1?0,000 are severe. 170,000 americans dead, millions ofjobs gone. and while those at the top taking more than ever. 0ur worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before. now, i know that in times as polarised as these, most of you have already made up your mind, but maybe, you're still not sure which candidate you will vote for. 0r whether you will vote for. 0r whether you will vote at all. maybe you're tired of the direction we are headed but you can't see a better path yet or you just don't know enough about the person who wa nts to enough about the person who wants to lead us there. so let me tell you about my friend, joe biden. 12 years ago when i

began my search for a vice president, i didn't know i would end up finding a brother. joe andi would end up finding a brother. joe and i come from different places, different generations, but what i quickly came to admire aboutjoe biden is his resilience, born of too much struggle. his empathy, born out of too much grief. joe is a man who learned early on to treat every person he meets with respect and dignity, living by the words that his parents taught him. no—one is better than you, joe. we are better than you, joe. we are better than a nobody. that empathy —— better than nobody, that belief that everybody counts, but is who joe that everybody counts, but is whojoe is. that everybody counts, but is who joe is. when that everybody counts, but is whojoe is. when he talks with somebody who has lost herjob, joe remembers the night his father sat him down to tell him

he had lost his. whenjoe listens to a parent who is trying to hold it all together right now, he does it as a single dad who took the train back to wilmington each and every night so he could tuck his kids into bed. when he meets with military families who have lost their hero, he does it as a kindred spirit, the parent of an american soldier, somebody whose faith has endured the hardest loss there is. for eight years, joe was the last one in a room whenever i faced a big decision. he made me a better president and he has got the character and the experience to make us a better country. and in my friend kamala harris, he has chosen an ideal partner who is more than prepared for the job. someone who knows what it is like to overcome barriers

and who has made a career fighting to help others live out their own american dream. along with the experience needed to get things done, joe and kamala have concrete policies that will turn their vision of a better, fairer, stronger country into reality. they will get this pandemic under control likejoe they will get this pandemic under control like joe did when he helped me manage h1n1 and prevent an abolished outbreak from reaching owls shores. they will expand my health get more americans like dominated 10 yea rs americans like dominated 10 years ago when he craft the affordable care act and elderly votes to make it more. they will rescue the economy like joe helped me do after the great recession. i asked him to manage the recovery act which jumpstarted the longest stretch ofjob growth in history. and he sees this moment now not as a chance to get back to where we we re

a chance to get back to where we were but two make long overdue changes so that our economy actually makes life a little easier for everybody. whether it is the waitress trying to raise a kid on her own or the shiftwork are always on the edge of getting laid off, or the student figuring out how to pay for next semester's classes. joe and kamala will restore our standing in the world and as we have learnt from this pandemic, that matters. joe knows the world and the world knows him. he knows that our true strength comes from setting an example that the world wants to follow. a nation that stands with democracy, not dictators. a nation that can inspire and mobilise others to overcome threats like climate change and terrorism, poverty and disease. but more than anything, what i know about joe, what

but more than anything, what i know aboutjoe, what i know about kamala is that they actually ca re about kamala is that they actually care about every american. and that they care deeply about this democracy. they believe that in a democracy, the right to vote is sacred and we should be making it easierfor people sacred and we should be making it easier for people to cast their ballots, not harder. they believe that no—one, including the president, is above the law. and that no public official, including the president, should use their office to enrich themselves or their supporters. they understand that in this democracy, the commander in chief does not use the men and women of our military who are willing to risk everything to protect our nation as political props to deploy against peaceful protesters on our own

soil. they understand that political opponents are not un—americanjust political opponents are not un—american just because they disagree with you, a free press is not the enemy but the way we hold officials accountable. that our ability to work together to solve big problems like a pandemic depend on a fidelity to fax and science and logic and not just fidelity to fax and science and logic and notjust making stuff up. none of this should be controversial. these shouldn't be republican principles or democratic principles, they are american principles but at this moment, this president and those who enable him, have shown they don't believe in these things. tonight, i'm asking you to believe in joe and tonight, i'm asking you to believe injoe and kamala's ability to lead this country

out of these dark times and built it back better. but here is the thing, no single american can fix this country alone, not even a president. democracy was never meant to be transactional. you give me your vote and i make everything better, it requires an active and informed citizenry. so i am also asking you to believe in your own ability to embrace your own ability to embrace your own ability to embrace your own responsibility as citizens to make sure that the basic tenants of our democracy endure. because that is what is at stake right now. our democracy. look, i understand why a lot of americans are down on government. the way the rules have been set up and abused in congress make it easierfor special interests to stop progress than to make progress,

