In an emotional farewell, U.S. President Joe Biden passed the torch to Democratic nominee Kamala Harris with a hug on Monday, declaring that he gave everything for his country during a bittersweet speech at the party’s convention in Chicago.
“America, America, I gave my best to you,” the 81-year-old Biden quoted a patriotic hymn in his nearly hour-long address, highlighting his achievements and urging voters to support Harris against Donald Trump in November.
After the speech, Harris joined him on stage for an embrace, as the crowd erupted in applause. This marked Biden’s farewell after his unexpected decision less than a month ago to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
Harris has revitalized the party and closed the polling gap with Republican rival Trump, but Biden expressed no bitterness about stepping aside. Reflecting on the end of his five-decade political career, he emphasized that his decision was driven by a commitment to prevent Trump from returning to the Oval Office.
“I love the job, but I love my country more,” Biden said, dismissing rumors of resentment towards those who suggested he step down. “And all this talk about how I’m angry at all those people who said I should step down—that’s not true.”
Both Biden and Harris appeared emotional as the President received a four-minute standing ovation when he first took the stage, following an introduction by First Lady Jill Biden and his daughter Ashley.
Several audience members were also moved to tears during Biden’s farewell speech, which concluded with the song “Higher Love.”
Earlier, Harris made a surprise appearance—unusual for Democratic nominees on the first day of the convention—to honor Biden. “I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president Joe Biden,” she said, expressing deep gratitude.
Although it was a difficult farewell, Biden promised to be the “best volunteer” for Harris’s campaign, acknowledging that his legacy hinges on her victory over Trump.
Yet, Biden’s speech focused heavily on his own record, listing accomplishments such as economic and healthcare reforms, and most importantly, healing the “soul of America” after Trump’s presidency and the January 6 Capitol riot.
“Donald Trump calls America a failing nation… He says we’re losing. He’s the loser,” Biden remarked, referring to Trump as a “convicted felon” for his legal troubles.
Despite his low approval ratings and the debate performance that led him to step aside, Biden reaffirmed that he had given his all. “I made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you,” he said.
Biden’s farewell was a family affair, with Jill Biden sharing a heartfelt introduction: “Joe and I have been together for almost 50 years. And still, there are moments when I fall in love with him all over again.”
The convention’s first night was charged with emotion on multiple levels. Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016, expressed confidence in Harris breaking the glass ceiling: “Something is happening in America, you can feel it—something we’ve worked for and dreamed of for a long time.”
Meanwhile, protests against Israel’s military offensive in Gaza cast a shadow over the convention’s opening, highlighting a contentious issue for Democrats, particularly among left-wingers and Arab Americans.
In Chicago, pro-Palestine protesters broke through an outer security fence at the convention site, but police managed to keep them from breaching the inner cordon.
Trump, for his part, has been rattled by the unexpected change at the top of the Democratic ticket. Campaigning in Pennsylvania, he derided Harris’s “craziness” and claimed she “has no idea what the hell she’s doing” on the economy.
