WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will give the keynote address Monday night at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, making a symbolic handoff of his party to Vice President Kamala Harris and pressing the case for what he says is the threat to the country if Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Four weeks ago, Biden ended his bid for reelection as his party descended into a crisis of confidence over his chances against the Republican nominee after a devastating performance in their June debate. Now, Biden is set to receive a rousing welcome from many of the same officials who were itching for him to exit the race.
Biden’s aides said the president will use his remarks to deliver the argument for why he believes Harris must replace him and defeat Trump, whom he says is a threat to democracy. Biden will also play up some of his popular accomplishments before he steps out of the spotlight for Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, to take center stage the rest of the week, the aides said.
Biden was greeted by chants of “Thank you, Joe!” on Thursday when he appeared with Harris in Maryland, and aides said he was pleased by the consolidation in the party behind Harris. Biden endorsed Harris minutes after ending his campaign, helping orchestrate a near-seamless handoff of his political operation to his vice president and avoiding a contentious fight in Chicago over the party's future.
While Biden is no longer on the top of the ticket, his influence will be felt in Chicago, albeit in a far smaller role than had he remained the nominee.
Speakers at the convention are expected to make reference to Biden's accomplishments, from helping lead the country out of the COVID-19 pandemic to winning passage of major infrastructure, climate and health care investments. Harris has used Biden's policies as the foundation of her own policy plans.
The convention's logo still calls back to the president's campaign logo, and signage in the United Center will feature a quote from Biden's Oval Office address explaining his decision to drop out, when he exhorted voters to back Harris: “History is in your hands," he said then.
On Monday, signs will feature a regular Biden-ism: "Spread the faith.”
First lady Jill Biden and other members of Biden's family will be in the arena to watch his speech, which will serve as a coda to his 50 years in Democratic politics. Jill Biden will also speak at the convention Monday night.
Harris is expected to attend that night. Biden was not scheduled to be at the convention when Harris speaks in the prime spot on Thursday evening.
President Joe Biden gestures to the crowd as he speaks alongside Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris about the administration's efforts to lower prescription drug costs during an event at Prince George's Community College in Largo, Md., Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris finish speaking about their administration's efforts to lower prescription drug costs during an event at Prince George's Community College in Largo, Md., Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
WARSAW (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is wrapping up a three-nation, Ukraine-focused European tour in Poland after hearing repeated appeals from Ukrainian officials to use Western-supplied weaponry for long-range strikes inside Russia.
Blinken traveled to Warsaw on Thursday after spending a day in Kyiv with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy during which they pledged to bring the Ukrainian requests to their leaders.
President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are to meet in the United States on Friday amid signs both Washington and London are growing more receptive to allowing the Ukrainians to use their arms to hit targets farther inside Russia than previously okayed.
NATO member Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine, has been supportive of the Ukrainians and Blinken is likely to hear further requests for easing weapons-use restrictions from Polish President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.
On Wednesday, Blinken and Lammy announced that the United States and Britain had pledged nearly $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine during their visit to Kyiv. Blinken announced more than $700 million in humanitarian aid, while Lammy confirmed that his country would provide another $782 million in assistance and loan guarantees.
Much of the effort was aimed at bolstering the energy grid that Russia has repeatedly pounded ahead of an expected difficult winter.
Ukraine's wish list is long and non-military assistance is certainly on it, but Ukrainian officials made clear their most important ask is for easing restrictions on where Western weapons can be used. Air-raid sirens sounded repeatedly during the visit, causing delays in their schedule and forcing them to cancel a wreath-laying ceremony.
Blinken said he would bring the discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the missiles “back to Washington to brief the president” and that Biden and Starmer will “no doubt” talk about the issue when they meet in Washington.
“Speaking for the United States, we have adjusted and adapted as needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed. And I have no doubt that we’ll continue to do that as this evolves,” Blinken told a news conference. His language was very similar to that which he used in May, shortly before the U.S. green lit Ukrainian use of U.S. weapons just inside Russian territory.
The diplomatic visit unfolded as Russia’s bigger and better-equipped army bears down on Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and conducts aerial attacks on cities across the country using missiles, glide bombs and drones that claim many civilian casualties.
But relations between Ukraine and its Western partners have been increasingly strained by Kyiv’s repeated appeals for the West’s authorization to use long-range weapons from the United States and other allies to strike targets deeper inside Russia.
That issue took on added urgency after Russia’s latest reported acquisition of ballistic missiles from Iran, but Western leaders have so far balked at Ukraine’s request, fearing that, if granted, it could escalate the war.
Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles across the border into Russia in self-defense, but has largely limited the distance they can be fired.
Zelenskyy said he hoped for changes to those limitations.
“Let’s count on some strong decisions, at least,” he said. “For us, it’s very important.”
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken waves as he arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, second from right, welcomes by Ambassador of the United States to Poland Mark Brzezinski, second from left, as he arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, center, arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken waves as he arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken waves as he arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
