REHOBOTH BEACH, United States, Aug 9, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Kamala Harris and Joe
Biden will next week make their first joint campaign trip since the US
president's shock decision to drop out of the 2024 White House race against
Donald Trump.

Seeking to burnish his legacy in his final months in office and support the
new Democratic ticket, Biden will appear alongside his vice president at an
event in the state of Maryland near Washington on August 15.

The pair would "discuss the progress they are making to lower costs for the
American people", the White House said in a statement Friday, adding that
further details would be released later.

Inflation remains a weak spot for Democrats ahead of November's election.

Harris has fired up the Democratic Party since Biden announced he was
stepping aside following a disastrous debate against Trump that highlighted
concerns about his age and mental acuity.

The first female, Black and South Asian vice president in US history has held
a series of packed rallies, pulled in record fundraising and wiped out
Republican ex-president Trump's poll lead.

In contrast Biden has kept a low profile with few public events, in what has
become a lame duck presidency with nearly six months still until his
successor takes power in January.

The president, who is currently spending a long weekend at his Delaware beach
house, had not been expected to make any major political appearances in
support of Harris until the Democratic National Convention starting on August
19 in Chicago.

But there have also been signs that the veteran Democrat is keen to promote
his legacy as he prepares to bow out from a nearly five-decade career in US
politics.

- Limited schedule -

Part of that is doing whatever he can to help secure Harris's victory against
Trump, his nemesis and the man that he beat in the 2020 election.

Harris was a very visible presence at Biden's side in a historic moment last
week when they both welcomed home US reporter Evan Gershkovich and other
detainees freed in a huge prisoner swap with Russia.

News outlet Politico reported that Harris now wanted Biden's support in
battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan where he is still
popular, especially with older white voters.

But he would ensure that the spotlight stayed on Harris, embarking mainly on
a limited campaign schedule in the fall, it said.

Biden meanwhile stepped into the breach earlier this week to warn against any
repeat of the events after the 2020 election, when Trump disputed his loss
and his supporters stormed the US capitol.

In his first interview since dropping out of the election, Biden told
broadcaster CBS that he was "not confident at all" of a peaceful transfer of
power if Trump loses a second time.

One other priority for Biden's remaining days in office is to push for a
ceasefire to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza -- an issue that is
still divisive for Democrats.

Biden and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar have invited the warring parties to
resume talks on August 15 -- the same day as his joint appearance with Harris
-- to push for a deal.