Democratic National Convention (DNC) 2020 Night 1 Transcript: Speeches by Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders, John Kasich & more

Intro: (00:05)
Justice, strength, liberty.

Intro: (00:10)
Let’s do this!

Intro: (00:17)
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Intro: (01:03)
We the people call the 48th [inaudible 00:01:07] Democratic Nation Convention to order.

Intro: (01:08)
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Intro: (01:15)
(singing)

Gabriel Salguero: (04:04)
Hello. My name is Gabriel Salguero. Let us pray. Almighty God, we confess that our nation needs you and has always needed you. We pray for your blessing upon all of us, Republican, Independent, and Democrat. As we strive to form perfect union, we pray for your strength, guidance, and wisdom. Lord, we recognize that we are living in challenging times that call us to live up to the highest angel of our national character. As we confront the turbulent winds of a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and civil discourse, may your gracious hand lead us to the peaceful shores of love, justice and civility.

Gabriel Salguero: (04:44)
Help us, oh Lord, to be ever mindful of the most vulnerable among us, from our golden generation to our youngest children, [foreign language 00:00:04:54] to our veterans, from our health care workers to our schools teachers. Give us a heart of compassion and grace. This nation from Miami to Minneapolis, and from Portland to El Paso, ask you to shepherd us to a hope filled vision that does justice. [foreign language 00:05:14], and walks humbly before you. I pray this in the maximus name of Jesus, amen.

Eva Longoria : (05:23)
Welcome to our convention across America. We had hoped to gather in place, but instead we figured out a safe and responsible way to come together to share ideas and talk abut the future of our country. That’s the kind of leadership we need right now. That’s the kind of leadership that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will bring to the White House. So during the next four nights, we will gather safely from our homes to listen, to learn, to be inspired to act, to vote and to build that more perfect union. I am honored to be with you this evening.

I’m here tonight as a ninth generation Texan, as a daughter of a veteran and a teacher, as a mother, as a voter and as a patriot. I share Joe Biden’s belief that the story of America is one of ordinary people coming together to do extraordinary things, and at our best our country [inaudible 00:06:18]. Tonight, we’re going to begin with the simple kindness we’ve been extending to each other a lot lately. We’re going to check in with folks around the country and ask, “How are you doing?” As many of you know, small businesses employ half of all U.S. workers. Tonight, we have Scott. Scott, you are a small business owner from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Small businesses have been hit so hard in this crisis, so many small businesses. How are you doing? How are you managing?

Scott Richardson: (06:53)
Well, it’s been rough. Rough is a nice word to say it. My wife and I, 31 years ago, began our business and quite honestly, over all these years, we’ve faced some adversity and challenges, but to be honest with you, nothing like we are today. We’ve literally had to reinvent our business several times since the beginning of the year, just to stay afloat. Our revenue, for example, is off about 40%. We have half of the employees that we had pre-COVID and our customers are a little scared, our employees are sometimes afraid to come to work because of the COVID. To be honest with you, I’m just frustrated. I don’t understand how we got here. We are the greatest nation in the world. It just seems to me that maybe if we just came together on this one issue alone, maybe as Americans and being united, we can overcome.

Yeah. Thank you, Scott, for sharing your story. I’m sure many small business owners feel the same way that you’re feeling now. We wish you the best for your business and, of course, for your family. Now I’d like to turn to Marley Diaz, who is 15 years old from West Orange, New Jersey. She is a literary activist and author, and she is the founder of Thousand Black Girl Books. Marley, so many young people are struggling with the changes due to COVID. How are you doing?

Marley Dias: (08:43)
I’m doing all right. I feel better every day. I feel more hopeful. I thought this was going to be a few weeks at first where I wouldn’t see my friends and I would just stick it out. But obviously as it’s grown longer, I really want to focus on activism and still spreading important messages, given the fact that I can’t go out.

So I started doing virtual read alouds online, which has been so fun, getting to interact and meet new kids and encourage and promote the joy that we can find in reading and in learning. It’s also super fun to see teenagers like me going on social media and talking about social issues and injustices that they care about because sometimes you don’t have that space in school. So I hope that a year from now, when we get to go back and be safe and be protected, we will still have these conversations and still have a new possibility and a new world.

Yes. Thank you so much, Marley. You’re such an inspiration. I don’t think I was doing half of what you’re doing at 15 and I love seeing how brave and creative your generation is to creating change. So thank you. Thank you so much for your work. Let’s check in with Rick. Rick, you are a farmer from Volant, Pennsylvania. Your farm has been in your family for generations. What have the trade wars and the pandemic done to your family’s life work?

Rick Telesz: (09:59)
Well, first of all, I’d like to offer the Trump family our condolences for his loss. Getting back to the business side of it, the trade war was … it was a real stressful and truly a devastating effect on the farm. Most probably what people can relate to mostly in agriculture is the soybean [inaudible 00:10:19], and then whenever you compound the effects of the COVID-19 virus, nobody could have prevented that. It’s a shame our leadership misinforms people like myself in the country on what was coming down the road. My biggest concern is that if these trends continue with this type of leadership, I will be the last generation farming this farm.

Yeah. It’s a scary thought, and I’m sure a lot of farmers feel the same way.

I don’t have the answers, but past experiences, if something doesn’t work for you, it’s time for change. That’s why I’m supporting Joe Biden all the way.

Well, thank you so much. Rick, I couldn’t agree with you more. We need meaningful change and leadership that will support family farms like yours, so we wish you the best. Thank you for sharing your story. Finally, let’s hear from Michelle, from my home state of Texas. Michelle, you are a school nurse and a mother in El Paso. How are you preparing for the new school year?

Michelle Beebe: (11:27)
Hi Eva. Well, we’ve already started school, but it is a little challenging because every day something seems to change. We start one way one day and we have to change it the next day. I know that right now it’s kind of sad not to see the kiddos when we’re back, but I know that that will change. We’re going to have to adapt and persevere. But honestly, right now, all I can think about is keeping my kiddo safe. I know back in March, we had them at home and we were doing okay, but now they’re wanting us to them back to school and it’s a little scary with all the uprise and COVID cases.

So I just want to say that I am committed to take care of my family, my students, and all my staff at my school. I will do whatever it takes to ensure that we are all ready to go back to school, safe and healthy. I know that I am optimistic to move forward with our life and Joe Biden will be the one to take us there. I just want to say for everyone to please remember to wash their hands and wear their mask because we’re all in this together.

Thank you, Michelle. I think there’s nothing more difficult for us as moms than to see our children suffer, and so I think you’re doing a great job of guiding them through this very difficult time, and thank you for the work you do as a nurse. It’s truly heroic. I really enjoy talking to all of you. I think I have one last question. Do you believe that change is coming? Do you believe that better days are ahead?

Scott Richardson: (12:51)
Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Well, thank you for taking the time to speak with us and sharing your thoughts. You are the we in “We, the people,” and you are who this convention is about.

Joe Biden: (13:05)
… in 1776, the declaration of independence. We hold these truths to be self evident. These words are the basis for the American creed, equality, equity, fairness, decency. America didn’t live up to that promise for most of the people at the time, the people of color, for women, but we were born of an idea that every single solitary person given half a chance, no matter where they’re from, given half a chance, there’s not a single thing they cannot do if they work at it. Nothing’s beyond their capacity.

We had hoped to have our convention in the city of festivals, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this year. Of course, we’re not able to do that, but we’ll be hearing from several of Wisconsin’s leaders throughout this convention, starting with Congresswoman Gwen Moore.

Gwen Moore: (14:03)
Hi, I’m Gwen Moore and it’s my honor to represent Milwaukee in Congress and to kick off the 2020 democratic convention. Oh, I sure wish you all were here in the city of Milwaukee, which takes its name from the languages of the first peoples interpreted as good land and gathering place by the waters. This is a city where blood was shed for labor rights, where a fugitive slave was freed from prison, where women’s right to vote was first ratified. But today, we gather virtually however. We gather unified in spirit, unified in our values and purpose to heal divisions and together move the nation confidently into a prosperous inclusive future.

Gwen Moore: (14:53)
What better way to gather that all across America to nominate my beloved friend, Joe Biden, to be 46 president of the United States of America with my VIP, VP nominee, sister, Kamala Harris by his side. Tonight, we are gathered to reclaim the soul of America. So if you’re ready to come together, America, text “join” 30330. Thank you. I love you all and God bless you.

Joe Biden: (18:13)
We have to let them know who we are, what we stand for. We choose hope over fear, truth over lies, and yes, unity over division. It’s time for us to lift our heads up, open our hearts and remember who we are. We are the United States of America. I mean it. There’s not a single thing we cannot do if we do it together.

