Up until a month ago, President Joe Biden had been expected to take the convention stage Thursday night, as is tradition for the party’s nominee. Now, Biden will give a speech on the Democratic National Convention’s opening night of Monday, as will his wife, Jill Biden.
Biden is expected to use his keynote address as a symbolic handoff of his party to Harris, capping five decades in Democratic politics and pressing the case for what he says is the threat to the country if Trump returns to the White House.
Harris will be on hand to watch the president’s speech. Signs in the arena will feature a Biden-ism: “Spread the faith.” While Harris is expected to stick around through the week’s events, before her own speech, officials say Biden isn’t planning to be in Chicago past his own appearance.
Biden is scheduled to be the final speaker of the first night of the convention, with an expected start time of 9:50 p.m. CT. Watch live below.