Biden vows to end 'chapter of American darkness'

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, and his wife Jill Biden, watch fireworks with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, and her husband Doug Emhoff, during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, August 20 at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware. Andrew Harnik/AP

A display of fireworks closed out this week's unconventional Democratic National Convention.

Following Joe Biden's acceptance speech, he and his wife Jill joined a crowd outside the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, to watch the fireworks. Vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff joined them on the stage.

The center's parking lot looked like a summertime drive-in movie theater, with people arriving since earlier in the day waving Biden signs and American flags from convertibles or sunroofs to watch the final night of the convention on a large screen outside.

Watch the moment:

Members of the District of Columbia Democratic Party attend a drive-in watch party in the parking lot of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium to watch Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden accept the Democratic nomination for president on the final night of the Democratic National Convention on August 20 in Washington. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Joe Biden closed his speech tonight at the Democratic National Convention with a call to action to Americans this November to get "united in our love for each other."

The former vice president wants history to "say that the end of this chapter of American darkness begin here tonight as love and hope and light join in the battle for the soul of the nation."

"And this is a battle we will win, and we'll do it together," Biden said.

Watch:

Former Vice President Joe Biden. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Joe Biden said “one of the most important conversations” he had during the campaign was with George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna, the day before Floyd’s funeral. 

“When I leaned down to speak to her, she looked in my eyes and said, and I quote, ‘Daddy changed the world. Daddy changed the world.’ Her words burrowed deep into my heart,” he said. 

“Maybe George Floyd's murder was a breaking point. Maybe John Lewis' passing the inspiration, but however it's come to be — however it's happened — America's ready, in John's words, to lay down, quote, ‘the heavy burden of hate’ at last, and then the hard work of rooting out our systemic racism,” Biden added.

Watch:

In accepting the Democratic nomination for president, Joe Biden tore into the current officeholder, asking Americans to judge President Trump on the facts. Among them: “More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year,” Biden said.

Facts first: Biden actually underplayed how many Americans have filed for first-time unemployment claims.

More than 57 million people have filed initial jobless claims since March 21, when the coronavirus pandemic prompted state officials to require people to stay at home and non-essential businesses to close, leading a record number of Americans to apply for benefits.Another 15 million people have applied under the temporary pandemic unemployment assistance program, which Congress created as part of its $2 trillion coronavirus relief package in late March.

It broadens the nation’s unemployment program to those who don’t typically qualify, including freelancers, gig workers, the self-employed and independent contractors. It also is open to certain people who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus, including those who have to stay at home because their children’s schools have closed.

Former Vice President Joe Biden. Andrew Harnik/AP

Joe Biden lambasted Donald Trump's racist comments Thursday night, calling the President's comments about white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville "a wake-up call for us as a country, and for me, a call to action."

He recalled a conversation with the 6-year-old daughter of George Floyd the day before Floyd's funeral.

"She looks in my eyes and she said, I quote, 'Daddy changed the world. Daddy changed the world.' Her words burrowed deep into my heart," he said.

"Maybe George Floyd's murder was a breaking point. Maybe John Lewis's passing an inspiration," Biden said. "America is ready, in John's words, to lay down the heavy burden of hate at last and begin the hard work of rooting out our systemic racism."

"In this dark moment, I believe we're poised to make great progress at the end — that we can find the light once more," Biden said.

Former Vice President Joe Biden. Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images

Joe Biden vowed to remain strong on Russia, saying that "America will not turn a blind eye to Russian bounties on the heads of American soldiers" under his leadership.

"Nor will I put up in foreign interference in our most sacred democratic exercise, voting," he said. "And I'll always stand for our values of human rights and dignity. I'll work with a common purpose for a more secure, peaceful and prosperous world."

The Trump administration has consistently downplayed reports that there were Russian bounties for attacks on American troops. Russia has denied the allegation.

Former Vice President Joe Biden. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Joe Biden remembered his late son Beau Biden on Thursday in a section of his acceptance speech that he devoted to his family.

After singling out his children Hunter and Ashley, along with his grandchildren and brothers and sisters, Biden pivoted to his late son who died of cancer in 2015.

The memory of Beau Biden has loomed over much of this convention, with multiple speakers invoking the Biden family’s loss.

Biden, who served in the United States Army National Guard, used the memory to position himself as he prepared to be the leader of the US military, saying he understands the “profound responsibility of serving as commander in chief.”

Watch:

Former Vice President Joe Biden. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Joe Biden struggled to win over younger voters during the Democratic primary. So on Thursday night, he dedicated a section of his speech to addressing – and applauding – their activism.

“They are speaking to the inequity, and injustice, that has grown up in America,” Biden said. “Economic injustice. Racial injustice. Environmental injustice. I hear their voices. If you listen, you can hear them too.”

Earlier in his speech, Biden talked up his climate plan and his promise to use the transition toward a green economy as a tool for creating new and better jobs.

Here, he spoke to a slate of issues that have galvanized youth activism.

“Where there is existential threats posed by climate change, the daily fear of being gunned down and school, or the inability to get started in your first job,” Biden said, “it will be the work of the next president to restore the promise of America to everyone.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Joe Biden praised his running mate Kamala Harris during his nomination acceptance speech, describing her as a "powerful voice in this nation."

"It will be the work of the next president to restore the promise of America to everyone. And I am not going to have to do it alone. I will have a great vice president at my side," Biden said.

Biden touted Harris' diverse family heritage and her perseverance to "overcome every obstacle she has ever faced." Last night, Harris became the first Black and South Asian woman nominated to a major political party's ticket.

"No one has been tougher on big banks and the gun lobby. No one has been tougher on calling out the current administration for its extremism, its failure to follow the law, it's failure to simply tell the truth. Kamala and I both draw from our families. That is where we get our strength. For Kamala, it is Doug, and their families. For me, it is Jill, and ours," Biden said.