US President Joe Biden has opted out of the 2024 US Presidential Race, saying that “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down.”
On expected lines, following huge public outcry on his declining health, Biden stood down and nominated Kamala Harris as the Presidential candidate of the Democratic party. If approved at the Democratic Party convention, Kamala Harris would become the first US presidential candidate of Indian origin. After that, if she wins the November election, she will become the first women & Indian origin President of the United States of America.
This is an unprecedented development in modern US politics and it all happened in less than a month.
US Presidential Debate and Biden’s fall
Here is a timeline of what happened that led to President Biden stepping aside from the 2024 Presidential elections:
27 June: US Presidential debate witnessed a disastrous performance by Biden, whose often-incoherent answers left many wondering about his fitness for office.
28 June: Biden hopes to end doubts with a North Carolina campaign speech where he says: “I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth.”
2 July: Lloyd Doggett becomes the first Democratic Representative to call for Biden to step aside – and is soon joined by others.
5 July: In an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopolous, Biden says only the “Lord Almighty” could persuade him to stand down and he will not take a cognitive test.
8 July: After a weekend of democratic party disagreement, Biden tells news show Morning Joe “I am not going anywhere” and sends Democrats a long letter pleading for unity.
10 July: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tells Morning Joe “it’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run,” making it clear the matter is not settled. George Clooney calls for him to quit in an op-ed, and Peter Welch becomes the first Democratic senator to demand he withdraws.
11 July: At the end of a Nato summit in Washington, Biden refers to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” and Vice-President Harris as Trump.
13 July: The spotlight briefly moves off Biden as Trump is shot in the ear in an attempted assassination.
17 July: Biden tests positive for Covid and pauses campaigning to quarantine. Top Democrat Adam Schiff calls on Biden to “pass the torch.” Other lawmakers take up the saying.
18 July: A clip goes viral of Biden forgetting Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s name in an interview where he also says he’d drop out if a “medical condition emerged.” Reports leak of congressional leaders talking about leaving the race with Obama saying he has low chances of winning.
19 July: Biden announces he will return to the campaign trail the next week. The number of House Democrats demanding his withdrawal hits 30 and major donors turn up the heat.
20 July: Trump slams Democrats for not knowing who their nominee is.
Today, 21 July: In a statement, Biden leaves the presidential race. He endorses Vice-President Kamala Harris to take the top of the ticket.