Derrick Johnson: (18:38)
The idea of us calling ourselves the United States of America feels like it’s pretty wrong right now. Fairly ashamed to say it, but I’m one of many who voted for the current president, Donald Trump. I challenge you to think back to what made you vote for Donald Trump in 2016. I know I sure have. I’ve registered as a Democrat for the first time in my life. I’m doing that because I think this election is bigger than any political party. What I think in light of current events, if nothing else, we need more than anything is a proven leader. Donald Trump’s rhetoric is … it’s divisive, it’s dangerous. It’s also really difficult to vote for someone who essentially has zero platform right now, four months out from the election. Joe Biden on the other hand has a very detailed plan, things like unity, education, climate preservation, racial inequality, and even healthcare. We have a chance right now to look ourselves in the mirror and go vote for a proven leader with a history of caring about others and truly putting all Americans first.

Our nation is facing a lot right now and over the next four nights, we’re going to cover it all. But tonight we’re going to talk about three specific crises we face; the pandemic, an economic downturn and an ongoing systemic racial injustice. But we’re not just going to focus on what’s wrong. We’re going to talk about how to make it right. When peaceful protesters were teargassed across from the White House, our next speaker stood up, stood strong and turned that place into the Black Lives Matter Plaza in their honor. Please welcome Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Muriel Bowser: (21:00)
Hello, I’m Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, DC. The story of our nation’s capital is a story of reckoning. It was here that John Lewis and Dr. King spoke on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It was here that millions of women and men flooded the streets for the women’s march. It was here that, just weeks ago, Americans donned face masks and safely and peacefully protested the death of George Floyd. But while we were peacefully protesting, Donald Trump was plotting. He stood in front of one of our most treasured houses of worship and held a Bible for a photo op. He sent troops in camouflage into our streets. He sent tear gas into the air and federal helicopters too.

I knew if he did this to DC, he would do it to your city or your town, and that’s when I said enough. I said enough for every black and brown American who has experienced injustice, enough for every American who believes in justice. But I said enough for another reason too. I have a two year old daughter and I want her to grow up in an America where she’s not scared to walk to the store, an America where she’s safe behind the doors of her own home, an America where the president doesn’t fan the flames of racism and looks out for all of us.

So I created Black Lives Matter Plaza right behind me as the place where we could come together to say enough. And by coming together this November to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, we will say next, because we can’t just paint those words behind me. We can’t just say those words. We have to live those words. We have to undo the laws and systems that have codified racism for far too long. But we have to do something too. Each and every one of us, challenge our own biases. If we see something, do something. Together, we can turn this reckoning into a reimagining of a nation where we, the people means all the people. There were a few people who stood on this very balcony as thousands of people peacefully protested in this city. One was our next vice president, my sister, Kamala Harris. The others were members of George Floyd’s family, who I’m honored to introduce now.

Philonise Floyd: (23:21)
My brother George was selfless. He always made sacrifices for his family, friends and even complete strangers. George had a given spirit, a spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world. People of all races, all ages, all genders, all backgrounds, peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity. It’s a fitting legacy for our brother, but George should be alive today. Brianna Taylor should be alive today. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. Eric Garner should be alive today. Stefan Clark, Tatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland. They should all be alive today. So it’s up to us to carry on the fight for justice. Our actions will be their legacies. We must always find ourselves in what John Lewis called good trouble for the names we do not know, the faces we’ll never see, those who can’t mourn because their murders didn’t go viral. Please join me in a moment of silence to honor George and the many other souls we lost to hate and injustice. And when this moment is, let’s make sure we never stopped saying their names.

Leon Bridges: (24:43)
(singing)

Thank you, Leon Bridges, who’s song Sweeter featured Terrace Martin, a song written after George Floyd’s murder. You know, we have to ask ourselves, how do we, the people, take the protest and turn them into progress? How do we take the changes we’re seeing in the hearts and minds of people and translate it into real and lasting change in people’s lives? We need to address the economic inequalities that this virus has exposed and worsened, and we need to solve the testing and healthcare disparities that have led to people of color dying from COVID at higher rates than white people, and we need to make it easier for Americans to vote. We have a lot to do and to do this, we need community action, we need Congress that can have power to do it, and we need a president who understands that this is the moment.

Joe Biden: (29:28)
The moment has come for our nation to deal with systemic racism, to deal with the growing economic inequity that exists in our nation, to deal with the denial of the promise of this nation made to so many. I’ve said from the outset of this election that we’re in the battle for the soul of this nation. We are in the battle for the soul of this nation. What we believe, and maybe most importantly, who we want to be, it’s all at stake. That’s truer today than it’s ever been, at least in my lifetime. It’s this urgency, it’s in this urgency, we can find a path forward.

Joe Biden: (30:18)
Hey everybody, how are you? Thanks for doing this. [crosstalk 00:00:30:22]. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Jamira, tell the rest of the folks a little about your background.

Jamira Burley: (30:28)
I started doing activism when I was 15. It was at the intersection of knowing both the perpetrator and a victim. My brother Andre was shot and killed in Philadelphia and it made me realize that I had a responsibility, almost a collective responsibility, to ensure that that didn’t happen to other young people. I think that’s what’s missing in America right now, is our collective responsibility to each other and to realize that the person down the street or around the corner, even across the country, that we have a responsibility to ensure that we’re making sure that they’re safe, they have access to education, and that in all were created in a world in which their differences are celebrated as well as protected under the law.

Joe Biden: (31:09)
Mayor, how are you prioritizing the many things you have to do, as we try to tackle, in a way that we haven’t before, systemic racism in the city?

Lori Lightfoot: (31:18)
It really is about economic empowerment because if people are lifted out of poverty and they are given an opportunity to feel a stake in their own future, that goes a long way. We’re also challenging all kinds of institutions from corporations to community based organizations to think about what they can do better to end systemic racism and make sure that we’re uplifting the quality of life in communities, but also the voices of people that traditionally don’t have a seat at the table.

Joe Biden: (31:54)
President’s talking about defunding the post office and mail and voting. What do you think we should be doing, Mr. President?

Derrick Johnson: (32:01)
Well, first of all, we have to change the public discourse around voting. It should be seen as a democratic thing to do, the most patriotic thing we can do and not a partisan exercise. Secondly, how do we open up access to voting so we could address some of the systemic problems? Not only should we reauthorize the voting rights act, but we have to go farther. Most importantly, voting should be seen as a constitutional right that’s guaranteed, and with that level of sight, that all citizens can be assured that they can have unfettered access without being suppressed.

Art Acevedo: (32:42)
This is a watershed moment and we can’t lose this moment. We have got to have action at the national level. We have got to have congressional action. We cannot have 18,000 police departments, and in 2020, have police departments still allowing the use of a knee on a man’s neck in George Floyd. A lot of us were shocked and I think what gives me hope-

Art Acevedo: (33:03)
A lot of us were shocked. And I think what gives me hope is that police officers were shocked, police officers have spoken out. And we’re hopeful that we’ll have some national standards as it relates to policing, use of force, a national database, abolishment of a prohibition on a national standard in terms of choke holds, and that we actually used the death of George Floyd’s and others to actually make policing, take it to the next level, which is what everyone wants, including all the good cops that are out there, that thankfully there are more of them than there are bad cops.

Joe Biden: (33:35)
Most cops are good, but the fact is the bad ones have to be identified and prosecuted and out, period. Gwen, how are you doing?

Gwen Carr: (33:46)
Oh, well, I’m doing pretty well, as well as can be expected.

Joe Biden: (33:52)
I’m sure that the words of George Floyd, “I can’t breathe,” were not new to you, and they echo in your mind every single day. It’s six years ago when your son died, but we can’t let this keep happening. What do you think the next thing we have to do, Gwen?

Gwen Carr: (34:09)
Well, first of all, I know when my son was murdered, there was a big uprising, but then it settled down. We can’t let things settle down. We have to go to the politicians and we have to hold their feet to the fire, because otherwise the big uprising is not going to mean a lot. So I’m just asking that if you become the president, that you make sure that we get national law as well as state and local law, especially when it comes to police brutality, because that has been a age old problem.

Joe Biden: (34:50)
Well, I may be kidding myself, but I think the people are ready. I think people are ready, we just got to keep pushing. We can’t let up. But thank you for what you’re doing. I really appreciate it. Thanks for joining me.

Gwen Carr: (35:01)
Thank you.

Joe Biden: (35:03)
Bye bye. Thank you.

Anton G.: (35:10)
Racism structurally, individually and systematically is real.

Jeanna H.: (35:15)
Black, brown, no matter what you look like, you should not ever be fearful of your life due to the color of your skin.

Dekevius A.: (35:22)
What I want to see in the next president of the United States is someone who’s fair, who believes in equal justice under the law. I want him to lead us through this revolution that we’re experiencing right now.

Sina: (35:35)
Joe Biden is a healer and he’s a unifier. He will fight for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Rhonda C.: (35:40)
Undo, remove, tear down the remnants of structural and systematic racism in this country.

Joseph M.: (35:47)
The systemic injustices that exist, things that our nation has overlooked, that need to be addressed.

