[NOTE: YOU CAN FOLLOW OUR LATEST COVERAGE ON BIDEN'S DEPARTURE IN OUR LIVEBLOG HERE. THIS ARTICLE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED]
JOE BIDEN HAS dropped out of the US presidential race, confirming that he will not seek a second term.
“While it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it in the best interest for the 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,” he said in a post to X.
He thanked Kamala Harris for being an “extraordinary partner” in her role as Vice President, and the American people for their “faith and trust” in him.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
In a follow-up post, seperate from his statement, Biden endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination.
“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 decision I’ve made.
It’s time to come together and beat Trump.
The Democratic Party will hold its convention in Chicago next month, when they will officially choose their nominee for the White House.
He says he will speak to the nation “in detail” about his decision later.
“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,” he concluded.
CNN reported that, in a phone call with the network minutes after Biden’s announcement, his would-be opponent Donald Trump said: “He is the worst president in the history of our country. He goes down as the single worst president by far in the history of our country.”
Biden, who is 81-years-old, came under pressure from both friends and foes to exit the race and make way for a younger candidate.
They’ve voiced concerns about his mental fitness after his disastrous debate performance against former president Trump.
Biden had blamed his meek performance on jetlag and a cold.
He said that only the “Lord Almighty” could convince him to halt his campaign.
Three days ago, he announced he had tested positive for Covid-19 and was experiencing “mild symptoms”.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin reacted to Biden’s departure from the race with “both sadness and admiration”.
In a post to X, he shared photos of him with the US President, describing him as an “abiding friend of Ireland”.
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