Even before his disastrous performance at the Presidential Election Debate with former President Donald Trump of the Republican Party, not a few Democrats had tried to nudge President Joe Biden of the United States of America, USA, into withdrawing from the November 5, 2024 Election. Not only was his age a minus, he was looking frail and weary. He was beginning to forget a number of things. He had slowed down. His voice did not carry command, the weight, associated with a President’s voice, especially, the voice of the World’s most powerful President. The conviction of his son, Hunter, by a Court did not help matters. But Biden stayed put, and at a point, said only God could stop him from the race.
Then the debate happened. And the number of people, influential democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who wanted him out of the race 0increased. There were unconfirmed talks that he was suffering from the early stages of Parkinson disease.
The failed assassination attempt on Trump did no good for the Biden ticket. It drew sympathy for Trump and removed quite a chunk from Biden’s sympathizers.
The last straw was the revelation that Biden had contracted COVID 19. Mild as it was said to be, quite a number of people said the 81- year old Biden has diminished health- wise to continue to be in the race.
On Sunday, July 21, President Biden dropped out of the 2024 Presidential race throwing the Democrats into confusion, mixed with relief.
Announcing his withdrawal in a post on X, Biden said: “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,”
Part of his post reads:
“My fellow Americans, it has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your president.
“While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.
“I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision.
“For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected.
“I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.
“I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”
Biden, as always, had the full support of his wife, First Lady, Dr
Jill Biden who reposted her husband’s statement on X with a loveheart.
As for Trumps reaction? He quipped that “Biden was not fit to run.”
In a task expected to be difficult, the Democrats faces the onerous task of picking a new candidate on the day of its Convention in August.
Biden, of course, backs his Vice President, Kamala Harris to run in his stead, but it seems unlikely the Party would pick her.
Said a close watcher of American Politics: “Replacing Biden with Harris will be a huge mistake. It will be a walk-over for Trump. If Hillary Clinton failed, how does anyone expect Harris to succeed? As civilized as America is, it is not ready for a female President.”
The seismic development comes after months of speculation about Mr Biden’s age and fitness to serve another four years – amid a series of high-profile gaffes and a disastrous debate performance.
Mr Biden, 81, had previously insisted he was best placed to defeat Mr Trump in the upcoming election but had faced calls from within his own party to step aside.
A source close to the president recently admitted “we’re close to the end” after Barack Obama, the former president who picked Mr Biden as his vice-president during his two terms in office, reportedly shared his concerns about his ally’s re-election bid.
And he tested positive for COVID while on the campaign trail, with mild symptoms including “general malaise”.
Attention will now turn to who will succeed him, with the selection likely to happen at the Democratic National Convention in August.
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