Ashley Biden, President Biden's 43-year-old daughter who usually prefers to stay out of the limelight, introduced her father on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. As he delivered one of his final and most significant speeches as president and public servant, Ashley offered a unique perspective on him.
A social worker in Philadelphia, Ashley portrayed her father not just as one of the "most consequential leaders in history," but also as the "OG girl dad."
"He always told me that I could be anything and do anything," she shared.
Ashley highlighted her father's respect for women, noting how he valued and trusted them. "He listened to his mother, believed in his sister, and respected my mother's career," she said. "Dad was always there, doing everything he could to be a true partner to her. You often remind us of how much you love us, but we don’t say enough how much you mean to us. You are the love of our lives and the life of our love."
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Ashley Biden shared a heartfelt memory from her childhood, revealing that on her eighth birthday, her father, then a U.S. senator, traveled by Amtrak from Washington, D.C., to Delaware just to hug her and see her joy when she saw her birthday cake.
She also reminisced about her wedding reception held in her parents' backyard over a decade ago, when Joe Biden was vice president. She recalled how he went to great lengths to ensure everything was perfect for the occasion.
"And by the way, he was very emotional," she said. "I thought I would be the one in tears, but he was the one crying, and I had to comfort him."
Reflecting on the years, Ashley Biden expressed, "Dad, you are still my best friend."
She also spoke about the profound loss of her brother Beau to brain cancer in 2015, noting that she and Hunter struggled to imagine how the pain would ever fade. She acknowledged her father's frequent sentiment that Beau should be the one in the Oval Office, not him.
"Dad had the ability to step out of his own pain and take on ours," Ashley Biden said. "And I know Beau is with us tonight, as he always is."
Since losing his first wife and daughter in a 1972 crash, President Biden has endured the loss of two of his four children, while Hunter and Beau were also seriously injured.
Ashley Biden urged the supportive crowd to intensify their efforts.
"So tonight, if you stood with us in 2020, I ask you to call upon your courageous heart," she said. "Stand with us now. Work harder than you ever have before. This is the fight of our lifetime."
Following her speech, the president took a moment to wipe away tears, deeply moved by the moment, and called her "incredible."
Earlier this year, Ashley Biden was a regular presence at her brother Hunter's trial in Wilmington, Delaware, where he faced federal gun charges. Hunter Biden, who was convicted in June, joined his father and children at the end of the president’s speech.