Delegates at the Democratic National Convention are preparing to cast their votes on Monday night for the party's 2024 platform. However, there is a glaring error in the document, as it mistakenly names President Joe Biden as the candidate running for reelection. The ceremonial vote, which will take place in Chicago, is expected to showcase the party's unified vision for the next four years. Nevertheless, the platform is somewhat outdated, as Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over the Democratic presidential ticket last month, has yet to fully outline her own specific policy positions.

According to the Democratic National Committee, the more than 90-page platform emphasizes the historic achievements of President Biden and Vice President Harris while setting out a progressive agenda for the nation and the party in the coming years. The document was approved by the platform committee on July 16, several days before President Biden endorsed Harris as his running mate on July 21. As a result, the platform repeatedly references Biden's second term and his administration's accomplishments, while providing limited information about Harris' candidacy or her stance on key issues.

Although Harris has expressed general support for the Biden administration's main goals, the platform serves as a written endorsement of those goals. It calls for nationwide restoration of abortion rights, continued advancement of green energy initiatives to combat climate change and create jobs, limits on childcare costs for low-income families, and advocacy for a pathway to U.S. citizenship for long-term undocumented residents. Additionally, the platform highlights the importance of Israel's right to self-defense while endorsing the Biden administration's efforts to negotiate a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Last week, Harris introduced a series of new economic proposals, but apart from that, she has not released a comprehensive list of her policy positions since assuming the top of the Democratic ticket. Her campaign aides have suggested that she may have moved away from some of the more liberal positions she held during her previous presidential campaign in 2020, including a ban on hydraulic fracturing.

It is important to note that candidates are not obligated to adhere strictly to their party's platform, as they often deviate from it. Nevertheless, the platform serves as a guiding document that sets the tone for the party's priorities and policy direction.

As the Democratic National Convention awaits the outcome of the vote, it remains to be seen how the party will adapt its platform to align with Vice President Harris' evolving policy positions and to genuinely reflect her candidacy moving forward into the 2024 presidential election.