'I Gave My Best to You:' Biden's Farewell Address

President Biden closed the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday, and he spoke to the roaring applause of an enthusiastic audience.

• "I love you all," Biden said to the crowd as he opened his speech. "And America, I love you." He had to pause before continuing, as the crowd chanted, "We love Joe."
• "Are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and America? Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?" he asked.

• "I know and believe in an America where honesty, decency, dignity still matter," Biden said. "An America where everyone has a fair shot and hate has no safe harbor. An America where the fundamental creed of this nation, that all of us are created equal, is still very much alive."
• As the crowd chanted, "Thank you Joe" while he talked about lowering prescription drug prices, Biden said, "Thank you Kamala, too."
• He mentioned Harris' role in getting public schools reopened during the COVID pandemic, getting raises for teachers, making college more affordable, and other education-related achievements, noting Project 2025 wants to gut funding for public education.
• "Wall Street didn't build America, the middle class built America. And unions built the middle class," Biden said. "That's why I'm proud to have been the first president to walk a picket line, and be labeled the most pro-union president in history. And I accept it. It's a fact. Because when unions do well, we all do well."
• While discussing his administration's global accomplishments, he said he's gotten humanitarian assistance into Gaza and his administration has worked toward a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. "Those protesters out in the street, they have a point," he said. "A lot of innocent people are being killed, on both sides."
• "Donald Trump calls America a failing nation. But think about this," he said as the crowd booed the former president. "Think of the message he sends around the world when he talks about America being a failing nation. He says we're losing. He's the loser. He's dead wrong." Biden also got in a joke about how many foreign leaders he knows "just because I'm so damn old."
• "Guess what? America's winning, and the world's better off for it," he said, going on to discuss Trump's lies about crime in America (the lies of a "convicted felon," he pointed out) versus his administration's investments in public safety and improvements on that front, as well as their achievements on gun control—though he said more needs to be done on that front.
• He said he's never "bowed down" to Vladimir Putin like Trump does, and promised Harris wouldn't either.
• "Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made when I became our nominee. And it was the best decision I've made my whole career," Biden said. "She's tough. She's experienced. And she has enormous integrity. Her story represents the best American story. ... She'll be a president our children can look up to."
• "I've made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you," he said. "I've been blessed a million times in return by the support of the American people. ... I can honestly say I'm more optimistic about the future than I was when I was elected as a 29-year-old United States senator. I mean it." After he concluded to massive applause, he was joined on stage by the first lady, the vice president, and the second gentleman.

Prior to Biden's speech, Hillary Clinton spoke, Harris made a surprise appearance, and protesters gathered outside. (More Election 2024 stories.)