Biden drops out – Harris sets her sights on taking over

USA's President Joe Biden will not run in the autumn's presidential election. He announces that he supports Vice President Kamala Harris as the new presidential candidate. "My intention is to earn, and win, the nomination", writes Harris in a statement.

» Published: July 21 2024

Biden drops out – Harris sets her sights on taking over
Photo: Susan Walsh/AP/TT

USA's President Joe Biden will not stand in the autumn's presidential election. He announces that he supports Vice President Kamala Harris as the new presidential candidate.

"My intention is to earn and win the nomination", Harris writes in a statement.

It was on Sunday evening Swedish time, after increasing pressure from heavyweight Democrats, that Joe Biden finally threw in the towel.

"I had intended to try to be re-elected, but I believe it is in my party's and country's interest that I step aside and focus fully on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term", Biden writes in a letter on X.

In a subsequent post on the platform, he announces his support for Kamala Harris as presidential candidate.

"My first decision as presidential candidate in 2020 was to choose Kamala Harris as my Vice President. It is the best decision I have made", the President writes, and adds:

"I give my full support to Kamala as a candidate for our party."

Harris praises Joe Biden's "selfless and patriotic" decision.

"I am honored to receive the President's support and my intention is to earn and win the nomination", she writes in a statement.

Address to the Nation

In his letter, Biden also writes that he will address the nation later in the week to provide more details about his decision to withdraw.

Biden's withdrawal changes the game plan, notes Dag Blanck, Professor of North American Studies at Uppsala University. But the news did not come as a surprise.

It was not unexpected, one cannot say that, there has been a long period of pressure on Biden to do this. It means that the entire election campaign is being shaken up and entering a new phase. Right now, there are very many unknown factors, he says to TT.

The demands for the 81-year-old to step down as presidential candidate have increased in recent times. A total of over 30 Democratic members of the House of Representatives and three senators have urged him to hand over the baton.

Also Obama

Even former President Barack Obama and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, have expressed doubts about Biden's ability to defeat the Republicans' Donald Trump, according to American media reports.

There was a growing number and eventually it was too many. Then he understood that it wouldn't work. He's doing it out of concern for the party so that it has a realistic chance now to find a new candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November, says Dag Blanck.

Joe Biden, born in 1942 in the mining town of Scranton in Pennsylvania, is the 46th President of the United States.

He was Barack Obama's Vice President between 2009 and 2017. Before that, he was Delaware's senator for 36 years.

Biden is known as a cross-party centrist politician. Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, he highlighted his experience, his broad foreign policy knowledge, and his working-class background.

He is married to Jill Biden and has two living children. Biden's gripping family history is well-known in the USA. His first wife died in a car accident in 1972, along with their one-year-old daughter. Biden, who had been elected senator just a month earlier, became a single father to sons Beau and Hunter – who were also injured in the accident. Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015. Together with Jill Biden, he has daughter Ashley Biden.

Joe Biden became the oldest incoming President in US history when he won the election against Donald Trump in 2020

Tags

TTT
By TT - Translated and adapted by Sweden Herald under license from TT

More news

Car Workers Question Impact of
5 MIN READ

Car Workers Question Impact of Trump's Tariffs on Jobs

Elon Musk's Growing Family: Inside
3 MIN READ

Elon Musk's Growing Family: Inside the Secret Paternity Agreements

Prominent Tunisian Critics Sentenced to
1 MIN READ

Prominent Tunisian Critics Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms

