A shake-up at the top of the Democratic ticket has pushed President Joe Biden’s speech to the first night of the Democratic National Convention rather than the last in which he was slated to accept the party’s nomination.
Biden is expected to give a prime-time address on the first day of the event, and programming that day is expected to focus on his political legacy and accomplishments from his administration. The convention is set to take place in Chicago from Aug. 19 to 22.
“Monday night is Joe’s night, and then he’ll turn the keys over,” a source familiar with the planning of the DNC told CNN.
Despite Biden being the president, this will be his first time addressing the DNC as leader of the party in a convention setting. In 2020, the DNC was moved to a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Biden accepted his nomination virtually.
Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are tentatively expected to deliver remarks on Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the planning. It is unclear when former first lady Michelle Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be slated to speak as those discussions are ongoing.
Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, is expected to give a marquee speech. Harris, the presumed nominee, will address the convention on Thursday, the last day of programming, with her acceptance speech.
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Harris’s yet-to-be-named running mate will address the convention on Wednesday evening. Harris is reportedly going to pick her vice president before a campaign stop in Philadelphia next Tuesday. Those still in the running include Govs. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), Tim Walz (D-MN), and Andy Beshear (D-KY), as well as Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
“Convention is our opportunity to tell our story directly to the American people, rally behind the Democratic nominees, and grow our broad and diverse coalition to defeat Donald Trump,” said Matt Hill, a spokesman for the Democratic National Convention Committee.
