After enduring relentless pressure from fellow Democrats and media pundits for weeks, President Joe Biden has made the momentous decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race against Donald Trump. With a resolute nod, he has entrusted Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic ticket into the next election.
Since his election in 2020, Biden had steadfastly resisted the calls for his resignation, but eventually, the weight of support from the party's most esteemed officials, including reportedly his predecessor, President Barack Obama, proved too significant. Convinced that Harris possessed the greatest chance of victory, Biden ceded the race with dignity.
On Sunday, July 21, Biden shared his decision in a heartfelt statement on X (formerly known as Twitter). He vowed to elaborate on his choice later in the week but emphasized the profound honor of serving as President. "It has been the highest privilege to serve as your President," he declared. "While I had intended to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of our party and our nation that I step aside and devote myself fully to fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term."
Continuing, Biden said, "I will address the nation later this week, detailing my reasoning. But for now, let me extend my sincere gratitude to all those who have tirelessly campaigned for my re-election. To Vice President Harris, thank you for being an unparalleled partner in this journey. And to the American people, thank you for your unwavering faith and trust. As I've always believed, there is nothing our great nation cannot accomplish when we stand united. We are, after all, the United States of America."
Shortly after this announcement, Biden issued a separate statement endorsing Vice President Harris as the Democratic Party's new standard-bearer, a testament to her leadership and vision for the future.
My fellow Democrats, I hereby declare that I have chosen to forego the nomination and instead concentrate all my efforts on fulfilling my presidential duties for the duration of my term. My statement reads with utmost clarity and conviction. Back in 2020, my initial choice as the party's nominee was Kamala Harris as my Vice President, and I can attest that it remains the wisest decision I have ever made. Today, I stand before you, offering my unwavering support and endorsement for Kamala to take the mantle of our party's nominee this year. It is high time, Democrats, for us to unite and defeat Trump. Let's rise together and make this happen.
Hours later, Harris issued a stirring public statement, affirming her intention to join the race. "On behalf of the American people, I extend my profound gratitude to Joe Biden for his unparalleled leadership as President of the United States and for his tireless service to our great nation," she said. "I am deeply honored by the President's endorsement, and it is my solemn intention to earn and ultimately secure this nomination." Despite securing a landslide victory in the Democratic primary, amassing over 14 million votes and capturing a whopping 87% of the vote share against challengers Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, and Jason Palmer, Biden faced immense pressure to cede his delegates at the DNC. Doubts about his ability to prevail over Trump began to surface, particularly after his performance in the initial debate against the incumbent president.
Yet, Biden remained steadfast in the face of such challenges, even vowing to rejoin the campaign trail after recovering from COVID-19, mere days after Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Trump was officially nominated as the Republican candidate during last week's convention, which commenced shortly after the tragic shooting incident at his rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. During this convention, J.D. Vance was announced as his running mate, adding another dimension to the already intense political landscape.
