Biden’s Decision to End His Re-election Campaign
President Biden’s beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware, serves as a place for him to relax and reflect with his family. It was there, on Saturday evening, that Biden made the decision to withdraw from the presidential race.
The 81-year-old had spent the day recovering from COVID-19. While his voice was still hoarse and his words occasionally interrupted by a cough, he received updates from his staff on economic news and the investigation into a security breach at a Trump rally.
By the end of the day, Biden realized he needed to address his political future. The Republican Party had just concluded their convention in Milwaukee, firmly behind Trump and ready to make Biden’s age a key issue in the campaign. The Democratic Party, in contrast, was facing growing calls for Biden to drop out as polls showed him trailing behind Trump.
Biden gathered his deputy chief of staff, Congress liaison, political advisor, First Lady Jill Biden, and her senior advisor at his beach house.
He informed the group of his decision to step down from the race, a historic move just four months before the election. The night was spent crafting his statement and planning the next steps. This news remained confidential until the following day.
On Sunday afternoon, Biden called Vice President Kamala Harris to inform her of his decision and endorse her for the presidency. He then spoke with his chief of staff and campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, who had recently assured donors, senators, and the press that Biden would remain in the race. He also attempted to reach his friend, Senator Chris Coons, but Coons was unavailable due to a conference.
At 1:45 pm, Biden held a call with his senior advisors and campaign aides, informing them of his withdrawal. Simultaneously, a letter addressed to the American people was posted on his X account. In the letter, Biden described serving as President as the greatest honor of his life, but stated that he believed it was in the best interests of the party and the country for him to step down and focus on fulfilling his presidential duties.
The news sent shockwaves through the nation and the world, completely altering the presidential race. However, one question remained: would Biden offer his opinion on whether Harris should be the Democratic nominee?
Twenty-seven minutes later, Biden posted a second message, this one directed towards fellow Democrats. He stated that choosing Harris as his running mate in 2020 was the best decision he ever made and offered his full support and endorsement for her nomination. He urged Democrats to unite and defeat Trump.
With these two social media posts, the Biden-Harris campaign came to an end. The President spent the rest of the afternoon working to transition his support to Harris, connecting with union leaders, governors, and Democratic power players. This effort appeared to be successful as endorsements for the Harris campaign poured in throughout the afternoon and evening.