President Joe Biden delayed his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race because of his lack of faith in Vice President Kamala Harris, three Biden aides familiar with recent talks about his plans told Axios.
81-year-old Biden dropped out of the presidential race Sunday through a letter released on Twitter as he quarantined at his Delaware residence due to a COVID-19 diagnosis. The president previously delayed making the announcement, even amid the growing number of calls from Democrats for him to step aside, because he did not think Harris was up to the task of being the presidential nominee, the sources told Axios. (RELATED: ‘Got To Take The Keys’: Media Reactions To Biden Stepping Down Include Shock, Tears)
Within thirty minutes of dropping out of the race, Biden endorsed Harris to be the nominee in a separate tweet. His initial letter thanked the vice president for her service during his administration but failed to endorse her.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Several big Democratic players moved to endorse Harris after Biden, including Bill and Hillary Clinton and many other lawmakers, including the leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Former President Barack Obama did not make an endorsement, instead saying he had full confidence in the party to find the best nominee.
Trump’s orbit jumped on the evolving Harris news. A PAC aligned with the reelection bid released an ad less than two hours after Biden dropped out.
“Kamala was in on it. She covered up Joe’s obvious mental decline,” a narrator says in the ad. “Kamala knew Joe couldn’t do the job, so she did it. Look what she got done: a border invasion, runaway inflation, the American Dream dead.”
‘She Was In On It’: Trump-Aligned PAC Drops Anti-Kamala Harris Ad Less Than Two Hours After Biden Quit pic.twitter.com/E0Ux78uml9
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 21, 2024
Trump himself reacted to the news of Biden dropping out of the race in a Truth Social post, saying that Biden “was not fit to run” for president and “is certainly not fit to serve.”
“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement,” Trump wrote.
Throughout the years, Harris’ treatment of staffers has resulted in high turnover, Axios reported. Harris would reportedly grill staff the same way she would press officials in congressional hearings.
Former staffers in her office called it “prosecuting the staff,” sources previously told Axios.
Biden is yet to make a public appearance since his decision to drop out of the race, though he noted in his letter that he would address the nation later in the week. His schedule remains unknown for the week of July 21.
