Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
OUTGOING US PRESIDENT Joe Biden used his final speech as president at a Democratic convention to set a defiant tone against Donald Trump, urging people to elect Kamala Harris as the country’s next president.
He strongly criticised Donald Trump throughout the speech (“He says we’re losing. HE’S the loser!”) in a marked change of tactic.
“Who the hell does he think he is? These are the words of a person who is not worthy of being Commander in Chief. Period. Not then. Not now. And not ever,” he told the crowd.
He used the speech to document his achievements, particularly for working Americans, and set out a vision for what he would like to happen after his presidency.
Quoting from a song, he said: “Let me know in my heart, when my days are through, America, America, I gave my best to you.”
He said he had accepted the decision to stand down. “I love the job, but I love my country more. I love my country more. And all this talk about how I’m angry at all those people who said I should step down, that’s not true.”
In a confident performance, he was visibly buoyed by the support of the crowd in what will be one of the final big speeches of his presidency.
He received a three-and-a-half minute ovation from the crowd when he walked on stage, with chants of “thank you Joe” several times throughout his appearance.
The speech started more than 40 minutes later than the planned 10pm start, meaning Biden missed a coveted prime-time slot on US television; the convention itself was delayed as the tight security meant many delegates weren’t in the room on time.
Biden was spoken about warmly and generously by delegates on the floor.
“Joe Biden should go down in American history as a hero,” Tom, a delegate from the state of Washington, told The Journal.
Another said that she believed “history will be kind to him”.
Biden was the last of dozens of speakers on the first night of the Democratic National Convention which is taking place in Chicago, Illinois.
The event was a massive production. Over the five-and-a-half hours before Biden spoke, more than 60 people took to the stage to give speeches, perform songs, and rubber stamp official party business.
Singer Jason Isbell performed a song; 82-year-old civil rights leader Jessie Jackson was applauded for several minutes on the stage; and actor Tony Goldwyn played MC for the final two hours of the production.
Kamala Harris made a brief unexpected appearance to pay tribute to Joe Biden and thank him for his service to the country.
Hillary Clinton praised Biden for his “dignity and decency” before speaking at length about Kamala Harris, drawing parallels between both their careers. “As president, she will always have our backs and she will be a fighter for us,” she said. “We have [Trump] on the run now.”
The tone was upbeat, confident, and on message at all times.
The crowd clapped dutifully as the huge screens showed videos of Joe Biden before his speech, and cheered loudly when Kamala Harris was shown.
Donald Trump was booed almost every time he was mentioned, while a Michigan state senator mentioned Project 2025 which got even louder boos than Trump did.
One recurring motif over the evening was video clips that played between speakers, which showed former Trump voters describing why they would not be voting for him again – a group that Democrats will be targeting in swing states in November’s election.
The crowd chanted “We’re not going back” and “When we fight, we win” throughout the night.
The production took more than 17 months to plan, with the final line-up only being confirmed hours before the event began – indicative, perhaps, of all the work that had to be done once Kamala Harris replaced Joe Biden on the ticket.
Biden’s appearance on the Monday night clears the way for the rest of the convention to focus on November’s election.
Barack and Michelle Obama are due to headline the convention on Tuesday night, with vice presidential pick Tim Walz speaking on Wednesday. Kamala Harris will wrap up the conference with her speech on Thursday night.
With just under 11 weeks to go until the country goes to the polls, the Democrats will be hoping that this week will be a tactful goodbye to Joe Biden, a careful positioning of Kamala Harris – and the chance to bring the fight to the Republicans.
Christine Bohan is reporting from the DNC in Chicago all this week. You can read her on the site here.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The Irish Proclamation basically says ”Ireland for the Irish”,,, the politicians of today would do well to remember that,,,
@Finian McG:Politicians off ALL the partys!
@Finian McG: you may interpret it that way if you want but a hundred years on that thinking just won’t wash…
@David Cotter: Well they died to get people OUT of Ireland,,,certianly NOT to bring a load of them in!!!
@Finian McG: yet hundreds of thousands of Irish went to England after that war because Ireland was a basket case…..what an embarrassment that was….
