Vice President Kamala Harris launched her official campaign on Monday with an impassioned speech to supporters in Delaware, her first public address since she became an overnight presidential candidate and the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Harris arrived at campaign headquarters in Wilmington, where staff erupted in cheers.
Before Harris addressed the crowd, President Biden called in to speak to the assembled staff and said he would have attended in person if he weren’t still recovering from COVID-19. He advised his team: “Embrace her. She’s the best.”
“The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn’t changed at all,” Biden said. “And by the way, I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be there on the campaign trail with her, with Kamala. I’m going to work like hell, both as the acting president, getting legislation passed, and campaigning.”
The president acknowledged that his decision was “surprising” but “the right thing to do.” Some staff members in the audience cried during his speech.
But the tears turned to enthusiastic cheers when Harris took the stage and thanked the president, who was still listening on the phone.
“Joe, I know you’re still on the call and we’ve been talking every day,” Harris said. “We love Joe and Jill. We really do. They’re like family to us.”
“It's mutual,” Biden was heard saying over the loudspeaker.
“I knew you were still there,” Harris said, laughing. “You’re not going anywhere, Joe.”
“I’m watching you, kid. I love you,” Biden replied.
“I love you, Joe,” Harris said.
On the business front, Harris announced that Biden's top campaign officials, Jen O'Malley Dillon and Julie Chávez Rodríguez, will remain in place to run his campaign.
The speech gave the audience a first glimpse of how Harris will present herself as a presidential candidate in a blisteringly fast four-month path to the general election. The candidate leaned on her experience as California attorney general and compared it to that of her opponent, former President Trump, who is now a convicted felon.
“I’ve faced off against perpetrators of all kinds,” Harris said as her supporters erupted in laughter. “Predators who abused women. Scammers who ripped off consumers. Fraudsters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say: I know Donald Trump’s types.”
Harris appeared to relish the chance to shine in her first speech since her failed 2020 presidential bid.
“We have an election to win. Are you ready to get to work?” he roared with a smile before concluding his speech. “God bless the United States of America and Joe Biden.”
