Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders Open Democratic National Convention With Case Against Trump

Democrats launched their general-election pitch during the first night of their virtual convention, presenting Joe Biden as someone who could heal a nation battling a coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest while criticizing President Trump’s handling of those upheavals.

Former first lady Michelle Obama, in Monday night’s keynote speech, described Mr. Trump as the “wrong president for our country,” adding that he is “clearly in over his head.”

“If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me they can, and they will, if we don’t make a change in this election,” she said. “If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.”

The four-day, mostly virtual event comes as the former vice president—who is expected to be formally nominated this week to face Mr. Trump in the November election—holds a significant lead in most polls. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released Sunday found 50% of registered voters nationally say they would vote for Mr. Biden if the election were held now, while 41% back Mr. Trump.

Mr. Biden has largely been off the campaign trail in recent months due to the pandemic, and his party hopes to use the convention to excite Democratic voters about his White House bid.

The Democratic convention formally ends a primary season that featured a large field of candidates, including liberals and moderates who debated the direction of the party. Mr. Biden has been the presumptive nominee for months, however, capturing the nomination after several other moderate candidates endorsed him. He has since made efforts to engage the party’s left flank on issues like climate, health care and education.

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont—an independent who caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate and who was Mr. Biden’s longest-lasting rival in the primaries—used his speech to tout the success of the progressive movement and urge his supporters to pull the lever for Mr. Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California.