The Democratic National Convention Transforms Into a Biden Love Fest

By Solomon Jones | WURD Radio

Last night at the Democratic National Convention, I sat in the upper level of the United Center, listening as a stream of Democrats painted a portrait of Kamala Harris.

They called her a fighter who stood up to bullies, and had the scars to prove it. They said she was a leader who gave others the courage to stand. They called her a lawyer who worked with suffering children. And then they brought out the only woman who could truly understand what Harris faces.

Hillary Clinton spoke of thousands of tiny cracks in an age-old glass ceiling. Those are the cracks Clinton made when she ran against Donald Trump and won the popular vote. On the other side of that cracked ceiling, Clinton said, she sees Kamala Harris taking the oath of office.

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez took the stage to chants of “AOC.” She spoke of the working class in personal terms, recalling how she’d been mocked by Republicans who told her to go back to being a bartender. She said she would gladly do so.

Jill Biden followed Cortez and spoke of her husband in glowing terms.

“Joe and I have been together for almost 50 years,” she said. “And still there are moments when I fall in love with him all over again.”

She spoke of the smile on his face when she handed him their daughter Ashley for the first time. And she spoke of the moment when she saw him dig deep into his soul and decide to no longer seek reelection and endorse Kamala Harris.

“With faith and conviction,” she said, “Joe knows that our nation’s strength doesn’t come from intimidation or cruelty. It comes from small acts of kindness.”

As Biden took the stage, he was met with chants of “We Love Joe.” He openly wept, frequently wiping tears from his eyes. But he quickly composed himself and went back to a familiar theme—democracy.

“Democracy has prevailed,” he said. “Democracy has delivered, and now democracy must be preserved!”

Turning to the subject of Donald Trump, Biden said he still believes in “an America where honesty, dignity and decency still matter. An America where everyone has a fair shot and hate has no safe harbor.”

He ran through the various accomplishments of the Biden Harris administration. He spoke of his pro-union stance. And even as he was showered with love from the same Democrats who recently demanded his withdrawal from the presidential race, Biden reached back to endorse Kamala Harris.

Perhaps if Democrats love Harris as much as they love Biden, she will have a fighting chance to win. But if that love doesn’t translate to votes, it won’t be enough to change America.

This article is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. The William Penn Foundation provides lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, and Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.