Joe Biden withdraws from presidential race after weeks of pressure to quit | Joe Biden

Joe Biden Withdrew Biden has dropped out of the presidential reelection race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s nominee, an extraordinary decision that upends American politics and throws the Democratic nominee into uncertainty just months before the November presidential election, in a contest against Donald Trump, a candidate Biden has warned poses an existential threat to American democracy.

“While I intended to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country to focus on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term and then step aside.” Biden said in the letter. announced his decision.

Biden thanked Harris in the letter and later endorsed her for the Democratic nomination for president in a tweet, saying he would speak more to the nation later this week.

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to seek the nomination and to focus my efforts on the duties of my presidency for the remainder of my term. My first decision as my party’s nominee in 2020 was to select Kamala Harris as my Vice President, and it was the best decision I ever made,” he said.

“Today I want to fully endorse and support Kamala to be our party’s nominee this year. Democrats, now is the time to come together and defeat Trump. Let’s do it together.”

In a statement, Harris thanked Biden for his “extraordinary leadership as president,” and said, “With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done his entire life: putting the American people and our country above all else.”

“I am honored to receive the president’s endorsement. My intention is to seek and win this nomination,” she said. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party, and unite the country, and defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.”

“There are 107 days left until Election Day. Together we will fight. And together we will win.”

The president made the shocking announcement after a weeks-long pressure campaign by Democratic leaders, organizers and donors who believe there is no path to victory as long as Biden, the embattled incumbent, remains in the running. More than 30 Democrats have called on Biden to step aside. As recently as Friday, Biden’s campaign maintained he would continue in the race. ABC News/Ipsos Poll A survey released Sunday found that 60% of Democrats said Harris should drop out of the race, while about 76% of Democrats in the same poll said they were comfortable with Harris being the nominee.

Biden’s decision to pull out appeared to be sudden, with the president telling senior staff: Sunday Afternoon He said he had changed his mind about continuing in the race, and a campaign official Reportedly, I called the representatives and asked if I could count on their support.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Biden was “not qualified to run for President, certainly not qualified to hold office – and never has been!”

“Biden got to the presidency through lies, fake news and never leaving his basement,” Trump said. “Everyone around him, including his doctors and the media, knew he was not fit to be president, and he was.”

Trump listed a string of lies about immigration and concluded with, “We will suffer greatly as a result of his presidency, but the damage he has caused will soon be repaired! We will Make America Great Again!”

Minutes after the announcement on Sunday, Trump Said He believed it would be easier to defeat Harris than to defeat Biden, according to CNN.

It’s unclear whether other Democrats will seek the nomination against Harris, and it’s not yet clear whether she is well positioned to beat President Trump. NBC News Poll A poll earlier this month showed Trump leading Biden and Harris by two points, within the poll’s margin of error.

Former President Barack Obama, who picked Biden as his vice president for two terms, released a lengthy statement Sunday praising Biden’s decision. report Recently, Biden has said he feels Obama and other Democrats are trying to oust him, creating tension between the two.

“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most important presidents and a dear friend and partner to me,” said Obama, who was elected president in 2008. “Today, we were also reminded that he is a patriot of the highest order.”

“I also know that Joe has never backed down from a fight. For him to look at the political landscape and decide that it’s time to hand the baton to a new candidate is undoubtedly one of the most difficult things he will ever make in his life. But I know he wouldn’t make this decision if he didn’t believe it was right for America. This is a testament to Joe Biden’s love of country and a historic example of a true public servant once again putting the interests of the American people above his own, one that future generations of leaders should emulate.”

Obama, who refrained from endorsing Harris, said Democrats would be navigating “uncharted territory” ahead, but added: “But I have extraordinary confidence that our party’s leadership can create a process that will produce an outstanding nominee.”

Bill and Hillary Clinton endorsed Harris in a joint statement on Sunday. “We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris, and we will do everything we can to support her,” said former President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Clinton. The Secretary of State.

Harris’ nomination is not automatic; there are other Democrats in the running, including Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. If any of those candidates are nominated in Chicago next month, they will face the monumental task of introducing themselves to voters, crafting a campaign message and defeating Trump — all in two and a half months.

Sources told CBS News on Sunday report Neither Whitmer nor Newsom said they plan to seek the Democratic nomination, the network said, adding that “at this time, no one is preparing behind the scenes to challenge Vice President Harris.”

In a Sunday tweet, Governor Whitmer said, “President Biden is a great public servant who knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump. My job in this election remains the same: I will do everything in my power to get Democrats elected and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda will raise costs for families, ban abortion nationwide, and abuse the power of the White House to settle scores for himself.” This is completely wrong for Michigan.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said the party would “move forward with a transparent and orderly process” to select a candidate to defeat Trump in November.

His disastrous performance in last month’s debate and his erratic public behavior since then have only exacerbated longtime voter concerns that the 81-year-old president is simply too old to serve another four years.

Democrats were quick to praise Biden’s decision, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, one of several Democrats who had urged Biden to step down.

“Joe Biden is not only a great president and a great legislative leader, he is also a truly incredible human being. Of course, his decision was not easy, but he has once again put our country, our party and our future first,” Schumer said in a statement.

During a talk show appearance on Sunday, House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested Republicans would launch a court fight to try to block the Democratic nominee change. Experts are skeptical Those efforts will be successful.

Johnson is among several Republican leaders who have called on Biden to resign as president, which he is almost certain to do.

“If Joe Biden is unfit to run for president, then he is unfit to serve as president. He must resign immediately,” Johnson said, adding that he hopes the Nov. 5 election date “comes soon.”

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, made similar comments Sunday.

Biden’s decision to stay on as president but step down is the latest shocking episode in an unusually turbulent election season and caps an extraordinary few weeks in American politics.

Former president and Republican nominee Trump survived an attack on his life at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania that left him with a bloody ear and one spectator dead. Biden appealed for calm following the attack, then returned to the campaign trail last week, determined to defend his candidacy and again prove doubters wrong.

In media appearances, the president has been defiant, insisting he will remain the party’s standard-bearer in November. On Wednesday, before speaking at a convention in Nevada, he tested positive for COVID-19.

The president’s withdrawal puts Democrats into largely uncharted territory. The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to begin in Chicago on August 19. Candidates also have limited time to choose a running mate to challenge Trump and Vance. It’s unclear how Democrats will choose a new nominee.

Harris, 59, who served as Biden’s vice president, has the greatest national name recognition of the Democratic candidates and delegates may see her as the safest choice. Campaign finance experts say To tell Harris has the clearest legal argument for keeping Biden’s campaign fundraising money, but other candidates may have to give it up. Late MayThe Biden campaign had $91.6 million in cash on hand.