Welcome to Hard Talk from the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacker.

My guest in this interview recorded on the 30th of July could be forgiven for feeling a strong

sense of vindication because Adam Smith, Democratic Party congressman, was one of the first

Democrats to voice grave doubts about the wisdom of Joe Biden running for a

second presidential term. Smith pointed to mounting evidence that the American people viewed

their president as too old. Party colleagues told Smith that airing his public doubts was

unhelpful. Well, whether or not it was unhelpful, it was certainly prescient.

After that disastrous head-to-head debate with Donald Trump, Democratic Party grandees,

from Barack Obama to Nancy Pelosi, eventually concluded that the Biden presidency was no longer

viable. After weeks of resistance, Mr. Biden pulled out of the race

and endorsed his Vice President, Kamala Harris, who is now virtually certain to be the party's nominee.

For the past couple of weeks, Democrats have appeared in public at least to be almost giddy with excitement at this turn of events.

The polls have tightened and suddenly they view the November election with a sense of

anticipation rather than dread. But how much has really changed? Is Kamala Harris going to be

able to withstand the ferocious political assault that will doubtless be mounted by

Team Trump. Well, Congressman Adam Smith joins me now on the line from Seattle. Welcome to Hard Talk.

Let's start with the withdrawal of President Joe Biden from the race. You were one of the most outspoken and early Democratic Party politicians

saying that his candidacy was no longer viable. Do you right now feel a strong sense of vindication?

I don't focus on it that way. I think the right choice was made by the president, by others in the party, and we got to the right place. It's not about me. It's about putting the best possible candidate up there to represent the Democratic Party. And I think we did that. I think we made the right choice. I think the president made the right choice. And we're in a better position now because of it. You say it's not all about you, but you were clear. You said, and you didn't mince your

words, that you were actually getting really angry with, if I can put it this way, team Biden

and their refusal to recognize what was becoming increasingly regarded as the reality

that he simply wasn't up to the task of running for president. President Biden is still there. He is still as

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