Biden to pass torch to Harris in bittersweet convention farewell

Preparations continue the day before the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 18, 2024. — US Vice President Kamala Harris will formally accept the party’s presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from August 19 to 22. AFP

CHICAGO, United States – U.S. President Joe Biden will deliver a bittersweet farewell speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday, handing the torch to Kamala Harris as the party’s nominee for the November election.

Less than a month after Biden’s stunning exit from the race and Harris’s stunning rise, Biden can expect a hero’s send-off from many of the people who once pushed him out of office over concerns about his age.

The 81-year-old is expected to say Harris — the nation’s first female, Black and South Asian vice president — is the best person to finish the job he started of protecting American democracy from Republican rival Donald Trump.

read: Biden ends reelection campaign, endorses Kamala Harris

Harris will join her boss in a brief prime-time speech, a symbolic moment intended to show Democrats united on the issue of succession.

One legacy of his tenure, however, was organizing a massive protest in Chicago against the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Biden said Sunday he felt “really good” about his speech after working with top aides over the weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David in rural Maryland to revise it.

Warm-up

Biden, now a one-term lame-duck president, knows all too well that his legacy depends on Harris defeating Trump — and if she can’t, many will blame him for clinging on to power so long.

read: Biden and Harris will make their first joint trip since the change of government

First lady Jill Biden, 73, a staunch defender of her husband who has been with him in the final stages of Biden’s big decision on July 21, will also take the stage in Chicago.

But there will undoubtedly be mixed emotions for the aging president, who has watched Harris catch up to Trump in the polls and energize voters in a way she never did during his candidacy.

Biden also now finds himself the warm-up guest for Harris, who will deliver the headline speech on Thursday, in a time slot that just weeks ago would have been Biden’s.

He will not linger on her big night, but will depart for California immediately after the speech for a six-day vacation during which the conference will continue.

read: Kamala Harris believes America is ready for its first black female president

Yet Biden is also sure to receive a warm welcome from Chicago Democrats as he enters the final stages of his five-decade political career.

“I’m feeling nostalgic,” said Rep. LaurieBeth Hager of North Dakota, who attended the convention, and praised Biden as a “great president.”

“Paper towels are full”

“I’ll bring tissues tomorrow, but I’m also amazed at the courage, the political courage, that it took for him to make this decision.”

Biden is still fondly remembered by the Republican Party for defeating Donald Trump in 2020 and leading the United States out of the trauma of the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters and the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden’s initial determination to stay in the race despite his poor performance in a debate with Trump in June was tinged with pride, but there was widespread gratitude for the sacrifice he ultimately made.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris | File Photo/AFP

Since Biden left office, Harris has successfully turned the tide in the race for the White House, attracting young, female and black voters who are no longer paying attention to the fight between the two old men.

Meanwhile, former President Trump is in trouble for what he called a Democratic “coup.”

Just over a month ago, he appeared to have cruised to victory after escaping an assassination attempt, appearing at the Republican convention in Milwaukee with his ears bandaged and a triumphant look on his face.

But he has since struggled to adjust his campaign strategy to deal with Harris, resorting to personal attacks and long-winded speeches despite calls from top Republicans to focus.

While Democrats convene in Chicago, Trump will be traveling across the country, holding rallies this week in battleground states including Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina and Arizona.