Biden's Exit from 2024 Presidential Race: Harris new Nominee

Biden's Withdrawal from the 2024 Presidential Race

• President Joe Biden announced his decision to end his re-election campaign on Sunday, July 21, 2024.
• Biden, 81, cited the best interests of his party and the country as reasons for stepping down.
• He will remain President until the end of his term in January 2025.
• The decision came after growing pressure within the Democratic Party due to concerns about his age and frailty.
• Biden's withdrawal follows a poor debate performance against Donald Trump in June, where he made several notable gaffes.
• The announcement marks the end of Biden's half-century-long political career, which included 36 years in the Senate and 8 years as Vice President.

Endorsement of Kamala Harris

• Immediately after withdrawing, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.
• Harris, 59, would be the first Black woman to run at the top of a major party's presidential ticket.
• Biden praised Harris as an "extraordinary partner" and stated it was the best decision he made to choose her as his VP in 2020.
• Harris expressed her gratitude for Biden's endorsement and pledged to earn and win the nomination.
• She emphasized her intention to unite the Democratic Party and defeat Donald Trump.
• Several prominent Democrats, including Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer, and Nancy Pelosi, quickly rallied behind Harris.

Political Implications and Reactions

• The decision has dramatically altered the landscape of the 2024 presidential race.
• Donald Trump, who was recently confirmed as the Republican nominee, criticized Biden as unfit to serve.
• Some Republicans called for Biden to leave office immediately, not just withdraw from the race.
• Major Democratic donors, including Reid Hoffman and Alexander Soros, publicly endorsed Harris.
• The Democratic National Committee quickly moved to update its fundraising committees to reflect Harris as the presumptive nominee.
• Bill and Hillary Clinton pledged their support to Harris, promising to "fight with everything we've got" to elect her.

Next Steps and Challenges

• Biden plans to address the nation later in the week to provide more details about his decision.
• The Democratic National Committee held an emergency meeting on Sunday evening to discuss the path forward.
• The focus now shifts to the Democratic National Convention, scheduled to start on August 19, where Harris is expected to be officially nominated.
• Harris faces the challenge of uniting the party and mounting a successful campaign against Trump with less than four months until Election Day.
• She emphasized that there are 107 days until the election, calling for unity and determination to win.
• The transition raises questions about potential policy shifts and campaign strategies as Harris takes the lead.