Democratic leaders hailed Biden's decision to step aside as an "amazing" and "unselfish, patriotic" move. The party sought to exalt Biden after some earlier pressure for him to end his reelection bid. Delegates expressed deep gratitude towards the president, with one describing it as a "moment where somebody handed the torch to another generation." The convention was designed as a graceful handoff from Biden to Harris, aiming to slingshot her towards a faceoff with former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election.