believe me, i know it. i understand why a white factory worker who has seen his wages cut or hisjob worker who has seen his wages cut or his job shifted overseas might feel like the government no longer looks out for him. and why a black might feel like it never looked out for her at all. i understand why a new immigrants might look around this country and wonder whether theyis this country and wonder whether they is still a place for him here. why a young person might look at politics right now, the circus of it all, the meanness and the lies and conspiracy theories and think, what is the point? well, here is the point. this president and those in power, those who benefit from keeping things the way they are, they are counting on your cynicism. they know they can't win you over with their policies, so they are hoping to

make it as hard as possible for you to vote and to convince you that your vote does not matter. that is how they win, that is how they get to keep making decisions that affect your life and the lives of the people you love. that is how the economy will keep getting skewed towards the wealthy and well—connected, how our health system will let more people fall through the cracks. that is how a democracy with his until it is no democracy at all and we cannot let that happen. do not attempt take away your power, do not let them take away your democracy. make a plan right now about how you're going to get involved and vote. do it as early as you can and tell your family and friends how they can vote to. do what

americans have done for over two centuries when faced with even tougher times than this. all those quiet heroes who found the courage to keep marching, keep pushing in the face of hardship and injustice. last month, we lost a giant of american democracy in john lewis. and some years ago i sat down with him and a few remaining leaders of the early civil rights movement. and one of them told me he never imagined he would walk into the white house and see a president who looked like his grandson. and then he told me he had looked it up and it turned out on the very day i was born, he was marching into a jail cell trying to end jim crow segregation in the south. what

we do echoes through generations. whatever our backgrounds, we are all the children of americans who thought the good fight —— fought. grandparents of worked in sweatshops without rights and representation. farmers losing their dreams to dust. irish and italians and asians and latinos told, go back where you came from. j and catholics and muslims and sikhs made to feel ashamed for the way they worship. black americans trained and wept and hanged and spit on for trying to sit at lunch counters. beaten for trying to vote. if anyone had a

right to believe that this democracy did not work and could not work, it was those americans, our ancestors, they we re americans, our ancestors, they were on the receiving end of a democracy that had fallen short all their lives. they knew how far the daily reality of america strayed from the middle. and yet instead of giving up, they joined middle. and yet instead of giving up, theyjoined together and they said, somehow, someway, we are going to make this work. we are going to bring those words in our founding documents to life. i have seen that same spirit rising these past few years. folks of every age and background who packed city centres and airports and rural roads so that families wouldn't

be separated so that another classroom wouldn't get shot up. so that our kids won't grow up on an uninhabitable planet. americans of all races joining together to declare in the face of injustice, and the tally at the hands of the state, that lack lives matter, no more and no less —— black. and no child in this country feels the continuing sting of racism. to the young people who lead us this summer telling us we need to be better, and so many ways, you are this country's dreams fulfilled. earlier generations had to be persuaded that eve ryo ne had to be persuaded that everyone has equal worth. for you, it is a given, a

conviction. and what i want you to know is that for all its messiness and frustrations, your system of self government can be harnessed to help you realise those convictions. and it is for all of us. you can give our democracy new meaning. you can take it to a better place. you are the missing ingredient. the ones who will decide whether or not america becomes the country that fully lives up to its creed. that work will continue long after this election. but any chance of success depends entirely the outcome of this election. this

administration has shown it will tear our democracy down if thatis will tear our democracy down if that is what it takes for them to win. so we have to get busy building it up by pouring all of our efforts into these 76 days and by voting like never before forjoe and kamala, and candidates and only ticket, so that we leave no doubt about what this country that we love stands for. today and for all our days to come. stay safe. god left. on bbc news, you have been hearing live from barack 0bama live into the democratic party's virtual national convention. you are going to be hearing now very shortly the nominating speeches for kamala harris, you

will see a little bit of that in your screens while we carry on talking and we will come straight back there of course for the speech by kamala harris, but let's just go again to our correspondent laura trevelya n to our correspondent laura trevelyan in joe biden's to our correspondent laura trevelyan injoe biden's home town. barack trevelyan injoe biden's home town. ba rack 0bama trevelyan injoe biden's home town. barack 0bama very warm aboutjoe biden and kamala harris but it is very unusual, isn't it, for a president to attack, by name, a predecessor and to sound quite so apocalyptic about democracy itself at risk. yes, quite an extraordinary speech thereby barack 0bama who, remember, has really avoided talking about donald trump 9:00am ever since was elected. he spoke in general terms about policies that he disagrees with, he spoke up to protect the dreamers, for example, those young undocumented immigrants that donald trump wanted to ta ke that donald trump wanted to take away the legal protections from, but this was just, the

