Biden to make a forceful case for Harris and Walz in convention speech

President Joe Biden's role at the Democratic National Convention next week may have been dramatically reshaped by his decision to end his bid for a second term, but his message about the stakes of this election will sound familiar, according to multiple Biden officials.

The outgoing president will make the case for Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him when he delivers Monday's keynote address, in part by touting their accomplishments during the last four years.

But Biden will also make clear that he still believes Republican nominee Donald Trump poses a grave threat to American democracy and urge delegates in Chicago and voters watching across the country to do their part to defeat him again in November, aides say.

"After saving democracy in 2020, President Biden is determined to defeat the threat to democracy posed by Donald Trump," one official said.

The first day of the convention in Chicago will include a series of tributes to Biden as he prepares to end a half-century career of public service. Just weeks ago, of course, the entire convention was centered around helping make the case for extending that service by four more years. But now it will offer the president another opportunity to try and shape his legacy.

The president will spend the weekend at Camp David fine-tuning his remarks with the help of senior advisers, including lead speechwriters Mike Donilon and Vinay Reddy. The remarks will build on the message he delivered in the Oval Office shortly after dropping out of the race and make a forceful case for Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

The speech, officials say, will be a reminder of the importance of Biden immediately endorsing Harris after announcing he would end his candidacy, helping to