Democrats Honor Joe Biden Even as They Celebrate Kamala Harris

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Up to Speed (Convention Edition)

• The security protocols at the Democratic National Convention have been severely tight, at least judging by the first day of the convention. One of your Dispatch Politics reporters went through two rounds of security checks just to enter an area of McCormick Place convention center midday Monday. And there was just a single security line for entering the security perimeter around the United Center, where the prime-time events for the convention are taking place. That meant it took close to an hour to reach the arena in the mid-afternoon, and even longer as the evening wore on. This may have been because of the number of high-profile, Secret Service-protected individuals attending Monday’s convention: President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
• Spotted: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker taking selfies with adoring fans on the convention floor at the United Center arena. Earlier in the day, as the aforementioned Dispatch Politics reporter was in his first round of screening at McCormick Place, Booker and a small entourage broke the line in order to get through the magnetometers and enter the convention center. It helps to be a senator.
• Also spotted: Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, in the United Center on Monday night, being screamed at by a bearded man, who appeared to be livestreaming as he loudly insinuated Kirk was not pro-life due to his opposition to an unspecified child welfare program.
• There was no missing the irony when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began discussing Donald Trump’s legal woes during her Monday night speech and a few attendees began chanting “Lock him up” and the chant suddenly took over the arena. Although Harris and others campaigning for her have attempted to shut down the chant when crowds started it at earlier rallies, Clinton smiled and appeared to relish the chant (a version of which had been used against her by Trump supporters in 2016.)
• Music legend James Taylor was booked to perform Monday night, along with country singers Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton. While both Isbell and Guyton performed during the prime-time broadcast, Taylor ended up getting bumped because of time constraints. That was unfortunate, because Dispatch Politics got a chance to hear Taylor perform “You’ve Got a Friend” earlier in the day during a sound check, and the 76-year-old singer-songwriter still has it.

Up to Speed (Beyond Chicago)

• Disgraced former Republican Rep. George Santos pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and other crimes. “I allowed my ambition to cloud my judgment,” Santos told the federal judge presiding over his case, “leading me to make decisions that were unethical and—guilty.” The Republican-controlled House expelled Santos late last year after he was indicted and after an ethics report accused him of breaking the law.
• Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social artificially generated images, one of which implied pop superstar Taylor Swift was endorsing him. “Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump,” read the text on one image, which featured a photo of Swift dressed as Uncle Sam. Trump also posted photos of young women in “Swifties for Trump” T-shirts, one of which was accompanied by a screenshot of a satirical X post stating that Swift’s fans had begun supporting the former president after a man who pledged allegiance to ISIS planned a terrorist attack on one of her concerts that authorities foiled.

Democrats Pay Tribute to Biden While Looking to Harris

CHICAGO—There was a moment, after Joe Biden concluded his farewell address to a packed Democratic National Convention, when the United Center’s house camera was trailing Kamala Harris across the stage, rather than a sitting president still soaking up the roaring tribute offered him by the crowd. It was a subtle but revealing detail that made clear the vice president is the star of the party now.

Indeed, Harris initiated Biden’s send-off earlier Monday evening, delivering what for Democratic and Republican presidential nominees alike were rare remarks from the main stage on Night 1 of the convention—offering the departing commander in chief the appreciation of a party grateful he withdrew from the 2024 campaign to make way for his far more competitive No. 2. “This is going to be a great week, and I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden,” she said. “Joe: Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you will continue to do.”  

“We are forever grateful to you,” she added. “Thank you, Joe.”

Biden’s roughly hour-long address, ending after midnight Tuesday morning, resembled what his nomination acceptance speech might have sounded like had the 46th president not pulled the plug on his reelection bid four weeks ago and immediately endorsed Harris. He was angry and defiant, presenting a self-congratulatory laundry list of his record—at home and abroad—while above all warning voters of the dangers of a potential second term for Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump calls America a failing nation,” Biden thundered. “He says we’re losing. He’s the loser.”

This dichotomy, between a Democratic Party headed toward more hopeful pastures under Harris, and a Democratic Party indignant over Trump’s political staying power under Biden (Trump led Biden in the polls for nearly a year before the incumbent dropped out) summed up the first hours of the four-day convention here in Chicago. The belief that Trump is now beatable, after so many months of despair, has turned the Democratic convention into the same joyous occasion that was the Republican gathering in Milwaukee last month, when the GOP was convinced a landslide was afoot.  

