Kicking off the first night of the Democratic National Convention, President Joe Biden told the audience, “I gave my best to you,” as he encouraged the party to rally behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Biden, 81, was met with a warm reception for his decision to step aside for Harris, following weeks of pressure from his party to withdraw from his reelection bid.
A month after a historic mid-campaign change, the convention’s opening night in Chicago was designed to honor Biden’s departure and propel Harris into a likely showdown with Republican Donald Trump, whose bid to return to the White House is seen by Democrats as a significant threat.
On Monday, Biden stressed that he held no grudges about his presidency’s impending end—despite rumors to the contrary—and urged the party to unite behind Harris.
“I made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you,” Biden said.
Speaking with clarity and energy, Biden took the opportunity to defend his record, endorse his vice president, and criticize Trump. His performance was more akin to the Biden who won in 2020 than the sometimes faltering candidate whose debate performance contributed to the collapse of his reelection campaign.
Biden, visibly moved, received a more than four-minute standing ovation and chants of “Thank you Joe” as he took the stage.
“America, I love you,” he responded.
He reflected on choosing Harris as his running mate four years ago, calling it “the very first decision I made when I became our nominee, and it was the best decision I made my whole career.”
“She’s tough, she’s experienced, and she has enormous integrity, enormous integrity,” he said. “Her story represents the best American story.”
“And like many of our best presidents,” he added, referencing his own journey, “she was also vice president.”