Biden returns to campaign trail, attacks Trump in South Dakota speech

The Bidens are back in the public square just as many Democrats want to move on, and their re-emergence is forcing old questions about loyalty, leadership and the party’s 2024 collapse back into view.

Jill Biden’s memoir, “View from the East Wing,” was published June 2 by Gallery Books and is billed as a reflection on the Biden presidency, the family’s experience, and the abrupt end of Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection bid. The timing has stirred fresh discomfort among Democrats who see the book as reopening arguments over how the White House handled Biden’s health and the decision to end his campaign.

Joe Biden then followed with a rare public appearance Friday night in Sioux Falls, where he was the keynote speaker at the South Dakota Democratic Party’s annual McGovern Day dinner fundraiser at the Best Western Plus Ramkota Exhibit Hall. Party officials said more than 1,200 tickets were sold and the event raised more than $275,000, underscoring that Biden still draws a crowd even as many in his party look for new leaders.

Biden used the speech to aim directly at Donald Trump, portraying him as corrupt, cruel and a threat to democratic norms. He told the audience, “There’s no time to give up,” and “It’s time to get up.” He also endorsed three South Dakota Democrats: Dan Ahlers for governor, Julian Beaudion for U.S. Senate and Nikki Gronli for U.S. House.

The former president tied his remarks to George McGovern, the 1972 Democratic presidential nominee, recalling that he had eulogized McGovern in South Dakota in 2012. The reference connected Biden’s message to a long-running Democratic argument about principle, persistence and the party’s obligation to keep fighting even after defeat.

But the Bidens’ return has also revived private resentment inside the party. Many former Biden aides view Jill Biden’s memoir as rewriting history and as unhelpful and tone-deaf. For Democrats who believe the family damaged the party’s credibility with voters, the book and Joe Biden’s campaign-style appearances are making it harder to turn the page on 2024. Instead of settling the past, the Bidens have brought it back into the center of Democratic politics.