The chair of the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago insisted the DNC's mission "remains the same" even in the wake of President Joe Biden's sudden withdrawal from the already turbulent battle for the White House.
Calling Biden "a public servant who has dedicated his life to delivering for the American people," Chair Minyon Moore commended the president for bringing "our country back from the brink" during his first term and his "steady leadership."
"He has led with moral clarity and a steadfast commitment to bipartisanship, and his goodness transcends politics," the chair said. "He is a husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, who has been unwavering in his love, support, and optimism even in the face of immense hardship."
Following Biden's departure from the race, much attention has turned toward the DNC, which will take place Aug. 19 to 22 at the United Center.
Biden also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party’s nominee for the presidency, thrusting her into the spotlight with a little more than three months to go until the 2024 election.
The decision on whether Harris will be selected as nominee, and who will take the spot next to her on the ticket as her running mate, will be made official during that event in what will undoubtedly be one of the most closely watched conventions in recent memory.
While Biden's withdrawal certainly brings uncertainty, the DNC chair said the party will "rally behind our Democratic nominees for President and Vice President of the United States and ensure we defeat Donald Trump once again."
"Here in Chicago, our mission remains the same," Moore explained. "During the convention, we will have an opportunity to show the country and the world who Democrats are and what we stand for. Over the past year, we have been building the stage – literally and figuratively – for President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Democrats to tell our story to the American people. The historic progress Democrats achieved under the Biden-Harris Administration will still be central to that story, as will the story of what is at stake in this election."
Biden’s decision to endorse Harris is not a binding one, as Democratic Party rules don’t allow him to simply select a successor in the role as nominee when delegates gather in Chicago. According to NBC News, Biden won 3,900 delegates during the Democratic primaries. Biden would have to release those delegates to allow for the nominating process to play out.
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"Number one is President Biden would have to release his delegates. They are bound on the first ballot no matter what, and that’s almost all 4,000 of the delegates are Biden delegates - they are pledged on the first ballot. The only way that works is if the Rules Committee, which the Biden campaign controls, or the president himself, frees those delegates up," Pete Giangreco, a Democratic strategist, told NBC Chicago. "The next step in the process then is anyone who wants to put their name in, they need signatures from 300 of those delegates, among those 4,000, and then you begin a process. The most likely person to get 300 signatures would be VP Harris."
