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President Joe Biden has announced that he will bow out from his efforts to secure a second term in the White House following weeks of pressure from Democratic Party insiders and plummeting poll numbers, and endorsed his vice president to be his successor.
The announcement came less than a month after the president’s disastrous debate performance in Atlanta, which led to some Democrats to call for his exit. It also dovetails the conclusion of the Republican National Convention, when the Republican Party made a strong show of unity behind former president Donald Trump after the former president was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Biden made the announcement in a letter posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” he said. “And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”
He also endorsed Harris to receive the Democratic nomination for president, likely to stave off a contested convention when the Democrats convene in Chicago next month.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” he said. “ Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
Numerous Democrats, including numerous Democrats in swing districts and frontline swing states, had called on Biden to step aside, with many questioning his ability to beat Trump.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who served with Biden for many years in the Senate and was the main executor of his agenda in Congress, praised Biden’s decision.
“Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being,” he said. “His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”
House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also commended Biden in his decision to step aside.
“In less than one term, he rescued the nation from a once-in-a-century pandemic, brought the economy roaring back from the brink of recession, enacted consequential legislation for everyday Americans and saved our democracy by defeating the Insurrectionist-in-Chief,” he said in a statement. “America is a better place today because President Joe Biden has led us with intellect, grace and dignity. We are forever grateful.”
But some Democrats–including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, the progressive vanguard–had warned about muscling Biden out too quickly and said the same forces who wanted to push Biden out are the same forces who wanted to push out Biden did not want Harris.
The move comes less than a month before Democrats will convene to nominate their candidate for president in Chicago. Numerous Democrats had discussed how they planned to replace Biden at the top of the ticket to make sure that voters felt their voices were heard.
But Republican Senators immediately began to rail against the idea that Biden could be replaced at the top of the ticket.
“Having invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president, the self-proclaimed ‘party of democracy’ has proven exactly the opposite,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement.
Johnson also blasted Harris in his remarks.
“As second in command and a completely inept border czar, Harris has been a gleeful accomplice — not only in the destruction of American sovereignty, security, and prosperity, but also in the largest political coverup in U.S. history,” he added. “She has known for as long as anyone of his incapacity to serve.”
