Biden To Address Democratic National Convention After Withdrawing From 2024 Race

Nearly a month since bowing out of the 2024 presidential race, President Joe Biden will address what's expected to be a grateful and raucous crowd at the Democratic National Convention Monday night in Chicago.

It is clearly an understatement to say that the mood of Democrats nationally and their hopes for success in November have improved since Biden withdrew from the race. But there is also a recognition among the party faithful that what Biden did — voluntarily step away from enormous power — was extraordinarily rare and thus he is apt to be greeted and treated like a hero when he steps onto the stage at the United Center.

Now, instead of accepting the nomination for a second term, the president will tick off what his supporters say were the historic achievements of his first term.

“Rebuilding bridges and broadband, restoring manufacturing, showing our competitors around the world that our democracy can work,” longtime friend and fellow Delawarean Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) told reporters. “Passing the most consequential legislation about gun violence, about community mental health, about investing in our veterans and in reducing prescription drug prices.”

Senator Coons says Biden and Vice President Harris got passed and signed into law more consequential legislation than any president in his lifetime.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump was rallying in Steelton, PA Monday. Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), will offer counter programming to the DNC this week, with campaign stops in every battleground state and Republican surrogates on the ground in Chicago.

Thousands of people protesting the war in Gaza are also in the Windy City. Chicago police say they are ready, and hopeful that all will remain peaceful.

“We would prefer not to have clashes,” Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters. “We would prefer not to make arrests, if we don't have to.”

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, did a bus tour across Pennsylvania Sunday before arriving in Chicago Sunday evening.

Monday morning, Walz rallied Democratic delegates: “I’m going to continue to say it. We’ve got 78 days of hard work, we can sleep when we’re dead — not now, not now.”

Harris will accept the Democratic nomination and reintroduce herself to the American people Thursday night.

“We have a lot of work to do to earn the vote of the American people,” Harris told reporters Sunday, “and we're going to be traveling this country as we've been, and talking with folks, listening to folks and hopefully earning their votes.”