President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he is dropping his reelection bid against Donald Trump, in a social media post that sent political shockwaves around the country and threw an element of turmoil into the election just months before voters go to the polls.
Biden’s decision came on the heels of a poor debate performance that prompted many rank-and-file Democratic lawmakers to urge him to withdraw from the race. The president said he will address the nation later this week “in more detail about my decision.”
Biden threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democrats’ new candidate, and she vowed to “earn and win” the nomination.
Republican leaders attacked Harris and said she shares responsibility for the policies of the Biden administration. Former President Donald Trump said Biden “was not fit to run for president,” and he also called for the second debate to be moved from ABC to the Fox News Channel, which is seen as friendlier to him.
Follow the AP’s Election-2024 coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.
Here’s the Latest:
In Harris’ hometown, a voter looks forward to her candidacy but says she must move quickly
Christian Garcia of Oakland, California, said he’s looking forward to having Harris become more widely known to voters nationwide. But Garcia also said Harris, who was born in Oakland, must move fast if she is to get the nomination and beat Trump.
“I mean, you’re talking about a really quick turnaround,” Garcia said. “She’s got a lot of work to do, and the party’s got a lot of work to do to get behind her.”
In his view, one of Harris’ main challenges is a problem that hurt Hillary Clinton: an ability to be relatable to average voters. Garcia also worries that the Trump campaign will stop at nothing to go after Harris.
“We know Trump and his allies will do anything they can to lie and make up stories and bring out old skeletons,” he said.
Garcia, 36, commended Biden for stepping aside, calling him a “statesman.”
In swing state Pennsylvania, a Trump backer says Biden’s exit long overdue
Kristine Stoll is a Trump backer from Dunmore, which is next door to Scranton, where Biden was born. She said Biden isn’t mentally stable enough to run the country.
“It’s about time, he should have dropped out a long time ago,” said Stoll, 56.
She does not fear Harris or really anyone else who could top the Democratic ticket when it comes to winning the key battleground state.
“Trump’s going to take Pennsylvania this time, definitely going to take Pennsylvania,” Stoll said. “There’s no doubt about it, doesn’t matter who runs.”
Democrats begin to rally around Harris after Biden exits, though campaign dynamics remain in flux
Democrats quickly rallied around Vice President Kamala Harris as their likely presidential nominee Sunday after President Joe Biden ’s ground-shaking decision to bow out of the 2024 race.
Among others, endorsements came from Biden; Bill and Hillary Clinton; prominent U.S. senators; a wide swath of House representatives and members of the influential Congressional Black Caucus; and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has been the subject of speculation as a potential running mate.
But the fast-moving political situation remains volatile just months before the November election.
Read more here about Democrats rallying around Harris.
Zelenskyy: ‘We will always be thankful for President Biden’s leadership’
“We respect today’s tough but strong decision,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on the social platform X.
“We will always be thankful for President Biden’s leadership. He supported our country during the most dramatic moment in history, assisted us in preventing Putin from occupying our country, and has continued to support us throughout this terrible war.”
Zelenskyy spoke with former President Trump by phone Friday. Both men described it as a good call on X.
Democrats are poised to attack Trump’s age
A political weakness that hounded Biden — age — could become an avenue for attack against Trump.
“This will probably boil down to Donald Trump, who is the oldest nominee in history, against Kamala Harris,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost, a 27-year-old Democrat from Florida who has worked to reach young voters for Biden’s campaign.
Frost, who endorsed Harris, pointed to the vice president’s work on gun violence protection as an issue that could engage young voters and said she “will be able to win back a lot of the youth vote.”
“She is someone who really values young voices in general,” he said.
Harris could become first woman, second Black person to be president
She’s already broken barriers, and now Kamala Harris could shatter several more after President Joe Biden abruptly ended his reelection bid and endorsed her.
Harris is the first woman, Black person or person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. If she becomes the Democratic nominee and defeats Republican candidate Donald Trump in November, she would be the first woman to serve as president.
Read a profile of Harris here.
Trump says Biden was ‘not fit to run’
Former president Donald Trump posted on his social network Truth Social that “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for president” and is not fit to serve.
“All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t,” he said.
Trump and members of the RNC spent much of their week at the Republican National Convention calling for a ratcheting down of the political temperature and touting the importance of American unity in light of last week’s assassination attempt.
The former president is also calling for the second debate to be switched to the Fox News Channel, which is seen as friendlier to him, now that Biden has dropped out.
He said in a Truth Social post that whoever becomes the Democratic nominee should face him on that network “rather than the very biased ABC.” Trump and Biden had previously agreed to meet in a second debate Sept. 10 hosted by ABC.
Harris hits the phones
As Vice President Harris looks to lock up the nomination, she is hitting the phones and making her case to Democrats in Congress.
She spoke with Democratic lawmakers Sunday including Rep. Annie Kuster, who chairs a moderate group called the New Democrat Coalition and endorsed Harris in the afternoon.
