Democratic National Convention: As the Democratic National Convention began on Monday night (local time), President Joe Biden gave a tear-filled farewell speech and passed the baton to his deputy Kamala Harris ahead of the presidential elections in November. Several high-profile party leaders, including Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also graced the mega event, where Harris is set to officially become the Democratic presidentioal candidate.
Former US Secretary of State and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also gave a rousing speech at the convention, providing a vision of Kamala Harris on the ‘other side of that glass ceiling’ if elected president. Her speech was bombarded with chants of "Lock him up" in reference to Harris' Republican rival Donald Trump as Clinton mentioned the criminal charges against him.
“Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial,” she said amid the chants of "Lock him up", a contrast to the chorus of "Lock her up" when Clinton ran against Trump in 2016. “When he woke up, he’d made his own kind of history: the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.”
'We have him on the run': Clinton
"Kamala has the character, experience and vision to lead us forward... She will fight to lower costs for hardworking families, open the doors wide for good paying jobs and yes, she will restore abortion rights nationwide... Kamala locked up murderers and drug traffickers. She will never rest in defence of our freedom and safety," said the 76-year-old Hillary Clinton.
Clinton's speech came after Harris made a surprise appearance at the DNC, where she used her first moment on stage to thank Joe Biden for what she called his historic legacy. “Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you will continue to do,” Harris said, addressing Biden. “We are forever grateful to you.”
Meanwhile, amid loud applause, Clinton continued, "On her first day in court, Kamala said five words that still guide her: Kamala Harris for the people. hat is something that Donald Trump will never understand. So it is no surprise, is it, that he is lying about Kamala's record. He's mocking her name and her laugh. Sounds familiar? But we have him on the run now."
What happened at the DNC?
Congress member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praised Vice President Kamala Harris' efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza at the DNC on Monday, saying, "In Kamala Harris, we have a chance to elect a president who is for the middle class because she is from the middle class". Ahead of President Biden’s speech, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived at the United Center and sat front row at the United Centre.
The big moment came when Biden came out to give his convention speech — only to be greeted with roughly five minutes worth of cheers, applause and chants of “Thank You, Joe.” “Thank you,” the president said repeatedly, as he took in the moment. His wife Jill and daughter Ashley also took the stage to deliver passionate speeches about the 81-year-old President.
Taking multiple swipes at Trump, Biden promised to be the "best volunteer" Harris and Minnesota Governor Walz, her vice presidential running mate, had ever seen. In his speech, Biden touted his administration's accomplishments - boosting the US economy and strengthening US alliances abroad - and made the case for Americans to elect Harris as his White House successor.
He contrasted Harris the prosecutor with Trump, a convicted felon, and catalogued what he called the former president's foreign policy failures, accusing him of bowing down to Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaving NATO in tatters. Biden rapped Trump for calling the United States a failing nation. "He’s the loser," he added.
(with inputs from Reuters)
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