In the convention hall, the evening program ping-ponged. There was the expected focus on the future, as one Democratic VIP after another in their prepared remarks celebrated and promoted Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. And there was a nod to the past, as those same Democratic VIPs thanked and honored Biden (and first lady Jill Biden) both for his presidency and a political career that has spanned half a century. “Thank you, Chicago, for your energy. Thank you, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, for your vision. And thank you, Joe Biden,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York said.

“I choose a nation that provides a path for ordinary people—that gives every child a chance,” Sen. Raphael Warnock said later. “That’s Joe Biden’s America.” The Georgia Democrat continued: “He’s been fighting for it for more than a half century. President Biden’s America is so much better because of you—a true patriot who has always put the people first. Thank you, Joe. Thank you, Joe.”

For a Harris campaign that presumably had to hastily reprogram the convention, perhaps the most delicate task was how to give Biden his due deference while still managing a clean break  that didn’t offend the president’s loyalists nor the activists, staff, and volunteers working on his campaign. 

Multiple placards found their way to nearly every seat in the arena. There were “Thank You Joe” signs and “We [love] Joe” signs—both red, white, and blue. And there were green and white “Jill” signs. When the president, already emotional from the heartfelt introduction delivered by daughter Ashley Biden, finally walked on stage for his address, he had to wait through a raucous standing ovation that lasted nearly five minutes. It had to be gratifying for the campaign staff who poured onto the convention floor to watch their old boss deliver his valedictory in person, tears streaming down their faces. 

Afterward, Biden and his wife boarded Air Force One en route to Santa Ynez, California, a picturesque community about 30 miles north of Santa Barbara, out of sight and more than 2,000 miles from Chicago.

Walz Starts the Week as Cheerleader in Chief

CHICAGO—Gov. Tim Walz may have been a high school football coach before entering politics, but on the first day of the Democratic National Convention, he was fulfilling a new role: cheerleader.

During a surprise visit to a Monday morning meeting of the DNC’s Hispanic caucus, Walz rallied the attending delegates, activists, and operatives, noting several times that there were just 78 days until Election Day.

“Not very many times in history do you get 78 days that can make such a profound impact,” Walz said during brief remarks that were interrupted several times by loud cheers. “Not just on our lives, not just on American lives, but globally. America’s decency and leadership and vision and kindness and inclusiveness for this big beautiful tapestry that makes up America? That’s what we get the chance to fight for.”

It was one of multiple visits Walz made to the various caucus and council meetings that began Monday morning at the McCormick Place convention center. The meetings allow identity and interest groups like black Democrats, Native American Democrats, small business owners, and labor activists to hear from speakers and panels. Accompanied by Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison, Walz slipped into the back of the meeting room for the Hispanic caucus unnoticed, though an influx of extra security and media members might have tipped off caucus members that someone of note was arriving.

His speech to the caucus members provides a hint for how the Minnesota governor will speak to a national audience on Wednesday, when Walz will accept the nomination and address the convention in prime time at the United Center across town. Walz emphasized how Harris and the Democratic Party stand for “decency,” “joy,” and “inclusiveness.” He argued in familiarly center-left terms on improving economic outcomes, saying Americans shouldn’t “have to go broke because you have a medical bill.” He described a sunny, positive vision provided by the top of the Democratic ticket.

“People don’t want to just vote against something. They want to vote for something. Well, Kamala Harris is giving you something to vote for,” he said.

Walz told a flattering anecdote about his running mate from their recent tour of Pennsylvania, when he said Harris was greeted by a throng of supporters but also a small contingent of Trump fans. (“You can always tell them by their hats,” Walz said.) 

“The first thing she said was, ‘What they need to know is I’ll work just as hard for them and their families as the ones who support us,’” Walz said as Hispanic caucus members clapped and nodded.

This rah-rah attitude stands in contrast to how Walz has conducted himself in the last few weeks, when he began attacking the Trump-Vance ticket even before he was selected as Harris’ running mate. And while he may be in an encouraging mood among his fellow Democrats, Walz may revert to the traditional “attack dog” role on Wednesday or soon thereafter. But whichever version of Walz shows up in the United Center later this week, it’s guaranteed he will turn up the Midwestern dad charm.

“Look, we’ve got an opportunity to put those guys in the rearview mirror,” he said of Trump and Vance. “But we’ve got to do the hard work. It starts here in Chicago, and we’ve got 78 days. And as I’ve been telling everybody, until then, we’re just going to keep working. We’ll sleep when we’re dead, but not now.”

Notable and Quotable

“Joe Biden is the O.G. girl dad.”

—Ashley Biden, introducing her father at the Democratic National Convention, August 19, 2024