Bye bye Biden: in Chicago, the Democrats' emotional farewell to the American president

"I'm going to be mu to tears": gathered in convention &at; Chicago, Democrats are preparing to pay tribute to Joe Biden on Monday, although they applaud his decision to withdraw from the race. à the White House.

“I'm sorry to see him go, it's going to be a pretty tough time,” confides Ken Chestek, his throat tight a few hours before the president's speech, on the first evening of the party's grand mass.

“He's going to get a standing ovation, which he deserves,” predicts the septuagenarian, wearing a cowboy hat.

This elected official from Wyoming, a very rural state in the American West, was initially opposed to the withdrawal of Joe Biden's candidacy, in favor of his vice-president Kamala Harris.

“I am an elderly person myself and I did not like the criticisms that were made about his age,” he sighs, to AFP.

In paying tribute to Joe Biden on Monday evening, “I will be moved to tears,” assures the Democrat.

– “Cruel” –

Margaret Lewis, 63, also would have preferred Joe Biden to maintain his candidacy in the November 5 presidential election.

“I'm very angry about the way this has all happened,” she confides, describing the calls for him to withdraw, coming from elected officials in her own party, as “cruel.”

The Democratic volunteer with the small round glasses also feared that Kamala Harris, a black woman who is not always very popular, would further undermine the Democrats' chances in the election.

“But on that, I have to admit I was wrong!” says the sixty-year-old with a smile, referring to the polls, for the moment rather positive, of the vice president against the Republican Donald Trump.

– “Passing the torch” –

The withdrawal of Joe Biden, whom many Democrats criticized for being too old, “has given a boost to young voters”, adds Dylan Moore, 28 years old.

“He's really a good guy”, greets the delegate from North Carolina, one of the states that promises to be the most contested during the November election.

Anthony Millspaugh, 60 years old, wears a t-shirt with the image of Joe Biden, “to pay tribute to him”, but nevertheless assures that he is “very happy” that the Democrat decided to throw in the towel.

“It was time for him to pass the torch,” says this Chicago resident, who works in education.

“I would have voted for him, but things weren't looking very good,” and, he sighs, “we can't afford another Trump presidency.”

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