On the evening of Wednesday, July 24, 2024, President Joe Biden addressed the nation for the first since ending his re-election campaign. In so many words, the President says he stepped back from the race to “unite our nation.”
“In recent weeks it has become clear to me that I need to unite my party in this critical endeavor,” the President told viewers.
“Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition. So, I decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation.”
In less than a month, Biden went from the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for President to symbolically passing the political torch to “new voices, fresh voices” on Capitol Hill. On Thursday, June 27, he stepped up to the podium in Atlanta, Georgia for the first presidential debate of the current election cycle. However, it didn’t go as many would have hoped. Described as “unsteady” by the Wall Street Journal and “disastrous” by CNN, Biden failed to “deliver the kinds of happy-warrior blows with that toothy smile audiences have seen from [him] in years past.” In the aftermath, several members of Congress, high-profile donors and former colleagues of the President reportedly raised questions about his ability to fulfill the duties of a second term. Ultimately, the President elected to end his campaign on Sunday, July 21 and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.
“There is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life,” President Biden continued.
“There’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices. Yes, younger voices. And that time is now.”
In 24 hours, Vice President Kamala Harris launched her campaign for President and raised $81 million. On Tuesday, July 23, Vice President Kamala Harris hosted her first campaign rally in Wisconsin.
“In this campaign, I promise you, I will proudly put my record against his any day of the week,” she told the crowd.
“We believe in a future where every person has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead.”
Vice President Harris is the favorite to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination next month when the 2024 Democratic National Convention is held in Chicago, Illinois.