gloves ca m e from, but this was just, the gloves came off. he said, i did hope that donald trump might show some interest in taking thejob show some interest in taking the job seriously but he never did he said donald trump hasn't grown into thejob did he said donald trump hasn't grown into the job and he can't, and he was very explicit, he said the cost of thatis explicit, he said the cost of that is clear now, 170,000 people dead, millions have lost theirjobs. so laying the economic and personal cost of the pandemic firmly at the door of donald trump. he couldn't have been clearer and then, as you say, going on to talk about the civil rights struggle and how the promise of america has taken so long to be realised. from philadelphia where the constitutional convention happened where america's constitution was signed, pointing out that was an imperfect document, didn't give slaves right and yet over centuries this american struggle has led to this moment and he says he now sent as the same spirit that was abroad in the civil rights movement that americans want change and he

finished with that call to vote. just as his wife did, speaking two nights ago, wearing that necklace that said vote, , wearing that necklace that said vote,, harris wearing that necklace that said vote, , harris began wearing that necklace that said vote,, harris began tonight by urging americans to have a plan to vote so barack 0bama did the same. quite extraordinary, really, and you just also get that sent a democrat so haunted by the fact that because they didn't get a big enough turnout in 2016, hillary clinton won the popular vote lost in three key swing states by 80,000 vote. we will be back to the convention injust a moment live for that speech by kamala harris. the first woman of colour on a vice presidential ticket, whatever your politics this really will be a moment. yes, it will be indeed and we are going to hearfrom her sister meyer ran her campaign for the presidential nomination, we're going to hear

from her niece also from her stepdaughter, but yes, clearly and choosing kamala harris, democrat are trying to represent this nation and all of its melting pot, the fact that she has both of jamaican heritage and of indian descent, she is a prosecutor, she comes from a blended family. her husband was divorced, she now has a stepmother, she says that momala is one of her most importantjobs. momala is one of her most important jobs. she is momala is one of her most importantjobs. she is the key to exciting this young, more diverse generation of voters the democrats want to get out there if they are to defeat donald trump. we are keeping a close ion what is happening on the right—hand side of people's screens there as this video, preparing for the speech by kamala harris, ithink preparing for the speech by kamala harris, i think it is just coming close to an end. there is a risk for democrats

in foreground and kamala harris, nancy pelosi, elizabath warren, these are all the democrats who donald trump likes to characterise as the ones who will lead to the democrats into taking away people's guns, removing people's guns, removing people's second amendment rights, defunding the police, abolishing the police, as he claims. right, and of course kamala harris is a former prosecutor, she was an attorney general in california, so in choosing her, democrats are trying to block off that attack from donald trump that a biden harris ticket would be about defunding the police because she stands for law and order andi she stands for law and order and i think we're going to hear in her speech tonight about how she wants all americans to experience equality under the law. this is a pivotal moment to have a black woman accepting the nomination for the vice presidency of a major political party. this moment of racial reckoning in america after the death of george floyd, the symbolism of kamala harris in this moment is very important,

and we will be hearing from her tonight about that, i'm sure. but yes, it is just going to be a completely fascinating election with 76 days to go and there was barack 0bama urging people, as though his life depended on it, to get out and vote. in particular, as you've been saying, for granting women tonight because it is 100 years this week since women in the us first one the right to vote and this political calculation at the polls suggest donald trump is losing support among college educated women in particular. yeah, and it's interesting to see the issues that democrats have highlighted tonight, they let off with gun control, they focused on climate change, they've talked about the importance of immigration reform and those... laura, forgive me i must interrupt you, kamala harris just forgive me i must interrupt you, kamala harrisjust about to speak. greetings america. it is truly an honour to be speaking with you tonight. that

iam here speaking with you tonight. that i am here tonight is a testa m e nt to i am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me. women and men who believed so fiercely in the promise of equality, liberty, and justice for all. this week marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19 amendment, and we celebrate the women who fought for that right, yet so many of the black women who helped secure that degree were still prohibited from voting long after its ratification, but they were undeterred. without fanfare or recognition, they organised, testified and rallied and marched and fought, not just for rallied and marched and fought, notjust for their rallied and marched and fought, not just for their vote, but for a seat at the table. these women and the generations that followed worked to make democracy and opportunity real

