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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 2020)
A3 THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2020 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION Biden vows to defeat Trump Will end ‘season of darkness’ By STEVE PEOPLES and ALEXANDRA JAFFE Associated Press WILMINGTON, Del. — Joe Biden vowed to unite an America torn by crisis and contempt Thursday night, accepting the Democratic presidential nomination in an unfi nished personal quest that has spanned three decades and been marred by personal tragedy, political stumbles and more dynamic rivals. The past hurdles fell away as Biden addressed his fel- low Democrats and mil- lions of Americans at home who he hopes will send him to the White House to replace President Donald Trump — though his trium- phant moment was drained of immediate drama by the coronavirus pandemic, which left him speaking to a nearly empty arena rather than to a joyously cheering crowd. “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,” Biden declared. “I’ll be an ally of the light, not our darkness.” “And make no mistake, united we can and will over- come this season of darkness in America.” Fireworks lit the sky out- side as the convention ended, giving a celebratory feel at last to the affair. In his acceptance speech, Biden highlighted both his world view and a series of deeply personal chal- lenges that shaped his life. On issues big and small, the 77-year-old Democrat pre- sented a sharp contrast to the Republican president, but maintained a hopeful tone Andrew Harnik/AP Photo Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, watch fi reworks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday in Wilmington, Delaware. throughout. His critics often lament his ability to speak under pressure, but with the nation watching, Biden did not stumble. The pandemic has shaken the nation and fundamen- tally altered the campaign. But Biden pointed to the public health emergency and the severe economic fallout to turn traits previously seen as vulnerabilities, notably a long career spent in elected offi ce, into an advantage by presenting himself as a com- petent leader in a moment when Democrats are cry- ing out for one in the White House. The night’s keynote address was the speech of a lifetime for Biden, who would be the oldest president ever elected if he defeats Trump in November. But his convention leaned on a younger generation earlier in the night to help energize his sprawling coalition. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois senator who lost both legs in Iraq and is raising two young children, said Biden has “common decency.” Cory Booker, only the ninth African American sen- ator in U.S. history, said Biden believes in the dignity of all working Americans. And Pete Buttigieg, a 38-year-old openly gay mil- itary veteran from Indiana, noted that Biden came out in favor of same-sex marriage as vice president even before President Barack Obama did. “Joe Biden is right, this is a contest for the soul of the nation. And to me that contest is not between good Americans and evil Amer- icans,” Buttigieg said. “It’s the struggle to call out what is good for every American.” Above all, Biden focused on uniting the nation as Americans grapple with the long and fearful health crisis, the related economic devas- tation, a national awaken- ing on racial justice — and Trump, who stirs heated emotions from all sides. Biden’s positive focus Thursday night marked a break from the dire warn- ings offered by Obama and others the night before. The 44th president of the United States warned that Ameri- can democracy itself could falter if Trump is reelected, while Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, the 55-year- old California senator and the daughter of Jamai- can and Indian immigrants, addressed race problems in a way Biden could not. Throughout their conven- tion, the Democrats sum- moned a collective urgency about the dangers of Trump as president. In 2016, they dismissed and sometimes trivialized him. In the days leading up to Biden’s accep- tance speech, they cast him as an existential threat to the country. Beyond Biden’s highly anticipated speech, Thurs- day’s program was designed to highlight the diversity of the Democratic Party and the nation he hopes to lead. “We know how important it is that we elect real leaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, people of honor and integrity, who hold jus- tice close to their hearts and believe that the lives of my four Black children matter,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said. She spoke ahead of a tribute to the late John Lewis, the Georgia congressman and civil rights leader who devoted much of his life to ensuring African Americans are able to vote. Biden’s Democratic Party has sought this week to put forward a cohesive vision of values and pol- icy priorities, highlighting efforts to combat climate change, tighten gun laws and embrace a humane immi- gration policy. They have drawn a sharp contrast with Trump’s policies and per- sonality, portraying him as cruel, self-centered and woe- fully unprepared to manage virtually any of the nation’s mounting crises and policy challenges. Voting was a prime focus of the convention on Thurs- day as it has been all week. Democrats fear that the pan- demic — and the Trump administration — may make it diffi cult for voters to cast ballots in person or by mail. Comedian Sarah Cooper, a favorite of many Demo- crats for her videos lip sync- ing Trump’s speeches, put it bluntly: “Donald Trump doesn’t want any of us to vote because he knows he can’t win fair and square.” Biden’s call for unity comes as some strategists worry that Democrats cannot retake the White House sim- ply by tearing Trump down; Biden needs to give his sprawling coalition some- thing to vote for. That’s eas- ier said than done in a mod- ern Democratic Party made up of disparate factions that span generation, race and ideology. 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