US President Joe Biden will say in a landmark Oval Office speech on Wednesday that he dropped out of the 2024 election to protect democracy by passing the torch to a new generation of leaders.
“The defense of democracy is more important than any title,” Biden was to say, according to excerpts released by the White House. “I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.” In an Oval Office address, Biden will explain his decision to drop his reelection bid and to throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
The address will offer the public their first chance to hear directly from Biden his rationale for dropping out of the 2024 after weeks of insisting he believed himself to be the best candidate to take on former President Donald Trump, whom he has called an existential threat to the nation’s democracy. It will also give Biden a chance to try to shape how history views his one and only term in office.
“The defense of democracy is more important than any title,” Biden will say according to excerpts released by the White House. “I draw strength, and find joy, in working FOR the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our Union is not about me. It’s about you. Your families. Your futures. It’s about ‘We the People.’”
Biden’s candidacy faced a crisis of confidence from Democrats after his abysmal debate against Trump nearly a month ago, where he spoke haltingly, appeared ashen and failed to rebut his predecessor’s attacks. It sparked a mutiny within his party over not just whether he was capable of beating Trump in November, but also whether at 81, he was still fit for the high-pressure job.
Biden tried to outlast the skepticism and quell the concerns with interviews and tepid rallies, but the pressure to step aside only mounted from the party’s political elites and from ordinary voters. On Sunday afternoon while isolating at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home with COVID-19, Biden finally bowed in a letter posted to his account on X announcing his decision to leave the race, followed up later by an endorsement of Harris.
“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” Biden was set to say Wednesday. “That is the best way to unite our nation.” Several major television news networks are carrying Biden’s address. He is set to pledge to remain focused on being president until his term expires at noon on Jan. 20, 2025. The US president was hoping to use the address to outline the stakes in the election, which both Biden and Harris have framed as a choice between freedom and chaos, but was expected to try to steer clear of overt campaigning from his official office or even mentioning Trump by name.
“The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule,” Biden was set to say. “The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America — lies in your hands.” Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that any question of Biden resigning his office — which would allow Harris to run as an incumbent — was “ridiculous.” Jean-Pierre said Biden has “no regrets” about his decision to stay in the race as long as he did, or his decision to quit it over the weekend. She said Biden’s decision had nothing to do with his health.
(With agency inputs)
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