VP Kamala Harris celebrates NCAA athletes, coaches in first public remarks since Joe Biden's withdrawal from 2024 election

Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday made her first remarks since President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential election less than 24 hours earlier. And she did it at an event celebrating NCAA Sports Day in front of many athletes and all the Division I, II and III coaches who won championships over the previous school year.

Harris opened her remarks by apologizing for Biden's absence (he is currently recovering from COVID-19) and applauding her former running mate's many faithful years of service to the country. Then she moved on to why she was there: to celebrate the athletes, coaches, assistant coaches, trainers, travel coordinators and more who make NCAA sports possible.

"I am honored to welcome all of you to the White House to celebrate the achievements of these great athletes," Harris said. "Every one of them is a national champion. In America, tens of millions of people play a sport as a child, and the best of the best grow up to become national champions."

Harris then congratulated all the teams for their accomplishments. Behind her on stage stood seven coaches who had led their teams to undefeated seasons. Eleven of them repeated as champions, and 20 were first-time winners. Harris was particularly excited to mention that six of the assembled coaches will be representing Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris next week.

"As members of Team USA you are ambassadors for our nation and with pride we will cheer you on," Harris said. "And we look forward to congratulating you when you bring home the gold."

Harris' final remarks were about the many athletes who have sacrificed their time, talent and their bodies over the years to be successful in college sports. She saluted them, and reminded them how important they are.

"And to all of our athletes, I know it was not easy to make it to this moment," Harris said. "Each of you has faced challenges and obstacles, and you have endured. You have fought back and fought through and by doing so, you demonstrated that true greatness requires more than skill. It requires grit and determination.

"You all know what it means to commit and to persevere, and you know what it means to count on teammates. During the course of a long season, sports teams become a family. You rely on each other. You develop relationships that will last a lifetime. And you make the people around you better in every way. And when you play, you inspire people across our nation. You remind all of us what can be achieved with hard work and ambition."

Before she ended her remarks, Harris thanked the people who stood by those athletes every step of the way, and asked the assembled crowd to applaud them: friends, family members coaches, trainers and teachers. She then ended her speech by congratulating the athletes on everything they've accomplished and wishing them good luck.

"Wherever you all go from here, you will always — and know this — you will always be champions and we will always be so proud of you," she said.

Harris won't officially become the Democratic nominee for president until the DNC Convention takes place from Aug. 19 to 22 in Chicago. Until then, she is the presumptive nominee, just the second woman in history to be in such a position for a major political party.