Jeanna H.: (35:53)
We need to stand on our platform and introduce legislation that makes this platform felt from coast to coast.

Victor S.: (36:00)
I know that Joe Biden is the person to restore the values that we hold so near and dear to our hearts.

Dekevius A.: (36:04)
I have a 10 year old son. I want to make sure that there is a world that’s left better for him.

Jim Clyburn: (36:22)
Good evening. I’m Congressman, Jim Clyburn, here in historic-

Speaker 1: (36:26)
Standby.

Good evening. I’m Congressman Jim Clyburn, here in historic Charleston, South Carolina. Six months ago, I stood not far from here and endorsed Joe Biden to be our 46th president. It was a decision I made with my feet firmly planted in this community, this community, where 80% of African Americans in this country can claim an ancestor, who arrived on these shows in bondage, a few blocks from here over at Gadsden’s Wharf. This community that is still healing from the wounds we received when a white supremacist entered Emanuel AME church, and murdered nine black parishioners as they studied the Bible together.

The ground beneath our feet is seated with pain that is both old and new. But from that soil, we always find a way to grow together. Earlier this summer, the city of Charleston removed a statue, honoring John C. Calhoun, an honored advocate of slavery. And construction is underway on the International African American museum at Gadsden’s Wharf. Much like the country as a whole, we are stepping out from the shadows of our past and beginning to lay the groundwork for a more just future. It won’t be easy. We can only succeed if we move forward together. So we will need a president who sees unifying people as a requirement of the job, a president who understands the true meaning of community and how to build it through trust and humility.

And with so many families experiencing loss in this pandemic, lost jobs, lost loved ones and lost confidence in the president to keep us safe, we need a president who understands both profound loss and what it takes to bounce back. But more important than his first hand experience with loss and hardship, is his ability to translate that perspective into policy and solutions, and prioritize hardworking people and persistent poverty counties over partisan politics or personal gain. That’s why I stand with Joe. And while he will always be an adopted son of South Carolina, Joe Biden is as good a man as he is a leader. I have said before and wish to reiterate tonight, we know Joe, but more importantly, Joe knows us.

Kevin Penn: (39:17)
Hi, I’m Kevin. I do a lot of things in life, but the thing I’m most proud of is I am a TAPS military mentor. And that’s how I spend the majority of my time, post Marine Corps. Building memories like the ones we built together is the single best thing I do with my time. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives and sharing the journeys for the past decade. We’ve got about 500 kids and family members and mentors and we’re all packed into this very large ballroom. And all of a sudden the back door opens up and in walks Joe Biden. I had almost an out of body experience because he surprised us all.

Kevin Penn: (39:55)
I like to think I’m decent at reading people from my time in the Marine Corps, my time as an Intel officer and my time as a drill instructor, my time studying psychology. He was being real. I mean, you can’t fake that kind of a smile. He was genuinely happy to see these kids and to spend time with them. It’s easy to lose faith in humanity, especially today, there’s a lot of polarization. Leaves a lot of room for a lot of hope. It’s hard to articulate real character when you see it. Policies are great and we need sound policies as well, which he also has those cause he’s got the CHOPs, right? But it’s almost like none of that matters if you don’t have the character.

Kevin Penn: (40:33)
This is a very unprecedented and challenging time that requires an unprecedented and courageous leader. We need someone with the courage to do what’s necessary and what’s right to strive towards a more perfect union, that’s Joe Biden. I know Joe, because he cares about everybody else before himself.

You know what else Joe knows? Joe knows about pandemics. In 2014, he helped stop the spread of Ebola and brought the world together to keep it contained. And after that success, knowing this would happen again, vice president Biden and president Obama assembled a pandemic playbook to make sure that America was prepared and protected. The Trump administration disbanded the pandemic response team that was given to them. Americans have died and lost their livelihoods because of it. We, the people deserve a president who believes in science, that recognizes the threat of COVID, who has a plan to get us through it, and that is Joe Biden.

We’re grateful that across the country, there are responsible leaders who are stepping up. One of them provided clear direction and memorable power points, New York’s governor, Andrew lease.

Andrew Cuomo: (41:58)
Hello, today is Monday, day 170. New Yorkers were ground zero for the COVID virus and have gone from one of the highest infection rates on the globe to one of the lowest. We climbed the impossible mountain, and right now we are on the other side. We did it with the kindness and assistance of so many. New Yorkers want to thank everyone who came to our aid, 30,000 Americans who volunteered to come here to help in our hour of need. Your love gave us the strength to carry on. We went through hell, but we’ve learned much. We know that our problems go beyond the COVID virus. COVID is the symptom, not the illness. Our nation is in crisis. And in many ways, COVID is just a metaphor. A virus attacks when the body is weak and when it cannot defend itself.

Over these past few years, America’s body politics has been weakened. The divisions have been growing deeper, the antisemitism, the anti-Latino, the anti-immigrant fervor, the racism in Charlottesville, where the KKK didn’t even bother to wear their hoods, and in Minnesota where the life was squeezed from Mr. Floyd. Only a strong body can fight off the virus, and America’s divisions weakened it. Donald Trump didn’t create the initial division. The division created Trump, he only made it worse. Our collective strength is exercised through government. It is in effect, our immune system and our current federal government is dysfunctional and then competent. It couldn’t fight off the virus. In fact, it didn’t even see it coming. The European virus infected the Northeast while the White House was still fixated on China. The virus had been attacking us for months before they even knew it was here. We saw the failure of a government that tried to deny the virus then tried to ignore it, and then try to politicize it. The failed federal government that watched New York get ambushed by their negligence and then watched New York suffer, but all through it learned absolutely nothing.

So today, six months after it began, the nation is still unprepared. And we now face a second threat, but this time not from mother nature, this is a manmade threat by our own negligence. We now see the virus ricocheting across the country from one state to another. Today, we trail the world in defeating COVID. We have over 5 million cases. Americans learned a critical lesson, how vulnerable we are when we are divided and how many lives can be lost when our government is incompetent. But we learned something else, my friends. We saw the negative, but we also saw the positive.

As they prove their way failed, we proved that our way succeeded, that America can still rise to the occasion. We can put our differences aside and find commonality. Government can tell the truth and can build trust. We can judge by content of character, rather than color of skin. We can care for one another, that Americans can work together and forge community and a competent government, that of course we will wear masks because we are smart, and because I care about you and because you care about me. Of course we will socially distance, because staying away shows how close we actually are.

Yes, we will set up testing and tracing and do whatever we need to do to mobilize, to win this battle because we are America. We win wars and we are the greatest country on the globe. And for all the pain and all the tears, our way worked, and it was beautiful. We showed that our better angels are strong and that Americans will rise to their call. We saw that even at the end of the day, even if it is a long day, that love wins. Americans’ eyes have been opened. And we have seen in this crisis, the truth that government matters and leadership matters, and it determines whether we thrive and grow or whether we live or die.

Now, we need a leader as good as our people, a leader who appeals to the best within us, not the worst, a leader who can unify, not divide, a leader who can bring us up, not tear us down. I know that man, I’ve worked with that man. I’ve seen his talent. I’ve seen his strength. I’ve seen his pain and I’ve seen his heart. That man is Joe Biden. Joe Biden is what I call America tough, tough in the best way. Tough that is smart, united, disciplined and loving. Joe Biden can restore the soul of America, and that’s exactly what our country needs today. Thank you.

Speaker 2: (47:11)
And now, we’ll hear from Kristin Urquiza.

Kristin Urquiza: (47:15)
Hi, I’m Kristin Urquiza. I’m one of the many who has lost a loved one to COVID. My dad, Mark Anthony Urquiza should be here today, but he isn’t. He had faith in Donald Trump. He voted for him, listened to him, believed him and his mouthpieces when they said that coronavirus was under control and going to disappear, that it was okay to end social distancing rules before it was safe, and that if you had no underlying health conditions, you’d probably be fine. So in late May, after the stay at home order was lifted in Arizona, my dad went to a karaoke bar with his friends. A few weeks later, he was put on a ventilator and after five agonizing days, he died alone in the ICU with a nurse holding his hand.

My dad was a healthy 65 year old. His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that, he paid with his life. I am not alone. Once I told my story, a lot of people reached out to me to share theirs. They asked me to help them keep their communities safe, especially communities of color, which have been disproportionately affected. They asked me, a normal person to help because Donald Trump won’t. The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two Americas, the America that Donald Trump lives in, and the America that my father died in.

Enough is enough. Donald Trump may not have caused the coronavirus, but his dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much worse. We need a leader who has a national, coordinated, data driven response to stop this pandemic from claiming more lives and to safely reopen the country. We need a leader who will step in on day one and do his job, to care. One of the last things that my father said to me was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump. And so when I cast my vote for Joe Biden, I will do it for my dad.

