Joe Biden At DNC: “America, I Gave My Best To You”

TIME Magazine reports:

President Joe Biden received an emotional standing ovation when he took the stage at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, roughly a month after he ended his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party’s nominee.

Biden, 81, appeared to wipe away tears as he hugged his daughter, Ashley, who introduced him. The crowd cheered for more than four minutes, chanting “We love Joe” and “Thank you, Joe,” before he started his near hour-long speech.

The moment marked a show of support for Biden’s political career, which has spanned more than 50 years, and his decision to pass the torch to Harris.

The New York Times reports:

“I’ve given my heart and soul to our nation, and I’ve been blessed a million times in return,” the president said as he made the case that Ms. Harris is the best person to lead the country now that he is no longer in the race. “She’s tough. She’s experienced. And she has enormous integrity,” Mr. Biden said. Selecting Ms. Harris as his vice president, he added, “was the best decision I made my whole career.”

“America, I gave my best to you,” he said, repeating a line he used during his inaugural address nearly four years earlier. Describing his one-term presidency as a successful rescue of a country reeling from a pandemic and suffering from the effect of political violence, Mr. Biden denounced former President Donald J. Trump, the 2024 Republican nominee, as not worthy of serving in the White House during his first term — “not then, not now, not ever.”

If you missed the speech last night, watch it.