Written by Eliza Dorton
Edited by Annika Lilja
On Sunday, July 21st, President Joe Biden announced through a letter posted on social media that “it is in the best interest for [his] party and the country for [him] to stand down.” His decision to bow out of the general election followed nearly a month of backlash and pleas for him to withdraw from the race following his debate against former President Trump on June 27th.
For weeks after the debate, there was not only negative press on his debate performance from the right-wing media but also a public outcry from Democrats in office and voters begging Biden to step down. Reports of White House meetings with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer circled as the leaders of the party tried to find a way to resolve the growing pushback towards the Biden campaign. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and President Obama were also key figures in the news as many sources, such as CNN, cited that the former speaker and president may have had influence over Biden’s decision.
However, in an ABC News interview with George Stephanopolous, Biden stated that he strongly believed Democratic leaders would not ask him to leave the race, even if it was for the good of the party, and would only do so if “the Lord Almighty” told him it was time to step down. Consequently, just over two weeks later, his announcement emerged through social media. Biden stated in the letter that he intends to serve through the rest of his term and focus on what he can get done before the inauguration in mid-January.
Soon after his letter was released on Instagram, Biden’s X account posted that he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee for the Democratic party, stating “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year.” Following his endorsement of Harris, many key Democrats also publicly supported her. Early on Friday, June 26th, the Harris Campaign released a video of a phone call between the Obamas and Harris formally endorsing her candidacy, which is one of the most impactful and important endorsements possible for a presidential candidate. Since Biden dropped out of the race, Democrats have been coming together in support of the new candidate, and enough delegates voted for her in the virtual roll call so that Harris will be the only candidate on the Democratic National Convention delegate ticket.
On August 6, Harris announced through X that she had chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Since the announcement, Walz has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the Democratic Party and voters alike. Some attributes seem to be his military background, relatability to many Americans, and high-spirited personality. As of August 17th, the New York Times National Polling Average had Harris at 49% and Trump at 47%. The NYT also has Harris up for seven out of ten swing states, with Trump leading only Florida, Nevada, and Georgia.
Monday, August 19, the Democratic National Convention will begin in Chicago, where Harris will be celebrated as the nominee for the general election. President Joe Biden will headline the first night of the convention, followed by major Democratic leaders, such as Former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, Governor Tim Walz, and Vice President Harris throughout the rest of the week. Finally, both Trump and Harris have agreed to debate on September 10th, moderated by ABC News.
Sources:
"ABC's George Stephanopoulos' Exclusive Interview with President Biden: Full Transcript." ABC News, abcnews.go.com/Politics/abc-news-anchor-george-stephanopoulos-exclusive-interview-biden/story?id=111695695. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.
"Election 2024 Polls: Harris Vs. Trump." The New York Times, 17 Aug. 2024, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/us/elections/polls-president.html. Accessed 17 Aug. 2024.
Markham, Devan. "Who's Headlining the 2024 DNC?" NewsNation, 16 Aug. 2024, www.newsnationnow.com/politics/2024-election/dnc-2024-headliners/. Accessed 17 Aug. 2024.
Miller, Zeke, et al. "Biden Drops out of 2024 Race after Disastrous Debate Inflamed Age Concerns. VP Harris Gets His Nod." AP News, apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.
O'Brien, Rebecca Davis. "The Obamas Called Kamala Harris. Cameras Rolled. Hokeyness Ensued." The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2024/07/26/us/politics/barack-michelle-obama-harris-video.html. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.
"Read Biden's Letter Withdrawing From the Race." The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/21/us/biden-withdraw-letter.html. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.
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