Thank you, Kristin, for sharing your story. Our nation grieves for your father and all those we’ve lost to this virus. It’s a toll that hasn’t fallen equally on us. People of color have been disproportionately affected, dying at greater rates than white Americans. But we can honor all of those we’ve lost by giving Joe Biden and Kamala Harris the opportunity to put in place a real national plan that tests and tracks, that makes sure that access to a vaccine will be fair and turns the full power of our government toward making sure we have the supplies and technology and people, scientists and public health officials and contact tracers, we need to stop this.

So right now, let’s hear from a champion for our frontline workers, who also happens to be an Olympic champion and a World Cup champion, Megan Rapinoe.

Megan Rapinoe: (50:34)
Hi, everybody. My name is Megan Rapinoe and I have the distinct honor today to host a conversation with four of our frontline workers here in America, we should rename them heroes, absolutely. Trung Lee, can you tell us a little bit about how you’re doing during this time?

Trung Lee: (50:53)
So early on when the government was still trying to figure out proper protocols to protect frontline workers, I had unfortunately contracted COVID through patient contact and was isolated by myself for two weeks. So total isolation, no contact. Once I recovered luckily, I went back to the front lines to continue to take care of the sick. And what got me originally was watching people die alone. There were no visitors allowed, everyone was totally isolated, and I knew how that felt because for two weeks, that was me, not knowing if you were going to wake up, not knowing if you were going to make it, who you were going to talk to, if you can say goodbye.

Trung Lee: (51:35)
This was people’s moms, dads, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, all dying alone. And we know there’s a round two coming and mentally, physically, emotionally, I don’t know how many of us on the front lines are going to survive that second round.

Dr. Bradley, what effects are you seeing inside your hospital doors of the inaction of the Trump administration when it comes to this COVID response?

Dr. Bradley Dreifuss: (52:01)
It’s heavy. I mean, I’ve left the emergency department in tears, and so have a lot of my colleagues. People are exhausted and we’re looking at the tsunami that’s coming this winter with COVID and influenza. And I think all of us are wondering how is our system not going to just collapse? Because if we’re not there when people come with their broken arms or they come with their heart attacks and strokes and their appendicitis, we’re not going to be there.

What were you seeing on the front lines, in those very early days that you knew it wasn’t going to magically disappear? Did you think it was a hoax then?

Aldo Martinez: (52:34)
Oh, absolutely we knew that this was not a hoax. We were certain of it. All of us knew from experience back in 2009, with the swine flu, we knew what a pandemic would look like. We knew that we needed to have the tools and the resources and the plans in place, but then we have the ineptitude and the lack of leadership from this administration. I’ve seen the worst of the worst. Not only have I answered thousands of calls of people that are sick, but people that are dying.

Michelle, tell us a little bit about how it’s been for you on the front lines, what your specific role is.

Michelle Boyle: (53:14)
As a union nurse, I’ve been primarily more in the forefront on advocating that our healthcare workers and our patients get the support and the PPE that they need. 10 years ago, I responded to the disaster in Haiti. We were working in a tent hospital after the earthquake, but the first time that I ever feared for my life and my family’s walking into work was in my own country. We have the money, we have the means, we have the resources in this country. We are deeply lacking leadership and somebody who cares. Trump has made it perfectly clear how he feels, and we need a president who cares, that’s Joe Biden.

Dr. Bradley Dreiffus, Aldo Martinez, Michelle Boyle and Trung Lee, I can’t thank you enough. The American people are forever indebted to you, to your work and your sacrifice, and just you showing up every single day and giving everything you have. And thank you again for all of the work you do on the front line. There’s no way we could ever repay you. So thank you very much.

Terry: (54:37)
Millions of people and veterans and senior citizens rely on the postal system for prescription medicines, for their checks.

Jeffrey: (54:46)
Having the postal service to deliver about the suspicious became even more confronting when the COVID-19 virus hit us here in the United States.

Victoria: (54:55)
However, now with Donald Trump in office and his attempts to undermine the United States Postal Service, we are extremely concerned.

Jeffrey: (55:06)
This administration’s decision not to provide the necessary funding to the United States Postal Service is appalling.

Elizabeth: (55:13)
I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Voting by mail is our only realistic option.

Rhoda: (55:21)
In no way do I want my 11 grandchildren to grow up in a world where this kind of suppression exists.

Sara Gideon: (55:39)
I’m Sara Gideon and I’m running to represent Maine in the US Senate. Every day I see the caring and resilient spirit that will get us through this crisis. Americans are looking out for one another. It’s time we had leadership in Washington that did the same. With Joe Biden in the White House and a democratic Senate, I know we can build back our economy and our communities even stronger. But tonight, I am here to welcome someone who has strong ties to our state and is here in Maine with me. She is reminding all of us to keep fighting through. With her song that she’s performing, Back in My Body, please help me welcome someone who’s an inspiration to all of us and one of my favorite artists, Maggie Rogers.

Maggie Rogers: (56:24)
(singing).

Rebekah O.: (59:24)
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, all I could think about were my students and their families.

Annette: (59:29)
All the suffering and pain and death that really didn’t have to be this way.

George C.: (59:35)
If we had leadership in place that would have taken this pandemic seriously in the beginning, we would not be in a situation we are in now.

Annette: (59:42)
We still, at this time, don’t have the necessary PPE.

Cesar A.: (59:48)
And I am very worried about what is in front of us. We’re going to have classrooms that maybe have not been sanitized properly because we don’t have the money for that kind of equipment. We’re going to have classrooms packed with students. And so the virus is going to be hard to contain. So this is very dangerous for the safety of our kids.

George C.: (01:00:06)
I hope that the new leadership takes American lives seriously.

Mitzi D.: (01:00:10)
I know Joe Biden understands that the only way to keep people safe and our economy strong is to follow the recommendations of doctors. And we’re going to do everything we can to get Joe Biden elected.

Gretchen Whitmer: (01:00:31)
Hello, America, I’m Governor Gretchen Whitmer, or as Donald Trump calls me, that woman from Michigan. Tonight, I’m here at UAW local, 6:52 in Lansing, Michigan. Auto workers in this union and across our state could have lost their jobs if not for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In 2009, the Obama Biden administration inherited the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the auto industry on the brink of collapse, a million jobs at stake. But president Obama and vice president Biden didn’t waste time blaming anyone else or shirking their responsibility, they got to work. They brought together union members, companies and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and they saved the auto industry.

And wouldn’t you know, just a few months ago, as our nation began battling COVID-19, auto workers across Michigan sprang into action. They started making protective equipment for doctors and nurses on the front lines. Let me break it down. President Obama and vice president Biden saved these auto workers’ livelihoods, then these workers did their part to save American lives. That’s the story of this great nation. Action begets action, progress begets progress. And when we work together, we can accomplish anything. After all, democracy is a team sport, especially now. It’s crucial that we rally together to fight this virus and build our economy back better.

From the jump, we took this pandemic seriously in Michigan. We listened to medical experts, we planned. And with a lot of work from the auto workers and too little help from the White House, we executed our plan. We saved thousands of lives. Just imagine if we had a national strategy so everyone who needs a test gets one for free, so everyone has access to a safe vaccine, so our kids and educators have the resources they need to safely get back to school. With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the white house, we will. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will lead by example. It’ll be science, not politics or ego that will drive their decisions. They know the health of our people goes hand in hand with the strength of our economy. They know action begets action.

Over the past few months, we’ve learned what’s essential, rising to the challenge, not denying it. We’ve learned who is essential too, not just the wealthiest among us, not a president who fights his fellow Americans rather than fight the virus that’s killing us and our economy. It’s the people who put their own health at risk to care for the rest of us, they are the MVPs. The nurses and the doctors, the utility workers, truck drivers and grocery clerks, the childcare workers, the parents, the teachers, the mail carriers and the auto workers. So many of these essential workers have lost their lives to COVID. Nearly 1,000 healthcare workers, more than 170,000 people across America, including a five year old girl named Skylar from Detroit, whose mom is a police officer and dad is a firefighter.

Generation after generation, our nation has been defined by what we do or what we fail to do. So for Skylar, for her parents and in the memory of all those we’ve lost, let us act, let us heal as one nation. Let us find strength to do the work.

Eva Longoria : (01:05:51)
We, the people means all the people, even those with whom we might not agree. Even those, we might not expect to see at a democratic convention. But Joe Biden is a guy who has earned the respect-

… convention. But Joe Biden is a guy who has earned the respect he commands across the world and across the aisle. The stakes in this election call for that kind of leadership, we have to think about more than one party. We have to think about the very core of our democracy. And that’s why you’re about to hear from some unexpected voices.

Governor Christine Todd Whitman: (01:06:23)
I’m Governor Christine Todd Whitman. What am I doing here? I’m a lifelong Republican. My parents were introduced at the Republican National Convention by their parents, that’s how far back it goes. But this isn’t about a Republican or Democrat. It’s about a person. A person decent enough, stable enough, strong enough to get our economy back on track. A person who can work with everyone, Democrats and Republicans to get things done. Donald Trump isn’t that person, Joe Biden is.

