(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden delivered an emotional and bittersweet call for Democrats to rally behind Kamala Harris, as his party used the first night of its national convention in Chicago to celebrate his presidency while simultaneously passing the torch to a new generation.
The president’s remarks, stretching late into the night, served as a coda to one of the most tumultuous stretches in presidential history. Biden cast his decision to exit the race less than a month ago — following a calamitous debate performance and intense pressure from party officials — as the natural conclusion of a five-decade political career.
“As your president, I’ve been determined to keep America moving forward, not going back,” Biden said.
The president was at times overwhelmed, dabbing tears from his eyes after an introduction by his daughter and relishing in an extended ovation from the crowd in Chicago. He denied harboring anger at party leaders who pressured him to drop out.
“I love the job but I love my country more,” he said.
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But as he and other speakers championed his legislative record — and role defeating Republican Donald Trump in 2020 — they orchestrated the proceedings to begin highlighting his vice president’s unique strengths.
Biden called selecting Harris as his running mate the “best decision I made in my whole career” and praised her, saying “she’s tough, she’s experienced, and she has enormous integrity.”
“She’ll be a president our children can look up to, she’ll be a president that’s respected by world leaders because she already is. She’ll be a president we can all be proud of, and she will be a historic president who puts her stamp on America’s future,” he added.
Biden quipped, “like many of our best presidents, she was also vice president.”
One of the evening’s most memorable moments was testimony from Americans who told their abortion, pregnancy, and miscarriage stories from the stage of the United Center. The remarks left many in the crowd with tears in their eyes — underscoring the emotional and political weight of a topic that Biden, a lifelong Catholic, has admitted he struggles to talk about.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 34-year-old congresswoman, considered a star among progressives, thanked Biden “for your leadership.”
But she also won one of the biggest applause lines of the night by saying Harris was working to bring a cease-fire in Gaza. While Biden has been an architect of peace talks in the Middle East, his vice president is perceived as more willing to criticize Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza. For progressive Democrats long skeptical of Biden, the subtle difference was worth celebrating.
Still, speakers took care to pay Biden recognition. Harris, in a surprise appearance, launched the primetime portion of the proceedings by vowing “a great week” while hailing Biden as an “incredible president.”
“Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation,” Harris said.
First Lady Jill Biden spoke of her husband digging “deep into his soul and deciding to no longer seek reelection.”
“I’m reminded of all he’s accomplished in the name of something bigger than himself,” she said.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — the only woman, beside Harris, to lead a major party presidential ticket — also heralded the president.
“He brought dignity, decency and confidence back to the White House, and he showed what it means to be a true patriot,” Clinton said.
And Chris Coons, the Delaware senator elected to the seat Biden vacated when he became vice president, spoke personally about his “dear friend” who “has taken from his own loss and his own faith and delivered so much for the future of so many others.”
“On behalf of our Democratic Party, for your loyalty in fighting for our democratic values, we salute you,” Coons said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, speaking to the state’s delegates earlier in the morning, underscored the contradiction at hand.
“We love Joe Biden,” Schumer said, later adding: “And we’re so proud of him for doing the right thing.”
Jim Clyburn, the veteran South Carolina lawmaker who single handedly helped salvage Biden’s 2020 primary campaign, offered a full-throated Harris endorsement, as did Andy Beshear, the Kentucky governor who was among the finalists Harris was vetting in her own running mate search.
Helping in the effort were a group of celebrities designed to draw national attention to the proceedings, emceed by actor Tony Goldwyn. USA Men’s Basketball coach Steve Kerr, who thrilled crowds in the same United Center when he played alongside Michael Jordan on championship-winning Chicago Bulls teams, was among the warmest received.
On the sidelines, sympathetic online influencers were provided a special pavilion and luxury box to promote Harris’ candidacy. Democratic aides brought officials over to a “blue carpet” to be interviewed by the social media stars, who sipped free beer while cutting videos. In the convention hall, some had prepositioned ring lights to capture themselves during some of the more marquee events.
Each of the attendees was tasked with helping the party execute the swap of a widely admired but weakened incumbent for a relatively untested vice president, enliven the party’s younger and minority voters without turning off moderates in critical swing states, and hold off a Republican challenger with a seemingly firm grip on the white working class voters who once reflexively voted for Democrats like Biden.
“I think it’s important to hear about his legacy of leadership and patriotism, and for him to pass the torch to the next generation of leaders,” Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told reporters Monday.
But the awkward end of Biden’s aborted campaign hung in the convention air.
The president and his family flew into Chicago on Monday afternoon from Washington, and were expected to leave town again immediately afterward to set off on vacation. As the night wore on, organizers began editing the convention schedule — with longtime Biden supporter James Taylor’s musical performance hitting the cutting room floor.
Outside the United Center, demonstrators upset about Biden’s support for Israel broke through security barriers and clashed with police.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said she was “very melancholy” about the evening, acknowledging that the convention was unlike previous party gatherings.
“There’s something about hope here that I think will be gripping,” she said.
Some of Biden’s closest allies remain frustrated that he was pressured to leave the race, even though subsequent weeks have shown a surge of support for Harris, seemingly bringing some crucial states back into contention in the fall.
Trump, for his part, has sought to fan the flames of discontent. At a rally in Pennsylvania earlier Monday, the former president predicted that Biden harbored animosity over the ticket switch.
“Joe Biden hates her, OK? Hates her,” Trump said. “This was an overthrow of a president.”
Biden himself projected enthusiasm, laughing and joking with photographers and reporters during a mid-afternoon walk-through of the convention stage. Leaving the stage, the president walked gingerly, pausing for photos, handshakes and hugs from staffers.
Responding to a shouted question about whether he was ready to hand things off to Harris, the president replied, “I am.”
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--With assistance from Shruti Date Singh, Hadriana Lowenkron, Jennifer Epstein, Skylar Woodhouse, Stephanie Lai, Tarso Veloso, Miranda Davis and Elizabeth Campbell.
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