REPORTAGE
It was the most important speech of his career. Joe Biden, the former vice-president of Barack Obama for eight years, formally accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party on the night of Thursday to Friday and delivered his speech as a candidate for the White House. He called on America to jumpstart the ballot box on November 3 to end "a dark period" and make Donald Trump the one-term president. For about twenty minutes, the 77-year-old man, determined and with articulate thought, unfolded his program, far from the caricature of the bedridden sleeper that the Republicans make of him.
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"I will be an ally of the light, not of the darkness"
Without ever naming him, he unsurprisingly targeted Donald Trump on his management of the health crisis, which has caused the death of more than 174,000 people across the Atlantic. "If he (Donald Trump, editor's note) is re-elected, people will continue to die," said the Democratic candidate. "The president continues to tell us that the virus will disappear. He continues to hope for a miracle (...) I'm going to teach him something: there will be no miracle", added Joe Biden, promising the setting place of its national strategy against the Covid-19 pandemic "on the first day" of its mandate. If he is elected, the wearing of a mask will in particular be compulsory throughout the country.
Wearing a compulsory mask, green energies and the fight against climate change
The former vice-president then promises to rebuild the economy better and more just, by asking the richest and the big companies to pay more taxes. Joe Biden also wants a gigantic investment in green energy to fight climate change, while creating millions of jobs. "It's time to combine hope and history!" he said.
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"The time for flirting with dictators" is over
"I promise you today: if you trust me and give me the presidency, I will bring out the best in us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness": Joe Biden also affirmed who mostly presented himself as the anti-Trump candidate. Promising to be "in solidarity" with America's allies, he felt that "the time for flirting with dictators" was over. "Under a Biden presidency, America will not close its eyes if Russia offers bonuses on the heads of American soldiers. And will not tolerate foreign interference" in the elections, he continued, pledging to defend the "human rights and dignity".
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Following the speech on television from the White House, Donald Trump reacted on Twitter in real time: "In 47 years, Joe has not done any of the things he talks about. He will never change, only words." As for the Republicans, their convention, largely virtual, will take place next week Donald Trump will deliver his speech Thursday evening from the White House.