President Joe Biden has left the presidential race with what appears to be no bitterness about it! On Wednesday (July 24), he addressed his decision to drop out and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to accept the GOP nominee Donald Trump.
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Biden’s speech, delivered from the Oval Office, gave the public their first chance to hear directly from him. It was a key moment in the spotlight for Biden after his campaign spent weeks arguing that he was the best candidate to replace Trump and he insisted he would not give up.
“Protecting democracy is more important than any title,” Biden said. “Nothing, nothing, can stand in the way of saving our democracy. And that includes personal ambition.”
“I revere this office, but I love my country more,” Biden added.
Key Points From Biden’s Initial Statement on Dropping Out of the Presidential Race
While the president has tried to outline the key issues in the election, he has tried to distance himself from public campaign activities from his official office and never mentioned Donald Trump by name.
“The great thing about America is that here, kings and dictators do not rule,” Biden said. “The people rule. The history is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America — it is in your hands.”
Biden’s speech, broadcast on major television and cable news networks, pledged to focus on being president until his term ends at noon on January 20, 2025. He set out to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, fight for increased government support for a cancer cure and call for reform of the Supreme Court.
“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” Biden said, adding that he wants to make room for “new voices, yes, younger voices.” He added, “That is the best way to unite our country.”
Current Event: President Biden delivers remarks in the Oval Office. https://t.co/SgDozlPdGS
— White House (@WhiteHouse) July 24, 2024
Summary of the election race withdrawal
Biden has faced a crisis of confidence among Democrats after a disastrous debate with Trump nearly a month ago. During the event, the president fumbled his words, looked pale and was unable to articulate a rebuttal to his predecessor’s attacks.
Doubts quickly arose about whether he could beat Trump in November, and there were also concerns about whether he was still healthy enough to handle the high-pressure job at age 81.
Despite efforts to redirect the conversation, Biden ultimately withdrew on Sunday, July 21. He made the announcement while quarantined at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, recovering from COVID-19.
In a letter posted to his X account, he talked about the work he’s done as president over the past few years and his dedication to leaving the Oval Office strong! At the time, there were just over 100 days until the November ballots opened.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
White House shares what’s next for Biden, while Trump targets Kamala Harris’ neck
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that any question of Biden stepping down — which would allow Harris to run as the incumbent — was “absurd.”
Jean-Pierre said Biden had “no regrets” about staying in the race for so long or dropping out over the weekend. She said Biden’s decision had nothing to do with his health.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Donald also organized his first protest Since Biden passed the torch, the GOP nominee’s focus has been squarely on his new opponent as he addressed supporters in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“So now we have a new victim to defeat: lying Kamala Harris,” Trump said, calling her “the most incompetent and far left vice president in the history of the United States.”
Donald Trump called her a “far left lunatic” and called her a “crazy person”
because of her stance on abortion and immigration. He also mispronounced her name several times.
Check out former President Donald Trump’s final speech before wrapping up his nearly two-hour rally at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte earlier today. photo.twitter.com/wC3Z1tHSY1
— WBTV News (@WBTV_News) July 25, 2024
RELATED: Trump campaign files complaint with FEC to block transfer of $91.5 million from Biden campaign to Harris campaign
Associated Press staff members MEG KINNARD, ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON, ZEKE MILLER, SEUNG MIN KIM and WILL WEISSERT contributed to this report.
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