"I gave my best to you," Biden says at Democratic convention, passing torch to Harris
CBSAug 23
DNC 2024: 'America, I Gave My Best to You,' Biden Gives Farewell Speech
Above: First Lady Jill Biden and U.S. President Joe Biden wave to the audience during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Image copyright: Joe Raedle/staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Speaking on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday, Joe Biden stated it was "the honor of [his] lifetime" to serve as president and that he "gave [his] best," dismissing claims he was "angry" at those who said he should step down.
In a speech that lasted nearly an hour, Biden described presumptive Democratic nominee Vice Pres. Kamala Harris as "tough" and "experienced," and called Republican presidential nominee former Pres. Donald Trump a "loser."
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Pres. Biden's heartfelt speech was both the celebration of an illustrious career and a pivotal passing of the torch moment. While the political veteran's bittersweet exit from the 2024 presidential race was necessary for the future of democracy, this does not mean that Biden's service to America has gone unnoticed. It is now time for Harris to build on Biden's legacy and ensure that all that his administration has built is not lost under another Trump presidency.
Republican narrative
Having already been publicly humiliated during Harris's donor-led coup, Democrats chose to condemn Biden to one last moment of indignity as the president was cut from prime-time television. Biden's farewell speech to the American people was an insulting final chapter in the president's career, and yet another reminder of the smoke-filled rooms that hold true power within the Democratic Party.