Political junkies are currently enjoying the heights of Democratic National Convention-mania, as the long-awaited event coasts off the buzz of its shiny new nominee, Kamala Harris.
Feeling like something more akin to the Oscars (but with far greater implications, obviously), the convention has seen an array of big names take to the stage, from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Hillary Clinton and outgoing president Joe Biden.
Introduced by his daughter Ashley, the current president spoke on the first night of the convention and enjoyed a four-minute-long standing ovation led by some 20,000 attendees. Biden’s speech touched on everything from his legacy and landmark achievements while in office to his unwavering support of Harris.
While he still has five months in office, Biden’s speech was effectively a farewell, and has drawn praise from a whole host of high-profile figures, led by former president Barack Obama, who reacted to Biden’s address on X.
“What I admire most about Joe is his decency, his resilience, and his unshakable belief in the promise of our country,” Biden’s former boss wrote. “I am proud to call him my president, and I’m so grateful to call him my friend.” Obama — who will also speak at the DNC alongside former First Lady Michelle — wasn’t the only notable Democrat to sing Biden’s praises.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg — once thought to be a contender for Harris’ running mate — shared an image of himself at the convention alongside his husband, Chasten. “Thank you [Biden], for always putting our country first.”
Buttigieg was pictured holding a ‘We Love Biden’ sign, which doubled as a chant heard sporadically throughout the president’s speech. For her part, Harris — who made a surprise appearance on stage on the first night of the convention — commended Biden for his “historic leadership” and said she will be “forever grateful” to him.
On the Hollywood front, praise for Biden was led by When Harry Met Sally director Rob Reiner, who thanked Biden for his “extraordinary service” throughout his career. “Biden will go down as one of the most consequential Presidents in American history,” Reiner wrote. “We love you Joe.” Meanwhile, Billy Baldwin also thanked Biden while providing an anecdote about the president from his time as a political intern.
“Joe Biden came to our office one day and asked me my name,” Baldwin recalled. “He always remembered my name. That meant a lot to the young 20-year-old activist working on the hill.” The View’s Ana Navarro-Cárdenas kept her message simple, posting a selfie with a love heart symbol and Biden’s speech in the background.
Hocus Pocus star Bette Midler got in a quick swipe at presidential candidate Donald Trump before describing the atmosphere during Biden’s speech. “A great speech and a great night,” the actress wrote. “Not a dry eye in the house.” Also name-checking Trump in response to Biden’s speech was Star Trek star George Takei, who sent his well-wishes to the former president now that “Joe isn’t going to swoop in and retake the nomination.”
For his part, the Hulk himself, Mark Ruffalo (who we already know is not a Trump fan), offered a more holistic take on the events of the DNC, gushing about how “God is loving Democrats tonight” and describing the energy in the room as brimming with “love, kindness, respect, inclusivity, hope, unity, and decency of heart.”
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill joined Ruffalo by offering his boots-on-the-ground perspective of the first night of the DNC, writing that a “sense of euphoria sets in” among the crowds as they envision a presidency without Trump. Political commentator Van Jones went a step further with his praise, declaring tearfully that Biden’s DNC speech was “a legitimate moment of catharsis and love.”
The positive reaction to Biden’s speech mirrors the similarly gushing praise he received when announcing his decision to withdraw from the presidential race. Buttigeig, Hamill and Takei were among the notable names to commend Biden’s decision at that time, alongside the likes of Barbra Striesand, Gavin Newsom, and Andrew Yang.
