WASHINGTON − President Joe Biden said Sunday he is ending his bid for reelection amid intense pressure from Democratic leaders sounding the alarm that his path to beat former President Donald Trump in November has vanished.
The president's historic withdrawal throws the 2024 race − already roiled by a shocking attempt on Trump's life − into uncertain territory, with Vice President Kamala Harris seen as the Democrat best placed to take Biden's place atop the party's ticket.
Biden made the announcement from his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., where he's self-isolatedsince testing positive for COVID-19 Thursday night.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a written statement. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term."
In his statement, Biden reflected fondly on his four years in office, saying the U.S. has built the “strongest economy in the world” while touting efforts to lower prescription drug prices, expand health care, tackle climate change and appointing the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
He extended gratitude to Harris for being an “extraordinary partner” on Sunday and said he's offering "my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year."
“I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing American can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United State of America,” Biden said.
The president said he would speak to the nation later this week to provide more detail about his decision.
Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/21/joe-biden-drops-out/74255359007/
The president's historic withdrawal throws the 2024 race − already roiled by a shocking attempt on Trump's life − into uncertain territory, with Vice President Kamala Harris seen as the Democrat best placed to take Biden's place atop the party's ticket.
Biden made the announcement from his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., where he's self-isolatedsince testing positive for COVID-19 Thursday night.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a written statement. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term."
In his statement, Biden reflected fondly on his four years in office, saying the U.S. has built the “strongest economy in the world” while touting efforts to lower prescription drug prices, expand health care, tackle climate change and appointing the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
He extended gratitude to Harris for being an “extraordinary partner” on Sunday and said he's offering "my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year."
“I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing American can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United State of America,” Biden said.
The president said he would speak to the nation later this week to provide more detail about his decision.
Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/21/joe-biden-drops-out/74255359007/
