President Biden on Sunday dropped his bid for reelection, as more members of his party called on him to leave the race in light of his disastrous debate performance against Republican Donald Trump. "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," the statement says, per the Washington Post. A short time later, Biden separately announced on X his "full support and endorsement" of Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee.
Biden's decision ends one political crisis and brings another, per the New York Times. It's not clear who might replace Biden and whether the party will close ranks around Harris or begin a brief process to select someone else as nominee. It also concludes a political career covering a half-century, beginning when Biden was elected to the Senate in 1972 as one of its youngest members ever and ending with him as the oldest president ever at 82. "It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president," he wrote Sunday. "Democrats—it's time to come together and beat Trump," he said. "Let's do this."
The warning signs for Democrats had included Biden's declining fortunes in polls and a withdrawal of support by big donors. One of them, Gideon Stein, on Sunday called Biden "a true American hero" and predicted the decision will lead to Democratic victory in the November election. Daniella Ballou-Aares, leader of a group organizing business executives pressuring Biden to withdraw, likened his decision Sunday to George Washington's relinquishment of power, saying it's "a historic precedent for selfless leadership." Biden's letter to the nation can be read here. (More President Biden 2024 stories.)
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