Meg Whitman: (01:06:53)
I’m Meg Whitman. I’m a longtime Republican and a longtime CEO. And let me tell you, Donald Trump has no clue how to run a business, let alone an economy. Joe Biden on the other hand, has a plan that will strengthen our economy for working people and small business owners. For me, the choice is simple. I’m with Joe.

Susan Molinari: (01:07:13)
Hi, I’m Susan Molinari. I’m a former Republican member of Congress from New York City, and I’ve known Donald Trump for most of my political career. So disappointing and lately, so disturbing. Now, I’ve also gotten to know and work with Joe Biden on issues related to women that are so important to all of us, women in business violence against women. That’s why I’m so proud to call him my friend, and honored to join and supporting his candidacy for president. He’s a really good man and he’s exactly what this nation needs at this time. Now I’m delighted and honored to introduce a former colleague of mine, the former Congressman from Ohio, the former Governor of Ohio, John Kasich.

John Kasich: (01:07:55)
America is at a crossroads. Sometimes elections represent a real choice, a choice we make as individuals and as a nation about which path we want to take when we’ve come to challenging times, America is at that crossroads today. The stakes in this election are greater than any in modern times. Many of us have been deeply concerned about the current path we’ve been following for the past four years. It’s a path that’s led to division, dysfunction, irresponsibility, and growing vitriol between our citizens. Continuing to follow that path will have terrible consequences for America’s soul because we’re being taken down the wrong road by a president who has pitted one against the other. He’s unlike all of our best leaders before him who worked to unite us, to bridge our differences, and lead us to a united America. I’m a lifelong Republican, but that attachment holds second place to my responsibility to my country.

That’s why I’ve chosen to appear at this convention. In normal times, something like this would probably never happen, but these are not normal times. I’m proud of my Republican heritage. It’s the party of Lincoln who reflected its founding principles of unity and a higher purpose. But what I have witnessed these past four years belies those principles. Many of us can’t imagine four more years going down this path. And that’s why I’m asking you to join with me in choosing a better way forward. I believe the best of America lies ahead, but only when we rediscovered our shared belief in the United States of America for our children’s future, which can be bright, hopeful, and inspired if we choose to make it so. I’ve known Joe Biden for 30 years. I know his story of profound grief that has so deeply affected his character. I know Joe is a good man, a man of faith, a unifier, someone who understands the hopes and dreams of the common man and the common woman, a man who can help us to see the humanity in each other.

He knows that the path to a restored and rejuvenated America lies in respect and unity and a common purpose for everyone. Yes, there are areas where Joe and I absolutely disagree, but that’s okay because that’s America. Because whatever our differences, we respect one another as human beings, each of us searching for justice and for purpose. We can all see what’s going on in our country today and all the questions that are facing us, and no one person or a party has all the answers. But what we do know is that we can do better than what we’ve been seeing today, for sure. And I know that Joe Biden with his experience and his wisdom and his decency, can bring us together to help us find that better way. I’m sure there are Republicans and independents who couldn’t imagine crossing over to support a Democrat. They fear Joe may turn sharp, left and leave them behind. I don’t believe that because I know the measure of the man. He’s reasonable, faithful, respectful, and no one pushes Joe around. Joe Biden is a man for our times, times that call for all of us to take off our partisan hats and put our nation first for ourselves, and of course for our children. When America chooses the right path and pulls together, like we’ve done so many times before. Yeah, we can dream big dreams and we can see the top of the mountain as a United States of America with a soul that is a beacon of freedom to the entire world. [singing 01:11:50]

Terry Williams: (01:11:53)
Hello. My name is Terry Williams and I’ve been a Republican for all of my adult life.

Donna N.: (01:11:57)
A lifelong Republican-

Alan P.: (01:11:58)
Republican.

Garry: (01:11:59)
A lifelong Republican.

Michael: (01:12:00)
I’ve been a longstanding Republican. And I’m telling ya, you got to vote for Joe Biden.

Debra: (01:12:06)
I have voted for and campaigned for Republicans since the Reagan years, but I won’t be voting for Donald Trump in November.

Garry: (01:12:12)
I’m supporting Joe Biden for president.

Donna N.: (01:12:14)
We need a positive leader. Someone who can work with both sides, Republicans and the Democrats.

Michael: (01:12:22)
I don’t think we can deal with the type of person we have in the White House any longer.

Terry Williams: (01:12:26)
Vote America. That’s the only way to get out of this. And Joe Biden is just the person to ensure we get our lives back to normal.

Garry: (01:12:34)
Joe Biden is a decent man with a long history of public service to America.

Debra: (01:12:38)
He will restore order and integrity to the executive branch.

Alan P.: (01:12:42)
I would strongly encourage all of us to come together.

Garry: (01:12:45)
And hopefully return our country’s political discourse back to some measure of normalcy and decency.

Michael: (01:12:51)
I’m sure, I’m absolutely sure he’s going to help us bring this country together once again. [Singing 01:12:58]

Speaker 3: (01:13:06)
And now from Alabama, Senator Doug Jones.

Senator Doug Jones: (01:13:10)
I’m Senator Doug Jones from the great state of Alabama. Growing up in the South meant growing up in the midst of stark divisions, but it was here in Alabama where Rosa Parks helped ignite a movement by refusing to give up her seat on a bus, where freedom riders of different races came together in pursuit of equality, and it was here in Alabama where John Lewis marched across a bridge toward freedom. From a young age I knew the hope that comes from seeing good people work to heal our divisions. It’s what led me to become the United States attorney, where I convicted two clansman who murdered four young black girls in a 1963 Birmingham church bombing and delivered long overdue justice. I’m standing in front of an exhibit dedicated to their memory. Alabama has shown me that even our deepest divisions can be overcome because each of us want the same thing, to be treated fairly and given the same opportunities, and the freedom to live with dignity and respect.

Now, some politicians try to pit us against each other, but I believe that Americans have more in common than what divides us. And in November, we have a chance to elect a president who believes that too. I’ve known Joe for more than 40 years. I met him as a wide-eyed law student, and he’s been my friend and champion ever since. The Joe I know is exactly the leader our country needs right now. He can bring people together to find common ground while standing up for what he believes is right. After years of bitter partisanship, he can unite our country and get things done for working families and everyone looking for a better future. Because it’s not about what side of the aisle we’re on, it’s about whether or not we’re on the side of the people.

The great John Lewis would often quote the old African proverb, “When pray, move your feet,” and then challenge us to do just that. “As a nation,” he said, “if we care for the beloved community, we must move our feet, our hands, our resources to build and not tear down, to reconcile and not to divide, to love and not to hate, to heal and not to kill.” In the final analysis. We are one people, one family, one house, the American house, the American family. Vice President Biden understands that and he is who we need as our next president.

Here we are on a Monday night in 2020, and we need to talk about the post office, the US Postal Service. It is central to so much of our lives. Veterans count on the post office to get their prescriptions. Social security beneficiaries count on the post office to get their checks. Grandparents depend on the post office to send birthday cards to their grandkids. Small businesses need the post office to do business. And guess what? The post office is also one of the ways we cast our votes. To find out how to exercise that right this November, whether by mail or in person text vote, V-O-T-E, to 30330. And here to say more is the first Latina elected to the United States Senate, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto: (01:16:31)
Hello, I’m Senator Catherine Cortez Masto from Nevada. This year more Americans than ever before are going to vote from rooms just like this, marking their ballots at the kitchen table and exercising one of our most fundamental rights from home. But despite what the President says, voting by mail has been a secure, proven option for decades. In 2016, 33 million Americans voted by mail. Even Donald Trump has requested an absentee ballot twice this year. This fall, some Americans will choose to vote in a voting booth with a mask on, while many of us will choose to Vote by Mail. My home state took the advice of scientists and medical experts and listened to the people of Nevada to put in place a Vote by Mail system, so voters have a lot of options this fall. But Donald Trump is trying to divide us by undermining that right. He has threatened to withhold federal funding to Nevada because of our Vote by Mail system.

That’s funding our schools and seniors rely on. He has challenged us in court with a meritless lawsuit. One that our Republican Secretary of State has asked the judge to dismiss. And now he is putting the lives of Nevada seniors at risk by trying to defund the post office. Here’s what that means. Seniors won’t be able to get their prescriptions because he wants to win an election. Well, Mr. President, Nevada is not intimidated by you. America is not intimidated by you. We are united by shared values, shared history, and shared rights, including our fundamental right to vote. And this fall, we will send Joe Biden to the White House and we’ll flip the US Senate. With Mitch McConnell out of power and a democratic majority in the Senate, we will expand voting access and protect voting rights. To do this, America, we need you on our side.

So go to joebiden.com right now to chip in and then head over to flipthesenate.com to help us take back the Senate. Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell know how to divide, but we know how to stand together and turn this country around.