Harris also quickly won endorsements from leadership in several influential caucuses.
While some Democrats remained silent on who they want for a nominee, many others said the party should immediately assemble behind Harris. They want to quickly move past the painful, public deliberations of the weeks since the July 27 debate.
Harris inherits Biden’s campaign infrastructure
President Biden’s campaign formally changed its name to Harris for President, reflecting that she is inheriting his political operation — a sign of the prohibitive leg up she has for the Democratic nomination.
Democratic groups, including the Democratic National Committee, also filed paperwork changing the names of their joint fundraising committees to reflect Harris’ candidacy.
Meanwhile Biden urged his vast list of supporters to contribute to what is now the Harris campaign, saying in an email sent Sunday afternoon that picking her as his running mate is the “best decision I’ve made.”
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” Biden wrote. “Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. And if you’re with us, donate to her campaign.”
Biden’s legacy: far-reaching accomplishments that didn’t translate into political support
Historians and political advisers say history will be kinder to President Joe Biden than voters have been.
David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said Biden’s legacy will include many legislative achievements, but above all, he will be remembered as the president who defeated Donald Trump.
Read more about Biden’s legacy
White House expects no serious challenge to Harris; convention delegates show early signs of unity
Inside the White House, there’s low expectation that Harris will get a serious challenge following Biden’s endorsement, according to a person familiar with deliberations who requested anonymity to discuss the private conversations.
Among potential top tier contenders, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has already said she won’t run, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he would back Harris if she became the nominee.
Other names that have been bandied about as viable contenders — including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper — would also seem unlikely to run in light of Biden’s endorsement for Harris and the expected fundraising advantage she would hold over anyone else.
Meanwhile delegates who are pledged to support Biden at the Democratic National Convention expressed admiration for the president and also showed early signs of uniting around Harris.
“I believe it’s her time and has earned the right to be our nominee,” said Paul Pezzella, a Massachusetts delegate who has been active in Democratic politics for decades. “I can’t think any American isn’t sad about Biden’s decision and that he has proven to be a patriot.”
Lee Cutler, political coordinator for the Northeast Area Labor Council affiliated with the Minnesota AFL-CIO, said he wishes Democrats had been able to start the process of replacing Biden earlier in the electoral cycle but he is also proud of the president.
“When we were voting for Biden, we were also voting for Kamala Harris,” Cutler said. “We were voting for an 82-year-old man.”
— Aamer Madhani
Upcoming Biden-Netanyahu meeting is still on
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House this week as planned, despite Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race, a person familiar with Biden’s schedule said Sunday.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said the exact timing of the meeting has not been established because Biden is recovering from COVID-19.
Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver an address to Congress on Wednesday. He is also expected to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination.
An official in Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the Israeli leader was set to travel to Washington, as scheduled, on Monday. The official also spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement.
— Aamer Madhani and Josef Federman
Some world reactions to Biden’s withdrawal
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov urged Russians to “pay attention” and “watch what will happen” in the U.S. election in November now that Biden has withdrawn his candidacy.
Peskov was quoted by Russian pro-Kremlin tabloid Life.ru as saying that “there are still four months until the elections. And this is a long period, during which a lot can change.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Biden a friend and said the president has achieved a lot for the U.S., Europe and the world. Scholz cited a strong NATO and close transatlantic cooperation as examples.
New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met Biden for the first time this month, said he knows he reached his decision based on what he believes is in the “best interests of the American people.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanked Biden and the first lady Jill Biden, saying on the social platform X; “He’s a great man, and everything he does is guided by his love for his country. As President, he is a partner to Canadians — and a true friend.”
And Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the U.S. president for his “leadership and ongoing service” and said the two countries’ alliance “has never been stronger with our shared commitment to democratic values, international security, economic prosperity and climate action for this and future generations.”
Clyburn, credited with helping Biden win the 2020 nomination, endorses Harris
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, who is credited with helping President Joe Biden win the party’s nomination four years ago with his endorsement, has thrown his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Clyburn, a co-chair of Biden’s campaign, said the president showed good judgment in choosing a running mate who has the necessary “values and vision.” He said he is proud to follow Biden’s lead in supporting Harris.
Clyburn also heaped praise on Biden. He said the president “improved the lives of countless Americans through his selfless service” and thanked him for his strong leadership.”
Vance says Harris ‘owns’ Biden’s policies
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, who was initially expected to face off against Kamala Harris in a debate, linked her Sunday to all of Biden’s policies.
Vance said Harris “co-signed” Biden’s border and climate policies and that those drove up prices for housing and groceries.
“She owns all of these failures,” Vance said on the social platform X.
“President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoever’s at the top of the Democrat ticket,” the Ohio senator said. “Bring it on.”
Kamala Harris says she’s honored to have Biden’s support
Vice President Kamala Harris says she is honored to have President Joe Biden’s support to replace him as the Democratic nominee heading into the November election.
Harris said she intends to “earn and win this nomination.”
