Washington (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – US President Joe Biden stepped down as the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate and seconded Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket.
What did Biden say in his resignation letter?
“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as your President,” the Democrat noted in a letter addressed to the American people. “And while I have planned to seek reelection, 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 thanked Harris in his letter and later supported her as the Democratic nominee for president in a tweet. He stated he planned to speak to the nation in more detail later this week.
How did Biden endorse Kamala Harris?
“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 decision I’ve made,” he expressed. “Today I want to offer my full backing and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats – it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
What is Kamala Harris’s response to Biden’s endorsement?
Kamala Harris stated she would seek the Democratic presidential nomination after Joe Biden supported her as his successor following his conclusion to suspend his re-election campaign.
She said: “I am honoured to have the President’s approval and I intend to earn and succeed in this nomination. Over the past year, I have travelled across the country, speaking with Americans about the clear choice in this consequential election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my ability to unite the Democratic Party and unite our nation to overthrow Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 plan. We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”
What were the pressures leading to Biden’s decision?
The president made the statement after a weeks-long pressure movement by Democratic leaders, organizers and donors who increasingly witnessed no way to victory so long as the embattled incumbent stayed on the ticket. More than 30 Democratic associates of Congress had urged Biden to foot aside. As recently as Friday, his movement had insisted he was staying in the race. An ABC News/Ipsos poll unleashed on Sunday discovered that 60% of Democrats acknowledged he should conclude his run. The same poll discovered that about 76% of Democrats would be comfortable with Harris as the nominee.
Who are the potential Democratic nominees now?
The party will now probably select their next candidate at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago the following month. It will be the first challenged convention since 1968, also carried in Chicago, and 273 Texas representatives will vote for their pick. There are other Democrats including the Michigan governor, Gretchen Whitmer, the California governor, Gavin Newsom, and the Illinois governor, JB Pritzker who could pursue the nomination.
How did Trump react to Biden’s withdrawal?
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated Biden “was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!” Biden “only earned the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not exiting his Basement”, Trump expressed. “All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t.”
Trump pushed on to list a series of untruths about immigration, finishing: “We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump briefed CNN that in his opinion Biden had been “the single most destructive president by far in the history of our country”. Trump also described the network he thought it would be more comfortable to defeat Harris than it would have been to beat Biden.
What was Barack Obama’s reaction to Biden’s decision?
In a remark, Barack Obama, under who Joe Biden performed as vice president, applauded his decision to leave the presidential race, without supporting his successor. “Joe Biden has been one of America’s most influential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order,” Obama stated.
The head of the Democratic National Committee, Jaime Harrison, stated the party would “undertake a transparent and orderly procedure to move forward” to determine a candidate to defeat Trump in November.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who earlier served as speaker of the House of Representatives, in a tweet penned, “President Joe Biden is a patriotic American who has always put our country first.”
“His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most influential Presidents in American history,” Pelosi wrote. “With love and appreciation to President Biden for always accepting the promise of America and giving people the possibility to reach their fulfilment. God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness”
What legal challenges do Republicans plan to pursue?
The US House speaker, Mike Johnson, indicated during appearances on Sunday talk shows that Republicans would convey legal challenges to attempt to thwart efforts to change the Democratic ticket. Johnson was also one of several leading Republicans who called on Biden to leave the presidency something Biden is almost sure not to do.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president. He must resign the office immediately,” Johnson stated, adding that election day on 5 November “cannot arrive soon enough”.
