Former first lady Michelle Obama told the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, August 19 that "hope is making a comeback" as the party gathered in Chicago to anoint Kamala Harris as its presidential nominee.
"Something magically wonderful is in the air ... It's the contagious power of hope," she told adoring attendees ahead of former president Barack Obama's address.
"It's the contagious power of hope," she said, calling Harris "my girl" and saying that hope – the rallying cry of her husband's successful 2008 campaign – "is making a comeback."
Harris's husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, said "she is ready."
"She brings both joy and toughness to this task," he said to cheers, recounting personal stories like paying for college by working full time at McDonald's, as well as referring to his divorce. "At this moment in our nation's history, she is exactly the right president."
With the party united and Harris polling strongly, Democrats are making clear they believe they can defeat Donald Trump. The Republican nominee had seemed set to regain power in November's election until Biden upended the race by dropping out and endorsing his vice president.
Comparisons are already being made by Democratic faithful to Obama's historic 2008 campaign, where a tidal wave of enthusiasm carried him to the White House. Bullish delegates symbolically nominated Harris as their candidate in a boisterous roll call, following a paper exercise to confirm her as their standard bearer earlier this month.
"Thank you... see you in two days, Chicago," Harris said to delegates via video link from her event in Milwaukee to huge cheers.
A rapturous reception
Harris, who was received rapturously in Chicago at her debut appearance before Biden spoke, was in Milwaukee Tuesday for an event at the basketball arena where Trump attended the Republican convention just a month ago.
The choice of the 18,000-seat arena will rile Trump, who has been rattled that 59-year-old Harris, unlike Biden, is able to draw the kinds of crowds the Republican has long attracted to his events.
However, on Monday the DNC floor belonged to Biden, who delivered a swan song after being forced to abandon his reelection bid amid deep concerns that at 81 he is too old and frail to defeat Trump. Biden has recast what might have been a humiliating moment into a narrative of sacrifice, passing on the torch to his younger protege.
"It's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president. I love the job, but I love my country more," he said, wiping away a tear amid thunderous applause before embracing Harris on stage.
The other star speaker Monday was Hillary Clinton, who in 2016 was the first female presidential nominee of a major party, but lost to Trump in an election that opened up one of the most turbulent eras in recent US politics. Harris, Clinton said, will be the one to break "the highest, hardest glass ceiling" in the country.
Twenty million people watched the first night of the DNC, ratings monitor Nielsen said, beating viewers for the inaugural evening of the Republican gathering that drew 18.1 million. Local media reported that Chicago hotels housing convention attendees had received bomb threats, but city authorities did not comment.