The Evening: Biden drops out of the race

A special edition on Biden's historic decision and what comes next.

View in browser|nytimes.com July 21, 2024 By Daniel E. Slotnik Good evening. We are bringing you this special edition of The Evening about President Biden's decision to drop his re-election bid. President Biden said he would address the nation about his decision later this week. Eric Lee/The New York Times Biden abandoned his re-election bid President Biden abandoned his bid for re-election today, succumbing to intense pressure from the Democratic Party in a dramatic attempt to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House. No sitting president has dropped out of a race so late in an election cycle. Follow our live coverage. "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 endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee. Here's where she stands on key issues. "My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President," he said in a subsequent online post. "And it's been the best decision I've made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year." Not long after, 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." Biden, 81, announced his withdrawal after a disastrous debate performance against Trump intensified concerns about the president's age and ability to win the election. Biden defied calls to drop out for weeks and told aides as recently as last night that the campaign was still full speed ahead. Most of his staff was informed of his decision at 1:45 p.m., one minute before Biden posted his announcement. Read more from my colleague Peter Baker on the president's momentous decision. Vice President Kamala Harris said she is running for president. Erin Schaff/The New York Times Choosing a new 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. Biden has endorsed Harris and can recommend what his delegates should do, but he does not control the outcome. Several prominent Democratic governors are seen as potential nominees. 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 this process can go, according to Democratic Party leaders and strategists. First, 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, and they say that the party would be better off with a more competitive selection process. If more candidates get into the race, there could be party-sanctioned forums across the country, with party delegates ultimately deciding the nominee. Democrats will gather in Chicago on Aug. 19 for their nominating convention; the nominee is scheduled to deliver the acceptance speech on Aug. 22. Harris has already received prominent endorsements, including by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mark Warner, by the political arm of the Congressional Black Caucus and by Bill and Hillary Clinton. Recent polls have shown her performing better than Biden against Trump nationally and in some swing states. Donald Trump seized on President Biden's decision to end his bid for re-election, saying he was never fit to serve. Doug Mills/The New York Times What this means for Donald Trump Biden's announcement could upend a race that seemed to favor Trump after the debate. Trump has tried to depict himself as strong and Biden as frail, so Biden's departure could undermine a central argument of his campaign. Trump's team is already trying to find an effective message to take down Harris, my colleagues Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan reported today before Biden's announcement. Trump 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!" Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House, said on X that Biden should resign "immediately." Trump, 78, often rambles incoherently and has confused names, dates and facts just as Biden has. But Republicans have not turned against him. From Opinion A better chance: By bowing out of the presidential race, Biden appears to have increased the odds that Democrats can hold onto the White House and compete strongly for control of Congress, Nicholas Kristof writes. Biden's sacrifice: Joe Biden just put country first. What an extraordinary moment in American history, Patrick Healy writes. An extraordinary message: Campaigning Democrats can now talk about the differences between what Biden is doing now and Trump's titanically selfish and destructive behavior in 2020, when he sought to stay in power, Frank Bruni writes. Thanks for reading. Matthew Cullen will be back tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at evening@nytimes.com. And follow The New York Times on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and TikTok at @nytimes. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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