Obama takes centerstage on DNC, says Harris ‘ready for the job’

Former President Barack Obama took centerstage Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago where he encouraged Democrats to rally around Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee and her "vision for the future." 

“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, Obama began, alluding to his historic 2008 campaign platform of "Hope and Change," that led him to become the country's first black president.

The former president opened with a homage to President Biden, his vice president for both terms and who in July ended his reelection bid and backed his vice president, Harris.

"History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger," Obama said about Biden's 2020 victory over incumbent GOP President Donald Trump. "And I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend. ... Now the torch has passed."

Obama, who got started in politics as a grass-roots organizer in Chicago before eventually becoming an Illinois senator in 2004, said about Harris: "We need a president who actually cares about the millions of people all across this country who wake up every day to do the essential, often thankless work to care for our sick and clean our streets and deliver our packages – and stand up for their right to bargain for better wages and working conditions. Kamala will be that president.”

He also said: "We are ready for a President Kamala Harris. And Kamala Harris is ready for the job."

In comparison, the 44th president, in his roughly 40-minute speech, argued Trump is instead interested in himself.

"Donald Trump and his well-heeled donors ... . For them, freedom means that the powerful can do what they please," he said.

The convention theme for Tuesday night was "vision for the future." Obama was preceded onstage by wife and former first lady Michelle Obama. 

Obama also argued the presidential race in roughly the final seven weeks will remain close, as it is now, and urged voters to do everything they can to help Harris get elected.

"Knock on doors and make phone calls and talk to our friends and listen to our neighbors," he said in closing. "Lets get to work."