During the second night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Kamala Harris officially became the 2024 Democratic nominee for president with Tuesday’s ceremonial roll call, as former President Barack Obama was greeted by his former first lady Michelle Obama and a standing ovation before paying tribute to President Joe Biden and urging “Americans to fight for what we believe in.”
“While I am the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama, I am feeling hopeful,” Barack Obama said to open his keynote address, “because this convention has always been good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible.”
“Because we have a chance to elect someone who has spent her entire life trying to give people the same chances America gave her. Someone who sees you and hears you and will get up every single day and fight for you. The next president of the United States of America, Kamala Harris,” Obama shouted, as he reflected on the 16 years since he accepted the democratic nomination for president.
“Looking back, I can say without question that my first big decision as your nominee turned out to be one of my best and that was asking Joe Biden to serve by my side as vice president,” Obama said to loud cheers. “We became brothers for eight pretty tough years.”
During his speech, Obama credited Biden with the “world’s strongest recovery” after the COVID-19 pandemic and for doing “the rarest thing in politics.”
“Putting his own ambition aside for the sake of the country,” Obama said. “History will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy in a moment of great danger and I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend.”
“The torch has been passed,” Obama went on. “Now it is up to all of us to fight for the America we believe in. And make no mistake it will be a fight,” Obama warned. “This will still be a tight race in a closely divided country. A country where too many Americans are struggling.”
Obama spent much of his speech touting Harris’ accomplishments and blasting Trump’s “weird obsession with crowd sizes” as the DNC crowd roared. Obama also blamed Trump for the border crisis and the loss of women’s reproductive rights.
“He wants you to think that you’ll be richer and safer if you give him the power to put those other people back in their place,” Obama said, calling it “one of the oldest tricks in politics.”
“We have seen that movie before,” Obama said in reference to the Republican presidential nominee, “and the sequel is usually worse.”
Obama turned his attention to Harris, who he said “will not be focused on her problems because she’ll be focused on yours.”
“As president, she won’t just cater to her own supporters and punish those who refuse to kiss the ring or bend the knee. She’ll work on behalf of every American. That’s who Kamala is. And in the White House, she will have an outstanding partner in Gov. Tim Walz.”
Obama touted Harris’ plan to get more young people into homes, to provide affordable health care and to give more Americans access to a college degree.
“But she also knows that college shouldn’t be the only ticket for the middle class,” Obama said. “In this new economy, we need a president who cares about the millions of people all across the country who wake up every day to do the essential, often thankless work.”
Much of Obama’s keynote address was spent promoting civility and unity.
“When we uphold our values, the world’s a little brighter. When we don’t, the world’s a little dimmer and dictators and autocrats feel emboldened and over time we become less safe,” Obama said. “America can be and must be a force for good: discouraging conflicts, fighting disease, promoting human rights, protecting the planet from climate change, defending freedom, brokering peace. That’s what Kamala Harris believes and so do most Americans.”