Barack Obama praises Biden’s decision to drop out in statement but doesn’t endorse Kamala Harris
FORMER President Barack Obama has applauded President Joe Biden’s choice to drop out of the 2024 campaign race but refused to endorse Biden’s chosen successor in Vice President Kamala Harris.
Obama acknowledged that the nation was in “uncharted waters” while praising Biden’s policies and leadership and calling him a “patriot of the highest order” for stepping aside.
In the statement, Obama said Biden “wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America,” in support of Biden’s choice but failed to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents,” Obama stated per Medium.
“As well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded – again – that he’s a patriot of the highest order.”
Obama recalled his experience picking Biden as his vice president and remarked on how much he admired his “deep empathy and hard-earned resilience; his fundamental decency and belief that everyone counts.”
The former president also wrote about Biden’s accomplishments over his three-and-a-half years saying he “pointed us away from the four years of chaos, falsehood, and division that had characterized Donald Trump’s administration.”
He argued that Biden’s work and track record gave him every right to run.
“Joe understands better than anyone the stakes in this election — how everything he has fought for throughout his life, and everything that the Democratic Party stands for will be at risk if we allow Donald Trump back in the White House and give Republicans control of Congress.”
Obama also said, “Joe has never backed down from a fight.”
“For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life,” the former president stated.
“But I know he wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America.
“It’s a testament to Joe Biden’s love of country — and a historic example of a genuine public servant once again putting the interests of the American people ahead of his own that future generations of leaders will do well to follow.”
Obama added, “We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”
However, at the end of his statement, Obama only expressed “love and gratitude” to Biden and Jill Biden, leaving Harris out of his response altogether.
‘EARN AND WIN’
Harris released a statement Sunday afternoon following Biden’s announcement.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden relationship timeline
Former President Barack Obama and Joe Biden have a decades-long relationship and Obama has always stood behind his former VP - until this week when he urged Biden to reconsider his bid for re-election in 2014. Here are the latest developments in their friendship.
- 2005: Obama arrives on Capitol Hill as a freshman Senator.
- 2007: Biden announces his bid for the 2008 presidential election. Biden eventually drops out and is named Obama’s vice president.
- 2008: Obama and Biden win the election.
- 2010: Biden and Obama start having weekly lunches after Biden’s son Beau suffered a stroke.
- May 2011: Biden and Obama approve the mission which resulted in the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
- May 30, 2015: Obama delivers the eulogy at Biden’s son Beau’s funeral.
- October 2015: Biden holds a press conference in the Rose Garden saying that he is done running for office, Obama stands close by in support of his friend.
- January 2016: Obama offers to pay the mortgage on Biden’s house after the vice president revealed he couldn’t pay Beau’s hospital bills.
- 2016: Biden becomes angered after it was revealed Obama was reportedly thinking of replacing him with Hillary Clinton.
- January 2017: Obama surprises Biden by presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him “a lion of American history.”
- January 2020: Former president Obama endorses Biden in the 2020 presidential race at a drive-in rally in Flint, Michigan.
- January 20, 2021: Obama and Michelle attend Biden’s inauguration.
- June 19, 2024: Obama, appearing at a star-studded fundraiser for the Democratic party, helps Biden off stage as questions about Biden’s health and fitness to serve another term swirl.
- June 28, 2024: Obama releases a post on X in support of Biden after his disastrous debate, saying the election is “between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself.”
- June 29, 2024: Obama is called in for crisis talks with aide Ron Klain and Democratic fundraiser Dougie Kass as concerns over Biden’s health continue to mount.
- July 18, 2024: Obama tells Democratic allies that he believes Biden needs to reconsider his candidacy and that his path to victory has greatly diminished.
- July 21, 2024: Obama praises Biden’s decision to drop out but doesn’t endorse VP Kamala Harris despite Biden doing so.
She spoke highly of the president and recalled fond memories of spending time with his son Beau.
Harris also said, “With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else.”
The Vice President went on to say that she was “honored” to receive Biden’s endorsement and she intended to “earn and win this nomination.”
“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election,” she wrote.
“And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.
“We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”
Along with Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton have come forward saying they were “honored” to support her during the election in November.
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What happens next as Joe Biden drops out of the 2024 race?
President Biden has finally heeded calls to drop his bid for re-election, throwing the 2024 election into chaos. He has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris but naming a new Democratic nominee won't be a simple process. Here's what's next after Biden's stunning announcement.
Biden secured nearly 4,000 delegates by winning state caucuses and primaries earlier this year. He was set to officially be named the Democratic nominee at a virtual vote ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which begins on August 19.
Democratic party rules don’t allow Biden to simply pass his 3,896 delegates to Harris or another candidate.
Harris will now have to convince those nearly 4,000 delegates and 700 superdelegates to support her and name her nominee.
However, delegates are free agents who can choose to support whichever candidate they want – likely without input from voters at this stage since primaries and caucuses were already held.
All eyes are now on the previously planned virtual vote – where the Democratic party could choose a nominee before the DNC begins.
Biden’s endorsement of Harris will likely sway delegates and no one has publicly challenged her as a candidate – but delegates are not required to back her. Even if the virtual vote isn’t held, the party could still choose Harris or another candidate before the convention.
If Democrats don’t name their nominee before the DNC, it’ll be the first open and contested convention since 1968.