@Finian McG: They are long dead, what they thought is irrelevant! It’s now we live and folks would do well to remember that and try to get to grips with the now instead of trying to reflect the past!
@David Cotter: For them maybe, they are dead and gone, it’s therefore no longer an embarrassment as you mistakenly think but a practical necessity which generally considerably outweighs embarrassment tbf.
@Finian McG: Define ‘Irish’?
Some difference between the leaders of 1916,and the modern day politicians. Worlds apart
@Jb Walshe: Current leaders don’t have guns
@Sal Paradise: Or a clue what they’re at!
@Jb Walshe: Could you list the differences for the crowd? Doubt it ngl!
@Jb Walshe: The leaders of 16 knew they were involved in a fools errand.
Padraig Pearce and all the men and women who fought for our countries freedom would turn in their graves if the saw what’s happening today.
@John doe: that man along with de Valera made sure we were beaten with an iron fist, unfortunately we have FF still
@John doe: They won’t you needn’t worry!
And the state of the country now
@Fintan Pox: Class country. Pearse and co. world new so proud. We have made huge strides in the past 100yrs. But you have a moan to keep yourself happy.
@Sal Paradise: lol
@Fintan Pox: Easter Eggs and complaining on The Journal. You must have had a great day?
@Fintan Pox: compared to mass poverty, tenement houses, Magdalene laundries etc??
@Sal Paradise: dream on
Patriots of 1916 must be turning in their graves with the organisation that stole the SF name who act as cheerleaders for the depraved actions of Provo terrorists who engaged in murder, rape and abuse.
@Pat Hazzard: And the brits and loyalists were just victims and innocent too….I do love when people try to rewrite history, the RA were no angels, but given who they were fighting, both sides were as bad as each other, but the shinners living rent free in your head seems to forget that part
@Tom Newell: ‘who they were fighting’ they planted bombs, executed ‘off duty’ security forces, engaged in sectarian murder along the border farms, shot into churches, work vans, hotels. ‘Fighting’ catch yourself on. They were sectarian murdering thugs. Nothing more.
Absolute traitors the lot of them. The very, very worst.
@Paul Kavanagh: all they’re worried about is when their next pat on the head from the EU or woke NGOs is coming.
They’re sellouts
“The 1916 proclamation was read out in full by Captain Paul Murphy, who learned it off by heart”. Well, why did he need to read it out, then?
@Max: maybe he was dyslexic…..
The patriots of 1916 would be very angry at the INEQUALITY shown by our politicans to the citizens of Ireland. After the next general election 11 people will be gifted a job as a Senator. Millions of Irish citizens DO NOT GET A VOTE with regards to choosing members of the Senate. And the politicans wonder why the people are angry. Enda Kenny picked a friend of his who was and still lives in AMERICA.
@rory Mcgovern: No they wouldn’t.
@rory Mcgovern: we had a vote to abolish the seanad , people voted against it
No sign of Jeffrey ?
@Sat Nav Maps: No answer from his door in London, either.
@Sat Nav Maps: Benzos?
Considering there are irish people of all 360 degrees of whatever all over the planet and yet a few frightened little right wing manboys, think this island is overcrowded because of a few migrants
@Robert Halvey: your a Manboy….
@Robert Halvey: not overcrowded if that’s the way you want to put it, just homelessness increasing regardless of were you’re from but sure let’s increase homelessness some more and sit wondering why.
The Seanad was supposed to have been reformed. It has NOT BEEN. AMAZING and SAD what the population accepts. Mickey d has spent too long in the Arus if he thinks that the values of 1916 proclamation still true today..He will be shocked next year when he has to start spending his own money.
@rory Mcgovern: I doubt it. The little faux-socialist, naval gazer will be on a fine fat pension. Can’t wait to see the back of him and his token wife.
Retire Mick ffs u agreed to 1 term..
Flags and borders will be the last remnants of a bygone age. Money, wealth, power, all badly handled be the simple human mind. Still we don’t fix the problems that affect us on a daily basis or consider the vastness of the universe and how to access it… lads are
like ‘this shiny is mine’… we wait
The men who fought for that would be rolling in their graves. We have had the country 108 years and are giving it away to non nationals and Muslims and Islam’s. Ridiculous and heart breaking
have your say