US election 2020: Joe Biden promises to end Trump's 'season of darkness'

Joe Biden (pictured) will take on Donald Trump in November's US presidential election

Joe Biden has given his first major speech explaining to the American people why he thinks he would make a better president than Donald Trump.

Mr Biden was officially crowned the Democratic Party's presidential candidate this week at the party's convention, and he closed the four-night event with a big speech.

He said the current president has "cloaked America in darkness for much too long" and has unleashed "too much anger, too much fear, too much division".

He will take on Mr Trump, who represents the Republican Party, in the big election on 3 November 2020.

Many experts have called Thursday's speech the most important of Biden's political career, which is nearly 50 years long, meaning it has featured a lot of speeches.

Newsround picks out three key things Joe Biden said during the live speech.

'Ally of the light'

Mr Biden was speaking from a mostly empty arena in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, because of the coronavirus pandemic. He told American voters that he will be a positive president, which implies Mr Biden doesn't think that the case with the current president.

He said: "Here and now, I give you my word, if you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst.

"I'll be an ally of the light, not the darkness

"It's time for us, for we the people, to come together. And make no mistake, united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America.

"We'll choose hope over fear, facts over fiction, fairness over privilege," he added.

'This is a life-changing election'

Mr Biden said "character is on the ballot" this November. That means he wants people to consider the personal qualities of the two candidates.

"We can choose a path of becoming angrier, less hopeful, more divided, a path of shadow and suspicion," he said, describing what he thought of President Trump's presidential style.

"Or, or, we can choose a different path and together take this chance to heal, to reform, to unite. A path of hope and light," describing how he believes he will act as president.

"This is a life-changing election. This will determine what America is going to look like for a long, long time," he said.

Healing the country

Mr Biden was joined on stage after the speech by his wife, Jill, and Kamala Harris - who is running for vice-president - and her husband, Doug Emhoff

Mr Biden vowed to heal a country that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic, an economic recession and split over racial tensions.

He continued: "What we know about this president is that if he's given four more years, he'll be what he's been for the last four years.

"A president who takes no responsibility, refuses to lead, blames others, cosies up to dictators and fan the flames of hate and division.

"He'll wake up every day believing the job is all about him, never about you. Is that the America you want for you, your family and your children?"

Referring to the high number of Americans killed by the coronavirus, Mr Biden said: "Our current president has failed in his most basic duty to the nation: he has failed to protect us."

What else happened at the convention?

Mr Biden's live speech marked the grand finale of the four-night Democratic national convention.

But there was no balloon drop, cheering crowds, or any of the other razzamatazz of the typical American party conference, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers opted instead for a virtual event of mostly pre-recorded speeches from well-known Democratic politicians including former president Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Kamala Harris, who is running alongside Mr Biden as the vice-presidential candidate.

There was also a recorded speech from 13-year-old Brayden Harrington on the final night.

He has a stutter, just like Joe Biden did when he was a child.

Brayden explained how Mr Biden inspired him to overcome his fears.

"He told me we were members of the same club," the teen said of his meeting with the former vice-president.

How has President Trump reacted?

Donald Trump's speaks at a campaign event in Pennsylvania on Thursday

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Trump visited Mr Biden's birthplace of Scranton in state of Pennsylvania.

"Biden is no friend of Pennsylvania," Mr Trump said, accusing his opponent of destroying American jobs through global trade deals, the Paris climate agreement and clean energy plans.

Next week, Mr Trump is expected to accept his nomination as the Republican candidate during his party's convention, which has also been scaled back because of the pandemic.