DNC: States officially nominate Biden for president in roll call, as AOC backs Sanders in 90-second speech
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Joe Biden was nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate on Tuesday night after an improved virtual Zoom convention saw former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, along with establishment political figures Colin Powell and John Kerry, unite behind the former VP to take on Donald Trump in November.
The progressive wing of the party, however, delivered a snub as Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez didn't mention Biden during her nomination of Bernard Sanders for the candidacy.
The night focused on Jill Biden, who said her husband would fight for the soul of America with the same grit he showed following the death of their son from cancer.
Donald Trump wasn't silent during the convention, lashing out at the DNC after Bill Clinton placed responsibility for the US's coronavirus cases on the "chaos in the oval office".
"Tell the Dems that we have more Cases because we do FAR more Testing than any other Country!" Trump said in a tweet just as the former president finished up his remarks.
Clinton wasn't the only former president shipping for Biden, however, with 95-year-old Jimmy Carter making his first appearance at a Democrat convention in eight years.
Biden was Carter's "first and most effective" supporter in the Senate during the 1976 presidential campaign, and his character and decency was best for the American people.
Biden's character and decency was placed in stark contrast to Trump throughout the event, with Powell saying those personality traits would restore America's leadership and moral authority after four years of what Kerry said has been a blooper reel of incoherent foreign policy.
Former acting US attorney general Sally Yates, meanwhile, was less colorful in her assessment of the president's actions, saying he "trampled the rule trying to weaponize our Justice Department to attack his enemies."
'Make America Lead Like America Again', Kerry says
MALA?
John Kerry may have given Biden his campaign slogan to combat Trump's MAGA.
"This moment is a fight for the security of America and the world. Only Joe Biden can make America lead like America again," Kerry says.
The former US secretary of state says that Biden's moral compass would point the country in the right direction after Trump's incoherent foreign policy.
"Before Donald Trump we used to talk about American exceptionalism. The only thing exceptional about the incoherent Trump foreign policy is that it has made our nation more isolated than ever before," Kerry says.
John Kerry attacks Trump for 'hiding in the White House bunker' in scathing DNC speech
Colin Powell supports Joe Biden to restore Americas leadership and moral authority
"I support Joe Biden because beginning on day one he will restore Americas leadership and our moral authority," Powell says.
The former Republican secretary of state under George W Bush said the country needs a commander in chief "who takes care of our troops in the same way he would his own family".
Well this is confusing - is it the power of our example or the example of our power? Or both? Or neither?
Colin Powell invoked one of Joe Biden's go-to campaign slogans as he crossed the aisle to endorse his one-time opponent tonight.
"He will be a president who knows that America is strongest when, as he has said, we lead both by the power of our example, and the example of our power," Powell says.
But if we rewind back to 2008, when Bill Clinton delivered a prime-time speech to endorse Barack Obama, it's not the example of our power but the power of our example.
"Most important, Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are strong at home. People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power," Clinton said 12 years ago.
I don't know what the believe any more.
Donald Trump lashed out during the Democratic National Convention after Bill Clinton placed responsibility for the United State's coronavirus cases on the "chaos in the Oval Office"
Donald Trump lashed out during the Democratic National Convention after Bill Clinton placed responsibility for the United States' coronavirus cases on the "chaos in the Oval Office".
"Tell the Dems that we have more Cases because we do FAR more Testing than any other Country!" Mr Trump said in a tweet during the second night of the Democratic National Convention.
The tweet came right at the end of remarks from the two-term Democratic president, who said that while the virus was on a path to killing 200,000 Americans, Mr Trump was bragging what a great job he was doing.
Mr Trump ignored expert advice and shrugged when asked about a surge in deaths, Mr Clinton said in his speech.
"Covid hit us much harder than it had to. We have just 4 per cent of the world's population, but 25 per cent of the world's Covid cases," Mr Clinton said.
"At a time like this, the Oval Office should be a command centre. Instead, it's a storm centre. There's only chaos. Just one thing never changes -- his determination to deny responsibility and shift the blame," he continued.
Read more.
Joe Biden officially nominated as Democratic presidential candidate at DNC
Jill Biden begins keynote address
"How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole. With love and understanding--and with small acts of compassion. With bravery. With unwavering faith," she says.
"There are times when I couldn't imagine how he did it--how he put one foot in front of the other and kept going. But I've always understood why he did it...He does it for you."
"The heart of this nation still beats with kindness and courage, that's the soul of America Joe Biden is fighting for now," - Jill Biden
"After our son Beau died of cancer, I wondered if I would ever smile or feel joy again. It was summer, but there was no warmth left for me," Biden says. "Four days after Beau's funeral, I watched Joe shave and put on his suit. I saw him steel himself in the mirror, take a breath, put his shoulders back and walk out into a world empty of our son. He went back to work. That's just who he is."
Joe Biden closes second night of Democrat convention praising wife Jill Biden
"She's the strongest person I know, she has a backbone like a ramrod, she loves fiercely, cares deeply, nothing stops her when she sets her mind to getting something right," Biden says.
"For all of you there across the country, just think of your favourite educator who gave you the confidence to believe in yourself. That's the kind of first lady, lady, lady, lady this Jill Biden will be."
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