Watch the Highlights From Joe Biden's Speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention

From ELLE

On the final night of the virtual Democratic National Convention, Joe Biden formally accepted the nomination for president, more than three decades after he first ran for the office. Biden was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972 and stayed until 2009, when he joined President Barack Obama's office as vice president for eight years. Now, Biden is finally leading the ticket, and another historic one at that, with vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris at his side.

After a week-long slate of political heavyweights, Biden finished out the convention with a speech of his own, talking to the nation about the crises we are all facing: the pandemic, the recession, the calls for racial justice, and the threats of climate change. He conveyed his vision for the future of America, one of light and hope.

Below, some of the highlights from Biden's speech:

"The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long. Too much anger, too much fear, too much division. Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness. It's time for us, for we the people, to come together. And make no mistake, united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America."

"All elections are important, but we know in our bones, this one is more consequential. As many have said, America is at an inflection point, a time of real peril, but also extraordinary possibilities. We can choose a path of becoming angrier, less hopeful, more divided, a path of shadow and suspicion, or we can choose a different path and together, take this chance to heal, to reform, to unite, a path of hope and light. This is a life-changing election. This will determine what America's going to look life for a long, long time. Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot. Decency, science, democracy—they're all on the ballot. Who we are as a nation. What we stand for, and most importantly, who we want to be. That's all on the ballot. And the choice could not be more clear."

"I understand how hard it is to have any hope right now. On this summer night, let me take a moment to speak to those of you who have lost the most. I have some idea how it feels to lose someone you love. I know that deep black hole that opens up in the middle of your chest, and you feel like you're being sucked into it. I know how mean, cruel, and unfair life can be sometimes. But I've learned two things: First, your loved one may have left this earth, but they'll never leave your heart. They'll always be with you, you'll always hear them. And second, I've found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose."

"While I'll be a Democratic candidate, I'll be an American president. I'll work hard for those who didn't support me, as hard for them as I did for those who did vote for me. That's the job of a president, to represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment."

"This campaign isn't just about winning votes. It's about winning the heart, and yes, the soul, of America. Winning it for the generous among us, not the selfish. Winning it for workers who keep this country going, not just the privileged few at the top. Winning it for those communities who've known the injustice of a knee on the neck. For all the young people who've known only America being of rising inequity and shrinking opportunity. They deserve the experience of America's promise."

"This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme, with passion and purpose. Let us begin, you and I together, one nation under God. United in our love for America. United in our love for each other. For love is more powerful than hate. Hope is more powerful than fear, and light is more powerful than dark. This is our moment. This is our mission. May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight."

"I'll always stand for our values of human rights and dignity. I'll work in common purpose for a more secure, peaceful, and prosperous world. History has thrust one more urgent task on us. Will we be the generation that finally wipes out the stain on racism from our national character? I believe we're up to it. I believe we're ready. Just a week ago yesterday was the third anniversary of the events in Charlottesville. Close your eyes. Remember what you saw on television. Remember seeing those neo-Nazis and Klansmen and white supremacists coming out of fields with lighted torches, veins bulging, spewing the same Antisemitic bile heard across Europe in the '30s. Remember the violent clash that ensued between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it. And remember what the President said when asked? He said there were 'very fine people on both sides.' It was a wake-up call for us as a country and, for me, a call to action. At that moment, I knew I'd have to run."

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