At 77 years old Joe Biden became the oldest person to accept the Democratic Party’s Presidential nomination last night, with a vow that he would be a President for all Americans if elected.
In a speech that closed the four-day Democratic National Convention, he veered between his vision for the country and eviscerating President Donald Trump whose handling of the coronavirus he labelled as “unforgivable” – urging Americans to have faith that they could overcome “this season of darkness”- as he became his party’s standard-bearer in an election billed as the most important in a generation.
Biden has been in politics for 50 years now and held various roles including working as a City Councillor, Senator, Vice President and now, a major party Presidential nominee.
“I’ll be proud to carry the banner of our Party into the general election. It is with great honor and humility that I accept this nomination for president of the United States of America. But while I will be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president. I will work hard for those who didn’t support me as hard for them as I did for those who did vote for me. That’s the job of a president, to represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment, this must be an American moment. It’s a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures, light to see our way forward and love for one another,” Biden said while accepting his nomination.
He talked about four crises that have delivered a perfect storm for a country – the worst pandemic in over 100 years, the worst economic crisis since the great depression – even worse than the great recession of 2009, the most compelling call for racial justice since the 1960s and the undeniable reality and accelerating threats of climate change.
Biden echoed his Vice Presidential Nominee that the country was at an inflection point.
“This is a life-changing election. This will determine America’s future for a very long time. Character is on the ballot, compassion is on the ballot, decency, science, democracy. They are all on the ballot. Who we are as a nation. What we stand for and, most importantly, who we want to be. That’s all on the ballot and the choice could not be clearer. No rhetoric is needed, just judge this president on the facts.”
Other speakers lauded their new party leader as a man tried and tested; someone who represented the best of America, not its worst.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said: “We know how important it is that we elect real servant leaders — leaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, people of honour and integrity who hold justice close to their hearts and believe that the lives of my four Black children matter. In the words of womanist poet Audre Lorde “Your silence will not protect you.” Congressman Lewis would not be silenced. And neither can we. We cannot wait for some other time, some other place, some other heroes. We must be the heroes of our generation, because we, too, are America!”
Billionaire and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg – who has run for office as a Republican and an Independent – is now a registered Democrat.
“Before I ran for mayor, I spent 20 years running a business I started from scratch. So I want to ask small business owners and their employees one question, and it’s a question for everyone. Would you rehire or work for someone who ran your business into the ground? And who always does what’s best for him or her, even when it hurts the company? And whose reckless decisions put you in danger and he spends more time tweeting than working? If the answer is no, why the hell would we ever rehire Donald Trump for another four years?”
A question that will only be answered emphatically after election day on November the 3rd. President Trump is scheduled to put forward his vision for America next week.
Below is a discussion on Joe Biden’s leadership:
