A defining moment of Biden’s presidencypublished at 05:32 British Summer Time
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the congress hall
Image source, GettyIn the run-up to the DNC, campaign officials described Biden’s speech as a kind of “passing of the torch” – and that’s exactly what he delivered.
Although he spoke at length about the successes of his own administration, the event largely focused on Harris’ campaign, which Biden hoped to distinguish from Trump’s.
This message was met with open ears. The crowd nodded and clapped as he promised to be the “best volunteer” for the Harris-Walz campaign.
“We have to save democracy in 2020, and we have to save it again in 2024,” he said. “It’s that simple, that serious, and it’s in your hands.”
He ended his speech with a phrase Biden has repeated dozens, if not hundreds, of times over the past few years: that America is “a nation of opportunity” – and implored the crowd to do their part to “keep it that way.”
Biden admitted to making “mistakes” but said he had dedicated “his heart and soul” to the country.
“I want you to know how grateful I am to all of you,” he adds. “I am more optimistic now than I was when I was elected as a 29-year-old senator.”
He ended his speech as he often did: “This is America. There is nothing we can’t do.”
For many in the audience, this will be one of the defining moments of his presidency.
