BETHLEHEM, Pa. — In a national address from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden sought to define his legacy and pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris Wednesday in his first public remarks since abandoning his campaign for a second term.
Since the 2020 election, Biden has likened his political campaigns against former President Donald Trump as a battle for America's soul, saying the Republican nominee is a direct threat to democracy. But in recent weeks, Biden said, it's become clear that he is no longer the person who can unite his party to win that fight.
"I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future all merited a second term. But nothing — nothing — can come in the way of saving our democracy. And that includes personal ambition,"Joe Biden
"I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future all merited a second term. But nothing — nothing — can come in the way of saving our democracy. And that includes personal ambition," Biden said.
Biden did not directly bring up his disastrous presidential debate performance or the resulting questions about his mental acuity during the 11-minute speech. But he did acknowledge that his party is looking for a new generation to lead the way forward. He praised Harris as a tough, experienced partner who was capable of leading the way.
"You know, there is a time and place for long years of experience in public life. But there's also a time and a place for new voices. Fresh voices. Yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now," he said.
Since Biden quit his campaign Sunday, Republicans have called on the 81-year-old Democrat to resign from office. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., argued that if Biden isn't up for seeking re-election, he isn't up for leading the nation for the next six months. But Biden gave no indication he would consider the move.
Along with spelling out some his administration's accomplishments — signing legislation to fight climate change, appointing the first African American Supreme Court justice and making major investments to bring microchip manufacturing back to American soil, among others — Biden spelled out goals he hopes to accomplish before his term ends.
One such goal is Supreme Court reform, though he did not provide any details to what that proposal could include. The high court has been rocked by scandals over the past year after ProPublica reported that conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas have accepted luxury gifts from Republican donors without reporting them. Thomas also failed to report that he sold a property to a GOP-mega donor who continues to let his mother live on the property, reporters found.
More recently, Alito has come into controversy after the New York Times found his properties flew an upside-down American flag and an Appeal to Heaven flag; both have been adopted by Trump supporters who falsely allege the 2020 election was stolen.
"We are the United States of America, and there are simply nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. So, let’s act together. Preserve our democracy."Joe Biden
Following the controversies, the Supreme Court adopted its first ethics policy in its history, but critics have argued more stringent rules are needed. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would require Supreme Court justices to recuse themselves from cases involving possible conflicts of interest, though it appears unlikely to pass given through a divided Congress.
Biden, who stumbled over his words during his remarks Wednesday, closed by talking about the American dream. Nowhere other than in America could a stuttering kid from humble beginnings rise to become a global leader, he said. He expressed his gratitude to the nation and called on it to preserve that dream.
"We are the United States of America, and there are simply nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. So, let’s act together. Preserve our democracy," Biden said.
Muted reaction
The news Sunday that Biden was dropping out of the race rocked the political establishment and drew reaction from elected officials across the world. Following his speech Wednesday, reaction was more subdued.
Gov. Joshua Shapiro; U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey, D-Penn.; Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick; and U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, did not immediately release public comment on social media.
Trump, who has never been shy about attacking his political rivals, didn't hold back.
Lehigh Valley congressional candidate Ryan Mackenzie was similarly critical.
"President Biden failed to reach the moment by being exceedingly partisan. He doubled down on his failed record that has led to high inflation, an open border and a lack of diplomacy around the world, and he failed to directly address why he got ushed out by Democratic donors and elites," Mackenzie said.
Among the Lehigh Valley's delegation of state lawmakers, state Reps. Mike Schlossberg and Josh Siegel praised Biden. Siegel compared the president to Cincinnatus, the Roman general whose decision to surrender his near total authority has made him an icon of republics for millennia.
Tremendous respect and admiration for @POTUS, from the founding of our nation, George Washington was compared to Cincinnatus, the Roman statesman who twice gave up absolute power after saving the Republic.
— Rep. Joshua Siegel (@JoshuaSiegelPA) July 25, 2024
Biden deserves equal reverence for his sacrifice and passing the torch.
Biden's decision to pull out of the race has reshaped the presidential election. National pundits and high-profile Democratic donors painted a doomsday scenario for the party after the June 27 Biden-Trump debate. Biden's halting speech and mumbled responses fed into Republican attacks that he was physically and mentally unfit for another four years in the White House.
While Biden attempted to downplay the debate as a one-off poor night, the party slipped away from him.
In a leaked House leadership call, several Democrats said Biden needed to leave the ticket. Wild, the ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, said Biden was hurting down-ballot races but said she stopped short of calling on Biden to drop out.
In the 72 hours since Biden's decision to leave the race, a reinvigorated Democratic Party has rallied around Vice President Kamala Harris. Nearly all of her would-be rivals for the nomination have endorsed her.
It remains to be seen if Harris can hang onto the momentum and pullout a victory in November, but she appears set to secure the nomination by Aug. 7
Biden's decision marks the first time since 1968 that a sitting president pulled out of a bid for re-election when President Lyndon B. Johnson, deeply unpopular over the Vietnam War and in failing health, stunned the nation by pulling out of the Democratic primaries.
