Joe Biden Defends His Legacy at Democratic National Convention

It was not the speech Joe Biden had envisioned for this year, especially under the current circumstances. However, given his experiences with tragedy and adversity, the president understands how swiftly fortunes can shift.

At the Democratic National Convention’s opening night in Chicago, Biden delivered a passionate defense of his presidency, revisiting many themes from his 2020 campaign and his more recent bid before his mid-July withdrawal following a poor debate performance.

“Like many of you, I gave my heart and soul to this nation,” Biden said towards the end of his nearly hour-long speech, which was met with enthusiastic shouts of “Thank you, Joe.”

Introduced by his daughter Ashley and his wife, Jill, Biden took the stage with visible emotion. Jill described witnessing Biden’s deep reflection as he decided to withdraw from the presidential race, and Biden dabbed at his eyes with a tissue, touched his heart, and straightened up at the lectern, smiling broadly as the crowd cheered.

His address reflected on his historical significance and also praised his vice president, whom he hopes will succeed him. “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,” Biden remarked. “She’s tough, she’s experienced, and she has enormous integrity.”

While Biden did not explicitly mention passing the torch to a new generation, the sentiment was evident. Following his remarks, Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, joined Biden and Jill on stage. Harris mouthed “I love you” to Biden after their embrace.

Although Biden’s focus was on Harris, acknowledging that her performance against Donald Trump in the upcoming election could shape how history and his party view him, earlier speakers paid tribute to the current president.

The evening began with a surprise appearance by Harris, who received a standing ovation as she took the stage. “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.”

Delaware Senator Chris Coons, a close ally of Biden, also praised the president. “I’ve never known a more compassionate man than Joe Biden,” Coons 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, who appeared earlier in the evening, lauded Biden for restoring “dignity, decency and competence” to the White House. She received a long ovation and highlighted 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 Biden received from the packed Democratic convention hall was vibrant. The Chicago Democrats had been jubilant all day, but the applause for Biden also seemed to acknowledge his reluctant decision to step aside, alongside honoring his lengthy political career that began in 1972 when he was first elected to Congress at 29.

Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are set to address the convention later this week. Unlike them, Biden will not have the opportunity to run for re-election. Instead, he used his speech to define and defend his legacy as a one-term president, a speech that may stand as his final address to a large American audience unless a significant national event occurs in the next five months.

At the speech’s conclusion, Biden quoted a line from the 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, eliciting another round of applause from the audience.

Eight years ago, Biden chose not to run for president in favor of Hillary Clinton, partly due to pressure from Obama. Four years ago, although he won the nomination, the Covid pandemic prevented him from enjoying the full Democratic convention experience with a celebratory balloon drop.

This convention marked one of Biden’s closest experiences to a traditional Democratic convention moment in the spotlight. After his speech, he departed for Air Force One and a flight to California for a holiday. His time in Chicago was brief, and despite his hopes from a few months prior, his remaining term as president will be limited to months rather than years.