President Joe Biden made a shocking announcement on Sunday (Jul. 20, 2024), declaring the end of his presidential re-election campaign. This unexpected move swiftly and humblingly ended his 50-year political career and threw the race for the White House into disarray just four months before Election Day.
At 81, Biden couldn’t overcome the growing belief within his party that he was too old to serve and likely to lose to Donald Trump in November. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement for the Democratic nomination.
“While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote in a letter posted on X. “I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision.”
In his letter, Biden praised Harris as “an extraordinary partner” and later endorsed her in another post.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” Biden posted. “And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year.”
A source familiar with the campaign confirmed that Biden and Harris spoke before the president’s announcement.
Biden’s exit marks the end of a unique political journey that spanned from Richard Nixon’s downfall to Donald Trump’s rise. He ran for president four times, spent 36 years as a U.S. Senator from Delaware, chaired the influential Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees, and served two terms as Barack Obama’s vice president.
Politicians quickly responded to the news
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a prominent Biden supporter and potential presidential contender, praised Biden on X: “He has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans.”
“He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents,” Newsom added.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, another Democrat mentioned as a possible national candidate, called Biden a “great public servant” on X.
“My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan,” Whitmer stated.
Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden, expressed pride in her “Pop,” saying he “served our country with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction.” First Lady Jill Biden shared her husband’s statement on X with a heart emoji.
Republicans criticized the move, with many calling for Biden’s immediate resignation. House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately.”
Trump’s campaign sent a fundraising email claiming Biden “quit the race in complete disgrace.”
A decision without precedent
Biden’s choice to leave the race so close to his party’s convention and the general election is unprecedented in modern politics. The last sitting president to abandon a re-election bid was Lyndon Johnson in 1968, whose expansion of the Vietnam War divided the Democratic Party. However, Johnson’s announcement came in March, eight months before that election.
“We’re in uncharted waters,” said Barbara Perry, a presidential studies professor at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. “No president has dropped out or died this close to the convention.”
Replacing Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket is likely to cause internal party turmoil as ambitious officials vie to become his successor. Factions have already formed around Harris, Whitmer, and Newsom.
Harris appears to be the natural successor. She made history as the first female vice president. As a woman of color, she has strong backing from African Americans, a loyal segment of the Democratic base. However, her overall approval rating was only 32% in a recent poll.
“There’s no one you can name right now who is an obvious substitute,” Perry said. “That’s what makes this so uncertain and chaotic.”
Unlike Republican delegates, who are bound to their candidate, Democratic delegates have the freedom to vote as they choose at the convention. Biden might influence delegates, but they could support a candidate different from his pick, barring any rule changes addressing this unique situation. Current rules require delegates to “in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.”
The process of adding a new name to ballots raises numerous legal questions. Republicans might create obstacles for the nominee through legal challenges aimed at keeping them off the ballot.
Concerns about Biden’s abilities persisted throughout his presidency but intensified after his debate with Trump on June 27. His weak performance, combined with declining poll numbers, sparked panic among Democrats about his chances in November.
With 51 million viewers watching, Biden spoke hoarsely and often struggled to complete thoughts or clearly explain why voters should choose him over Trump. He later blamed his poor showing on tiredness and a cold, urging the public not to let one bad night overshadow his achievements in office.
Unconvinced, Democratic lawmakers began calling for him to step aside, a movement that grew steadily in size and intensity. Before Biden’s Sunday announcement, 37 congressional Democrats, including independent Sen. Joe Manchin, formerly a Democrat, had urged Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race.
They appealed to Biden’s patriotism, arguing that if he truly believed Trump threatened democracy, he needed to prioritize the country and step down.
Biden resisted. He held numerous calls and meetings with Democratic officials at all levels to maintain party support — without success.
To address concerns about his mental sharpness, he gave interviews and held press conferences to demonstrate his ability to think quickly. But the gaffes continued and his poll numbers remained low.
In another stroke of bad luck and timing, Biden tested positive for Covid-19 on July 17, forcing him off the campaign trail.
For Democrats, Biden’s illness created an unwanted contrast. While Trump delivered a triumphant speech accepting the Republican nomination in Milwaukee on July 18, five days after surviving an assassination attempt, Biden was in self-isolation at home.
Biden’s exit is the latest in a series of shocking developments that have made the 2024 presidential race the most chaotic in recent memory. Trump quickly secured the Republican presidential nomination despite dividing his time between campaigning and various courtrooms where he faced criminal and civil charges. In May, a Manhattan jury convicted him on 34 felony counts related to hush money payments to a porn star.
Then, Trump’s fortunes quickly improved. On July 1, the Supreme Court issued a highly anticipated ruling that granted Trump immunity for official actions during his presidency, hindering special counsel Jack Smith’s efforts to prosecute Trump for interfering in the 2020 election.
Trump narrowly escaped death on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A gunman on a roof 130 yards away fired a bullet that grazed his ear. Trump dropped to the ground for protection. Then, with blood on his face, he stood up defiantly, pumped his fist, and shouted, “Fight!”
Another favorable development occurred two days later, coinciding with the start of the Republican convention in Milwaukee that confirmed Trump’s nomination. Federal Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida dismissed a separate case brought by Smith alleging that Trump improperly kept classified documents after leaving the White House in 2021. Cannon, a Trump appointee, ruled that Smith’s appointment was illegal. Smith promptly appealed her decision.
This series of events gave Trump momentum, allowing Republicans to present an energized and united front at this month’s convention.
Trump’s campaign ignited fervor, while Biden’s lacked spark. The Democratic primary was largely ceremonial, with party leaders backing Biden as the presumed Trump-beater. However, polls consistently revealed voters’ concerns about Biden’s age and fitness for another term.
A July 17 AP-NORC survey showed a staggering 65% of Democrats wanted Biden to exit the race.
Facing pressure from voters and abandoned by party leaders, Biden ultimately conceded.
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