As chants of “Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!” filled the United Center on a Monday night, a visibly moved President Biden paused to acknowledge the crowd’s appreciation.
It was clear that, despite his reluctance to accept it, they were expressing gratitude not only for his decades of public service, but also for his recent decision not to seek reelection.
This touching moment highlighted the complex emotions faced by a president who has been in the public eye for more than five decades, and who now faces an unplanned exit. The outpouring of affection in Chicago, while sincere, only partially masked the painful events of the past.
While the crowd enthusiastically supported Biden with “We ♥ Joe” signs, their applause also signaled his transition into early retirement from politics, four years earlier than expected. Recently demoted to speaking earlier than expected, Biden had been preparing to speak on a different night, usually reserved for venerable party figures, a month ago.
At 81, Biden has shown little sign of slowing down. Despite occasional jokes about his age, he has rarely spoken about pressure from party colleagues who worry about the implications of his age for the party’s future. When he does mention it, he frames it as a necessary sacrifice to preserve American democracy against threats like those posed by former President Donald J. Trump.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve as your president,” he said in a 52-minute speech that closed the convention’s first night, celebrating the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. “I love my job, but I love my country more,” he reiterated. Despite voices of frustration, Biden emphasized his lack of resentment toward those who have suggested he resign.
The crowd responded with chants of “We love Joe!” to which he replied, “I love my country more and we need to protect our democracy.”
Biden's resolve was evident, even as he refrained from openly pardoning those who had pushed for his withdrawal, including key figures like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with whom he admitted he had not spoken.
Biden's history of overcoming personal and political setbacks without ever giving up has been a recurring theme throughout his career. His resilience has been evident in his speeches at conventions, famously declaring “giving up is unforgivable” while accepting the nomination for vice president in 2008.
This convention marked Biden’s 13th since 1972 and was his last speech as a current officeholder or candidate. Despite the circumstances, his speech echoed many of the themes of his previous speeches, though slightly adjusted to support Harris rather than himself.
After Harris's speech, she joined him on stage, expressing her sincere gratitude and affection, underlining the deep respect within the party for Biden's leadership.
Earlier, figures including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Biden for his service and leadership. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware further warmed up the crowd with chants of “We love Joe!”
However, organizational hiccups on the night meant Biden’s speech was delayed, moving it out of prime time, a significant oversight in convention planning. Despite this, Biden chose not to shorten his speech, touching on familiar themes and narratives, including his economic philosophy and the challenges facing America.
He concluded with a rallying cry for unity and patriotism, a staple of his oratory: “Boys, we just have to remember who we are. We are the United States of America, and there's nothing we can't do when we do it together. God bless you all. And God protect our troops.”
With that, Biden left the stage to the tune of Whitney Houston’s “Higher Love,” marking the end of his direct involvement in the convention, ready to begin a new chapter in his life.