President Joe Biden called for party unification Monday on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The president was emotional as he was recognized by the party and the thousands of delegates in the room with a standing ovation and chants of “Thank you, Joe.”
“With a grateful heart, I stand before you now, on this August night, to report that democracy has prevailed,” he said. “Democracy has delivered. And now democracy must be preserved. Each of us has a part in the American story.
“I 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 my soul to the nation.”
He called for the party to unite behind Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced him on the Democratic presidential ticket when he said he would not seek reelection just 29 days earlier.
“America, I love you,” Biden said, with tears in his eyes. “America, let me ask you, are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and America? Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?”
Biden’s speech capped a primetime lineup that included First Lady Jill Biden and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in the final hour with the president; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortiez and NBA basketball coach Steve Kerr in the penultimate hour. The first half of the evening included New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and United Auto Workers Union President Shawn Fain.
Speakers were consistent in hailing Biden’s four years in office. Many also talked of tough times for Americans now, seemingly dismissing the administration’s role.
The evening was long, with Jill Biden not taking the stage for her six minutes until 11:12 p.m. EDT and Joe Biden introduced by daughter Ashley at 11:25. A five-minute ovation followed, and the president then went for 48 minutes until 12:18 a.m. on the East Coast.
Biden was warmly received and cheered throughout. His word stumbles were more minimal than earlier in the summer, and his voice strong, at times near shouting. Supporters showed tearful emotion.
While he called Trump a liar and referenced him several times, Biden was not without false claims.
Among them, Biden gave himself and Harris credit for America having the strongest economy in the world. In actuality, it was 1898 when the U.S. credited itself with the “birth of a superpower” economic label. It has been on top since, save for brief instances, such as Japan moving ahead during the Clinton administration. It is the last country to have a brief stay above the U.S.
Biden misled in saying he and Harris helped get schools back open following COVID-19. Many stayed closed in states with Democratic governors, spurred in part by the American Federation of Teachers union and its president, Randi Weingarten.
He falsely said he authored the PACT Act, a law that expanded Veterans Affairs health care and benefits for those impacted by toxic substances. U.S. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., first introduced it June 17, 2021.
And, Biden falsely said Trump wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare. The former president in Asheville, N.C., last week gave a promise to keep them intact as well as the Affordable Care Act.
“The fight continues and there is still more work to do,” said Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Convention. “Four years ago, we were a country divided by fear.
“Now we are united. We are united in our pursuit of progress.”
In a night that was themed “For the People,” Democratic union and state leaders spent the night attacking Project 2025, “MAGA minions,” and Trump’s handling of COVID-19. The former president was in office less than a year after the pandemic shuttered most of the world on or about March 12, 2020.
“This is our generation’s defining moment,” Fain said. “We need a defender of the working class in the White House. Someone who is one of us and someone who knows how to fight. And that fighter is the next president of the United States, Kamala Harris.”
Many Democrats seemed optimistic for their chances in November.
“Now we are writing a new chapter of America’s story,” said Clinton. “We kept our eyes on the future. Well, my friends, the future is here.”
Harris even made a surprise appearance.
“We are united by the shared vision for the future of our country,” she said. “And this November, we will come together and declare with one voice as one people, we are moving forward.”
Biden said that America is not losing, that Trump “is the loser.”
“The decisions we make now will determine the face of our nation and the world for decades to come,” he said. “We are in a battle for the very soul of our nation.”
Ignoring polls showing that many Americans are dissatisfied with the state of the nation under his administration, Biden said he stands by his four years.
“Because of you, we’ve had one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever,” Biden said. “When I say we, I mean Kamala and me.”
He promised he believes this success will continue under a Harris administration.
“We both know we have more to do, but we are moving in the right direction,” Biden said. “We are improving our quality of life and we are building a better America.”
Biden briefly addressed the pro-Palestine demonstrators gathering to protest the DNC, saying they “have a point.”
He added that he is not angry at Democrats for telling him to step down.
“I love the job, but I love my country more,” he said. “We need to preserve our democracy.”
Biden said that the future of America is in voters’ hands.
“We saved democracy in 2020 and now we must save it again in 2024.”
On Tuesday night, former First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama will headline, followed by Walz on Wednesday night and Harris on Thursday night.
