Emotional Joe Biden passes torch to Kamala Harris, ending 5 many years in elected workplace

Norman Ray

World Courant

CHICAGO — In what could also be one of many final main speeches of his decades-long political profession, President Biden handed the reins of the occasion to Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday night time, highlighting the accomplishments of their administration over the previous three and a half years.

Talking earlier than a packed United Area, website of the Democratic Nationwide Conference, the president declared, “America, I gave you one of the best,” as the gang of occasion officers, delegates, activists and supporters repeatedly gave Biden a sustained spherical of applause and chanted “thanks, Joe.”

Biden praised his vp, saying that “choosing Kamala was the very first resolution I made earlier than I grew to become our nominee, and it was one of the best resolution of my total profession.”

“She’s robust, she’s skilled, and he or she has super integrity, super integrity. Her story represents one of the best American story,” the president pressured.

CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS UPDATES FROM THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

U.S. President Joe Biden stands on stage in the course of the first day of the Democratic Nationwide Conference (DNC) on the United Middle in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

And he requested the gang, “Are you able to vote for freedom? Are you able to vote for democracy and for America? Let me ask you, are you able to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, president and vp of america.”

Biden repeatedly took purpose at former President Trump and the threats he noticed the Republican presidential nominee as posing to American democracy and worldwide alliances. And seeking to his vp and her operating mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, he promised to be “one of the best volunteer Harris and Walz have ever seen.”

HARRIS PROPOSES LARGE CORPORATE TAX HIKE TO REVERSE TRUMP-ERA TAX CUTS

Harris and Walz and their wives, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Minnesota First Woman Gwen Walz, stood onstage with the president, First Woman Jill Biden and their households after Biden’s speech in a transparent signal of occasion unity.

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, left, holds her hand within the air with President Joe Biden in the course of the Democratic Nationwide Conference, Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photograph/Jacquelyn Martin) (AP picture/Jacquelyn Martin)

The president’s speech got here 4 weeks and in the future after he dramatically introduced that he would abandon his personal bid for the White Home and help his vp to interchange him on the occasion’s slate of candidates for the 2024 election towards former President Trump.

Biden’s disastrous efficiency towards Trump throughout their late June debate raised questions on whether or not the 81-year-old president is bodily and mentally able to spending one other 4 years within the White Home. There has additionally been rising help inside his personal occasion for ending his marketing campaign in 2024.

Biden ultimately bowed to strain and introduced the suspension of his re-election marketing campaign, three days after the Republican Social gathering conference ended with a strong GOP ticket of Trump and his operating mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.

Biden spoke to an viewers that included many politicians who brazenly urged or privately tried to influence the president to withdraw from the race as his polling started to say no after his debate battle with Trump.

As President Biden speaks on the Democratic Nationwide Conference, indicators studying “We Love Joe” fill the United Area in Chicago, Illinois on August 19, 2024 (Fox Information – Paul Steinhauser)

Since Harris succeeded Biden, the vp has benefited from the vitality he generates, with ballot numbers and fundraising surging, whereas the battle with Trump is as soon as once more a matter of margin of error.

As Harris gained reputation, Trump started to more and more assault Democrats for what he referred to as a “vile STATE ROBBERY” towards Biden.

“The corrupt Joe Biden was instructed, ‘Sorry Joe, you misplaced to Trump, BIG, and you may’t beat him — you’re fired,’” the previous president claimed in a social media submit on Monday.

However Biden needed to make use of his speech to dispel the impression that he was offended concerning the change after all and the abandonment of his candidacy for a second time period within the White Home.

“You see, it has been the dignity of my life to function your president. I like the job, however I like my nation much more,” Biden mentioned. “And all this discuss how offended I’m (at) all these individuals who mentioned I ought to resign — that is not true.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

U.S. President Joe Biden reacts as he takes the stage together with his daughter Ashley in the course of the first day of the Democratic Nationwide Conference (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 19, 2024. (REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid)

Along with his presidency solely 5 months away, the speech was not billed as a farewell tackle, but it surely had one thing of a swan tune in some methods, as he praised the achievements of his administration.

However Biden additionally pointed to the work he nonetheless must do, together with supporting Ukraine in its warfare towards Russia and brokering a ceasefire and hostage launch between Israel and Hamas to finish the lethal warfare in Gaza.

Exterior the safety perimeter across the area, anti-Israel protesters marched all through the day. And contained in the United Middle, a small group of delegates protesting Biden’s dealing with of the warfare briefly held a banner studying “cease arming Israel.” However delegates shortly blocked them with “We Love Joe” indicators and drowned them out.

At one level, Biden, pointing to the rising demise toll, mentioned the “protesters have some extent.”

Minutes earlier than Biden took the stage on the Democratic Nationwide Conference, former Secretary of State, former Senator and former First Woman Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, spoke.

In her speech, Clinton slammed Trump, praised Biden and mentioned Harris “has the character, the expertise and the imaginative and prescient to maneuver us ahead.”

The speeches by Clinton and Biden — the occasion’s two former standard-bearers — symbolized the Democrats’ outdated guard passing the baton to the youthful era.

Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris gestures onstage earlier than talking in the course of the Democratic Nationwide Conference in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Harris, who was briefly stunned to seem on stage earlier within the night, praised her boss.

“I wish to begin by honoring our unimaginable president,” she pressured. “Joe, thanks in your historic management, in your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all that you’ll proceed to do. We’re eternally grateful.”

Get the most recent 2024 marketing campaign updates, unique interviews and extra in our Fox Information Digital Election Middle.

Paul Steinhauser is a political reporter from New Hampshire.

Emotional Joe Biden passes torch to Kamala Harris, ending 5 many years in elected workplace

World Information,Subsequent Large Factor in Public Knowledg

Share This Article
Exit mobile version