The Chronicle Covers The Conventions

Barack Obama giving Jill Biden a kiss after striding out on stage to end the third night of the Democratic National Convention. (Samuel Rubenfeld/The Chronicle)

By Samuel Rubenfeld

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

DENVER–The rock star closer relieved the set-up man Wednesday night.

After Joe Biden, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, delivered a much-improvised speech – so much so that the Democratic National Committee had to reissue his speech verbatim since is was so different than the original – Barack Obama walked out and upstaged him.

Biden said Obama’s was an example of “the great American story,” and lauded him for his courage and judgement throughout his life.

But after the speech concluded and people began leaving their seats, Barack Obama strode on stage, announced as a “very special surprise guest” by Jill Biden, Joe’s wife.

“Hello Democrats,” Obama said, to thunderous applause. “I just wanted to come out here for a little, little something to say.

“I want everybody to understand why I am so proud to have Joe Biden and Jill Biden and Beau Biden and Mama Biden and the whole Biden family with me on this journey to take America back,” he said.

He thanked each of the major speakers from the last three nights, including Bill and Hillary Clinton. “I think Hillary rocked the house last night, don’t you think?” he said, then applauding himself for 15 seconds. “And, just in case you were wondering, I think President Clinton reminded us of what it was like when a president put people first.”

During Biden’s speech, he attacked McCain forcefully, but only after saying their friendship transcended politics. “We’ve traveled the world together,” Biden said.

Biden also notably made a Freudian slip sure to last throughout the duration of the campaign. After describing what he called an American dream slipping away, Biden said: “That’s the America that George Bush has left us, and that’s the America we’ll continue to get if George – excuse me – if John McCain is elected president of the United States of America.”