US Supreme Court Halts Venezuelan
1 MIN READ

US Supreme Court Halts Venezuelan Deportations After ACLU Appeal

Iran and US Engage in
2 MIN READ

Iran and US Engage in Critical Nuclear Talks in Rome

Milei's Economic Plan: Argentina Eyes
4 MIN READ

Milei's Economic Plan: Argentina Eyes Strongest Growth in 30 Years

Genre image
1 MIN READ

USA Considers Recognizing Crimea as Russian in Peace Deal Talks

Senator Van Hollen Criticizes El
2 MIN READ

Senator Van Hollen Criticizes El Salvador's "Margarita-gate" Stunt

Hezbollah Leader Qassem Vows to
2 MIN READ

Hezbollah Leader Qassem Vows to Retain Arms Despite Pressure

USA to Relocate 1,000 Troops
1 MIN READ

USA to Relocate 1,000 Troops from Syria in Coming Months

Genre image
1 MIN READ

Congo River Boat Fire Leaves 148 Dead, Over 100 Still Missing

Asean Calls on Myanmar Junta
1 MIN READ

Asean Calls on Myanmar Junta to Honor Ceasefire After Earthquake

Judge Blocks Trump's Plan to
1 MIN READ

Judge Blocks Trump's Plan to Cut CFPB Workforce

Australian Fighter for Ukraine Faces
1 MIN READ

Australian Fighter for Ukraine Faces Mercenary Charges in Luhansk

Venice Doubles Tourist Day-Trip Fee
2 MIN READ

Venice Doubles Tourist Day-Trip Fee for Non-Overnight Visitors

Trials Begin for Nearly 200
2 MIN READ

Trials Begin for Nearly 200 Critics of Turkish Regime Protests

Iran Nuclear Talks in Rome
2 MIN READ

Iran Nuclear Talks in Rome Face Doubts and Threats

Ukraine Receives Remains of Over
1 MIN READ

Ukraine Receives Remains of Over 900 Fallen Soldiers

Veterans and Reservists Rally to
2 MIN READ

Veterans and Reservists Rally to End Gaza Conflict

Genre image
2 MIN READ

Norway's Largest Robbery Figure Found Dead in Oslo Forest

EU Expansion: Hungary's Block Delays
3 MIN READ

EU Expansion: Hungary's Block Delays Ukraine and Moldova Membership

New Russian Attacks on Ukraine
2 MIN READ

New Russian Attacks on Ukraine Leave 11 Dead, Over 100 Injured

China Refutes Claims of Supplying
1 MIN READ

China Refutes Claims of Supplying Weapons to Russia

Severe Weather in Italy Claims
2 MIN READ

Severe Weather in Italy Claims Three Lives, Triggers State of Emergency

Trump Warns of Exiting Ukraine
2 MIN READ

Trump Warns of Exiting Ukraine Talks if Progress Stalls

Florida School Shooter Identified as
1 MIN READ

Florida School Shooter Identified as Having Norwegian Background

EU Officials Use Disposable Phones
1 MIN READ

EU Officials Use Disposable Phones for US Trips Over Spy Concerns

Israel's Blockade Leaves Gaza Residents
3 MIN READ

Israel's Blockade Leaves Gaza Residents Facing Severe Hunger Crisis

Israeli Strikes on Gaza Leave
1 MIN READ

Israeli Strikes on Gaza Leave 15 Dead, Including Family in Khan Yunis

US Airstrikes in Yemen Kill
2 MIN READ

US Airstrikes in Yemen Kill 74, Injure 171, Houthi Movement Reports

Trump Plans UK Visit to
1 MIN READ

Trump Plans UK Visit to Meet King Charles This Autumn

Luigi Mangione Faces Federal Murder
1 MIN READ

Luigi Mangione Faces Federal Murder Charges in CEO's Death

Two Killed, Five Injured in
1 MIN READ

Two Killed, Five Injured in Florida State University Shooting

Red Cross Building in Gaza
1 MIN READ

Red Cross Building in Gaza Damaged by Explosion, ICRC Expresses Outrage

Ukraine Talks to Continue in
2 MIN READ

Ukraine Talks to Continue in London Next Week Following Paris Meeting

USA and Ukraine Set to
1 MIN READ

USA and Ukraine Set to Finalize Mineral Agreement Next Thursday