Decision to leave 2024 race was about ‘saving democracy’ – Biden

The US president said that he ended his reelection campaign because the country’s future was at stake

The election in November will be “an inflection point” for the country, US President Joe Biden said in his first public speech after deciding not to seek a second term and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his potential replacement.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening, Biden said that he is determined to unite the Democratic Party and “pass the torch to a new generation.” 

“I revere this office, but I love my country more,” Biden said. “I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merit a second term. But nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”

Biden went on to stress the importance of the election, in which Harris is set to compete against the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump. “I ran for president four years ago because I believed and still do that the soul of America was at stake, the very nature of who we are was at stake. And that is still the case,” Biden said.

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Initially defiant, Biden eventually succumbed to the pressure from top Democrats and major party donors who argued that he was no longer capable of defeating Trump. The concerns over the incumbent president’s age and deteriorating health increased rapidly after his disastrous performance during a televised debate with Trump last month, when Biden appeared confused and struggled to finish his sentences.

Biden announced the decision to withdraw his candidacy on Sunday, naming Harris as his successor. Harris is expected to officially become the nominee during the Democratic National Convention next month.

The Republicans, meanwhile, have called on Biden to resign from the presidency. “If everyone acknowledges that he’s incapable of running a campaign, he’s clearly not capable of running the country,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters over the weekend.