Biden will strongly endorse Harris and Walsh in the convention address

President Joe Biden’s role at the Democratic National Convention next week may have been dramatically reshaped by his decision to terminate his candidacy for a second termbut his message about the stakes of this election will sound familiar, according to many Biden officials.

The outgoing president will make the case that Vice President Kamala Harris will succeed him when he delivers Monday’s keynote address, in part touting their accomplishments over the past four years.

But Biden will also make it clear that still believes Republican nominee Donald Trump poses a serious threat to American democracy and are urging delegates in Chicago and voters watching across the country to do their part to defeat him again in November, his aides say.

“After saving democracy in 2020, President Biden is determined to defeat the threat to democracy posed by Donald Trump,” one official said.

The first day of the convention in Chicago will feature a series of tributes to Biden as he prepares to end a half-century career of public service. Just weeks ago, of course, the entire assembly rallied around supporting the extension of that service for four more years. But now it will offer the president another chance to try to shape his legacy.

The president will spend the weekend at Camp David tailoring his remarks with the help of senior advisers, including keynote speakers Mike Donilon and Vinay Reddy. Comments will be based on message he delivered to the Oval Office shortly after dropping out of the race and strongly supporting Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walsh.

The speech, officials say, will be a reminder of the importance of Biden immediately endorsing Harris after announcing he would end his candidacy, helping to unite a party in crisis behind her historic candidacy. Although Biden fought hard to stay in the race after his poor debate performance, his speech at the convention on the first night allows him to pass the torch to her and Walz, Biden officials told NBC News.

“The President is pleased with the momentum behind the campaign and looks forward to making his case,” an official said.

Biden aides, however, believe the convention will continue to highlight the Biden-Harris record after he leaves in order to contrast the Republican ticket.

“Four years ago, America bounced back from a once-in-a-century pandemic, isolated on the world stage, crime rising, the middle class marginalized,” one official said. “Today: We are the world’s engine of growth, our Alliances are strong, our violent crime rate is at a 50-year low, border crossings are lower than when the previous administration left office, and we are making progress on the issues that matter Americans now.”

Members of the Biden family will join the president and first lady, who will speak in front of her husband. Longtime Biden friends and supporters will also fly in on a chartered plane from Delaware to attend the speech, and several aides have planned a celebration for them and other current and former staffers in Chicago on Monday night.

Other elements of the convention intended to boost Biden’s candidacy will remain as tributes, starting with a convention logo that borrows from his 2020 campaign design. All convention delegates will also receive “Cup” coffee of Joe” and signs around the United Center on Monday will invoke words from Biden’s Oval Office address, such as “History is in your hands,” as well as a family mantra: Spread the Faith.”

Biden will leave Chicago after his speech on Monday to spend the rest of the week in Southern California. There, he will gather with top advisers who have been working for the past month to determine plans for the remaining months in office.

A Biden official said the president “will have an extensive domestic schedule — traveling across the country to remind Americans that they will have to choose between his vision and the Vice President’s vision to move the country forward, not toward the back”.

“And the President will fight to make every day of his term count to build on these historic achievements,” the official added. “Expect aggressive implementation of historic legislation, cost-cutting actions and a packed foreign policy agenda.”