In a resonant address from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening, President Joe Biden elucidated his resolution to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, portraying it as a gesture to safeguard democracy and entrust leadership to a fresh cohort.
In a moving oration, signifying the inception of the final phase of his presidency and his extensive tenure in public service, Biden conceded that consolidating the party necessitated relinquishing personal aspirations for what he perceives as a more significant cause.
“I venerate this office. But my love for the nation surpasses all,” the president proclaimed.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president. Yet, in the defense of democracy, which is imperiled and transcends any title, I derive strength and joy from serving the American populace,” he declared.
While Biden refrained from directly mentioning Donald Trump, he sought to delineate a stark contrast with the former president, whose unbridled ambition led him to assert a victory in an election he did not win four years ago.
“The beauty of America lies in the fact that here, kings and autocrats do not reign,” Biden stated. “The power resides with the people. The essence of America is in your hands.”
Biden, no longer the presumptive Democratic nominee striving to convince the nation of his vigor and capability to challenge Trump in an election, has now transitioned into a lame-duck status. He has endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, after fellow Democrats persuaded him that pursuing a second term was politically untenable.
“In recent weeks, it has become evident that unifying my party in this crucial endeavor is paramount. I believe my record as president, my global leadership, and my vision for America’s future warranted a second term,” Biden said. “But nothing, nothing can impede the preservation of our democracy. That includes personal ambition. Therefore, I have decided the best course is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the most effective way to unite our nation.”
This speech marked his first comprehensive remarks since his announcement on Sunday that he was not running and was the first time many Americans saw him since he tested positive for Covid-19 last week.
During his approximately 11-minute discourse, Biden sought to sculpt the initial draft of his own legacy, celebrating his first-term achievements while looking forward to objectives he aims to accomplish in his remaining months in office. These include Supreme Court reform, ending the conflict in Gaza, upholding American alliances, and advancing his initiative to eradicate cancer.
He also extolled his vice president, now poised to take his place on the ticket.
Harris, Biden said, is “seasoned, resilient, and adept. She has been an extraordinary partner to me and a leader for our country.”
“Now, the decision rests with you, the American people,” he added.
Oval Office addresses have historically served as solemn occasions for presidents to communicate with the American public during national crises or to announce major policy decisions. This will be only the fourth time Biden has addressed the nation from this setting as president, and the second time in just 10 days, following his earlier remarks regarding the assassination attempt against Trump. He has also used the setting to speak about Hamas’ attack on Israel last year and to commend the passage of a bipartisan budget agreement.
Returning to the White House on Tuesday after testing negative for Covid-19, Biden began drafting his much-anticipated address while isolating with the virus in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, senior officials reported.
The president and his long-time communications advisor, Mike Donilon, initiated the speech’s development shortly after Biden publicly disclosed his decision to withdraw from the race, following three weeks of escalating intraparty pressure. Donilon, a former pollster, played a crucial role in presenting the data that influenced Biden’s decision to step aside.
He also received assistance in speechwriting from historian Jon Meacham.
Harris, who swiftly garnered sufficient delegate support to secure the Democratic nomination, began campaigning on Tuesday in the pivotal battleground state of Wisconsin, aiming to differentiate herself from Trump. She attended a sorority event in Indianapolis on Wednesday before traveling to Houston, where she watched Biden’s remarks.
Meanwhile, the former president held his first campaign rally since Biden’s withdrawal in North Carolina on Wednesday, denouncing Harris as a “radical liberal” whom voters will reject in November. Following Biden’s Oval Office speech, Trump took to social media, criticizing the address as “barely understandable, and sooo bad.”
A CNN poll released Wednesday indicated no clear frontrunner in the contest between Harris and Trump, showing a closer race than previous CNN polls of the Biden-Trump matchup.
The new CNN poll reveals widespread voter support for both Biden’s decision to step aside and his choice to remain in office through the end of his term. However, Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters are nearly evenly divided on whether the next nominee should continue Biden’s policies (53%) or steer the country in a new direction (47%). The desire for change is predominantly concentrated among younger voters and voters of color.
Biden himself is expected to focus in the coming days and weeks on the legacy of his single-term presidency. However, as one source informed CNN, discussions about his legacy have not yet begun in earnest, given the recent nature of his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race.
On Wednesday, however, he took the opportunity to reflect on his uniquely American life story.
“It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years. Nowhere else could a child with a stutter from humble beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as president of the United States.”
“Here I am,” he concluded. “That’s what’s so special about America.”
The president then proceeded to the Rose Garden, where he addressed hundreds of White House staffers who gathered at the executive mansion to see Biden and share ice cream with him.
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