Janice R. Andrews
U.S. President Joe Biden made history by speaking in public for the first time since he withdrew from the 2024 presidential contest. In response to growing criticism over his age and health, Biden disclosed that he resigned in order to avoid being a “real distraction” in the race to succeed former President Donald Trump.
Age and Health Issues
Concerns within his party about Biden’s capacity to withstand the rigors of another presidential campaign led to his withdrawal from the race last month. As the oldest serving president in American history at 81 years old, Biden’s age has drawn criticism from both political pundits and Democrats.
In an interview with CBS, Biden said that he made his choice mostly due to pressure from his Democratic colleagues. “What happened was, a number of my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate thought that I was going to hurt them… and I was concerned if I stayed in the race, that would be the topic you’d be interviewing me about,” Biden said. He voiced worry that the campaign’s important topics would be overshadowed by the continuing conversations about his health.
While acknowledging that he did not provide his best performance in a debate against Trump in late June, Biden insisted that he had “no serious problem” with his health. Still, the president realized that the ongoing inquiry would make it more difficult for the Democratic Party to win in 2024.
Biden’s Objective: Overcoming Trump
Biden’s wish to see Trump lose the next election was one of his main motivations for leaving the contest. He stressed the need of defending American democracy, which he feels is in jeopardy in the event that Trump is elected to a second term. “A critical issue for me still is — not a joke — maintaining this democracy,” Biden said. He continued, “I have an obligation to the country to do what is the most important thing we can do, and that is we must, we must, we must defeat Trump.”
After Trump lost again, Biden said he was a “genuine danger to American security” and doubted that there would be a peaceful handover of power.
Kamala Harris Support
Additionally, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, the new Democratic Party contender, wholeheartedly. He promised to support her campaign, saying, “I’m going to do whatever Kamala thinks I can do to help most.”
Recent polls show that Harris, who just named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice presidential running partner, is presently ahead of Trump in many crucial swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Biden’s decision to resign highlights the seriousness of the situation and his dedication to making sure that Trump does not win another term in office as the election gets closer.
