Harris and Biden make first joint appearance since ticket change

Vice-President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden appeared at a Maryland event together for the first time since the president ended his run for a second term and Ms Harris replaced him as the Democratic nominee.

The event on Thursday celebrated the Biden administration’s newly-announced deal to significantly cut the cost of 10 common prescription drugs for millions of Americans.

But it also offered a glimpse of the pair’s dynamic, weeks into a realignment of the Democratic party ticket. Mr Biden praised Ms Harris, offering his endorsement of her to the crowd.

“I have an incredible partner in the progress we made,” the president said. “She going to make one hell of a president.”

The White House said some 2,300 people attended Thursday’s rally in Upper Marlboro, Maryland – a Democratic stronghold less than an hour outside of Washington DC.

But more than the policy announcement, Mr Biden boosted his vice-president. He brought the crowd to their feet multiple times.

The warm feelings were mutual for Ms Harris.

“There’s a lot of love in this room for our president,” she said. “Few leaders in our nation have done more, on so many issues, including to expand access to affordable healthcare, than Joe Biden.”

Thousands stood in line in the summer heat for the chance to see Mr Biden and Ms Harris speak. Social media video showed hundreds still in line as the venue reached capacity.

It’s the latest in a series of events Ms Harris has hosted that have drawn large crowds of supporters, marking a noticeable shift in energy in the presidential race.

The enthusiasm is showing up in polling data, too. A recent survey from the Cook Political Report suggests Ms Harris is erasing former President Donald Trump’s polling leads in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Vivian Strong waited three hours to get into Thursday’s event. She hoped to be part of a historic moment, she told the BBC.

“I feel a sense of urgency to actually ensure she gets elected,” she said. “I would hate to have another administration of the other guy.”

Before the president and vice-president took the stage, some supporters led the crowd in chants from Howard University – the historically black university Ms Harris attended in Washington, DC.

Many supporters of the vice-president donned pink and green, the colours of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) to which Ms Harris belonged.

Linda Jones, a Howard alumna and a member of AKA, said their shared identity excites her. But she was also eager to see Mr Biden speak.

“I’m happy for President Biden to get something accomplished that he’s worked so hard for,” Ms Jones told the BBC, referring to the prescription drug deal. “He’s such a good man and I felt very bad he was leaving with a cloud, so now I feel [this policy] is one more boost for him.”