President Biden will kick off next month’s Democratic National Convention and deliver the opening remarks, instead of closing out the convention as previously expected before he withdrew from the race earlier this month.
The president is expected to deliver a prime-time address on the first day of the convention in Chicago, which will run from Aug. 19-22, a source familiar with the planning confirmed to The Hill.
The speech will discuss the country’s transition from the COVID-19 pandemic era and will figuratively “turn the keys over” to bring the focus on Vice President Harris, CNN reported, citing three sources familiar with the planning.
The convention will take place less than a month since Biden endorsed Harris to lead the ticket after announcing he would step down. The incumbent’s decision followed a tumultuous few weeks for Democrats, some of whom publicly urged Biden to withdraw following a poor debate performance against former President Trump in late June, which sparked concerns over his ability to serve another term or beat the former president in November.
Harris has quickly consolidated Democratic support, in the form of both endorsements and fundraising numbers. She was the only candidate to earn enough delegates to qualify for the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) virtual roll call to nominate the party’s official presidential candidate, a process that will kick off Thursday.
The vice president, if she wins the virtual roll call, will be the official nominee weeks before the Democratic National Convention begins. She is then expected to name her running mate in advance on Aug. 7.
This is not the first time an outgoing president has opened the convention. During the 2000 convention, outgoing President Clinton, who was not up for reelection, delivered the opening remarks before passing the torch to his then-Vice President Al Gore, who eventually lost to former President George W. Bush.
Former President Obama did not deliver the opening remarks to the 2016 convention, but rather spoke on the last day and touted former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s qualifications for the presidency.
Harris is expected to travel next week with her running mate to battleground states, per her campaign, though she told reporters Tuesday that she has not settled on vice president just yet.
Amie Parnes contributed.