Former U.S. president Barack Obama will address the crowd at the Democratic National Convention tonight, weeks after he allegedly played a pivotal role in President Joe Biden’s exit from the race and endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. 

He’ll make his case for Harris. But the former president’s speech might also indicate how he views his current position as an elder statesman of the Democratic Party.

Aides say Obama still wields enormous influence over party politics, while maintaining popularity and cultural cachet with voters. 

But his record was frequently cited as a mark on Biden during the 2020 presidential election, with candidates criticizing the Obama-Biden administration’s record on trade, immigration and health care during a blistering primary debate.

Harris campaign models Obama formula

The Harris campaign has in some ways sought to model itself after Obama’s formula. U.S. media has compared the fervour and excitement around Harris to the frenzy that propelled Obama to the presidency in 2008 and then to re-election in 2012. 

She has recently rounded out her campaign team with several high-profile senior strategists from the Obama era, including his former campaign manager and senior aide David Plouffe, who joined the Harris campaign as a senior adviser on strategy.

She’s also leaned into pop cultural and internet references to reach younger voters — and was illustrated by Shepard Fairey, the artist who designed the iconic “Hope” poster art that became a symbol of Obama’s campaign in 2008. 

Obama will be in his political hometown of Chicago to deliver the address. Though they didn’t immediately endorse her, the former president and former first lady Michelle Obama gave Harris their blessing a few days after she announced her run. 

“We look forward to watching her unite our party and our country around a vision for a brighter, fairer, more prosperous future,” the statement said, noting that the Obamas have known Harris for over 20 years. 

“She was an early supporter of his and he was an early admirer of hers, without question,” David Axelrod, a longtime Obama adviser, told Reuters. “He will not be talking about someone he doesn’t know.”