Biden withdraws from re-election race against Trump, endorses Kamala Harris
PTC News Desk: In a political seismic shift that will upend the already remarkable 2024 contest for the White House, Joe Biden withdrew from the US presidential race on Sunday and supported Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's new contender.
81-year-old Joe Biden claimed that he was giving in to weeks of pressure in the "best interest of my party and the country" after a dismal June debate against Donald Trump fueled concerns about his age and mental state.
The unexpected action has further agitated Democrats ahead of the election on November 5. However, it might also galvanize the party that had been disillusioned, as Harris quickly reaffirmed her intention to "defeat Donald Trump" and become the first female president of the United States.
Biden is not "fit to run" for president, so Trump responded by claiming in a series of posts on his Truth Social network that he is also not "fit to serve." The abrupt change may catch Republicans off guard, as their campaign was entirely centered against Biden. Instead, 78-year-old Trump—the oldest presidential nominee in US history—will be running against a much younger opponent.
Additionally, the action turns what was a very unpopular and boring Trump-Biden rematch into one of the most captivating presidential elections in contemporary American history. At some point, it was widely anticipated that Biden would step down. Unexpectedly, the news was ultimately made while he was recuperating at his beach property in Delaware from Covid.
Biden claimed that being president had been the "greatest honor of my life" in a letter that was published on X. Later this week, he said, he would address the country. Later, the White House announced that he had no public engagements on Monday.
"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 focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," he stated in his letter.
He gave Harris his "full support and endorsement" shortly after, and his campaign officially changed its name to "Harris for President."
Nearly immediately, prominent Democrats and those perceived as possible opponents for the nomination, such California Governor Gavin Newsom, started endorsing Harris. ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising organisation, said that in only five hours, Harris had earned $27.5 million in small-donor contributions.
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'Unite our nation'
Now, on August 19, Democrats will have to work quickly to confirm a new nominee at their party convention in Chicago.
Biden's "selfless and patriotic act" was commended by Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman vice president in US history, who also pledged to "earn and win" the nomination. Barack Obama, a former Democratic president who is still very powerful, issued a warning that "uncharted waters" are coming.
Following a period of enforced seclusion at his Rehoboth Beach home, where he was treated for a Covid infection with only a small number of family members and assistants available for consultation, Biden made his decision.
In response, First Lady Jill Biden just reposted his words with two hearts. Republicans' attempt to paint Harris as a negative figure was evident when J.D. Vance, Trump's new running mate, highlighted that Harris had been "every step of the way" with Biden, calling him "the worst president in my lifetime."
'Mental decline'
The US election has been stressful and chaotic for weeks leading up to Biden's decision to step out. Democrats have been debating whether or not Biden should step down for weeks, and Trump has survived an attempted assassination at a campaign rally on July 13. The Democratic nominee is the only president in US history to withdraw from the campaign so late.
Following the shocking events of the June 27 debate, in which he frequently lost his train of thought and stood with his mouth open, Biden spent more than three weeks defying calls to resign.
While Harris did well on the campaign trail on important subjects like abortion, she found it difficult to make an impression in her first years in the White House.
According to reports, the Biden team has been conducting a covert head-to-head voter survey in recent weeks to compare the former California prosecutor to Trump, a convicted felon.
After four stormy years under President Trump following the shock of his supporters' January 6, 2021, Capitol assault, Biden entered office in January 2021 with a vow to mend the "soul of America".
Despite having a reputation for making awkward speech, Obama's former vice president pushed through a significant Covid recovery plan, historic green sector subsidies, and strong support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's 2022 invasion.
However, worries about his advancing years continued to increase as he was criticised for his backing of Israel's war in Gaza, the disastrous US departure from Afghanistan, and excessive inflation.
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- With inputs from agencies
