‘Kamala will be a historic president’: outgoing Joe Biden lights the Harris flame

Joe Biden has passed the torch to Kamala Harris as his Democratic successor, delivering a strident defence of his presidency and declaring ‘America, I gave my best to you’.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris with US President Joe Biden at the end of the first day of the Democratic National Convention. Picture: Getty Images

Joe Biden has passed the torch to Kamala Harris as his Democratic successor, delivering a strident ­defence of his presidency and ­declaring “America, I gave my best to you”.

The one-term President implored Americans to vote for Ms Harris against Donald Trump to safeguard democracy.

“Let me ask you, are you ready to vote for freedom, for democracy and America?” the President told about 20,000 cheering Democrat faithful in Chicago.

“Are you ready to elect ­Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?”  Walking on to the stage at the Democratic National Convention to a raucous reception and chants of “Thank you Joe”, the 81-year-old President said he had helped to protect democracy in the face of attacks on it by Mr Trump.

“With a grateful heart I stand before you now. Democracy has prevailed, democracy has delivered and now democracy must be preserved. (But) we must save it again in 2024.”

He said the country faced a ­moment in history where the ­decisions it made on November 5 would affect it for decades.

“We are in a battle for the very soul of America,” he said.

Mr Biden was speaking on the first night of the four-day convention that Democrats hope will ­extend Ms Harris’s political honeymoon and her lead over Mr Trump in the polls.

“She’s tough, she’s experienced and she has enormous integrity,” Mr Biden said of Ms Harris. “She’ll be a historic president who puts her stamp on America’s future.”

Mr Biden, who abandoned his run for president last month ­because party leaders believed he would lose, used the speech to forcefully defend his legacy, saying he had defended the “backbone of America, the middle class”.

“I love the job but I love my country more,” he said about his decision to stand aside.

“I want you to know how grateful I am to all of you,” adding he was more optimistic about the country now than when he started his political career at 29.

Mr Biden described his term as President as “one of the most ­extraordinary four years of ­progress ever”.

He touted his record on job creation, Medicare, climate change infrastructure and the recovery from the pandemic.

On Gaza, he called for a peace deal to end the war, saying he would fight for peace because too many innocent people had died on both sides.

Mr Biden’s speech sought to give the appearance of unity among Democrats, despite his private anger at his party’s role in forcing him out of the race.

He left the convention to fly straight to California, departing the same stage where, only a month ago, he was expected to give the acceptance speech as the party’s nominee for president.

Earlier in the evening, to rapturous applause, Ms Harris made a surprise appearance on stage to pay homage to Mr Biden.

“I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible President, Joe Biden,” she said. “Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nat­ion. We are forever grateful to you.

“Let us fight for the ideals we hold dear, and let us always ­remember: when we fight, we win,” Ms Harris told the delegates, who shouted back “When we fight we win”.

Mr Biden’s wife, Jill, addressed the crowd, speaking about their ­almost-50-year marriage and about how her husband dug “deep into his soul” when he chose to abandon his presidential bid and endorse Ms Harris as his successor.

She praised Ms Harris, saying he had “seen her courage, determination and leadership up close” as her husband’s Vice-President.

“We will fight and we will win ­together,” she said.

Mr Biden’s daughter, Ashley, spoke of her memories of her ­father, saying he remained her best friend.

Joe Biden during his keynote address. Picture: AFP

The convention kicked off as most national polls showed Ms Harris slightly ahead of Mr Trump, 49 per cent to 47 per cent, according to The New York Times’ average, including in must-win battleground states Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Former presidential contender Hillary Clinton also addressed the convention to loud cheers.

Mrs Clinton, who failed in her bid in 2016 to become the first ­female president, said: “Something is happening in America. You can feel it, something – something we’ve worked for and dreamed of for a long time.”

In what was perhaps the standout speech of the night, she said Ms Harris had “the character, ­experience, and vision to lead us forward”.

“I know her heart and her integrity. We both got our start as young lawyers helping children who were abused or neglected. That kind of work changes you,” she said.

“Just look at the candidates. Kamala cares about kids, families, and America. Donald only cares about himself.”

Mrs Clinton also chided Mr Trump as “the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions”, but warned that Democrats shouldn’t be complacent.

“We have him on the run now,” she said in a reference to the polls. “We can’t get driven down crazy conspiracy rabbit holes, we have to fight for the truth.”

Left-wing firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praised Ms Harris for “her vision” and also thanked Mr Biden for his service.

She said with Ms Harris, America had “a rare and precious opportunity” to elect a president “who is for the middle class because she is from the middle class”.

“I see a leader who understands,” she said. “(But) we know Donald Trump would sell the country for a dollar.”

However, simmering tensions within Democrat ranks were also on display as thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched outside the United Centre where the convention was being held to protest what they see as the pro-­Israeli policies of the Biden administration.