At 81 years old, Joe Biden could not hold back tears of emotion when he was greeted with a thunderous “We Love Joe” at midnight on Monday on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
From his dark jacket he took out a white handkerchief to dry his eyes and embrace his daughter Ashley in a tender embrace.
“Are you ready to vote for freedom, for democracy and for the United States?” Biden asked the 5,000 Democratic delegates. “Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?” The crowd responded with a metaphorical “Yes” in the form of a standing ovation.
The ceremonial passing of the generational torch to Kamala marked a turning point in American political history: A white man from Pennsylvania handed the baton to the first woman of color to be the presidential candidate of one of the two major political parties in the United States.
It is true that the transfer of the torch was not smooth. A tireless fighter, Biden resisted the pressures of the party until it was inevitable.
But his decision was further proof of his character: the visionary statesman who recognizes reality and not the stubborn octogenarian who could have gone down in history as the man who opened the doors of the White House to Donald Trump.
Although he has five months left in power, Biden this week put a symbolic end to a 53-year career in politics.
His career began in 1970, when he was elected to the New Castle County Council in Delaware. Two years later, at age 29, he became one of the youngest people elected to the Senate. The tragic loss of his first wife and daughter shortly after that election could have ended his career before it began, but Biden persevered and displayed the personal resilience that would come to define his public life.
As a senator for 36 years, he earned a reputation as a pragmatic legislator, known for his ability to forge bipartisan agreements on critical issues from civil rights to immigration.
His deep empathy, grounded in the loss of his son Beau, distinguished him as a politician who understands the human cost of decisions made in Washington.
For more than half a century, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. will leave a legacy of accomplishment as a constant presence in public life, weathering his many personal and political storms with a steady hand, resilient spirit, and an unwavering commitment to the values and principles that defined his career.
“I love this job, but I love this country more… For 50 years I gave my best, I gave you my heart and soul, and in return I have been blessed millions of times over. I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you,” Biden concluded. And the people, whom he served with decency and humility, responded with a simple but powerful “Thank you, Joe.”
