Gathered in Chicago for their convention, Democrats are preparing to pay a heartfelt tribute to President Joe Biden on Monday. While many in the party respect his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, emotions are running high as they reflect on his legacy.
“I’m going to be moved to tears,” admits Ken Chestek, his voice thick with emotion just hours before Biden’s speech on the opening night of the convention. Chestek, a Wyoming official known for his cowboy hat, predicts that Biden will receive a much-deserved standing ovation. “I’m sorry to see him go. It’s going to be a tough moment,” he adds.
Initially, Chestek opposed Biden stepping aside in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris, especially given the criticisms Biden faced over his age. “I’m an older person myself, and I didn’t like the ageist remarks,” he tells.
Similarly, Margaret Lewis, a 63-year-old Democratic volunteer, was upset by Biden’s withdrawal, calling the pressure from within his own party “cruel.” She worried that Harris, who hasn’t always been popular, might harm the party’s chances in the upcoming election. But now, she concedes, “I was wrong about that,” pointing to favorable polling numbers for Harris against Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.
Dylan Moore, a 28-year-old delegate from North Carolina, believes Biden’s decision has energized younger voters. “He’s really a good guy,” Moore says, recognizing the importance of North Carolina as a battleground state in November.
Anthony Millspaugh, 60, wears a Joe Biden t-shirt to honor the president but is also relieved by his decision to step aside. “It was time for him to pass the torch,” says Millspaugh, an educator from Chicago. While he would have voted for Biden, he acknowledges, “things weren’t looking great,” and the party “can’t afford another Trump presidency.”
