Biden’s Oval Office speech: What we’ve learned and what’s next

President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday night, marking a pivotal moment in his last few weeks as he gave up his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination — a move that could one day be the defining moment of his political career.

The speech was an attempt by the president to make a dignified exit from politics, but it was also a reminder that the country has moved on just days after the president made the unprecedented announcement.

Democratic delegates quickly rallied behind Biden’s chosen successor, Vice President Kamala Harris, with nearly 90% of Democratic voters surveyed saying he made the right choice in the recent election. CNN Poll by SSRSThe media’s focus has shifted to the new Democratic nominee, Harris. What her presidency will look like. Democrats have been able to refocus Renewed passion Their immediate mission is to defeat former President Donald Trump.

This put Biden suddenly in the role of elder statesman. In the extraordinary circumstances of the months before the 2024 election, he unexpectedly fulfilled his 2020 promise to become the “bridge” Passing on to the next generation of leadership.

“I believe the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That’s the best way to unite our country,” Biden said in his speech.

Now that he has done so, the question arises: What else can the outgoing president do?

Biden himself insisted that his work was not done, and made clear late Wednesday that he wanted to address policy lingering issues. For example, he pledged to continue working to protect democracy at home and abroad. He also vowed to achieve Gaza ceasefire Before he leaves office.

But beyond Biden’s legacy and the country’s needs, there’s a campaign going on. So what role can he play in both?

Strategists and pollsters agree: Biden can help Harris on the campaign trail.

Biden apparently thinks so. On Monday, he In the campaign said “I’m on the road, and I’m not going anywhere,” he said by conference call from Delaware. On Wednesday night, he reiterated his support for Harris: “She’s strong; she’s capable. She’s an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country.”

Chuck Rocha, a former senior adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign, said Biden has an opportunity to help Harris win over union members and white working-class voters in Pennsylvania and Michigan — groups that are Help him win in 2020.

Evan Roth Smith, chief pollster for Blueprint, said Biden also needs to talk to the voters who have been most loyal to him over the past month and tell them it’s important that they not only come out to vote for Harris but also knock on doors for her.

Democratic pollster Fernand Amandi said Biden could reiterate his administration’s success as “the political wind behind Kamala’s campaign” and highlighted her role in getting things done.

But Harris also has a rare opportunity to make a first impression again and define herself beyond Biden’s vice president. Ross Smith said voters are less likely to associate her with issues in the administration they rate poorly, such as inflation and immigration.

“So she has this important opportunity to distance herself from Biden,” he said. “It’s important not to waste that opportunity and not to overly associate her with Biden.”

Amandi said Biden is more likely to make gaffes if he participates in the campaign, which could raise more questions about whether he should continue to serve as president until the end of his term. Although Amandi added that Biden would not complete his term if the president and doctors deem him incompetent, Republicans have recently argued that Biden is unfit for office. Should step down immediately.

“There’s a lot of pressure on Biden, especially after his debate performance, to go to some events that he’s not particularly comfortable doing,” Ross Smith said. “He doesn’t need to go to those events anymore… We don’t necessarily need him to be there for the entire campaign.”

That’s especially true because Harris will soon have another important alternative on her team: her vice presidential pick. Once she chooses her running mate, Rocha said, “there will actually be three people who can help the Democratic Party win in November,” and two of them — Harris and her pick for vice president — can “provide a stark contrast to Donald Trump.”

Biden experts say Biden’s move is essentially about him trying to help Harris as much as possible without overexposing himself. Biden seemed to realize on Wednesday that he should step back. “I know that years of experience in public life are useful,” he said. “There’s also a place for new voices, fresh voices. Yes, young voices. Now is that time and place.”

Strategists and pollsters told me Biden should focus on being a good president for the rest of his term, and as he indicated in his speech, that’s what he intends to do.

“An important role of the president is to be that politician who proves to people that the Democratic Party can govern,” Ross Smith said.

Staying competent while finding opportunities to remind voters of his administration’s accomplishments — from the Inflation Reduction Act to the bipartisan infrastructure bill — is one of the best ways he can support Harris.

“The Biden-Harris administration has a wonderful story to tell,” Amandi said. “That story is undermined by legitimate concerns about whether the president can govern for another four years.”

Kyle Kondik, editor-in-chief of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, said “Biden’s ability to do anything really substantive is weak” because he faces a divided Congress and the election season is in full swing. But there are some things the president can do unilaterally.

First, at a time of tension in the Middle East and Europe, Americans rely on his extensive foreign policy experience. In his speech, he said he would seek to “bring peace and security to the Middle East” and continue to unite the alliance of countries to prevent Russia from taking over Ukraine and support NATO and US allies in the Pacific. All of this may not be achieved in five months, but he can work to make visible progress.

Biden could also seek victories on domestic policies, including immigration and inflation, issues that have dogged his campaign and appear to be improving as the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates later this year. He could also highlight achievements on lesser-known but still very popular policies, such as Negotiating lower drug prices To make it easier for Americans with health insurance. On Wednesday, he stressed Supreme Court Reform Proposals and his Cancer Moon Shot is one of his top priorities.

Ross Smith said Biden needs to make sure he “shares the stage” as the administration moves forward.

He added: “If there’s a great inflation report or consumer confidence report, Harris needs to get the credit.”

It also serves the dual purpose of cementing Biden’s legacy and boosting his approval ratings, something Kondik said would also be helpful to Harris.

“I think President Biden will leave office in January with higher approval ratings because now one of the barriers to judging his success has been removed, which is the fear that he will seek reelection at an age where his physical limitations would not allow him to continue to run for reelection,” Amandi said.

For Democrats, the stakes remain high. It’s possible that the remainder of Biden’s term could lay the groundwork for a smooth transition to another Democratic administration that protects the policies he has enacted. But as Biden himself has said, before anyone — even Harris — takes over, he must “Get the job done”