This year, we had an historic field of presidential candidates, a historic number of women, including our Vice Presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, more candidates of color than any primary ever, and the first openly gay man to win a caucus. This party, the democratic party, welcomes everyone, encourages everyone to lead, and invites everyone’s ideas to ensure this country builds back better. This is what our next speaker believes too, Senator Amy Klobuchar.

Speaker 4: (01:19:23)
Okay.

Senator Amy Klobuchar: (01:19:30)
Hello America. Like my friend, Catherine, I believe that the right to vote is fundamental, and the post office is essential. The president may hate the post office, but he’s still going to have to send them a change of address card come January. Donald Trump just happens to be in my state today trying to divide people instead of responding to the pandemic and the significant needs of our economy, but Democrats, Independents, and yes, many Republicans have had enough of his divisiveness. Tonight my friends in contrast, we’ve heard a lot about how we can unite as Americans about our shared values, our shared dreams, how we’ve come together in the face of crisis. But I want to be clear. Unity isn’t about settling. It’s about striving for something more. It isn’t the end. It’s the means. It’s how we get stuff done. Unity is about reaching up toward a higher purpose, a better future for all of us.

E pluribus Unum, out of many, one. It is more than a motto. It is the north star for our democracy. Now more than ever, we need a president who will unite this country. We need a president who, in George Floyd’s memory, instead of using the Bible as a prop, will heed its words to act justly. We need a president for the workers who’ve lost their jobs because this administration is selling American workers out when we need to buy American. For the farmers and manufacturers and the people of rural America, who are sick and tired of reaping what he’s sown. We need a president who will look out for the seniors, like my dad, whose families now visit them through glass windows never knowing if it will be the last time they see them. We need a president for all of America. I come from the middle of this country where we believe in people joining together to solve problems.

We seek common ground to reach higher ground. That’s been Joe Biden’s life’s work. He’s a man of scrappy, working class roots. A man whose own hardships have only made him more determined to lift up those who have been left out. He understands redemption and he knows resilience. Joe Biden’s a man of deep experience. Barack Obama, better known tonight as Michelle’s husband, he leaned on Joe for his strength and decency, and you can too. Most candidates when they end their campaign, that day is a hard one. For me, it was a moment filled with great joy because the day I ended my presidential campaign was also the day I endorsed Joe Biden. Joe ran for the same reasons I did. When I announced my campaign in the middle of that blizzard on the banks of the Mississippi River, to cross the river of our divides, to bring this nation together, to be a president for all of America.

As I said, the day I endorsed him. “If you feel stuck in the middle of the extremes, in our politics, if you are tired of the noise and the nonsense, you have a home with me and you have a home with Joe Biden.” That’s why I was so proud to stand with him then, and across this great country. That’s why we are all now standing united behind Joe and my friend Kamala. Our nation’s motto is out of many, one. And as you’re about to see, it’s also the story of the democratic primary. Thank you, America.

Senator Kamala Harris: (01:23:28)
We all ran for president, motivated by the same reasons.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: (01:23:32)
As I watched president Trump divide this country more and more, I thought to myself, what are you willing to do to stop him?

Beto O’Rourke: (01:23:39)
You had the most destructive, hateful, racist president in the history of this country, who is literally tearing apart the fabric of the States of America.

Tom Steyer: (01:23:50)
Donald Trump is a failed business person and desperately failed us as a president.

Senator Cory Booker: (01:23:54)
We will run. I ran for president because I think it’s urgent that we heal the divisions in this nation.

Andrew Yang: (01:23:59)
We are still in control of our own future, and we need to provide millions of Americans, a real path forward.

Governor Jay Inslee: (01:24:06)
A green jobs program-

Increasing the minimum wage-

Passing a national paid leave bill-

Student loan debt-

Rep. Seth Moulton: (01:24:12)
Mental health, starting with our veterans.

Reproductive justice-

Economic justice-

Racial justice.

And there is so much a new president can do to bring us together.

Vice President Joe Biden: (01:24:24)
It’s time to get up [inaudible 01:24:26].

Rep. Seth Moulton: (01:24:28)
Starting a presidential campaign is daunting. I mean, you have to reach hundreds of billions of people.

You have these incredibly long days, often capped off by these evening events that go on for hours and hours.

Your challenge as a candidate is to be true to yourself and true to why you ran in the first place. That is something by the way, that I really admire about Joe Biden. He really is his own man. He knows who he is.

Joe Biden is somebody who deeply cares about people. People who are marginalized, who were being left behind, who are being ignored.

Speaker 6: (01:25:00)
I’m a DACA recipient, and I owe you everything. Thank you so much.

And you’re staying, man.

He’s had some hard times in his life. He’s had some losses in his life. And I think that is something that people relate to.

You’re doing okay?

Speaker 7: (01:25:13)
Yep. 15, close to 15 years cancer free.

Governor Christine Todd Whitman: (01:25:17)
God love you.

Well, I was at a service for four fallen Afghanistan soldiers. I saw those families who were so comforted by Joe Biden. When they walked out, they knew someone cared for them. Someone could relate to their own pain they were having. We need that in the White House.

I still remember standing side by side with him on the debate stage. And we were having a go of it, but what was remarkable to me was in the commercial break, he puts his arm around me and starts telling me how good my ideas are. And next thing you know, I feel like he’s giving me a pep talk and literally telling me how important it is, how really important it is that I’m on that stage.

Joe called me the night I suspended and was extraordinarily gracious and comforting. And he told me, I should be proud of myself, said that I did myself and my family a real service, and the country of service. And that meant a lot coming from Joe.

Look, it’s not easy to unite the democratic party. We’re a rambunctious group. Joe Biden has pulled it off.

He wants to get the best ideas on the table, so we can move forward in the best way possible.

He’s included my family bill of rights.

He has unified our group around a clean energy strategy.

The domestic worker’s bill of rights, I’m very excited that that’s in there.

He’s the kind of leader that brings other leaders in.

This is a guy that’s going to walk into the oval office and not have to find his way around, but will actually walk in and have already sort of honed the instincts you need to lead the most powerful nation on earth through a crisis.

On the other side, Donald Trump does not understand who we are as Americans. He really doesn’t.

This is a guy that blames everyone for everything. He blames the city of Baltimore. He blames the country of Denmark. He blames the Prime Minister of Canada for cutting him out of the Canadian version of Home Alone 2. Who does that?

There are no sidelines. There’s no sitting this one out. There’s no hoping that someone else is going to come in and save the day. There is no cavalry. We are the cavalry.

The moment has found the person. That person is Joe Biden.

Joe has my vote because he will bring decency and dignity back to the White House.

We’ve got one shot to make Donald Trump a one term president, and that shot is right now.

Crowd: (01:27:46)
It’s Joe time. It’s Joe time.

Speaker 8: (01:27:46)
This president right here.

We understand that things are tough right now, economically. But if we’re going to beat Donald Trump in November, we need your help. If you’re able to go to joebiden.com and chip in five, 10 dollars, whatever you can, to fund the change we need to save our democracy because every bit matters. And it’s going to take all of us to make this happen. And no one knows that more than our next speaker, the Biden Harris campaign’s co-chair, Representative Cedric Richmond from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Rep. Cedric Richmond: (01:28:23)
Think about the places that make your neighborhood feel like home. The barbershop, where you can catch up on the latest neighborhood news while you get your hair cut. The restaurant, where they know your order by heart, or this art studio, where a creative guy with a great idea, and a ton of hustle turned an abandoned building into a second home for the entire community. Economists will tell you that small businesses like this one are critically important to our recovery, but they’re also just plain important. Without them, the places we call home just wouldn’t be the same. That’s the thing Joe Biden understands, that Donald Trump never has and never will. When we talk about the economy, it’s not just about the stock market. It’s about whether you can find work that really means something to you, instead of feeling like you’re supposed to be grateful just to get a paycheck.

Rep. Cedric Richmond: (01:29:15)
It’s about whether people who didn’t inherit millions from their parents can build a business from the ground up and have a real chance to compete. And it’s about whether in the richest country on earth, everyone, including women and people of color, feel included and empowered. Economists will also tell you that Joe Biden’s plan to rebuild our economy will create millions of jobs. But Joe will tell you that his plan is about more than that because he’s seen the world from a different perspective than most politicians. He knows what it’s like to live in a real neighborhood, not just penthouse apartments. He knows what it’s like to take the train to work, not just a chauffeured limousine. That’s why he looks at our economic challenges the same way working people do. And he’ll solve them in a way that puts working people first. Joe Biden respects America’s workers because he truly understands the dignity of work.

Greg Weaver: (01:30:15)
It was mostly small talk when we first met. When I would collect his ticket and time went on, I learned more and more about him as our friendship grew. I think he’s most comfortable around everyday, working class people. Just always makes you feel like you belong.

Speaker 9: (01:30:43)
For more than 30 years, Joe Biden took the train to work. As a single dad, he promised to be home to kiss the boys every night and then make them breakfast in the morning.

