Our reporter
President Joe Biden has announced his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race following a turbulent debate performance against former President Donald Trump.
Biden’s decision comes amidst mounting doubts within the Democratic Party about his ability to continue his campaign effectively.
In a statement released on Sunday, Biden expressed his rationale for stepping down, stating, “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 the remainder of my term.”
The announcement, which was also shared by First Lady Jill Biden with a heartfelt emoji, marks the end of what was anticipated to be a contentious rematch between Biden and Trump.
The debate, held in late June in Atlanta and broadcasted by CNN, proved to be a pivotal moment. Despite his team attributing his hoarse voice to a cold, Biden’s performance was criticized for its meandering responses and perceived inability to effectively counter Trump on key Democratic issues.
This performance exacerbated existing concerns about Biden’s age, as he is currently 81 years old, making him the oldest sitting president in U.S. history.
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Following the debate, efforts from the White House and Biden’s campaign to downplay the impact of the night as a mere “bad night” proved insufficient.
Polls indicated a shift in favor of Trump, with the former president now leading Biden by 2 percentage points in national polling averages, a stark contrast to their previous neck-and-neck standings.
Despite Biden’s initial insistence on staying in the race, pressure mounted from within his own party. Democratic lawmakers and public figures increasingly called for Biden to step aside, believing his candidacy jeopardized their chances against Trump in the upcoming election.
Key figures such as Rep. Adam Smith of Washington openly expressed doubts, stating, “The one thing I know for sure is that we can do better than Joe Biden as a person who can deliver our message in this election cycle.”
Even amidst public displays of support from leaders like House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, reports surfaced of private conversations urging Biden to reconsider his candidacy.
Ultimately, it was Schumer who reportedly traveled to Delaware to advocate for Biden’s withdrawal from the race, underscoring the growing consensus among Democratic leadership that a change was necessary to secure victory in November.
With less than four months remaining until the general election, Biden’s decision leaves the Democratic Party scrambling to reassess its strategy and select a new nominee to challenge Donald Trump, who secured his party’s nomination earlier in the primary season.
