Former US president Joe Biden officially accepted the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party, urging the American voters to come together to ercome a "season of darkness" that has cloaked the US for "much too long". Biden, 77, was introduced by a video that went through the former vice president's life, and career, and highlighted his role as a father, husband and political leader. Biden's children, Ashley Biden and Hunter Biden, spoke before their father accepted the nomination. "We want to tell you what kind of president our dad will be. He will be tough. And honest. Caring and principled. He'll listen, he'll be there when you need him. He'll tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it. He'll never let you down," they said together.
Biden, 77, became the Democratic Party's nominee for the November 3 presidential election on Tuesday night in a pre-recorded roll call vote from delegates in all 50 states. “It is the honour of my life to accept the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States of America,” Biden said in a tweet.
In the general elections, Biden is leading over Trump by 7.7 points nationally, according to the average of polls by Real Clear Politics. This is a few points drop from his previous lead of 10.2 points he held in June. Trump, 74, would be formally nominated by the Republican Party as its presidential candidate at its virtual convention next week.
While accepting the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night, Biden said in Delaware that "united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America." "The current president's cloaked American darkness for much too long," Biden said in an opening that targeted President US Donald Trump. "Too much anger, too much fear, too much division. Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I'll be an ally of the light, not the darkness. It's time for us, for we the people, to come together," he said.
Biden praised his Indian-American running mate Kamala Harris during his nomination acceptance speech, describing the California senator as a "powerful voice" in the US and said her "story is the American story."
He touted Harris' diverse family, her parents are Jamaican and Indian, heritage and her perseverance to "overcome every obstacle she has ever faced". "Her story is the American story. She knows about all of the obstacles thrown in the way of so many in our country. Women, Black women, Black Americans, South Asian Americans, immigrants. The left out and the left behind. She has overcome every obstacle she has ever faced," he said. "No one has been tougher on big banks and the gun lobby. No one has been tougher on calling out the current administration for its extremism, its failure to follow the law, it's failure to simply tell the truth. Kamala and I both draw from our families. That is where we get our strength. For Kamala, it is Doug, and their families. For me, it is Jill, and ours," Biden said.
-Inputs from PTI