saying the vice-president “has the character, experience, and vision to lead us forward”.
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Pro-Palestine demonstrations brought thousands to the streets outside the United Center, where the convention was being held. Part of the protest grew violent, with demonstrators breaking through the outer security fencing, but not getting near the convention, Chicago police said. At least two arrests were made.
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Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor who is Harris’s running mate, appeared in the convention hall, but did not give a speech.
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The president said pro-Palestinian protesters “had a point”, while reaffirming his support for a ceasefire in Gaza. Some demonstrators interrupted his speech, though it was not clear that he noticed.
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Residents of red states told of the damage done by Republican-supported restrictions on abortion, which is a key campaign issue for Democrats.
Key events
Ed Pilkington
More now on Hilary Clinton’s speech: Clinton compared Trump’s record as a convicted felon with Harris’s as a former prosecutor. “As a prosecutor, Kamala locked up murders and drug traffickers. Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial.”
At that moment the thousands of Democratic delegates amassed on the DNC floor spontaneously burst into chants of “Lock him up! Lock him up!”. It was an ironic echo of the chant that was repeatedly directed against Clinton by Trump supporters, with his blessing, in 2016.
Clinton, with the diplomacy behoving a former secretary of state, made no comment. But the way she nodded her head in synch to the chants spoke volumes.
Clinton made little effort to hide that for her the hope of pushing Harris into the White House as the first female US president was profoundly personal. “We are so close to breaking through once and for all,” she said, conjuring up the image of Harris raising her hand “on the other side of that glass ceiling” to take the presidential oath of office.
“This is our time America. This is when we stand up, this is when we break through.”
The pool report note that speaker emeritus, Nancy Pelosi, “waved a ‘we heart Joe’ sign when Potus came out on stage”.
Pelosi recently said she had “never been that impressed” with Joe Biden’s “political operation” discussing a judgment that helped her conclude the president could not beat Donald Trump and should step aside.
Speaking to the New Yorker, she said she hoped her role in ending Biden’s presidency would not destroy her relationship with a man three years younger but elected as a senator in 1972, 14 years before Pelosi won her seat in the House.
“I hope so,” she said. “I pray so. I cry so.”
Here is some of the behind the scenes pool report of Biden’s speech:
Flotus watched Posus’ speech from the convention floor with the Biden grandchildren. The family moved backstage toward the end of his remarks.
She came out after his remarks to give him a kiss. Then Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff came out. Hugs were exchanged.
The Biden family was next: Hunter and Melissa led out Baby Beau, holding his hands. Finnegan, Maisy, Naomi and Peter, Natalie and Little Hunter, Ashley and Howard were all on stage.
Ashley danced around the stage. Harris bent down to talk to Baby Beau. Baby Beau gave lots of waves. Potus then took Baby Beau’s hand to walk with him off stage.
Poolers could see Hunter Biden backstage with Potus, standing near the stage door where Potus came out onto stage, while Potus was speaking.
Pro-Palestinian protesters were removed after unfurling a banner during Potus remarks. It appeared to read “Stop Arming Israel.” They appeared to be near Florida delegation.
Ed Pilkington
Hillary Clinton gave one of the most powerful speeches of her career in politics on Monday as she implored American voters finally to crack the “highest, hardest glass ceiling” that had eluded her so bitterly eight years ago.
In a rousing 15-minute speech at the Democratic national convention in Chicago, Clinton returned to the theme that she intended to invoke in a victory speech on election night, 8 November 2016. That speech was never delivered, the glass ceiling standing firm in the wake of her shock defeat to Donald Trump.
But what she had failed to attain was within the grasp of Kamala Harris, only the second woman to be nominated at the top of a major party presidential ticket.
And the man who had derided and humiliated Clinton on the campaign trail back in 2016, mocking her as “Crooked” and “Lyin’ Hillary”, was now on the defensive. “We have him on the run now,” Clinton said.
