Democrats will meet to establish the process for choosing his replacement.
In an unexpected turn, the president Joe Biden has decided to abandon the race for re-election in the next presidential election United States. After weeks of mounting criticism over the suitability of his candidacy and an unfavorable performance in the first presidential debate, Biden announced his decision on Sunday, stating that it is “in the interest of the Democratic Party and the country.”
Internal crisis in the Democratic Party
Joe Biden, 81, announced his retirement in a letter to the nation, stressing that he will focus on fulfilling his duties as president until the end of his term. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to be your president. And while my intention has been to seek reelection, I believe it is best for my party and for the country that I step down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” he said.
Biden’s decision comes after a disastrous debate against Donald Trump on June 27, where he was seen to be disoriented at several points, fueling controversy over his advanced age. Initially, the party rallied around the president, but in recent weeks, around forty Democratic lawmakers and senators have publicly called for his retirement, urging a transition to new generations within the party.
The road to Kamala Harris’ nomination
In his letter, Biden did not explicitly ask for a vote for Kamala Harris, but minutes later, through social media X, he expressed his full support for the vice president to be the Democratic candidate. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be our party’s nominee this year. Democrats: it’s time to unite and defeat Trump. Let’s do it,” he wrote.
Vice President Harris thanked the endorsement and confirmed her intentions to be the pick to face Donald Trump in November. “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and intend to win this nomination,” she said in a letter, emphasizing her commitment to unite the Democratic Party and the country to defeat Trump.
Reactions and next steps
Reactions were not long in coming. Prominent figures in the party, such as former President Bill Clinton and former candidate Hillary Clinton, showed their support for Harris. “We are honored to join President Biden and show our support for Vice President Harris,” they expressed on social media.
In the context of this historic decision, the Democratic Party will face an urgent process to select the new presidential candidate. According to the rules of the Democratic National Committee, an emergency meeting will be held to define this process before the Democratic Convention scheduled for August in Chicago.
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The Republican position
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, upon hearing the news, attacked Biden, claiming that he was “never fit for office.” In addition, Republican figures, such as House Speaker Mike Johnson, demanded Biden’s immediate resignation.
The American political scene is at a critical point, with the Democratic Party in search of a new leader and Donald Trump strengthened and ready for the electoral contest. The upcoming election promises to be one of the most intense and decisive in recent history.
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2024-07-24 04:50:00