It was both awkward and affectionate—the farewell to a president who didn’t want to leave from a party that couldn’t bear for him to stay.
“We love Joe,” they chanted, waving banners with the same message.
Everyone was friendly now, but had Biden still been running, he might have left the stage to the sound of his own footsteps alone.
On the night, he appeared and performed better than he had in months. Stepping down seemed to suit him as much as it did his party.
He acknowledged the need to step aside, saying, “I love my job, but I love my country more.”
Reflecting on his career, he mentioned that he was too young when he first entered the Senate and now too old to be president.
Addressing the push within the Democratic Party for him to step down, Biden said, “All this talk about how I’m angry at the people who said I should step down—it’s not true.”
Cue the camera cutaways, including shots of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the party veteran who negotiated Biden’s “surrender.”
That night, she was seen chanting and waving the “We Love Joe” poster in response.
Perhaps the time for healing has begun—or at the very least, a mutual understanding that their party and movement are in a better place because of the change.
The president delivered a reflective overview that highlighted his achievements in office without downplaying them.
It was a “father of the nation” moment—nothing new, but it emphasized his results while portraying himself as a savior of democracy.
“Thank you, Kamala, too,” he addressed the crowd, though this felt more like a speech about his past than her present—focused on his legacy and her presidential aspirations.
This will all benefit his successor. As the political honeymoon period shifts to more intense scrutiny, Kamala Harris will be tasked with promoting and defending their joint record in the White House.
If Biden can effectively emphasize their successes, it will be advantageous for her, even if he struggled to do so for himself.
A powerful late-night performance lasting nearly 50 minutes may have left some questioning the wisdom of moving on from Joe Biden, but they would likely be in the minority.
Despite his strong showing last night, it still felt like revisiting darker times for Democrats.
This contrast is heightened by the current excitement surrounding the potential replacement ticket that has revitalized the party.
Polls reflect this sentiment, as does the atmosphere in Chicago’s United Center. Kamala Harris received a rock star welcome when she took the stage for the opening night introduction, and the lineup of speakers that followed clearly signaled a generational shift.
Yet, it was a night dedicated to Joe Biden—an opportunity to honor the old while introducing the new. There was a palpable emotion surrounding the president, and he appeared tearful by the end—not the farewell he envisioned, but the one his party demanded.
It marks a long, emotional goodbye, but it is undeniably a goodbye.
