After a tough few weeks of growing criticism over the unsuitability of his candidacy, President Joe Biden has decided to drop out of the race for re-election “in the interest” of the Democratic Party and the United States.
He offered his support to Vice President Kamala Harris, who confirmed her intention to “obtain and win” the nomination for the November 5 elections.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president. And while my intention has been to seek re-election, I believe it is best for my party and the country that I step down and concentrate solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” the 81-year-old president said in a letter to the nation.
Minutes later, Harris herself accepted responsibility and said she intends to “obtain and win” the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, although in the first hours of Biden’s historic decision only a few voices offered explicit support.
Biden finally gave in to pressure from within his own party following his disastrous performance in the first debate of the race for the White House against Donald Trump, which was held on June 27 and in which he appeared disoriented at times, a situation that fueled the controversy over his advanced age.
Although the party initially rallied around the president, in recent weeks there has been increasing public criticism from Democratic lawmakers and senators. Nearly 40 lawmakers have asked him to step aside and pass the baton to the new generations of the party.
Although Biden stood firm and appeared confident and capable of regaining the confidence lost after the debate, in recent days he had already acknowledged to people close to him that he had to think about it. He made the decision at his home in Delaware, where he has been isolated since last Wednesday, when he was diagnosed with Covid-19.
According to campaign sources cited by MSNBC, Biden and Harris spoke on several occasions on Sunday before the historic announcement, which came at 1:46 p.m. local time.
In the letter he did not ask for a vote for Harris, but minutes later he posted a message on the social network X: “Today I want to offer all my support and backing for Kamala to be our party’s candidate this year. Democrats: it’s time to unite and defeat Trump. Let’s do it,” said the president, who explained that in the coming days he will address the nation.
“For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected” and “to the American people for the faith and trust they have placed in me,” he said.
Harris has already garnered endorsements from several party figures, including former President Bill Clinton and former candidate Hillary Clinton, but several others, including former President Barack Obama, have not mentioned their support for the vice president.
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2024-07-27 14:07:11