It’s been three weeks since President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign, and while he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement, he has yet to join her on the campaign trail. But staying out of the headlines during the early days of her campaign could be a strategic choice.
Simon Rosenberg, a Democratic strategist and the creator and author of the Hopium Chronicles on Substack, said President Biden "probably got out of the way to allow the vice president to get off to a strong start."
Antjuan Seawright, another Democratic strategist, agreed, saying President Biden is giving Harris the space to reintroduce herself to the American people.
Harris quickly hit the campaign trail, holding events across the country, sparking a new level of excitement among Democratic voters, donors and volunteers. It's an energy that had been missing from the Democratic Party this election cycle.
"We've raised crazy amounts of money. We have volunteers pouring in. You know, the Democratic Party looks very strong right now," Rosenberg said.
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Harris will join President Biden on Thursday for their first public event since he exited the race, but it's a White House event, not a campaign event. President Biden is expected to make a speech on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where he will be in a unique position to pump up her candidacy.
"As somebody who's worked side by side with her, to be a validator for her vision, for her capacity to lead the country, and to be able to share all that in ways that almost nobody else can," Rosenberg explained.
When asked what he wants to see from the president during the DNC, Seawright said he wants President Biden to be "unapologetically" himself. "We should hear from Joe Biden, the man, not the politician," said Seawright, who is the founder and CEO of Blueprint Strategy LLC.
The White House says President Biden’s focus is on his current job leading the country, but when calling in on the phone to talk with campaign staff at their Wilmington headquarters, the president said he will be out there campaigning on Harris’ behalf. Strategists believe President Biden can still be a powerful force on the campaign trail and help pass the baton to a younger generation.
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