Biden endorses Kamala Harris as successor
Joe Biden has announced that he is endorsing vice-president Kamala Harris as his successor for the Democratic presidential nomination:
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Key events
Independent senator Bernie Sanders was one of the loudest voices in that chamber calling on Joe Biden to remain in the race after his poorly received performance at the first debate with Donald Trump.
He made no endorsement following the president’s decision to end his campaign:
Joe Biden has served our country with honor and dignity.
As the first president to ever walk on a picket line with striking workers, he has been the most pro-working class president in modern American history.
Thank you, Mr. President, for all you’ve done.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 21, 2024
Top Senate Republican McConnell accuses Democrats of ‘trying to upend the expressed will of the American people’
Echoing his House counterpart Mike Johnson, the Senate’s top Republican Mitch McConnell insinuated that Democrats were overturning the will of their voters, after Joe Biden decided to end his re-election campaign.
Here’s what McConnell had to say:
For four years, the American people have faced historic inflation at home, chaos at the border, and weak leadership on the world stage. Our nation is less prosperous and less secure than it was in January 2021. We cannot afford four more years of failure.
Unfortunately, the Democratic party has been busy in recent weeks trying to upend the expressed will of the American people in primary elections across the country. Washington Democrats have not proven themselves any more capable than the president of delivering the secure borders, safe streets, and stable prices that working families deserve. They are selling open borders, higher prices, climate radicalism, and soft-on-crime policies, and the American people are not buying.
Hillary and Bill Clinton endorse Kamala Harris as Joe Biden’s successor
Bill and Hillary Clinton have endorsed Kamala Harris to succeed Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee:
Hillary Clinton was the first female Democratic nominee for president, but lost to Donald Trump.
Pelosi, a major player in president’s withdrawal, says: ‘God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness’
Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi was an orchestrator of the campaign to pressure Joe Biden to end his re-election bid following his stumbling performance against Donald Trump in their first debate.
She was nonetheless magnanimous about his decision to withdraw and, in a statement, did not endorse fellow San Francisco politico Kamala Harris as his successor:
President Joe Biden is a patriotic American who has always put our country first. His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most consequential Presidents in American history.
With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment.
God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness.
Democratic party chair vows ‘transparent and orderly process’ to find new candidate
All eyes will soon be on party chair Jamie Harrison as the Democrats scramble to find a new presidential contender following Joe Biden’s exit from the race less than four months before election day.
Biden had not been officially nominated, but had the delegates necessary after winning every state in the primaries. In a statement, Harrison acknowledged that the party was in an “unprecedented” situation, but will work to anoint another candidate, without naming names or giving details:
The work that we must do now, while unprecedented, is clear. In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November. This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.
Democrats are prepared and united in our resolve to win in November. As we move forward to formally select our Party’s nominee, our values as Democrats remain the same – lowering costs, restoring freedom, protecting the rights of all people, and saving our democracy from the threat of dictatorship. We have and will continue to make this case to the American people.
In short order, the American people will hear from the Democratic Party on next steps and the path forward for the nomination process.
A disastrous debate, and quiet Democratic mutiny: how Biden decided to end his re-election campaign
Joe Biden is the first US president not to seek re-election since fellow Democrat Lyndon B Johnson ended his campaign in 1968.
Here’s the Guardian’s Lauren Gambino with a look at the chain of events that led Biden to make his historic decision:
Top House Democrat Jeffries says ‘America is a better place today because’ of Biden
The Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries thanked Joe Biden for his service as Biden exited the presidential race, while making no endorsement for who should succeed him:
President Joe Biden is one of the most accomplished and consequential leaders in American history. In less than one term, he rescued the nation from a once-in-a-century pandemic, brought the economy roaring back from the brink of recession, enacted consequential legislation for everyday Americans and saved our democracy by defeating the Insurrectionist-in-Chief.
America is a better place today because President Joe Biden has led us with intellect, grace and dignity. We are forever grateful.
Ron Klain, who was Joe Biden’s first White House chief of staff, sounds slightly bitter about his exit from the race, but is nonetheless cheering on Kamala Harris:
Now that the donors and electeds have pushed out the only candidate who has ever beaten Trump, it’s time to end the political fantasy games and unite behind the only veteran of a national campaign — our outstanding @vp, @KamalaHarris!! Let’s get real and win in November!
— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) July 21, 2024
Klain is considered among Biden’s inner circle, who Biden no doubt consulted in making his decision to call his re-election quits:
Some House Democrats, meanwhile, have already begun announcing their endorsements of Kamala Harris.
Here’s Florida’s Jared Moskowitz:
And Washington’s Pramila Jayapal, who also chairs the Congressional Progressive caucus:
At a time when Donald Trump and his Republican Party have stripped away women’s reproductive freedoms, we will respond by finally electing the first woman to the presidency. And as the first South Asian woman elected to the House of Representatives, I look forward to seeing Kamala Harris become the first South Asian American and first Black woman to serve as the President of the United States of America. Democrats must immediately unite so we can focus on winning in November. I look forward to casting my vote for Kamala Harris for President and doing everything I can to ensure she becomes our next President.
Republican House speaker Johnson calls on Biden to resign, says Democrats’ ‘prospects are no better’ with Harris
The Republican speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, has joined those calling on Joe Biden to resign, while saying Kamala Harris will not perform any better as a candidate.
“The party’s prospects are no better now with Vice President Kamala Harris, who co-owns the disastrous policy failures of the Biden Administration. As second in command and a completely inept border czar, Harris has been a gleeful accomplice — not only in the destruction of American sovereignty, security, and prosperity, but also in the largest political coverup in U.S. history. She has known for as long as anyone of his incapacity to serve,” Johnson said in a statement.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough.”
He also characterized the Democratic party as undemocratic, alleging that, by dropping out, Biden “invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president”. Expect to hear that argument repeatedly in the months to come from Republicans who are looking to counterattack Democratic attacks that Donald Trump is not fit to serve for his attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
“Having invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president, the self-proclaimed ‘party of democracy’ has proven exactly the opposite,” Johnson wrote.