Breaking News: Biden Drops Out of 2024 Race, Endorses Harris

News Today: President Biden Ends Campaign, Endorses Harris

US President Joe Biden has ended his re-election campaign and endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic presidential candidate. In his statement, Biden, 81, expressed it was the “greatest honour” to serve as president but he was withdrawing “in the best interest of my party and the country”. Ms Harris, 59, expressed her honour in receiving Biden’s endorsement and vowed to unite the country against Republican candidate Donald Trump.

This surprising turn of events follows Biden’s poor debate performance against Trump on June 27, which raised concerns about his age and mental fitness. Several senior Democrats, including Barack Obama and Chuck Schumer, praised Biden’s decision, although not all openly supported his endorsement of Ms Harris. The Democratic National Convention in August will now focus on uniting around Harris, although other senior Democrats are also being considered as potential candidates.

While Trump criticized Biden’s fitness to serve, senior Democrats and party leaders lauded Biden’s presidency. Despite Biden’s recent summit with NATO leaders, which was intended to reassure his party, his missteps only heightened concerns. In his final statement, Biden thanked the American people for their trust and emphasized the unity and resilience of the nation. The Democratic National Committee held an emergency meeting to address the upcoming national convention, scheduled for August 19, where delegates will now decide on the new Democratic candidate. The political landscape has been significantly reshaped, with the focus shifting to the party’s ability to coalesce around a new candidate and challenge Trump in the upcoming election.