Twenty-five days after his disastrous debate performance, Biden announced on Sunday that he was dropping out of the presidential race, just four months before Election Day. The President said he would complete his current term and backed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic nominee.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Biden, who at 81 is the oldest sitting president, took the crucial decision after his floundering campaign failed to recover from the disastrous debate performance and alleviate Democrats' doubts. Over 40 congressional Democrats called on him to step aside, despite Biden declaring himself earlier as "the most qualified person to beat Trump".
He became the third President in the last 75 years after Harry S. Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson to drop out of a reelection bid.
In a statement posted on social media, Biden said: "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 my term."
"I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision," he added.
In another post on X, Biden gave his "full support and endorsement" for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party's nominee. "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."
Harris stated on Sunday saying she is "honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination."
"Over the past year, I have travelled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election," Harris said. "And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda. We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win."
The move dramatically reshapes a White House contest and a political gamble for the Democrats as Harris could become the first Black and Asian American woman to run for the White House.
That said, it is still unclear if she would become the nominee, or what process the Democratic Party would take to select an alternative. The next decision will come from the delegates to the party’s national convention. DNC chair Jaime Harrison said Sunday afternoon that "in the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November."
"This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people," Harrison said.
