Obama was greeted with the same shout on Thursday night in Chicago, shortly after 10 p.m. ET, when he embraced his wife Michelle. However, Obama deviated from his prepared words halfway through and said, “Yes, she can!” The crowd instinctively chanted, “Yes, she can!” in response.
For Democrats who had begun to worry that Obama's victory could be a historical anomaly but were now beginning to believe that Trump might be the final survivor of a collapsing system, there was a symbolic echo.
In a nod to his debut at the 2004 convention, Obama, now 63, quipped: “I’m feeling hopeful because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible.
“Because we have the chance to elect someone who’s spent her whole life trying to give people the same chances America gave her. Someone who sees you and hears you and will get up every single day and fight for you: the next President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris.”
The crowd roared its approval. Obama went on to pay tribute to outgoing president Joe Biden, who was not present, having delivered a valedictory address on Monday. “History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger,” he said. “I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend.”
He went on, saying that although the torch has been handed, the race for the White House is still close "for all the rallies and the memes." He implied that the voters are asking a straightforward question: who will stand up for them?