Thursday afternoon for a few minutes, President Biden stood quietly on the Maryland stage, arms crossed and body swaying slightly. Next to him is Kamala Harris who praises of him while wearing a shirt with her face on it.
Since Biden withdrew from the presidential campaign this is their first appearance together on stage. The president’s visit and speech were scheduled three weeks and a half ago, however, whatever happened at that time was embarrassing: This was clearly not an official event at the White House but rather a Harris campaign rally.
If Biden now seems like he lives in Harris’s world he is focused on Trump.
“Let me tell you about our plan for 2025,” said Biden as he walked up to the microphone, referring to some conservative policies developed by Donald Trump’s former allies. “Beat them”.
Democracy must be defended without burden During his embattled presidential campaign, Biden often made jokes about his age — “I’ve been in the Senate for 270 years!” — referred to Donald Trump as “The Donald Dump,” and during one of his debates that discredited his bid for presidency made an inappropriate comment.
“We finally took down Big Pharma this time”
It was like going back in time for Biden when he saw himself rarely after July 21st withdrawal from the race. He didn’t bother campaigning. At least outwardly, it appears that he has disappeared from public view altogether.
This makes me wonder what these past few weeks have been like for Joe Biden – who is still very much serving as president. My colleague Peter Baker who happens to be our chief White House reporter and has closely followed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris spoke just now with me in Maryland. The following conversation has been slightly edited for length and clarity .
JB: We know that Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race has upended the campaign. Did this also change his presidency?
PB: His presidency ended suddenly. He only has six months left as president. As a lame duck you can do many things. But he does not have the powers, spotlight, bully pulpit and other political tools that make a potentially reelected president different from others. This was part of why he never wanted to drop out in the first place.
Has he really stepped back from the spotlight? Or is he just getting less attention now?
Both are true. It was easy for him to do so. He promised that his campaign would be vigorous but it wasn’t. He’ll give a speech at Monday’s Democratic Convention meeting and then will take off until after Labor Day. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing going on behind the scenes – he’s been phoning many foreign leaders about cease fire negotiations in Middle East. He’s still active – but it’s completely different in the presidency nowaday
Biden is an unpopular incumbent who wants his party to remain in power. Does it become a strategy if he is simply trying to avoid being on the front pages of newspapers?
Since he decided not to run, he actually became more popular! Voters generally don’t want him to go out because of some toxic political issue – it’s just that they think, “Well, thank you very much. You’re 81; you’re fine.” But I do think he’s somehow changed places with Kamala Harris.
To this day, three and a half years later, she always has to make sure nothing she does gets in his way. Now it’s up to him not to steal her limelight. His task wasn’t interfering with her activities This is odd. He’s commander-in-chief but now his role has been somewhat diminished.
Today’s event provides Biden and Harris an opening for celebrating significant price negotiation Milestone between Medicare and Big Pharma. Throughout his presidency, Biden has struggled to communicate such steps as major achievements from which people will benefit. Do you believe that Harris did well?
She had different ways of stating their case. She doesn’t follow the latest infrastructure projects like he does or remind people about $35 insulin. They tapped into something bigger and wider –more emotional resonance at least (in a good way). She doesn’t get bogged down in the details of her record. This contrast was on display today in Maryland.
Do we know how their relationship has been over the past three weeks? Why did it take them so long before they made a funny joint appearance?
That’s a darn good question; even more comes out when we read memoirs years later. Having said that I would say they have a fine working relationship.Generally speaking, they like each other and get along, but I don’t know how close they are. They come from different generations with different backgrounds and coastlines.. The weeks when he was pondering whether to stay in the race found her displaying only public loyalty. She was very warm to the president today, heaping praise on him and hugging him as she walked off the stage.
What role do you think he wants to play for his party and for future elections?
In a way, he adds extra capital to their tickets. Biden can endorse Harris — in Scranton, Pa., and other “working-class Joes” — those voters who may be uncomfortable with her, don’t know her well, may feel they don’t have a connection with her but do have a connection with him Have a long-term relationship. He may say, “She’s one of us. She’s got you. In this sense, he can make a difference.”
This conference will not be like any other conferences before it. A presidential aspirant is going to pass on the relay baton. What should we expect?
I’m sure it’s quite a letdown from speaking as the nominee on Thursday night, then speaking again on Monday night. I expected him to give a gracious speech then retreat into the background perhaps? May be that’s best for Harris Now it will be her party.. She had to make it her party. Giving up the stage might just be hardest thing there is but also necessary so that new generation can express themselves freely.
Proud man is Biden. He is a stubborn person. He believes that he can win and that he has the resilience to do so, as our colleagues reported today. However, ever since his extraordinary decision to resign, he has made no efforts in keeping himself at the center of attention; this is probably good because it shows he knew this was no longer the campaign he had been running on.
