Biden to Pass the Torch to Harris in Bittersweet Farewell

AFP/APP

Chicago: US President Joe Biden is set to deliver a bittersweet farewell address at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday, as he prepares to pass the torch to Kamala Harris, who will be the party’s nominee for the November election.

Just under a month after Biden’s surprising withdrawal and Harris’s unexpected rise, Biden is anticipated to receive a hero’s send-off from many of the same supporters who pushed him out of the race due to concerns about his age.

The 81-year-old president is expected to endorse Harris—America’s first female, Black, and South Asian vice president—as the best candidate to continue his work of safeguarding American democracy from Republican rival Donald Trump.

Harris will make a brief appearance on stage with Biden during his primetime speech, symbolizing Democratic unity over his succession. However, Biden’s legacy remains intertwined with Harris’s success; if she fails to defeat Trump, many will attribute it to Biden’s prolonged tenure.

The convention will also see a significant protest in Chicago against the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Biden expressed confidence in his speech, noting he felt “good, real good” after spending the weekend refining it at Camp David with his aides.

Now a single-term president, Biden will be acutely aware that his legacy is tied to Harris’s performance in the upcoming election. First Lady Jill Biden, a staunch supporter, will also speak in Chicago, sharing the stage with her husband.

Biden will not remain for Harris’s keynote address on Thursday, choosing instead to start a six-day holiday in California immediately after his speech. Despite mixed emotions about his reduced role, he will receive a warm welcome from Democrats, including LaurieBeth Hager, a North Dakota state representative who praised Biden as a “great president” and admired his political courage.

Biden’s departure from the race has shifted the dynamic of the White House race. Harris has energized young, female, and Black voters, rejuvenating interest in the election. Meanwhile, former President Trump, initially confident after an assassination attempt and a Republican convention appearance, is struggling to refocus his campaign in response to Harris’s candidacy. Trump will be busy with rallies in key battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, and Arizona throughout the week.