She released a statement calling the 81-year-old Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign a “selfless and patriotic act.”
She also thanked Biden for “extraordinary leadership” and argued that his legacy as a one-term president would surpass the records of many chief executives who served two terms in office.
Some Democratic governors praise Biden but don’t immediately endorse Harris as his successor
Govs. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Laura Healy of Kansas, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Tim Walz of Minnesota are among Democrats who are praising Biden’s record of public service. But they didn’t follow the president’s lead and endorse Harris as his successor.
Beshear said Biden will be remembered as a “consequential president” who, with Harris, led the country through the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Walz, who heads the Democratic Governors Association, said “history will look fondly on his legacy.”
Healy said few could have “risen to the challenge” like Biden. The Massachusetts governor had issued a statement several weeks ago urging Biden to think hard about his campaign.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also praised Biden’s public service Sunday, saying on social media platform X that Biden “knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump.”
“My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan,” she said.
Former President Barack Obama praises Biden, stops short of endorsing Harris
Former President Barack Obama has praised President Joe Biden’s decision to abandon his reelection quest. But Obama stopped short of endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to replace Biden as the Democratic nominee the 2024 presidential race.
Obama called Biden, his former vice president, “one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me.”
Obama said Sunday that when he picked Biden as his running mate in the 2008 campaign, “what I came to admire even more was his character — his deep empathy and hard-earned resilience; his fundamental decency and belief that everyone counts.”
Obama said Biden “has never backed down from a fight,” adding that “he wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America.
Of what’s to come, Obama said he has “extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.” That nominee will face Republican and former President Donald Trump in November.
Clintons throw their support behind Kamala Harris
Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a joint statement endorsing Kamala Harris, saying it’s time to “fight with everything we’ve got” to elect her.
The Clintons said Biden in his “extraordinary career” had “lifted America out of an unprecedented pandemic, created millions of new jobs, rebuilt a battered economy, strengthened our democracy, and restored our standing in the world.”
They added that Biden’s leadership had “advanced our founders’ charge to build a more perfect union and his own stated goal of restoring the soul of our nation.”
DNC says top priority is a candidate who can beat Trump
Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison says following President Joe Biden’s abandoning his reelection bid that “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,” Harrison said in a statement, with “a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”
“This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the party,” Harrison added. “Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.”
His statement also noted: “In short order, the American people will hear from the Democratic Party on next steps and the path forward for the nomination process.”
Biden throws support behind his vice president, Kamala Harris
President Joe Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take on Trump in November, and encouraged the Democratic Party to unite behind her.
In a stunning social media post Sunday, Biden announced he was pulling out of the race for a second term in the White House.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. 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,” Biden wrote in a letter posted to his X account.
Biden threw his support behind Harris.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” he said in a separate post. “Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump.”
Schumer, first lady react to decision by Biden to drop reelection bid
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that President Joe Biden “has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being.
Biden announced Sunday that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
“His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first,” said Schumer, who traveled to Rehoboth Beach earlier this month to speak to Biden directly about the race. “Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”
First lady Jill Biden responded by reposting the president’s letter announcing his decision and adding red heart emojis.
Granddaughter Naomi Biden Neal said on social media that “I’m nothing but proud of my Pop.”
She said he has served the country “with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction” and that “our world is better today in so many ways thanks to him.”
Biden ends his bid for reelection
President Joe Biden announced that he is ending his bid for reelection after a disastrous debate inflamed doubts he’s fit for four more years on the job.
He made the announcement Sunday.
The president said he will address the American people later this week “in more detail about my decision.”
Biden’s doctor acknowledges citing incorrect data about the president’s COVID-19 infection
White House doctor Kevin O’Connor has acknowledged making a mistake when he said the COVID-19 strain that infected Biden is responsible for a third of new cases in the United States.
O’Connor said Sunday in a new report on the president’s health that the correct percentage is about 12.8% of new coronavirus cases.
“In yesterday’s update, I incorrectly stated that the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) KP.2.3 variant accounted for approximately 33.3% of new cases in the United States. The correct percentage is approximately 12.8%,” O’Connor said.
The doctor said Biden’s symptoms have “improved significantly” and his vital signs remain “absolutely normal.” Biden is recovering at his Delaware beach home.
Secret Service acknowledges that it denied Trump extra security
The Secret Service is acknowledging that it denied some requests by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign for increased security at his events in the years before the assassination attempt on him at a recent rally.
In the immediate aftermath of the July 13 attack, the law enforcement agency had denied rejecting such requests. But the Secret Service acknowledged late Saturday, a week after the attempt on Trump’s life, that it had turned back some requests to increase security around the former president.
The reversal is likely to be a key focus of a congressional hearing Monday where Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is expected to appear before lawmakers who have been expressing anger over security lapses that allowed a 20-year-old gunman to climb atop the roof of a nearby building at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and fire his weapon.
Trump was wounded in the right ear, one rallygoer was killed and two others were injured.
