President Joe Biden has just dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House after a disastrous debate with Donald Trump
which sparked serious concerns about his age and fitness for office. This announcement, coming less than four months before the election, has completely turned the political landscape on its head.
Biden, who’s determined to finish his current term, has thrown his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. That’s right, he’s officially endorsed her to take on Trump, urging his party to rally behind her. This endorsement instantly makes her the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination at the upcoming convention in Chicago this August.
Now, this isn't just any campaign shake-up. It's coming on the heels of an attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania just last week. Biden’s decision to step down is unprecedented. The last time something like this happened was back in 1968 when President Lyndon Johnson, dealing with the Vietnam War, decided not to run again after just one primary.
Kamala Harris praised Biden’s decision, calling it a “selfless and patriotic act.” She’s ready to unite the Democratic Party and the nation to defeat Trump and his controversial Project 2025 agenda. Biden, on the other hand, acknowledged the growing pressure from his allies to step aside after his poor debate performance, where he struggled with coherence and failed to challenge Trump’s false claims effectively.
In his heartfelt letter, Biden expressed his honor in serving as President and explained that stepping down was in the best interest of the party and the country. Within half an hour of his announcement, he backed Harris as his successor, urging Democrats to come together to defeat Trump.
Harris now faces the immense task of securing the delegates' votes, choosing a running mate, and shifting Biden’s campaign machinery to support her bid. If elected, she would make history as the first woman and the first person of South Asian descent to be president.
The Democratic Party seems to be rallying around Harris, with endorsements from the Congressional Black Caucus and both Bill and Hillary Clinton. However, former President Barack Obama has yet to endorse her, although he praised Biden’s decision to step down.
Biden made this decision while isolating at his Delaware beach house after a recent COVID-19 diagnosis. Harris learned of his plans just hours before the public announcement, which caught many by surprise, including senior campaign and White House staff.
Democrats now face the urgent task of unifying the nominating process and convincing voters that their nominee can defeat Trump. Meanwhile, Trump must shift his campaign focus to a new opponent after years of targeting Biden.
This marks a stunning end to Biden’s 52-year political career. Although he won most delegates in the primaries, his age and poor debate performance raised serious doubts about his ability to serve another term. Despite his significant accomplishments, such as steering the nation through the pandemic and passing major bipartisan legislation, Biden faced low approval ratings and deep unpopularity.