“Folks, let me ask you, are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America? Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?” 

It was a reminder that Joe Biden, 81, is still the president of the United States. In case you forgot. ...

Now, in an even more surreal twist, we have been made to forget the present, to forget President Biden is still President Biden. He is being memory-holed in real time. Until last night, when, suddenly, there he was! Delivering a speech in front of the sprawling crowd of 50,000 delegates and honorary guests and journalists, engulfed by flashing lights and massive video screens.

He was useful to the campaign, of course—touting his record, passing the torch, all that. But really, it was a matter of protocol. It felt obligatory. How could the Democrats not include the sitting Democratic president in their convention?