25-7-2024 (WASHINGTON) President Joe Biden explained his decision to drop his bid for re-election in 2024 and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris, insisting that “the defence of democracy is more important than any title.”
The address offered the American public their first chance to hear directly from Biden his rationale for stepping aside after weeks of insisting he believed himself to be the best candidate to take on former president Donald Trump, whom he has called an existential threat to the nation’s democracy. It also provided Biden with an opportunity to shape how history views his one and only term in office.
“The defence of democracy is more important than any title,” Biden declared. “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,” the President added, underscoring the gravity of his decision.
Biden’s candidacy had faced a crisis of confidence from Democrats after his abysmal debate performance against Trump nearly a month ago, where he appeared ashen and failed to rebut his predecessor’s attacks. This sparked a mutiny within his party, with concerns not only about his ability to defeat Trump in November but also about his fitness for the high-pressure job at the age of 81.
Despite attempts to outlast the scepticism through interviews and rallies, the pressure to step aside only mounted from the party’s political elites and ordinary voters alike.
On Sunday afternoon, while isolating at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home with COVID-19, Biden finally bowed to the mounting pressure in a letter posted to his account on X, announcing his decision to leave the race, followed by an endorsement of Harris.
“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” Biden said, expressing his desire to make room for “fresh voices, yes, younger voices.”
“That is the best way to unite our nation,” he added.
In his address, carried by major broadcast and cable news networks, Biden pledged to remain focused on being president until his term expires at noon on Jan 20, 2025, vowing to work towards ending the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, fighting to boost government support for cancer research, and calling for Supreme Court reform.
The President used the address to outline the stakes in the election, which both he and Harris have framed as a choice between freedom and chaos, but he steered clear of overt campaigning from his official office and never mentioned 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 also sought to make the case for his legacy of sweeping domestic legislation and the renewal of alliances abroad. The way history will remember his time in office and his historic decision to step aside is intertwined with Harris’ electoral result in November, particularly as the vice president runs tightly on the achievements of the Biden administration.
While Biden’s advisers say he intends to hold campaign events and fundraisers benefiting Harris, albeit at a slower pace than if he had remained on the ballot himself, Harris’ team will ultimately have to decide how to deploy the President, whose popularity had sagged as voters in both parties questioned his fitness for office.
Biden, aides say, knows that if Harris loses, he’ll be criticized for staying in the race too long and not giving her or another Democrat time to effectively mount a campaign against Trump. If she wins, she’ll ensure his policy victories are secured and expanded, and he’ll be remembered for a Washingtonian decision to step aside for the next generation of leadership.
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed any question of Biden resigning his office as “ridiculous,” stating that the President has “no regrets” about his decision to stay in the race as long as he did or his decision to quit over the weekend, emphasizing that his decision had nothing to do with his health.
