Joe Biden is finally withdrawing from the race for the US presidential election in November. The President of the United States announced this live to his compatriots, in a letter addressed to “my fellow Americans” and published on the social network X.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as President of the United States. While my intention has been to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and my country to step aside and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” he said in the letter.
He also signaled that he would address the nation later this week to explain his decision in more detail. That was a relief to many Democrats, who didn’t want to force his hand out of respect. They would have had to stage some kind of coup to change their nominee after a primary campaign in which he won an overwhelming number of delegates.
Kamala Harris takes up the gauntlet
He thanked his Vice President Kamala Harris (and running mate for a potential second term) “for being an extraordinary partner.” In a new message, he gave her a leg up: “Today, I want to give my full support to Kamala to be our party’s nominee this year. Democrats, it’s time to come together and defeat Trump. Let’s do this.” He then posted a call to donors, “Let’s finish the job,” with both of their photos, and the phrase “I just gave to Kamala Harris!”
In a statement, the Californian took up the challenge: “I am honored to have the president’s support and my intention is to deserve and win this nomination,” she said. She recalled that for the past year, she has crisscrossed the country. “We have 107 days left until election day. Together, we will fight. Together, we will win,” she added. She took the opportunity to praise Joe Biden’s qualities, and his latest gesture, “selfless and patriotic.”
Despite Joe Biden’s support for his running mate, doubts remain: will there be a mini-primary before the convention? An open convention? Will the party’s hierarchs prefer to pave the way for Kamala Harris, who is black, Asian, and a woman, so as not to shock the progressive left? The nomination of the vice president would have the advantage of being able to quickly release the funds accumulated for candidate Biden from donors.
Pressure from Democrats
A growing number of Democratic lawmakers had called on him to step down in recent days. The most recent to call for him to step down was Sen. Joe Manchin, who had been the thorn in the sidelines of the term and who eventually traded his Democratic affiliation for the independent label.
Until the last moment, Joe Biden’s team multiplied denials, reaffirming that he was still in the running. According to the American media, the president was deeply upset by Barack Obama’s lack of support. He saw his signature and that of Nancy Pelosi in what he considered a conspiracy. This conspiracy seemed to have made him want to fight.
Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential 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.
Here’s my full statement: https://t.co/Bs2ZumFXxe
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 21, 2024
However, a very bad poll for him was published by the Detroit “Free Press” on Sunday morning in the swing state of Michigan: with 42% of the vote, the Democrat was seven points behind his Republican opponent. You have to go back to Bush senior, in 1988, to find such a gap in votes in favor of the Grand Old Party. Barack Obama praised the achievements of his former vice president, on X: “one of the most notable presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me.” “Today, we were reminded again that he is also a first-rate patriot,” he added.
Joe Biden did not recover from his televised duel with Donald Trump at the end of June. Viewers were able to see his irreversible cognitive decline. After this failure, there were other slips, other blunders. In recent times, Joe Biden has no longer embodied the wisdom of experience so much as the shipwreck of old age.
His opponent Donald Trump has been able to play on this contrast by projecting an image of invincible strength and making people forget that he is only three years older than Joe Biden – 78 years old, versus 81. The Republican candidate is surrounded by glory after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt. He received his party’s anointing this week, at a convention in Milwaukee that marked the renewed unity of the base, behind his name.
JD Vance’s Review
On Sunday, the new number two on Donald Trump’s presidential ticket, J.D. Vance, said on X that he believed Joe Biden could not withdraw from the race without also withdrawing from the presidency. “If he does not seek re-election, it would be tantamount to admitting that President Trump was right all along that Joe Biden was not mentally fit to serve as commander in chief,” he wrote.
If Joe Biden ends his reelection campaign, how can he justify remaining President?
Not running for reelection would be a clear admission that President Trump was right all along about Biden not being mentally fit enough to serve as Commander-in-Chief.
There is no middle ground.
— JD Vance (@JDVance1) July 21, 2024
“Joe Biden the con man was not fit to run, and he is certainly not fit to lead—and he never was!” commented Donald Trump on his Truth Social network, baselessly accusing his former opponent of having obtained the White House “with lies, fake news, and without leaving his basement.” “Everyone around him, including his doctor and the media, knew he was not fit to be president,” he hammered home the point.
Republicans have every interest in keeping a weakened old man as their opponent. They also want to see Democrats divided at a time when they are united.
Biden’s Term Achievements
In his letter to Americans, Joe Biden recalled the accomplishments of his term, which are not insignificant. America has “the strongest economy in the world,” he boasted, recalling, in particular, the “historic investments to rebuild,” the planned reduction in the cost of medicines, the extension of health coverage, “the most significant climate law in the history of the world,” the “revitalization” and “strengthening” of America’s international alliances.
He’s not going to sit back and do nothing until November. As soon as he returns to Washington, Joe Biden will have to manage a difficult issue, with the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Since Israel’s response to Hamas attacks on October 7, Joe Biden has been criticized from all sides: first by his electorate, concerned about the fate of the civilian population in Gaza.
Joe Biden is also under attack from Republicans, who denounce his decision to temporarily withhold bomb deliveries to Israel; and he is also criticized by the Israeli Prime Minister, who is defiant towards Washington, even though the United States largely finances Israel’s security and even though Joe Biden worked to have Congress adopt a new package of around fifteen billion dollars in additional aid to Israel.
