"Biden Urges Americans: 'Our Republic is Now in Your Hands, Preserve Our Democracy'"
"Biden Urges Americans: 'Our Republic is Now in Your Hands, Preserve Our Democracy'"
President Joe Biden framed his decision to end his re-election campaign as a "defense of democracy" during an Oval Office address on Wednesday night.
"I revere this office, but I love my country more. The defense of democracy is more important than any title," Biden stated. "I draw strength and find joy in working for the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It’s about you. Your families. Your futures. It’s about ‘We the People.’”
It is rare for an American president to relinquish power voluntarily without electoral defeat or constitutional limits. Biden, who faced significant pressure from within his own party to step aside, framed his decision as one made for the nation's best interest and urged Americans to join him in "preserving our democracy."
Biden and other Democrats have consistently argued that former President Donald Trump, who refused to concede after losing the 2020 election, culminating in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, poses a threat to democracy.
"America’s going to have to choose between moving forward or backward," Biden said, without directly mentioning Trump. "Between hope and hate. Between unity and division."
He concluded, "Our republic is now in your hands."
This speech marked the beginning of Biden's efforts to shape his legacy following a poor debate performance in late June that led many within his party to call for him to withdraw from the campaign. Many Democrats believed that Biden's faltering debate performance and his subsequent struggle to recover had made his re-election path untenable.
“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation," Biden said in a somber tone. "That is the best way to unite our nation."
At a campaign rally in North Carolina on Wednesday night, Trump took a jab at Biden. "Three days ago, we officially defeated the worst president in the history of our country, crooked Joe Biden," he declared.
Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the re-election race early Sunday afternoon, posting on X and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination shortly after.
Harris quickly garnered support from within the party and is expected to secure the nomination, potentially without opposition, by early August.
Biden praised Harris on Wednesday night, saying, "She’s experienced, she’s tough, she’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country."
By stepping aside, Biden became the first eligible incumbent to forgo his party's presidential nomination since Lyndon Johnson in 1968. This marked the end of a career focused on the presidency that began when Biden first ran for office in Delaware in 1970, winning a New Castle County Council seat.
Two years later, at 29, he won a Senate seat, defeating Republican Sen. Caleb Boggs in a tight race. Biden would serve six more Senate terms, chairing the Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees at different times, before becoming vice president in 2008 and winning re-election with President Barack Obama in 2012. In 2020, he emerged from retirement to secure the Democratic presidential nomination and defeat Trump.
By retiring rather than remaining on the 2024 ballot, Biden ends his career undefeated in general elections, though he previously lost in presidential primaries in 1988 and 2008. His presidency saw significant legislative achievements, including a nearly $2 trillion COVID-relief measure, a trillion-dollar infrastructure package, and the Inflation Reduction Act with climate change provisions.
In addition to selecting Harris as the first woman, Black woman, and Asian American vice president, Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman confirmed to the Supreme Court.
Despite his record deserving a second term, Biden emphasized, "Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition."
Biden pledged to continue his agenda until a new president is inaugurated on January 20.
“Over the next six months, I will be focused on doing my job as president," he said. "That means continuing to lower costs for hard-working families and grow our economy. I will keep defending our personal freedoms and civil rights — from the right to vote to the right to choose.”
He concluded with an implicit call for Americans to reject a second Trump presidency, emphasizing the nation's democratic values.
“The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule," he said. "The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands.”
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