Biden passes the baton to Harris, says she will be a 'historic president'

CHICAGO: US President Joe Biden formally passed the baton of his Democratic Party to his deputy Kamala Harris, saying she will be a "historic president" and describing her as the best person to save democracy.

Biden, 81, received an emotional standing ovation when he came on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday night.

Harris, 59, is scheduled to formally accept the Democratic Party's presidential nomination on Thursday to take on Republican rival Donald Trump, 78, in the November 5 election.

“Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris as the President of the United States of America," Biden said, amidst cheers from thousands of members and leaders of the Democratic Party at its national convention here in this windy city as he urged his countrymen to vote and elect his deputy of four years.

Biden said Harris would be a "historic president".

“I love my job. I love my country more. We need to preserve our democracy. We need you to beat Donald Trump and elect Kamala and Tim as President and Vice President of the United States," Biden said.

He said Trump is going to find out the power of women in 2024.

Harris will soon serve as the 47th President of the United States, Biden said, amidst cheers from his party members and leaders.

“We saved democracy in 2020 and we must do it again in 2024,’ he said urging his countrymen that America’s future is in their hands. “America, America, I gave my best to you. I made a lot of mistakes in my career. But I gave my best to you,’ he said.

“Let me ask you: Are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America? And let me ask you: Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Waltz as president and vice president?” he asked.

Biden appeared to wipe away a tear as he hugged his daughter Ashley Biden who introduced him at the four-day convention.

Observing that the decisions that were being made now would determine the fate of the world and the country, Biden said he and Kamala had four years of extraordinary progress in the United States.

Making a strong pitch to elect Harris as the net president of the United States, Biden said Donald Trump promised infrastructure week every week for four years. He never built a damn thing, he alleged.

“Together, we are building a better America,” he said as he listed out some of the key achievements of the Biden-Harris Administration.

“You cannot say you love your country only when you win,” he said.

“More Americans have health insurance today than ever before. And after fighting for 50 years to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, we finally beat Big Pharma. Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote," he said.

“He (Trump) is the looser,’ Biden said as he attacked Trump.

"America is winning. America is prosperous. America is safer today than was under Donald Trump," he said as he accused Trump of killing the strongest border security bill in the history of the country.