Joe Biden delivered a speech he hadn’t anticipated giving this year, given the circumstances. However, few understand the rapid shifts in fortune better than this president, whose life and career have been marked by tragedy and challenges.
Addressing a full arena in Chicago on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Biden delivered a robust defense of his presidency. He revisited many of the themes from his 2020 campaign and his recent campaign before he withdrew from the re-election race in mid-July, shortly after a disastrous debate performance.
“Like many of you, I gave my heart and soul to this nation,” he said, towards the end of a nearly hour-long address punctuated by raucous shouts of “Thank you, Joe”.
Mr Biden had walked out onto the stage after being introduced by his daughter Ashley and wife, Jill, who told the audience she “saw him dig deep into his soul” when he decided to exit the presidential race.
After hugging Ashley, he put a tissue to his eyes to dab away the tears.
The president touched his heart, and stood a little straighter at the lectern, flashing a toothy smile as the crowd continued to cheer.
His speech had a keen eye on his place in history but he spent time singing the praises of his vice-president – the woman he hopes will succeed him in the White House.
“Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made when I became our nominee and it’s the best decision I made my whole career,” he said. “She’s tough, she’s experienced, and she has enormous integrity.”
Unlike his Oval Office address four weeks ago, Mr Biden did not speak directly of passing the torch to a new generation – but the message was clear enough. After the president concluded his remarks, Ms Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff came out to embrace Mr Biden and his wife, Jill.
“I love you,” the vice-president mouthed to Mr Biden after their hug.
While Mr Biden spent much of the end of his speech focusing on Ms Harris – a tacit acknowledgment that how she fares against Donald Trump in November’s vote could make or break how history, and his party, remembers him – many of the evening’s earlier speakers directed their tributes to the current White House resident.
It started with a planned – but unannounced – appearance by Ms Harris herself, who took the stage to thunderous applause.
“Joe, thank you for your historic leadership and for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you continue to do,” she said. “We are forever grateful to you.”
Later, Delaware Senator Chris Coons – one of Mr Biden’s closest allies – took his turn singing the president’s praises.
“I’ve never known a more compassionate man than Joe Biden,” he said. “I’ve never known a man who has taken from his own loss and his own faith and delivered so much for the future of so many others.”
Hillary Clinton offered her own tribute when she appeared on stage earlier in the evening, telling the crowd that Mr Biden had “brought dignity, decency and competence back to the White House”.
The 2016 Democratic nominee received an extended ovation, and she noted that while she did not break the “highest, hardest glass ceiling” by becoming the first woman president, “on the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris taking the oath of office”.
The reception Mr Biden received from the packed Democratic convention hall was equally electric. The Democrats here in Chicago have been jubilant all day. But the cheers for the president could be as much a sign of gratitude for his grudging decision to step aside as it was a tribute to a storied political career that began in 1972 when he was first elected to Congress at the age of 29.
Tomorrow, Barack Obama will address the convention crowd. On Wednesday, Bill Clinton will have his turn. Both are former presidents who stood for – and won – re-election.
Mr Biden will not have that opportunity.
Instead, he was left to define and defend his legacy as a one-term president in a speech that, barring a major national event in the next five months, will be his final address to a massive American television audience.
Toward the end of the speech, he quoted a line from a song, American Anthem.
“Let me know in my heart when my days are through, that America, America, I gave my best to you,” he said.
The crowd erupted in another round of applause.
Eight years ago, Mr Biden passed up a presidential bid in favour of Mrs Clinton – under some not so subtle pressure from Mr Obama. Four years ago, he won the nomination, but the Covid pandemic denied him an opportunity to bask in adulation of a packed Democratic convention hall and the celebratory post-speech balloon drop.
