US Election 2024: Kamala Harris praises Biden in first remarks

In her first public remarks since Joe Biden bowed out of the presidential contest and passed the torch to her, Vice President Kamala Harris thanked her boss and swiftly was back on White House schedule.

Harris, 59, was subbing in for Biden at an event celebrating collegiate athletic champions. Biden has COVID-19 and is isolating in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

In Vice President Kamala Harris' first remarks since President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed her for the Democratic nomination, she said she is "deeply, deeply grateful" to Mr. Biden for his "service to our nation." 

"I am a firsthand witness that every day, our president Joe Biden fights for the people, and we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation," she said.   

Harris said Mr. Biden wanted to be at Monday's event. Mr. Biden is currently in Rehoboth, Delaware, while he recovers from COVID-19. 

"He is feeling much better and recovering fast, and he looks forward to getting back on the road," Harris said.

The remarks, given on the White House South Lawn, lasted about six minutes.

Harris made no mention of her own 2024 campaign, which launched yesterday. Toward the beginning of her remarks, she echoed her statement from yesterday thanking Biden for his service and explaining her connection to his late son, Beau.

Beau, who died in 2015, overlapped as a state attorney general for Delaware when Harris was for California.