Monday Briefing: President Biden quits the race

What happens now and what this could mean for the U.S. election in November.

View in browser|nytimes.com July 22, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. President Biden has ended his campaign for re-election, and Vice President Kamala Harris says she will "earn and win" the Democratic nomination for the White House. In this special edition, we'll report on Biden's decision, what happens now and what this could mean for the U.S. election in November. Serving in the White House "has been the greatest honor of my life," President Biden said. He said he would complete his term in office. Doug Mills/The New York Times President Biden steps aside President Biden abandoned his bid for re-election yesterday, succumbing to intense pressure from the Democratic Party in a dramatic attempt to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House. No sitting U.S. president has dropped out of a race so late in an election cycle. Follow our live coverage of reactions, endorsements and further developments. "It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a letter posted on social media. "And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, 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 he planned to serve out his term, and he endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, offering his "full support." Not long afterward, Harris announced that she was running. "My intention is to earn and win this nomination," she said in a statement. "We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win." Background: Biden, 81, told aides as recently as Saturday night that his campaign was still moving ahead at full speed. Most of his staff was informed of his decision yesterday at 1:45 p.m., one minute before Biden posted his announcement. Here's a timeline of his withdrawal. Response: Democratic voters said they were relieved that Biden was ending his campaign, but many said they remained worried about the political path ahead, as well as whether Americans were ready to elect a Black woman to the nation's highest office. Undecided voters said they could be receptive to other candidates, to an extent. Global reaction: In their statements, foreign leaders did not wade into the turmoil of U.S. politics. Many opted instead for congratulations and empathy for Biden. There is no precedent or historical record to guide the Democratic Party's next steps. Jim Vondruska/Reuters The next nominee Biden's decision sets the stage for an intense, abbreviated scramble to build a new Democratic ticket, the first time in generations that a nominee will be chosen at a convention rather than through primaries. There are more than 4,600 Democratic National Convention delegates, made up of senior party figures, local activists and elected officials who were selected at state party conventions this spring. After getting off to a rocky start in office, Vice President Harris now stands at the brink of leading her party's ticket. Should she become the nominee, she would have only a few months to boost her own weak approval ratings, make a case for a Harris presidency and rally voters against Trump. Here's where she stands on key issues, and what's next for her campaign. Biden has endorsed Harris and can make recommendations that his delegates can follow, but he does not control the outcome. Harris has received a cascade of prominent endorsements from across the ideological spectrum, but other Democrats, including Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, have indicated that they want a competitive process. No top Democrats have so far announced plans to challenge her. There is no precedent or historical record to consult, and the party's rules are not always clear on the details of what will unfold next, but there appear to be two ways the process could unfold: The party could rally around Harris as a unifying force during a time of crisis. She has been vetted and is well known. And she could take over the Biden-Harris campaign apparatus and bank account. But some Democrats have argued that anointing a candidate is risky. If more candidates get into the race, it could result in party-sanctioned forums being held across the country, with party delegates ultimately deciding who the nominee is. Several prominent Democratic governors are seen as potential candidates. Key dates: Democrats will gather in Chicago on Aug. 19 for their nominating convention; the nominee is scheduled to deliver an acceptance speech on Aug. 22. Donald Trump's campaign team has been preparing to attack Kamala Harris. Doug Mills/The New York Times What this means for Donald Trump Biden's announcement could upend a race that, since his disastrous debate performance, has seemed to favor Donald Trump. The decision may have opened up the election, my Opinion colleague Nicholas Kristof writes. "By bowing out of the presidential race, he appears to have increased the odds that Democrats can hold onto the White House and compete strongly for control of Congress." Trump's team is already trying to find an effective message it can use to take down Harris. Meanwhile, the Republican nominee wasted no time going after his departing opponent, writing on social media: "Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve — And never was!" Other Republicans quickly called on the president to resign the office. Republicans had viewed Biden as an easy target even before the debate. Many voters already saw him as too old for a second term, and Republicans bashed him for his handling of the border crisis and tried tying him to soaring inflation and gas prices. More recently, Trump has tried to depict himself as strong and vital by comparison, an argument that Biden's departure could undermine. More from Opinion: Biden placed the national interest above his own pride, the editorial board writes. Now Democrats can refocus the election on the dangers of a second Trump term — and it should not shy away from a competitive process to pick a new nominee. Now that Biden is out, Harris is the only choice to replace him, Tressie McMillan Cottom writes. If Democrats want to prove that their goal is to stop Trump at all costs, they should do something dramatic at their convention: nominate Mitt Romney, writes Aaron Sorkin. Joe Biden just put country first. What an extraordinary moment in American history, Patrick Healy writes. 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We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Cook: Layer warm chickpeas and tomatoes atop crunchy cucumber yogurt. Read: In "Autocracy, Inc.," the historian Anne Applebaum argues that financial institutions and trade deals have enabled the rise of tyranny. Focus: Can you spend 10 minutes staring at one painting? Pack: Fit twice as much in your luggage with packing cubes. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha P.S. Tell us about how self-care has changed for you as you have aged. Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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