When he got on the train, everyone seemed equal to him. He had time for everybody.

Speaker 9: (01:31:06)
Joe was a regular. He bought rounds of coffee for fellow passengers and crew. And he got to know the people he traveled with.

These guys broke their necks. They’re always rocking, keeping their balance, collecting tickets, help people with their bags that’re heavy as hell, and they’re doing this for hours. And we became really good friends.

He was very interested in my life, my children, as time went on my grandchildren. People don’t do that today. People don’t even take time out to say hello or nod their head to the average working person. They looked at us like we were important people.

Ashley Biden: (01:31:46)
He would treat the conductor the same as he would the President of the United States. That is what dad taught us, that everybody deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Speaker 9: (01:31:59)
After Joe became Vice President, he cut down on his commute, but he kept in touch. When Greg Weaver had a heart attack, he got a phone call.

I was in a barber shop in New York City and the phone rings. And sure enough, it was Vice President Biden asking me how I’m doing, he wanted to know the whole story. It’s kind of funny that you’re talking to the Vice President of the United States. But if I would have told them people in the barbershop, I don’t think they would’ve believed me. I’m not saying it like it was me and I was anything special. Everybody was special to him. We have heroes all over this country and a lot of the essential workers out there that we don’t even see that are behind the scenes, they’re keeping this country going. He understands that. The average guy is important to him. The average guy is important to him.

Speaker 4: (01:32:55)
Go.

Senator Bernie Sanders: (01:33:03)
Good evening. Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment. We’re facing the worst public health crisis in a hundred years, and the worst economic collapse since the great depression. We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of climate change. And in the midst of all of this, we have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises, but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism. This election is the most important in the modern history of this country. In response to the unprecedented crises we face, we need an unprecedented response, a movement like never before, of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency, and against greed, oligarchy, and bigotry. And we need Joe Biden as our next president. Let me take this opportunity to say a word to the millions of people who supported my campaign this year and in 2016.

My friends, thank you for your trust, your support, and the love you show Jane, me, and our family. Together we have moved this country in a bold new direction, showing that all of us, black and white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, native born and immigrant, yearn for a nation based on the principles of justice, love, and compassion. Our campaign ended several months ago, but our movement continues and is getting stronger every day. Many of the ideas we fought for, that just a few years ago were considered radical on now mainstream. But let us be clear if Donald Trump is re-elected, all the progress we have made will be in jeopardy. At its most basic, this election is about preserving our democracy. During this president’s term, the unthinkable has become normal. He has tried to prevent people from voting, undermined the US Postal Service, deployed the military and federal agents against peaceful protestors, threatened to delay the election, and suggested that he will not leave office if he loses.

This is not normal and we must never treat it like it is. Under this administration, authoritarianism has taken root in our country. I and my family and many of yours, know the insidious way authoritarianism destroys democracy, decency, and humanity. As long as I am here, I will work with Progressive’s, with Moderates, and yes, with Conservatives to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat. This president is not just a threat to our democracy, but by rejecting science, he has put our lives and health in jeopardy. Trump has attacked doctors and scientists trying to protect us from the pandemic, while refusing to take strong action, to produce the masks, gowns, and gloves our healthcare workers desperately need. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs. His actions fanned this pandemic resulting in over 170,000 deaths and a nation still unprepared to protect its people.

Furthermore, Trump’s negligence has exacerbated the economic crisis we are now experiencing. Since this pandemic began, over 30 million people have lost their jobs and many have lost their health insurance. Millions of working families are wondering how they will feed their kids, and they’re worried that they will be evicted from their homes. And how has Trump responded? Instead of maintaining the $600 a week unemployment supplement that workers were receiving, and the $1,200 emergency checks that many of you received… Instead of helping small businesses, Trump concocted fraudulent executive orders that do virtually nothing to address the crisis, while threatening the very future of Social Security and Medicare.

But the truth is that even before Trump’s negligent response to this pandemic, too many hardworking families have been caught on an economic treadmill with no hope of ever getting ahead. Together, we must build a nation that is more equitable, more compassionate, and more inclusive. I know that Joe Biden will begin that fight on day one. Let me offer you just a few examples of how Joe will move us forward. Joe supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. This will give 40 million workers a pay raise, and push the wage scale up for everyone else. Joe will also-

Paid scale up for everyone else. Joe will also make it easier for workers to join unions, create 12 weeks of paid family leave, fund universal pre-K for three and four year olds and make childcare affordable for millions of families. Joe will rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and fight the threat of climate change by transitioning us to 100% clean electricity over the next 15 years. These initiatives will create millions of good paying jobs all across our country. As you know, we are the only industrialized nation not to guarantee healthcare for all people. While Joe and I disagree on the best path to get universal coverage, he has a plan that will greatly expand healthcare and cut the cost of prescription drugs. Further, he will lower the eligibility age of Medicare from 65 down to 60.

To help reform our broken criminal justice system. Joe will end private prisons and detention centers, cash bail, and the school to prison pipeline. To heal the soul of our nation, Joe Biden will end the hate and division trump has created. He will stop the demonization of immigrants, the coddling of white nationalists, the racist dog whistling, the religious bigotry, and the ugly attacks on women.

My friends, I say to you, to everyone who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election, the future of our democracy is at stake. The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake. We must come together, defeat Donald Trump, and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president. My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine. Thank you.

Anne S.: (01:41:46)
My American dream is to have an America where we have people in affordable housing.

Thelma S.: (01:41:53)
For every human being in this country to have access to quality healthcare and economic means care for themselves and families.

Kori F: (01:42:01)
Access to a quality and equitable education.

Paul Y.: (01:42:04)
A system of government that protects the workers and their families.

Ryan W.: (01:42:08)
Joe Biden, throughout his career has focused on rebuilding the middle class.

Russ: (01:42:13)
We need a leader that actually supports our unions for our hard working people.

Andrew L.: (01:42:18)
Real leadership to show genuine support for small businesses during this downturn due to the COVID crisis.

Kori F: (01:42:24)
I believe Joe Biden has the experience, the platform and the empathy to build America bath better.

Laura H.: (01:42:33)
He wants good things for all Americans, not just a select few.

The voices we long to hear right now are the ones that speak with courage and kindness, strength and wisdom, love and compassion. They’re unafraid to speak the truth and talk about their own uncertainties and struggles. They make us feel seen and inspire us to become the best versions of ourselves. Our next speaker is that for all of us. It is my honor and privilege to introduce the former First Lady, Michelle Obama.

Michelle Obama: (01:43:21)
Good evening, everyone. It’s a hard time and everyone’s feeling it in different ways. I know a lot of folks are reluctant to tune in to a political convention right now, or to politics in general. Believe me, I get that. But I am here tonight because I love this country with all my heart, and it pains me to see so many people hurting. I’ve met so many of you. I’ve heard your stories and through you, I have seen this country’s promise and thanks to so many who came before me, thanks to their toil and sweat and blood, I’ve been able to live that promise myself.

That’s the story of America. All those folks who sacrificed and overcame so much in their own times because they wanted something more, something better for their kids. There’s a lot of beauty in that story. There’s a lot of pain in it, too. A lot of struggle and injustice and work left to do. Who we choose as our president in this election will determine whether or not we honor that struggle and chip away at that injustice and keep alive the very possibility of finishing that work.

I am one of a handful of people living today who have seen firsthand the immense weight and awesome power of the presidency. And let me once again, tell you this, the job is hard. It requires clear-headed judgment, a mastery of complex and competing issues, a devotion to facts and history, a moral compass, and an ability to listen. And an abiding belief that each of the 330 million lives in this country has meaning and worth.

A president’s words have the power to move markets. They can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You simply cannot fake your way through this job. As I’ve said before, being president doesn’t change who you are, it reveals who you are. Well, a presidential election can reveal who we are too, and four years ago too many people chose to believe that their votes didn’t matter. Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn’t be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep. Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the oval office who lost the national popular vote by nearly three million votes. In one of the states that determined the outcome, the winning margin averaged out to just two votes per precinct, two votes.

We’ve all been living with the consequences. When my husband left office with Joe Biden at his side, we had a record breaking stretch of job creation. We’d secured the right to healthcare for 20 million people. We were respected around the world, rallying our allies to confront climate change. Our leaders had worked hand in hand with scientists to help prevent an Ebola outbreak from becoming a global pandemic. Four years later, the state of this nation is very different. More than 150,000 people have died, and our economy is in shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long. It has left millions of people jobless. Too many have lost their healthcare. Too many are struggling to take care of basic necessities like food and rent. Too many communities have been left in the lurch to grapple with whether and how to open our schools safely.

Internationally, we’ve turned our back, not just on agreements forged by my husband, but on alliances championed by presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower. Here at home as George Floyd, Brianna Taylor, and a never ending list of innocent people of color continue to be murdered, stating the simple fact that a black life matters is still met with derision from the nation’s highest office. Because whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division, and a total and utter lack of empathy.

