GEOFF BENNETT: Tonight, President Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office and explain his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.

AMNA NAWAZ: Meanwhile, Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris, is moving closer to locking up her party's nomination for president, all as she navigates a high-stakes visit from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Our White House correspondent, Laura Barron-Lopez, has been following this and joins us now.

So, Laura, the vice president has been in Indianapolis on official duty today, but, as you have been reporting, her campaign has really hit the ground running.

They are breaking fund-raising records.

They're forging ahead with rallies and events.

What's the latest on those efforts?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Well, today, Amna, Vice President Harris, spoke to a historically Black sorority, telling them that they could make history with their vote this year and focusing her attacks on Trump, specifically talking about the threats of his second term.

KAMALA HARRIS, Vice President of the United States (D) and U.S. Presidential Candidate: We must also recognize there are those who are trying to take us backward.

You may have seen their agenda.

Part of it is called Project 2025.

Let's be clear.

This represents an outright attack on our children, our families, and our future.

These extremists want to take us back, but we are not going back.

We are not going back.

(CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: You can hear her really making her case against Donald Trump, trying to sharpen her message there, Amna.

And she's also been racking up a lot of endorsements from all of the leading Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, who in an op-ed in The New York Times today highlighted Harris' actions on abortion access, saying -- quote -- "As we saw in the 2022 midterms, abortion bans and attacks on democracy are galvanizing women voters like never before.

With Ms. Harris at the top of the ticket leading the way, this movement may become an unstoppable wave."

Also today, adding to her momentum, Amna, the DNC Rules Committee voted that they will have their virtual vote to name their Democratic nominee by August 7, and that if anyone wants to challenge Vice President Harris for that nomination, they need to declare their intent in a matter of three days.

AMNA NAWAZ: Now, Laura, we also know that the vice president did not attend that address to Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu today.

We have seen this issue divide the Democratic Party.

How is Vice President Harris navigating this, and how could it impact her run?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So Vice President Harris is going to meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tomorrow, Amna.

But this is a delicate dance for the vice president.

She is closely aligned with President Biden on the Israel -- on Israel and Gaza.

And she is going to be trying to help him as he attempts to close a deal during the remainder of his presidency.

And the White House is saying that they feel as though they are close to a cease-fire deal.

But my producer Shrai Popat and I caught up with one of the leaders of that uncommitted movement, those uncommitted voters in states like Michigan, like Leila Elabed (ph), who say that she believes that Harris at the top of the ticket could turn the page on the war in Gaza, and she has the ability to rebuild trust with a lot of these young voters and uncommitted voters who are upset with President Biden's position on the war.

AMNA NAWAZ: Meanwhile, Laura, as we saw in our latest PBS News/NPR/Marist polling, there are still a number of voters who have not yet made up their minds.

Some 9 percent say they're undecided.

How is Harris' campaign looking at them, and how will they try to persuade them?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So, just like our poll, Amna, the focus groups that we have sat in on with swing voters show that a lot of those voters don't necessarily know that much about Vice President Harris.

And in a memo sent by campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon, who has stayed on his chair for Harris' campaign, she said that this dynamic could help Democrats grow their map, saying -- quote -- "In a highly polarized electoral environment, this shift in the race opens up additional persuadable voters.

This race is now more fluid.

The vice president is well-known, but less well-known than both Trump and President Biden, particularly among Dem-leaning constituencies."

So she's saying there that the universe is now much more wide open for the types of voters that Harris could win.

And, also, Harris is racking up notable endorsements from some former Republicans, like former Lieutenant Governor of Georgia Geoff Duncan, who told me that he is fully behind her and will go out there and campaign for her, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: Laura, in the minute or so we have left, we know we expect to hear from President Biden tonight speaking from the Oval Office, the first time since he decided to end his reelection bid.

What do we expect to hear from him?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: The president is expected to outline why he decided to drop out, Amna, and talk about this inflection point for the country.

And according to excerpts of planned remarks that we have, he is expected to say that the defense of democracy is more important than any title that he might hold, that the great thing about America is that, here, kings and dictators do not rule.

The people rule.

He's going to say that history is in the public's hands and that America lies in their hands.

He said that he ultimately -- he is going to say that he ultimately decided the best way forward was to pass the torch.

And also his press secretary today, Karine Jean-Pierre, said that his decision was not based on his health at all and that the president did actually feel that he could serve out a second term.

AMNA NAWAZ: And we will have full special coverage around the president's remarks later tonight.

That is Laura Barron-Lopez reporting from the White House.

Laura, thank you.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Thank you.