The first day of the Democratic National Convention started off with electric energy, marking the change in guard from President Joe Biden to Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris. Biden presented the closing speech of the night to rousing applause, marking a poignant moment of transition for the entire Democratic party.
Biden’s Lengthy Speech
Biden spoke for 50 minutes late into the evening on the first night of the DNC. A backup of speakers accounted for the late end of the night, which event organizers voted to fix for future nights and keynote speeches. Biden did not begin his speech until 11:30 Eastern Standard Time, ending after midnight.
Defending His Legacy and Lauding Harris
Biden took the time to defend his legacy and record in front of a friendly audience. He also lauded Harris and pointed to the continuation of his legacy through her future policies.
Harris’s Role in the Inflation Reduction Act
Specifically, Biden pointed to Harris’s pivotal tie-breaking vote in the Senate that led to passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, a law emblematic of the Biden-Harris Administration.
A Moment of Gratitude
The crowd chanted, “Thank you, Joe.” Biden responded, “Thank you, Kamala, too,” pointing credit back to his successor.
Biden’s Reflection on His Political Service
Biden ended his speech by reflecting on his 50 years of political service. He said, “I love the job. I love my country more.”
Shift in Expectations Since Biden’s Decision
Expectations have shifted significantly since Biden decided not to run for reelection only two months ago and passed the mantle, along with his endorsement, to Vice President Harris.
Uncertainty and Harris’s Rise to the Top
For weeks, it was uncertain whether Harris would rise to the top or if one of several Democratic governors would challenge her for top billing as the party’s presidential nominee.
Coalescence of Support for Harris
All energies and support have coalesced and materialized around Harris, and she, along with her chosen running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, has generated enthusiasm and interest from the entire party as well as some independents, minorities, and younger voters.
Boost in Polls for Harris
The boost from the uncontested exchange and acceptance of Harris has carried over to the voters, and recent polls indicated that Harris is performing above expectations and beating out Trump in most national surveys.
Harris Leads in Polling Averages
The Hill and Decision Desk HQ have Harris leading the polling average by 3 points. This is significant, as Trump and Biden were always neck and neck, with Trump slightly having an edge.
Reasons for Harris’s Lead
A probable reason for the differential is Harris’s freshness and youthful energy compared to Biden’s lackluster and fading brand. Democratic voters were not nearly as excited to vote for Biden as they were to see their party move forward for the next generation of leaders.
Upholding Biden’s Legacy
Great care went into the Democratic National Committee planning to uphold Biden’s legacy and reputation.
Deference to Democratic Elders
In the past decade or more, Democrats have shown tremendous respect to their party and ideological elders, such as late Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Senator Diane Feinstein, as well as the extended leadership of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; the deference embodied in the shift in power from Biden to Harris is no exception.
Biden was given space to make his own decision to step down, with the support of most Democratic leaders.