Empathy. That’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. The ability to walk in someone else’s shoes, the recognition that someone else’s experience has value too. Most of us practice this without a second thought. If we see someone suffering or struggling, we don’t stand in judgment. We reach out. Because there but for the grace of God go I. It is not a hard concept to grasp. It’s what we teach our children. Like so many of you, Barack and I have tried our best to instill in our girls, a strong moral foundation to carry forward the values that our parents and grandparents poured into us.

But right now, kids in this country are seeing what happens when we stop requiring empathy of one another. They’re looking around wondering if we’ve been lying to them this whole time about who we are and what we truly value. They see people shouting in grocery stores, unwilling to wear a mask to keep us all safe. They see people calling the police on folks, mind in their own business, just because of the color of their skin. They see an entitlement that says only certain people belong here. That greed is good and winning is everything. Because as long as you come out on top, it doesn’t matter what happens to everyone else.

They see what happens when that lack of empathy is ginned up into outright disdain. They see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch bearing white supremacists. They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protesters for a photo op. Sadly, this is the America that is on display for the next generation. A nation that’s underperforming, not simply on matters of policy, but on matters of character. That’s not just disappointing, it’s downright infuriating because I know the goodness and the grace that is out there in households and neighborhoods all across this nation. I know that regardless of our race, age, religion, or politics, when we close out the noise and the fear and truly open our hearts, we know that what’s going on in this country is just not right. This is not who we want to be.

So what do we do now? What’s our strategy. Over the past four years, a lot of people have asked me when others are going so low, does going high still really work? My answer, going high is the only thing that works because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that’s drowning out everything else. We degrade ourselves. We degrade the very causes for which we fight. But let’s be clear going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty. Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountaintop. Going high means standing fierce against hatred while we’re remembering that we are one nation under God, and if we want to survive, we’ve got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences. Going high means unlocking the shackles of lies and mistrust with the only thing that can truly set us free, the cold hard truth.

So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is. Now I understand that my message won’t be heard by some people. We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a black woman speaking at the Democratic convention. But enough of you know me by now, you know that I tell you exactly what I’m feeling. You know I hate politics.

But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children. So if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this. If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can and they will if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.

I know Joe. He is a profoundly decent man guided by faith. He was a terrific vice president. He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country. He listens. He will tell the truth and trust science. He will make smart plans and manage a good team. He will govern as someone who’s lived a life that the rest of us can recognize. When he was a kid, Joe’s father lost his job. When he was a young senator, Joe lost his wife and his baby daughter, and when he was vice president, he lost his beloved son. So Joe knows the anguish of sitting at a table with an empty chair, which is why he gives his time so freely to grieving parents. Joe knows what it’s like to struggle, which is why he gives his personal phone number to kids overcoming a stutter of their own. His life is a testament to getting back up, and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up, to help us heal and guide us forward.

Now, Joe is not perfect, and he’d be the first to tell you that. But there is no perfect candidate, no perfect president, and his ability to learn and grow, we find in that the kind of humility and maturity that so many of us yearn for right now. Because Joe Biden has served this nation his entire life without ever losing sight of who he is. But more than that, he has never lost sight of who we are, all of us. Joe Biden wants all of our kids to go to a good school, see a doctor when they’re sick, live on a healthy planet. He’s got plans to make all of that happen.

Joe Biden wants all of our kids, no matter what they look like, to be able to walk out the door without worrying about being harassed or arrested or killed. He wants all of our kids to be able to go to a movie or a math class without being afraid of getting shot. He wants all our kids to grow up with leaders who won’t just serve themselves and their wealthy peers, but will provide a safety net for people facing hard times. If we want a chance to pursue any of these goals, any of these most basic requirements for a functioning society, we have to vote for Joe Biden in numbers that cannot be ignored.

Because right now, folks who know they cannot win fair and square at the ballot box are doing everything they can to stop us from voting. They’re closing down polling places in minority neighborhoods. They’re purging voter rolls. They’re sending people out to intimidate voters, and they’re lying about the security of our ballots. These tactics are not new, but this is not the time to withhold our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning. We have got to vote like we did in 2008 and 2012. We’ve got to show up with the same level of passion and hope for Joe Biden. We’ve got to vote early, in person if we can. We’ve got to request our mail in ballots right now, tonight, and send them back immediately, and follow up to make sure they’re received, and then make sure our friends and families do the same. We have got to grab our comfortable shoes, put on our masks, pack a brown bag dinner, and maybe breakfast too, because we’ve got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to.

Look, we have already sacrificed so much this year. So many of you are already going that extra mile. Even when you’re exhausted, you’re mustering up unimaginable courage to put on those scrubs and give our loved ones a fighting chance. Even when you’re anxious, you’re delivering those packages, stocking those shelves and doing all that essential work so that all of us can keep moving forward. Even when it all feels so overwhelming. Working are somehow piecing it all together without childcare. Teachers are getting creative so that our kids can still learn and grow. Our young people are desperately fighting to pursue their dreams. When the horrors of systemic racism shook our country and our consciousness, millions of Americans of every age, every background rose up to march for each other, crying out for justice and progress. This is who we still are.

Compassionate, resilient, decent people whose fortunes are bound up with one another. It is well past time for our leaders to once again reflect our truth. So it is up to us to add our voices and our votes to the course of history, echoing heroes, like John Lewis, who said, “When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something.” That is the truest form of empathy. Not just feeling but doing, not just for ourselves or our kids, but for everyone, for all our kids. If we want to keep the possibility of progress alive in our time, if we want to be able to look our children in the eye after this election, we have got to reassert our place in American history, and we have got to do everything we can to elect my friend, Joe Biden, as the next president of the United States. Thank you all, God bless.

Wow. Wow, wow. Thank you, Michelle Obama, you are what we miss in this country. We need more of that example. Thank you so much for being part of this unconventional convention. Thanks to all of you all who have been tuning in. It’s a convention about you and for you, the American people. This is our chance to hear from those who will be leading us out of our nation, out of the current crisis, on the economy, the pandemic, racial injustice. To listen and to learn Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s plans to bring about changes we all need. This is our chance to unite across America. In addition, we’ll call the roll and we’ll hear from the future first lady, Dr. Jill Biden. I want to thank you again for joining us. Join us the rest of the week. This is your convention. This is your campaign. We, the people, are going to save this democracy in November. Right now, Billy Porter and Stephen Stills are going to remind us what it’s all worth. Good night.

Billy Porter: (02:03:18)
(singing)

Bennie Thompson: (02:06:28)
We, the people, call the 4th quadrennial democratic national convention in order.

Speaker 10: (02:06:35)
Today we gather virtually. However, we gather unified in spirit, unified in our values and purpose.

Speaker 11: (02:06:43)
It’s up to us to carry on the fight for justice. Our actions will be our legacies.

Joe Biden: (02:06:50)
You just got to keep pushing. You can’t let up.

Speaker 12: (02:06:53)
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will lead by example. It will be science, not politics or ego that will drive their decisions. They know what the health of our people goes hand in hand with the strength of our economy.

Speaker 13: (02:07:08)
My dad was a healthy 65 year old. His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that he paid with his life.

The future of our democracy is at stake. The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake.

Joe Biden: (02:07:30)
If we want to be able to look our children in the eye after this election, we have got to reassert our place in American history, and we have got to do everything we can to elect my friend, Joe Biden, as the next president of the United States.

Jerry Young: (02:07:48)
Hello, I am Pastor Jerry Young. Let us pray together. Almighty God, we are grateful to You for having granted to our nation the democratic ideal by which our destiny may be fashioned. We are thankful to You for having blessed these United States of America to survive the climate of confusion and chaos, racism and injustice, uncertainty, helplessness and irresponsibility. We now, oh Lord, invoke your presence and participation throughout the life of this convention. It is our prayer that you will enable this convention to produce a vision that will promote healing, hope, and health for our nation. A vision that will inspire, inform, and be inclusive of all Americans. A vision that will rekindle in us a renewed commitment to the high ideal of our democracy, that we are created equal and are endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Jerry Young: (02:09:03)
We would pray that you would grant to those to whom we will entrust with the authority of government to be competent, compassionate, courageous, committed, and consecrated, and guide us, the people, to support them and all good and wise legislation that we all may prosper under an equal law, defend our liberties, and grant us a sense of our own responsibility. Achieve unity of purpose among us and grant unto us the victory of faith and freedom in the ideas to which we are committed as a nation. Strengthen us with honor and grant us peace. Provide us, oh God, with the strength and spiritual sustenance to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. In the strong name of Jesus, amen.

Bennie Thompson: (02:10:06)
Delegates and distinguished guests. We’ve concluded this evening’s convention program. The convention we’ll stand in recess until tomorrow evening.

Democratic National Convention (DNC) 2020 Night 1 Transcript: Speeches by Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders, John Kasich & more

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