Kamala Harris Praises Joe Biden at First Public Appearance Since President Ended Reelection Bid

In her first public appearance since President Joe Biden announced that he is ending his campaign for re-election, Vice President Kamala Harris paid tribute to him but made no mention of her bid to lead the Democrats in holding onto the presidency at a scheduled event welcoming the NCAA champions to the White House.

While greeting and congratulating the college athletes, Harris sang the praises of her boss, who announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race on Sunday. This came after weeks of outcry and calls for him to step down from within his party following his disastrous debate performance and subsequent televised interviews that failed to quell concerns about his mental state and ability to win the election.

“Our president, Joe Biden, wanted to be here today. He is feeling much better and recovering fast, and he looks forward to getting back on the road,” Harris said, alluding to Biden’s COVID-19 diagnosis, disclosed last week. “And I wanted to say a few words about our president. Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history.”

The vice president is now in pole position to receive the Democratic nomination at the party’s upcoming convention. If Harris is to clinch the nomination, she will have to defend Biden’s record on all issues, as the candidate would then be attached to both successful and failed policies from the administration; she touched on this in her moment of praise for the president. 

“In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office. And I first came to know President Biden through his son Beau. We worked together as attorneys general in our states, and back then, Beau would often tell me stories about his dad. He would talk about the kind of father and the kind of man that Joe Biden is,” she told the crowd.

“The qualities that Beau revered in his father are the same qualities that I have seen every day in our president: his honesty, his integrity, his commitment to his faith and his family, his big heart and his love, deep love of our country.” Harris continued, noting her proximity to the Oval Office. “And I am a firsthand witness that every day our president, Joe Biden, fights for the American people, and we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation.”

A surge of donations has come in for Democrats since Biden’s Sunday announcement, which was followed by his endorsement of Harris for the top of the party’s ticket. Sunday was the third single biggest day for online Democratic contributions since the 2020 election, ActBlue reported.

Following the White House event on Monday morning, Harris was scheduled to head to Delaware to visit the former Biden campaign headquarters.