Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on stage at the 2024 Democratic National Convention on Monday, stepping out to the sounds of Beyonce’s “Freedom” and thanking President Joe Biden before his remarks to close out the first night of the week-long event in Chicago.
“This is going to be a great week, I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president Joe Biden,” she said in brief remarks.
“Thank you for your historic leadership, for our lifetime of service to our nation, for all you continue to do. We are forever grateful to you, said Harris, who was not on Monday’s schedule of speakers.
Harris, who will be accepting the party’s nomination for the presidency this week, said the crowd of Democratic delegates and supporters in the United Center arena displayed the “beauty of our great nation.”
“People of every corner of our country, and every walk of life, are here, united by our shared vision of the future for our country,” she added. “This November we will come together and declared with one voice, with one people, that we are moving forward, with optimism, hope and faith.”
A camera inside the arena panned to her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who appeared to be shocked with delight as the crowd erupted. Harris’s husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, appeared to shrug and say “I don’t know.”
After President Biden ended his re-election campaign and endorsed his vice president, Harris moved quickly to secure a majority of delegate votes and key endorsements from Democratic officials, with record-breaking fundraising numbers that eclipsed her rival Donald Trump.
Biden — who just weeks ago was expected to headline the DNC with the party’s nomination for his second term — is passing the torch to Harris and a new generation of Democrats as the convention’s closing night act.