Reveling in the chance to turn the tables on Trump, Clinton drew a parallel between the slights she endured at the hands of the Republican candidate in 2016 and the insults he continues to hurl at Harris in 2024. “It is no surprise that he is lying about Kamala’s record, he is mocking her name and her laugh. Sounds familiar?”
Biden’s speech was energetic, and welcomed by sustained applause. He was emotional, at one point wiping away tears, and it had the tone –as expected – of a farewell. It is likely to be one of a handful of major speeches Biden will make during the remainder of his presidency.
It is almost a month to the day that he dropped out of the race.
He made reference to the decision, and his age, which was a factor behind it, saying, “I’ve been too young to be in the Senate, because I wasn’t 30 yet, and too old to stay as president. But I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you. I can honestly say, and I mean this in the bottom, giving my word as a Biden, I can honestly say I’m more optimistic about the future than I was when I was elected as a 29-year-old United States senator.”
When Harris hugged Biden after that speech, she appears to have said “I love you”:
Vice President Harris embraces President Biden at the end of his speech.
You can see her say to him, “I love you.”
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 20, 2024
Hello, this is Helen Sullivan taking over our live US Politics coverage as the first night of the Democratic National Convention wraps up in Chicago.
Biden says ‘I gave my all’: Democratic national convention’s first night recapped
Joe Biden passed the torch to Kamala Harris as the Democratic national convention ended the first of its four nights in Chicago.
Here’s a look back at what happened this evening:
-
Biden told the convention that “democracy has prevailed” and recounted his accomplishments, while also saying that Harris and Tim Walz would carry on his work.
-
As he closed his speech, Biden said he had dedicated himself to serving the US, and had never felt more optimistic about the country’s future. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you for 50 years. Like many of you, I gave my heart and soul to our nation.”
-
Harris briefly spoke from the convention stage, telling attendees it was “going to be a great week” and thanking Biden for his leadership.
-
Hillary Clinton gave Harris her endorsement, saying the vice-president “has the character, experience, and vision to lead us forward”.
-
Pro-Palestine demonstrations brought thousands to the streets outside the United Center, where the convention was being held. Part of the protest grew violent, with demonstrators breaking through the outer security fencing, but not getting near the convention, Chicago police said. At least two arrests were made.
-
Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor who is Harris’s running mate, appeared in the convention hall, but did not give a speech.
-
The president said pro-Palestinian protesters “had a point”, while reaffirming his support for a ceasefire in Gaza. Some demonstrators interrupted his speech, though it was not clear that he noticed.
-
Residents of red states told of the damage done by Republican-supported restrictions on abortion, which is a key campaign issue for Democrats.
Jill Biden came out onstage after Joe Biden ended his address.
She was followed by Kamala Harris, her husband Doug Emhoff and the Biden family, including the president’s daughter Ashley Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden.
The president and vice-president hugged and waved to the crowd, remaining for several minutes before leaving the stage.
Biden says he gave ‘my heart and soul to our nation’ as he passes torch to Harris
As he closed his speech, Joe Biden said he had dedicated himself to serving the United States, and had never felt more optimistic about the country’s future.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you for 50 years. Like many of you, I gave my heart and soul to our nation, and I’ve been blessed a million times in return in the support of the American people,” the president said.
He continued:
I’ve really been too young to be in the Senate, because I wasn’t 30 yet, and too old to stay as president. But I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you. I can honestly say, and I mean this in the bottom, giving my word as a Biden, I can honestly say I’m more optimistic about the future than I was when I was elected as a 29-year-old United States senator.
Biden calls picking Harris as his running mate the ‘best decision’ of his career
Joe Biden said making Kamala Harris his vice-presidential pick was the “best decision” of his five-decade-plus political career.
“Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made … when I became our nominee, and it was the best decision I made my whole career,” the president said.
