President Joe Biden, the erstwhile Democratic nominee for president, laid the capstone on the Monday evening speakers’ theme of preserving democracy in his late-night speech at the Democratic National Convention at Chicago.

After thanking his daughter, Ashley, for her introduction, and his wife Jill and son Hunter for their support, he launched into a vigorous stump speech defending his own record and boosting Vice President Kamala Harris’s bid to succeed him in the White House.

“America, I love you! Folks, let me ask you, are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and America? Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as the next president of the United States?” Biden roared.

“Democracy” dominated Biden’s rhetoric through the speech. “Democracy has prevailed, democracy has delivered, and now democracy must be preserved,” he said, linking his legacy to a Harris victory.

Biden touted his record on infrastructure and jobs, underlining his claim to be the “most pro-union president in history.” He hailed the success of Ukraine’s efforts to ward off the Russian invasion, and nodded to controversy within his own coalition over the Gaza–Israel war: “Those protestors in the street have a point. There are a lot of innocent people being killed—on both sides.” 

Biden repeatedly slammed the former President Donald Trump for allegedly failing to deliver on his campaign promises and for cultivating division in the country.

He also nodded to his own ouster from the ticket, framing it as a voluntary departure: “I love the job, but I love the country more.”