Joe Biden has officially dropped out of the race, releasing a public statement on X/Twitter. He has also backed Kamala Harris as his successor.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Political analysts and campaign staff are already wargaming the posibilities. Harris is not officially the party nominee, and will have to fight for that position in the August convention. Other Democrats will likely back her if she seems likely to lose, as they do not wish to inherit Biden’s mantle and would have better chances in 2028. The NY Post says:
President Biden made the unprecedented decision Sunday to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, less than four months after being declared the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee and just weeks after a dismal debate showing.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” the 81-year-old embattled commander-in- chief wrote in a remarkable letter that he addressed to “My Fellow Americans.”
JD Vance, Trump’s VP pick, made the point that Biden has to also resign from the Presidency if he is unable to run for President due to health reasons. To do otherwise would be putting America’s security at risk. Fox News continues:
Newly minted Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance wrote in an X post Friday that if Democrats believe President Biden doesn’t have the mental acuity to continue to run for re-election, it would be difficult to argue he should remain president until next January.
“If Joe Biden doesn’t have the cognitive function to run for re-election, then he certainly doesn’t have the cognitive function to remain as Commander-In-Chief,” Vance posted. “How can any Dem pushing him to drop out of the presidential race, argue in good faith that he should stay on as POTUS?”
If Joe Biden ends his reelection campaign, how can he justify remaining President?
— JD Vance (@JDVance1) July 21, 2024
Not running for reelection would be a clear admission that President Trump was right all along about Biden not being mentally fit enough to serve as Commander-in-Chief.
There is no middle ground.
The Trump campaign will likely have a more difficult time beating Harris than Biden, but new polls will have to be issued to gather data. Still, she has historically fared poorly in elections, especially the 2020 primary where she dropped out before Iowa.
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