Biden says ‘Kamala and Tim’ will protect abortion, voting rights
The passing of the torch continued, with Joe Biden telling Democrats that “Kamala and Tim” would continue his work on priorities such as protecting voting rights and abortion access, as well as taxing the megarich.
“Kamala and Tim are going to make them pay their fair share. They’ll protect Social Security, Medicare. Trump wants to cut Social Security, Medicare. Kamala and Tim will protect your freedom … your right to vote, protect your civil rights. And you know, Trump will do everything to ban abortion nationwide. Oh, he will. Kamala and Tim will do everything they possibly can. That’s why you have to elect a Senate and House to restore Roe v Wade,” Biden said.
Biden says Gaza war protesters ‘have a point’, reiterates support for ceasefire to ‘end this war’
Joe Biden addressed the war in Gaza, which became one of the most divisive issues of his presidency after he supported Israel’s invasion of the enclave, while pushing for a ceasefire between the warring parties.
The president reiterated that he would continue working towards an elusive deal, and showed sympathy with the pro-Palestinian protesters who have accused him of abetting genocide by supplying Israel with military equipment.
“A few days ago, I put forward a proposal that brought us closer to [a ceasefire] than we’ve been since October 7,” Biden said. “We’re working around the clock, my secretary of state, [to] prevent a wider war, reunite hostages with their families and surge humanitarian, health and food assistance into Gaza now to end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally, finally, finally, deliver a ceasefire and,” as he pounded his fist on the podium, “end this war!”
He then addressed the protesters who have denounced him in demonstrations nationwide over the past 10 months, including right outside the convention in Chicago: “Those protesters out in the street, they have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides.”
Pro-Palestine protesters interrupt Biden speech
Rachel Leingang
A few anti-war protesters unfurled a banner that said “Stop Arming Israel” when Joe Biden was speaking.
The move did not go over well with Democrats nearby, some of whom hit the demonstrators with their “We love Joe” signs and tried to rip the banner away from them, video of the incident posted by reporters showed:
Audience members at the DNC in Chicago unfurl banner that says “Stop arming Israel.”
After audience sees the banner, they begin chanting “We love Joe.”
Man tries to rip banner away.
Stadium lights over this spot then dimmed and banner was ripped away. pic.twitter.com/3RfK1aUSV4
— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) August 20, 2024
It wasn’t clear if the president noticed the disruption.
Biden once again deployed a line that both trumpeted his own achievements and subtly passed the torch to Kamala Harris.
The president was talking about how violent crime has been declining nationally, then segued into complimenting Harris and attacking Donald Trump’s recent criminal conviction.
“The murder rate is falling faster than at any time in history,” Biden said. “Violent crime has dropped to the lowest level of more than 50 years, and crime will keep coming down when we put a prosecutor in the Oval Office instead of a convicted felon.”
We can watch the teleprompter from our perch in the United Center, and can see Biden is going off script occasionally.
In one case, it was to make light of his age. “I know more foreign leaders by their first names and know them well than anybody alive, just because I’m so damn old,” the president said.
Biden again brands Trump a ‘loser’
Joe Biden again attacked Donald Trump as a “loser” for characterizing the United States as a nation in decline.
“Donald Trump calls America a failing nation,” Biden said. “When he talks about America being a failing nation, he says, we’re losing. He’s the loser. He’s dead wrong.”
Biden appears emotional after daughter Ashley introduces him
Here’s an image of the emotional moment when Joe Biden took to the stage at the convention after his daughter, Ashley, introduced him:
The president gave heartfelt remarks about his children and his wife, Jill Biden, to kick off his speech. He also appeared to get emotional as the crowd repeatedly interrupted his remarks with lengthy “we love Joe” and “thank you, Joe” chants.
This is a historic speech for Biden, but he’s not necessarily debuting new lines.
Rather, he’s using oldies-but-goodies, such as: “Wall Street didn’t build America, the middle class built America, and unions, unions built the middle class.”