Bill Clinton delivers a spirited speech at the DNC, highlighting Harris's leadership and taking aim at Trump's age.

Aug. 22, 2024, 2:39 a.m.

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Former US President Bill Clinton delivered a forceful address at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, sharply criticizing former President Donald Trump while urging the Democratic Party to remain vigilant against their opponents.

In his address, Clinton lauded the legacy of US President Joe Biden, supported US Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House and equated Trump with “chaos”. Clinton also took time to take potshots at Trump’s age, a tactic the Republican presidential nominee used against his former nemesis Biden.

Advertisement “Two days ago, I turned 78, the oldest man in my family for four generations. And the only personal vanity I want to assert is I’m still younger than Donald Trump,” he said in his speech on the third night of the DNC. Clinton’s address came a day after Former US President Barack Obama presented a case on why people should vote for Harris.

It is pertinent to note that Clinton is just a few months younger than Trump, who turned 78 in June this year. If Trump wins the elections and stays in power for four years, he will surpass US President Joe Biden to be the oldest sitting president in the United State’s history.

Trump creates chaos: Clinton Trump’s age was not the only attribute, targetted by Clinton in has address. While laying out the case for Harris, the former President claimed that Trump creates “chaos,” something the United States shouldn’t be looking forward to.

“Will this president lead us toward progress or regression? Will this president offer our children a better future? Will this president unify us or divide us? … Donald Trump has exhibited consistent behavior. He continues to sow discord. He continues to assign blame. He continues to demean others. He generates chaos and then presents it as if it were valuable art.”

Advertisement Clinton also mentioned that Trump “mostly talks about himself”. The former president said that Trump is like a “tenor” who warms up by singing “Me me me”. “What does Donald Trump do with his voice? He mostly talks about himself … his vengeance, vendettas, complaints, his conspiracies. The next time you hear him, don’t count the lies - count the I’s,” he said.

“When Kamala Harris is president, every day will begin with you, you, you, you,” he furthered.

However, Clinton emphasised that the Democratic party should never underestimate “adversaries”. He noted that the party has already seen one election “slip away”, referring to his wife, former First Lady Hillary Clinton’s failed bid for the White House.

Advertisement “You should never underestimate your adversary, and these people are really good at distracting us,” he remarked.

“We Democrats have a lot of hay in the bar. We’ve got massive achievements, and massive advances, but there are still a lot of slips between today and election day that we have to navigate. We need Kamala Harris, the president of joy, to lead us,” he added.

Clinton lauds Harris’ McDonald’s record

Clinton also took time to laud Harris’s background in working at McDonald’s. “When she was a student, she worked at McDonald’s. She greeted every person with that thousand-watt smile and said, ‘How can I help you?’ And now, at the pinnacle of power, she’s still asking ‘How can I help you?’” he said.

Advertisement “I’ll be so happy when she actually enters the White House because, at last, she’ll break my record as the president who has spent the most time at McDonald’s," Clinton exclaimed.

Clinton went on to laud the Biden administration and paid homage to Biden’s political legacy. “He had an improbable turn that made him president. When we were in the middle of a pandemic and an economic crash, he healed our sick and put the rest of us back to work,” the former president asserted.

“He strengthened our alliances for peace and security, stood up for Ukraine, and tried desperately to get a ceasefire in the Middle East. And then he did something really hard for a politician to do – he voluntarily gave up political power,” he concluded.

Advertisement Overall, Clinton was not the only one who took jabs at Trump, Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jefferies compared the former reality TV star to a “boyfriend that won’t go away”. Jefferies insisted that Trump has spent the last four years “spinning the block trying to get back into a relationship with the American people.”

“Bro, we broke up with you for a reason,” he laughs, sparking cheers from the crowd. “There is no reason for us to ever get back together. Been there, done that and we’re not going back,” he added.

On the third day of the Democratic National Convention, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is expected to be chosen as the Democratic Party's Vice Presidential nominee for the upcoming November elections.