Sneak peek: Biden's DNC democracy speech
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Workers construct a mural of Vice President Harris outside of the United Center in Chicago on Friday. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
President Biden will make the defense of democracy and his partnership with Vice President Kamala Harris the central themes of his primetime address at the Democratic National Convention on Monday.
Why it matters: It's all part of a complicated — but quick — handoff to Harris, the successor Biden chose under duress.
- Biden will attempt to take credit for strengthening democratic institutions, while simultaneously arguing that someone else is in a better position to preserve them.
- But Biden is proud of his presidency, the bills he signed into law and an economy that continues to grow. So are many Democrats.
- There will be no controversy in Chicago in touting Biden's legislative accomplishments — and Harris's role in getting them passed by Congress.
- The challenge will be in turning their shared past into her singular future.
Driving the news: Biden's speech is an opportunity for him to prove that he was always more interested in former President Trump's defeat than his own victory.
- He has been working on his address with Mike Donilon, who recently returned to the White house from the campaign, and Vinay Reddy, his chief speechwriter.
- More revisions are expected this weekend at Camp David, where Biden gathered with his family just seven weeks ago to lick his wounds after a disastrous debate performance against Trump.
- The speech will be loaded with contrasts between Biden and Harris' commitment to democracy and what Democrats say is Trump's callous approach to constitutional norms.
Zoom out: Biden's speech will be the main event on day one of a four-day political extravaganza.
- There are two overarching goals: remind voters what a Trump's presidency might entail and reintroduce a vice president to the country.
- Harris' first three-and-a-half years in office were not error-free, but Democrats are privately pleased at her first four weeks on the campaign trail.
- After a day devoted to Biden and his past accomplishments, the convention will pivot towards the future — and how Harris plans to deliver for the middle class.
- That will involve a mix of testimony and biography, with old friends vouching for her integrity and old stories helping voters fill out their sense of who Harris is as a person.
Zoom in: Harris is starting to flesh out her economic agenda and her broader policy positions. And while they don't differ from Biden's in substance, they do size.
- Harris has taken many of Biden's proposals — child tax credit or incentives for first-time homebuyers — and simply made them bigger.
- She's also striking her own populist notes, with her calls to prevent grocery stores from what she calls price gouging.
What we're watching: Expect Biden to include both general "soul-of-America" themes, as well as specifics on his legislative accomplishments, including the Inflation Reeducation Act and the Chips and Sciences Bill.
The bottom line: Biden may leave the convention after the first day, but Democrats insist that his record will remain front and center for the week — and the rest of the campaign.
