President Biden announced Sunday that he will step aside as the Democratic presidential nominee, ending weeks of hand-wringing among party leaders who urged him to leave the race after a disastrous debate performance left many Democrats fearing he was too old for office and unable to defeat former President Trump.
Biden’s decision opens a path for Vice President Kamala Harris and other possible replacement candidates, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, to hastily mount a campaign for the nomination ahead of the Democratic National Convention in mid-August.
“I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” Biden said in a statement. He will address the nation later in the week, he said.
He thanked those who worked on the campaign and Harris for being “an extraordinary partner in all this work,” but he did not endorse her to replace him on the ticket.
A Harris-Trump contest would present a stark contrast between Harris — 59, Black, Asian and the first woman to serve as vice president — against the 78-year-old Trump, a convicted felon whose presidency and campaign have been laced with racist and misogynistic underpinnings. Trump would become the oldest president in office by the end of his term. Harris would be the first woman president.
The groundwork for a last-minute presidential nominee switch-up began in June, when the 81-year-old Biden appeared weak and flustered in a debate against Trump, sending a jolt of panic among Democrats
