Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden Usher In New Era For Democrats At DNC: 'Kamala Harris, For The People'

President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — the key speakers Monday night at the Democratic National Convention — praised nominee Kamala Harris in what observers called “a passing of the torch moment.”

What Happened: Clinton, who lost the 2016 presidential election to then-candidate Donald Trump, came close to becoming the first female president in American history (she won the popular vote).

Today, she’s endorsing Harris. Clinton appeared before the crowd at Chicago's United Center and praised the vice president for having the "character, experience and vision to lead us forward."

"There is always a choice. Do we push forward or pull back? Come together as ‘We The People' or split into ‘us versus them,’" Clinton asked. "That's the choice we face this election."

Clinton's speech paid tribute to past female leaders and the progress they had to “fight” for, to which the crowd began chanting “keep going.” See below.

Clinton said the country is close to breaking through the "hardest glass ceiling," with Harris set to be the second woman to win a major party's nomination for president.

The former presidential candidate also shared that Harris' legacy as a prosecutor and attorney general will serve the country well.

"On her first day in court, Kamala said five words that guide her still: ‘Kamala Harris, for the people.' That's something Donald Trump will never understand,” Clinton said.

Clinton's comments on Trump during her speech also drew chants of "lock him up" in a full-circle moment. Trump, who was found guilty of 34 counts in New York and faces potential prison time, notoriously told supporters that Clinton should be prosecuted and “in jail” with "lock her up" being a major slogan of his 2016 election campaign.

In her speech, Clinton encouraged Democrats to keep pushing as the 2024 election polls don't necessarily mean a win. Harris currently leads several major polls ahead of the 2024 election, as reported by NPR. Clinton herself was leading many 2016 election polls before losing to Trump with several battleground states lost in close votes.

"No matter what the polls say, we can't let up. We have to fight for the truth,” Clinton said, adding that it "still takes a village to raise a family, heal a country and win a campaign."

"I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to know I was here at this moment, that we were here, and that we were with Kamala Harris every step of the way,” she said. “This is our time, America. This is when we stand up. This is when we break through."

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Why It Matters: The DNC marks a significant moment in the lead-up to the fall election, as an attempt to show unity within the Democratic Party with just 76 days left until Election Day.

President Joe Biden, who had originally planned to run but backed out of the race in July, received a standing ovation and wiped away tears before delivering an emotional speech.

"It's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president," Biden said. "I love the job, but I love my country more. All this talk about how I'm angry at all those people who said I should step down — that's not true. I love my country more, and we need to preserve our democracy in 2024."

Biden said the best days are "not behind us," but rather in front of Americans.

"You cannot say you love your country only when you win."

Biden also called out Trump for saying America is “a failing nation.”

“He says we're losing,” Biden said. “He's the loser, he's dead wrong."  

Lastly, Biden praised the Harris and Tim Walz campaign for understanding the country: "I promise I'll be the best volunteer Harris and Walz's campaign have ever seen."

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