President Biden announced Sunday that he will step aside as the Democratic presidential nominee, ending weeks of hand-wringing among party leaders who urged him to leave the race after a disastrous debate performance left many Democrats fearing he was too old for office and unable to defeat former President Trump.
Biden’s decision opens a path for Vice President Kamala Harris and other possible replacement candidates, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, to hastily mount a campaign for the nomination ahead of the Democratic National Convention in mid-August.
“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,” Biden said in statement. He will address the nation later in the week, he said.
He thanked those who worked on the campaign and Harris for being “an extraordinary partner in all this work,” but he did not endorse her to replace him on the ticket.
A Harris-Trump contest would present a stark contrast between Harris — 59, Black, Asian and the first woman to serve as vice president — against the 78-year-old Trump, a convicted felon whose presidency and campaign have been laced with racist and misogynistic underpinnings. Trump would become the oldest president in office by the end of his term. Harris would be the first woman president.
The groundwork for a last-minute presidential nominee switch-up began in June, when the 81-year-old Biden appeared weak and flustered in a debate against Trump, sending a jolt of panic among Democrats.
Overnight, the president’s age and mental acuity — which polls show have long been a top concern for voters — burst into the mainstream conversation among political punditry.
The first sitting Democratic member of Congress to call for Biden to withdraw was Lloyd Doggett of Texas, whose comments on July 2 presaged what other lawmakers and party leaders would say about Biden and the election. Doggett praised Biden’s lengthy service to the country and touted his record, but turning to the debate, said, “Instead of reassuring voters, the President failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trump’s lies.”
Biden, at least initially, remained undaunted.
“I am running and gonna win again,” Biden said July 5 at a rally with supporters in Madison, Wis. “They’re trying to push me out of the race. Well let me say this as clearly as I can: I’m staying in the race. I’ll beat Donald Trump.”
Source: Los Angeles Times
