Joe Biden delivers final DNC speech, gets a rousing ovation from Democrats as he endorses Kamala Harris

President Joe Biden delivered his valedictory address to the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, as his decision to end his reelection bid released newfound energy within his party with Vice President Kamala Harris ′ elevation to the top of the ticket.

President Joe Biden delivered his valedictory address to the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, as his decision to end his reelection bid released newfound energy within his party with Vice President Kamala Harris ′ elevation to the top of the ticket.

After 52 years rising to the pinnacle of influence within his party, Mr. Biden, 81, received a hero’s welcome for the act of stepping aside for Ms. Harris, weeks after many in his party were pressuring him to drop his bid for reelection. One month after an unprecedented mid-campaign switch, the opening night of the convention in Chicago was designed to give a graceful exit to the incumbent president and slingshot Ms. Harris toward a faceoff with Republican Donald Trump.

A visibly emotional Mr. Biden was greeted by a more than four-minute-long ovation and chants of “Thank you Joe.” “America, I love you,” he replied.

Mr. Biden appeared to relish the chance to defend his record, advocate for his vice president and go on the attack against Mr. Trump. His delivery was more reminiscent of the Biden who won in 2020 than the mumbling and sometimes incoherent one-time candidate whose debate performance against Trump in June sparked the downfall of his reelection campaign.

Mr. Biden, in his remarks, repeated his 2020 theme that “we’re in a battle for the very soul of America,” and pressed the case for why Harris and her running mate Tim Walz were best prepared to wage it.

“Because of you, we’ve had the most extraordinary four years of progress ever, period,” Mr. Biden declared. And then he interjected, “I say ‘we,’ I mean me and Kamala,’” sharing the credit for his most popular successes with the vice president to whom he handed over his political operation.

Ms. Harris made an unannounced appearance onstage as the convention's prime-time program began Monday evening to thank Mr. Biden for his leadership, and watched his remarks from the stands.