President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)
President Joe Biden has left the presidential race with what appears to be no bitterness about it! On Wednesday (July 24), he addressed his decision to drop out and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to take on GOP nominee Donald Trump.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Biden’s address offered the public their first chance to hear directly from him. It’s a key moment in the spotlight for Biden after his campaign spent weeks arguing he was the best candidate to take Trump and insisting he wasn’t going to drop out.
“The defense of democracy is more important than any title,” Biden said. “Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. And that includes personal ambition.”
“I revere this office, but I love my country more,” Biden added.
While the president attempted to outline the stakes in the election, he tried to steer clear of overt campaigning from his official office and never mentioned Donald Trump by name.
“The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule,” Biden said. “The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America — lies in your hands.”
Biden’s address was being carried by the major broadcast and cable news networks. He pledged to remain focused on being president until his term expires at noon on Jan. 20, 2025. He aims to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, fight to boost government support to cure cancer, and call for Supreme Court reform.
“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” Biden said, saying he wanted to make room for “fresh voices, yes, younger voices.” He added, “That is the best way to unite our nation.”
Biden’s candidacy faced a crisis of confidence from Democrats after his abysmal debate against Trump nearly a month ago. During the event, the president fumbled over words, appeared ashen, and failed to smoothly rebut his predecessor’s attacks.
Doubts quickly crept in about whether he was capable of beating Trump in November. Additionally, there were concerns about whether he was still fit for the high-pressure job at age 81.
Despite efforts to redirect the conversation, Biden ultimately pulled the plug on Sunday, July 21. He made the announcement while isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and recovering from COVID-19.
In a letter posted to his X account, he spoke about the work he’s done as president in the last few years and his dedication to exiting the Oval Office strong! At the time, there were just over 100 days left until voting polls opened in November.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that any question of Biden resigning his office — which would allow Harris to run as an incumbent — was “ridiculous.”
Jean-Pierre said Biden has “no regrets” about staying in the race as long as he did or quitting it over the weekend. She said Biden’s decision had nothing to do with his health.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Donald also held his first rally since Biden passed the torch. The GOP nominee’s focus was entirely on his new opponent while speaking to supporters in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“So now we have a new victim to defeat: Lyin’ Kamala Harris,” Trump said, labeling her “the most incompetent and far left vice president in American history.”
Donald Trump called her a “radical left lunatic” and called her “crazy”
for her positions on abortion and on immigration. He also mispronounced her first name repeatedly.
Associated Press staff MEG KINNARD, ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON, ZEKE MILLER, SEUNG MIN KIM, and WILL WEISSERT contributed to this report.
