Kamala Harris praises ‘unparalleled’ Biden in first speech after withdrawing: VP says Joe ‘wanted to be here’ and ‘feeling much better’ during COVID battle… tells crowd ‘you can clap’

Kamala Harris showered President Joe Biden with praise on Monday after he endorsed her as the Democratic presidential nominee and prepared to visit her new campaign headquarters.

The vice president made her first public appearance since Biden withdrew from the 2024 race, hosting an event for the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s 2023-24 championship teams on the South Lawn of the White House.

Biden was set to headline the highly anticipated event, but the duties were handed to Harris when he tested positive for COVID.

She began her remarks by showering Biden with praise, noting that he was recovering well from his illness. The president remains at his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware.

“He’s feeling much better and is recovering quickly. He’s looking forward to getting back out there,” Harris said.

“In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most two-term presidents,” she said.

As the audience applauded tepidly, she assured them, “You can clap.”

Vice President Kamala Harris makes her first public appearance since Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race

She went on to praise Biden’s service to his country, noting that she first met him through his son Beau. Harris and Beau Biden both served as attorneys general of states — she in California and he in Delaware. Beau died in 2015.

“The qualities Beau admired in his father are the same qualities I see every day in our president:His honesty, integrity, dedication to his faith and his family play a huge role, as does his love for the country.’

“We are extremely grateful to him for his service to our country,” she added.

The praise was generous and no doubt moving for Biden, who revered his late son and valued Beau’s opinion above all else. One reason Biden considered Harris his vice president was because Beau liked her.

Harris will travel to Wilmington, Delaware, later on Monday to meet with campaign staff.

Biden’s re-election campaign has transitioned to her campaign, calling itself Harris for President.

“It’s the first full day of our campaign, so I’m heading to Wilmington, DE to say ‘hi’ to our staff back at headquarters,” she wrote on X. “One day down. 105 to go. Together we’re going to win this.”

Harris left the White House under overcast skies on Monday.

But the rainy weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd. About 1,000 people were packed onto the South Lawn in the drizzle.

It was supposed to be an event to celebrate students. Instead, it became a first look at Harris’ presidential campaign.

Swarms of media watched. Supporters shouted and gave Harris a standing ovation.

Harris moved quickly and launched a campaign after Biden named her as his designated successor.

She began making phone calls from her home at the Naval Observatory, where she sat in her Howard University sweatshirt as she spoke to members of Congress, donors and other officials.

And the campaign has raised nearly $50 million since Biden endorsed Harris on Sunday, it said.

Vice President Harris will travel to Delaware on Monday to meet with campaign staff

The South Lawn was packed for Harris’ event

Harris’ next campaign event is scheduled for Tuesday in Wisconsin. It is unclear whether her campaign schedule will change now that she is running for the presidential nomination.

Although she has yet to get her affairs in order, several potential enemies have indicated that they support her.

And she hasn’t encountered any significant opposition yet.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper have all endorsed Harris, and are all seen as possible candidates for her VP role.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and California Gov. Gavin Newsom — both of whom have been mentioned as presidential candidates — and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who ran in 2020, have all endorsed Harris.

Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the powerful African-American leader whose support for Biden won him the nomination in 2020, has endorsed Harris.

But there are some prominent Democrats who have notably not supported her, including Barack Obama and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Harris said she plans to “earn and win this nomination.”

The Democrats will formally select their candidate at their political convention in Chicago.

Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at the White House Monday morning

Vice President Kamala Harris leaves her residence in a motorcade at the US Naval Observatory to head to the White House

The Democratic National Convention begins on August 19 and runs through August 22 in Chicago, where Biden is scheduled to formally accept the nomination after winning 3,896 delegates in the primaries.

Because Biden withdrew from the race before officially becoming the nominee, the more than 3,900 delegates can cast their votes for any candidate during an open convention.

They could rally behind Harris, who under federal law is the only candidate allowed to use the money Biden raised for the 2024 race.

The delegates will vote on the convention floor.

If a candidate receives a majority of the pledged delegates on the first ballot, he becomes the party’s nominee.

If no candidate wins a majority, then the nearly 740 superdelegates, also known as automatic delegates, are also allowed to vote. They are a mix of party members and elected officials.

Voting continues until one candidate has a majority of the delegates.