Biden's exit to Harris' surprise appearance on Beyoncé's “Freedom”: Takeaways from Day 1 of the DNC

Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden onstage with Doug Emhoff (left) and Jill Biden (right) during the Democratic National Convention.

Photo: AP

The first night of Democratic National Convention Speeches by two prominent personalities: the last Democrat who lost to Donald Trump and the one who defeated him. US President Joe Biden81, received a heartfelt standing ovation as he took the stage in Chicago on Monday night.

During the Congress Hillary Clinton spoke of finally breaking the “glass ceiling” by electing a woman president. Meanwhile, Biden criticized Trump and directly addressed the concerns of anti-war protesters in Gaza who were protesting just blocks from the Capitol building.

Here are the key takeaways from the first night of the congress:

1. Joe Biden’s long political exit:

Biden closed the opening night of the Democratic National Convention with a speech that marked the beginning of his long political farewell. In his address, he looked back on his legacy and signaled his readiness to pass the torch to the vice president. Kamala Harris.

When Biden took the stage, the delegates gave him a long and enthusiastic round of applause. They held up signs reading “We love Joe” and responded with a heartfelt “I love you!” After this heartfelt exchange, Biden devoted much of his 50-minute speech to criticizing Donald Trump, returning to a central theme of the re-election campaign from which he has since withdrawn.

2. Kamala Harris' surprise appearance on Beyoncé's “Freedom”:

Harris made a surprise appearance on stage to honor Biden before his speech at the convention. At the convention, she said, “Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifelong commitment to our nation, and for all that you will continue to do.”

Her performance to the powerful rhythm of Beyoncé's “Freedom” electrified the crowd that night gathered to witness Biden's farewell.

3. Hillary Clinton revives the talk of breaking the “glass ceiling”:

Clinton received over two minutes of sustained applause before silencing the crowd. In her impassioned speech, she expressed hope that Kamala Harris could accomplish what she failed to do – become the first female president by defeating Donald Trump.

Referring to her 2016 speech admitting defeat, Clinton stressed the “cracks in the glass ceiling” she and her supporters had created. She envisioned Harris “on the other side of that glass ceiling,” where she would take the oath of office as president.

4. Focus on abortion rights:

Three women – Amanda Zurawski, Kaitlyn Joshua and Hadley Duvall – shared emotional personal stories about their experiences with abortion in post-Roe v. Wade America, shaped by the Supreme Court's 2022 decisions influenced by Trump's appointments.

They were followed by the governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, who secured his election victory in a red state by defending abortion rights. “All women should have the right to Freedom to make their own decisions,” Beshear said.

5. Democrats COVID Impact on Convention Spotlight:

Democrats highlighted the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic during the convention and expressed deep frustration with how Trump portrayed his term in office as a golden era for the country, even though hundreds of thousands of Americans died from Covid-19 in the final year of his term.

The first speakers focused on Trump's handling of the pandemic. Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, told the story of her brother, who was the second person in Tennessee to die of the disease, and how she was unable to visit him or hold a memorial service. Nurse Lauren Underwood, a congressman from Illinois, criticized Trump, saying: “He has turned the Covid crisis into a catastrophe. We must never let him be our president again.”

6. Democrats outperform Republicans on labor issues:

Shawn FainPresident of the United Automobile Workers union, Fain was one of several speakers representing unions supporting Kamala Harris and emphasizing their commitment to workers' rights. Fain took the stage in prime time wearing a distinctive red T-shirt that read “Trump is a scab.” In his speeches, Fain passionately advocated for the working class and declared the fight against the “billionaire class” and “corporate greed.”

(With inputs from AP)