in the lives of all of us who followed. they paved the way for the trailblazing leadership of barack 0bama and hillary clinton, and these women inspired us to pick up the torch and fight on. women like mary church to rail, and diane nash. constance baker and the great shirley chisholm. we are not often taught their stories, but as americans, we all stand on their shoulders. and there's another woman, whose name isn't known, whose story isn't shared. another woman whose shoulders i stand on. and that's my mother. she came here

from india to pursue her dream of curing cancer stopping at the university of california berkely, she met my father who had come from jamaica. they fell in love while marching for justice and the civil rights movement of the 1960s. in the streets of oakland and berkely, i got streets of oakland and berkely, igota streets of oakland and berkely, i got a strollers i view of people getting into what the greatjohn lewis people getting into what the great john lewis called people getting into what the greatjohn lewis called good trouble. when i was five my pa rents trouble. when i was five my parents split and my mother raised us mostly on her own. like so many mothers she worked around the clock to make it work, packing lunches before we woke up and paying bills before we went to bed, helping us with homework and shovelling us to church choir practice. she made it look easy although it never was. my mother instilled in my

sister and me the values that would chart the course of our lives. she raised us to be proud, strong black women and she raised us to know and be proud of our indian heritage. she taught us to put family first. the family you are born into and the family you choose. family as my husband who i'd met on a blind date set up by my best friend. family is our beautiful children, coal and allah who call me momala. family is my sister. family is my best friend, my nieces and my best friend, my nieces and my godchildren. family is my aunt, family as mrs shelton, my second mother who lived two

doors down and helped raise me. family is my beloved alpha kappa alpha, our divine nine and my hbc you brothers and sisters. family as the friends i've turned to when my mother, the most important person in my life, passed away from cancer. and even as she taught us to keep ourfamily and even as she taught us to keep our family at the centre of our world, she also pushed us of our world, she also pushed us to see a world beyond ourselves. she taught us to be conscious and compassionate about the struggles of all people. to believe public service is a noble cause and the fight for justice is service is a noble cause and the fight forjustice is a shared responsibility. that led me to become a lawyer, a district attorney. attorney general, and a united states senator. and at every step of

the way, i've been guided by the way, i've been guided by the words ice spoke from the first time i stood in a court room. kamala harris, for the people. i have fought for children and survivors of sexual assault. i've fought against transnational criminal organisations. i took on the biggest banks and helped take down one of the biggest for—profit colleges. i know a predator when i c1. my mother taught me that service to others gives life purpose and meaning. and oh, how i wish she we re meaning. and oh, how i wish she were here tonight, but they know she is looking down on me from above. i keep thinking about that 25—year—old indian woman, all of five feet tall who gave birth to me at kaiser hospital in oakland, california. 0n

hospital in oakland, california. on that day, she probably could have never imagined that i would be standing before you now and speaking these words. i accept your nomination for vice president of the united states of america. i do so, committed to the values she taught me. to the word that teaches me to walk by faith and not by sight. and to a vision passed on through generations of americans, one thatjoe biden shares. a vision of our nation asa shares. a vision of our nation as a beloved community, where all our welcome, no matter what we look like, no matter where we look like, no matter where we come from or who we love. a country where we may not agree on every detail, but we are united by the fundamental

belief that every human being is of infinite worth, deserving of compassion, dignity, and respect. a country where we look out for one another. where we rise and fall as one. where we rise and fall as one. where we face our challenges and celebrate our triumphs together. today, that country feels distant. donald trump's failure of leadership has cost lives and livelihoods. if you area lives and livelihoods. if you are a parent struggling with your child's remote learning or your child's remote learning or you are a teacher struggling on the other side of that screen, you know what we are doing right now is not working. and, we are a nation that is

grieving. grieving the loss of life, the loss ofjobs, the loss of opportunities, the loss of normalcy, and yes, the loss of normalcy, and yes, the loss of certainty. and while this virus touches us all, we've got to be honest, it is not an equal opportunity offender. black, latino and indigenous people are suffering and dying disproportionately, and dying disproportionately, and this is not a coincidence, it is the effect of structural racism, of inequities in education and technology, healthcare and housing, job security and transportation. the injustice in reproductive and maternal healthca re the injustice in reproductive and maternal healthcare and the excessive use of force by the police, and in our broader criminal justice system. police, and in our broader

criminaljustice system. this virus, it