Democratic National Convention Begins Amid Protests Against Gaza War; Biden Calls for Preservation of American Democracy

The Democratic National Convention officially commenced in Chicago to announce the party's presidential nominee, coinciding with protests against the Gaza war outside the venue. The gathering on Monday evening, August 20, in Chicago, Illinois, began with speeches by Minyon Moore, chair of the convention committee, and Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee. Following this, Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, made a surprising appearance, as it was expected that Joe Biden, the President of the United States, would speak before her. In her speech, she praised Biden's leadership, calling it 'historic.' She thanked Biden, saying, 'Thank you for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you will continue to do. We will be forever grateful to you.' Earlier, upon arriving in Chicago, Biden had emphasized that he was ready to hand over the leadership of his party to Kamala Harris, stating, 'Yes, I am ready.' News agencies described Biden's farewell speech as 'emotional,' receiving widespread applause from party supporters he had served for 50 years. In his speech, Biden referred to Kamala Harris as 'the best hope for preserving American democracy' and supported her elevation to party leadership in the fight to maintain Democratic power in the White House against Donald Trump. Biden described the current campaign as 'a battle for the soul of America.' He called Harris's selection as his running mate in the previous presidential campaign 'the best decision of my entire political career' spanning over half a century. Biden expressed pride in his presidency, stating he loves his job but loves his country even more. The 81-year-old President, who still has five months left in office, wiped tears from his eyes after being introduced by his daughter Ashley and asked attendees if they were ready to vote for freedom, democracy, and America, and if they were prepared to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (Harris's running mate). Biden urged Americans to prefer Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor, over Donald Trump, whom he labeled a 'criminal.' He also criticized Trump, listing 'foreign policy failures' during Trump's presidency, accusing him of bowing to Vladimir Putin and undermining NATO. Biden countered Trump's claim that America is a 'failed country' under Democratic leadership, asserting that Trump himself is the failed one, not America. He attributed his administration's achievements, including economic success, to teamwork with Harris, repeatedly using 'we' to emphasize their collaboration. Biden claimed to have built the 'strongest economy' in the world post-COVID-19 and stated that creating a better country was a joint effort with Harris, which would continue during her presidency. Harris had recently outlined her economic plan to improve the livelihoods of Americans. The President referenced the protest and march of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the Democratic National Convention, calling for an end to the Gaza war, stating his administration has been 'relentlessly' working for a ceasefire. Many speakers before Biden at the convention had avoided mentioning these anti-war protests. However, Biden acknowledged that the protesters wanted to express that 'many innocent people are being killed on both sides.' At this convention, Kamala Harris is set to formally accept the Democratic Party's nomination for the presidential election. Democratic Party members had previously approved Harris's nomination in an online vote. Last month, Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, supporting Harris, after which Democratic Party members launched a broad campaign in support of her candidacy. Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race followed growing doubts about his physical ability, especially after his televised debate with Republican candidate Trump. Another speaker on the first night of the Democratic National Convention was Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, who praised Kamala Harris for breaking barriers to reach the presidency as the first woman. Clinton, who was the Democratic nominee in 2016 but lost to Trump, stated that it had been 'the honor of my life' to be the Democratic nominee. She remarked, 'Together, we have made cracks in this highest and hardest glass ceiling... People, my friends, when a barrier falls for one of us, it opens the way for all of us.' The glass ceiling metaphor refers to the obstacles women face in advancing. According to the Associated Press, before the Democratic National Convention began, several thousand anti-war activists protested around the venue, with some attempting to break through barriers to enter the convention site, leading police to arrest dozens of them. About 50,000 people are expected to attend the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. As Kamala Harris approaches her official nomination for the presidential election, one of her challenges is the issue of the Gaza war. In recent months, Biden's administration's support for Israel has faced widespread criticism among Democratic Party supporters. Some Democratic representatives supporting Palestinians have called for Harris to impose an arms embargo on Israel if she wins the election. Harris has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, but one of her advisors stated last week that she has not been willing to discuss arms embargoes with protesters.