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Reuters
Joe Biden has officially been anointed the Democratic presidential candidate at the party’s convention, helped over the line with some glowing testimonials from elder statesmen.
Two Democratic former US presidents, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican, endorsed Mr Biden.
Mr Clinton said President Donald Trump had brought “chaos” to the Oval Office.
Mr Trump trails Mr Biden in opinion polls ahead of November’s election.
This is Mr Biden’s third White House bid – his coronation as the Democratic nominee represents a remarkable turnaround given that his campaign appeared to be in danger of collapse in February.
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On the second night of the party convention on Tuesday, with the theme “leadership matters,” Mr Clinton delivered the key address.
“Donald Trump says we’re leading the world,” Mr Clinton said in his five-minute message pre-recorded from his home in Chappaqua, New York. “Well, we are the only major industrial economy to have its unemployment rate triple.
“At a time like this, the Oval Office should be a command centre. Instead, it’s a storm centre. There’s only chaos.”
Following addresses from former First Lady Michelle Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders on Monday, Tuesday’s speeches aimed to show voters how the Democratic party is the best suited to repair problems at home and abroad.
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Mr Powell said Mr Biden shares “the values I learned growing up in the South Bronx and serving in uniform”.
The decorated four-star general said he supports him for president because “we need to restore those values to the White House”.
In June, Mr Powell – who served under President George W Bush – called President Trump a liar and endorsed Mr Biden.
Mr Powell joins half a dozen Republicans who have endorsed Mr Biden. During the first night of the convention, former Ohio Governor John Kasich was one of several who offered their support to the Democrats.
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Cindy McCain, the widow of Republican Senator John McCain, was also expected to speak about the friendship between her late husband and Mr Biden.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry also addressed the convention virtually to assail Mr Trump’s leadership.
Mr Kerry highlighted Mr Biden’s understanding of global issues, saying he understands that “none can be resolved without bringing nations together”.
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Mr Trump was quick to tweet criticisms of the disaffected Republicans, and he has continued to paint Mr Biden as a puppet of left-wing radicals.
The president is currently in Arizona, his latest stop on a week-long campaign trip to key battleground states.
Most polls show Mr Biden in the lead thus far, though Mr Trump has tightened the margin in recent weeks and the election is still months away.
The convention will continue on Wednesday and Thursday, with keynotes from vice-presidential pick Senator Kamala Harris, 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama. The four nights will end with an acceptance speech from Mr Biden.
This year’s political convention has been conducted remotely, with live and pre-recorded segments from across the nation, due to health concerns from the pandemic.
