WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said in a primetime address to the nation on Wednesday that while he respects the presidency, he is ending his campaign for a second term because “I love my country more.”
“I have decided that the best way to move forward is to pass the baton to the next generation,” he said in the Oval Office. “That's the best way to unite our country.”
In his first public remarks since dropping out of the presidential race on Sunday, Biden vowed in a solemn 11-minute speech to spend the remaining six months of his term in office working to ensure America remains strong, secure and a leader in the free world.
“Protecting democracy is more important than any title,” he said. “I get strength and joy from my work. for I'm talking about the American people. But this sacred mission of perfecting our union isn't about me. It's about you. Your families. Your future. It's about We the People.”
Biden ended his campaign for a second term on Sunday after weeks of pressure from Democrats and big donors worried he would lose to Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump. Biden's withdrawal thrust the presidential race into uncharted territory just four months before the election.
Vice President Kamala Harris quickly announced her candidacy and Biden endorsed her, and Harris has since raised more than $126 million for her fledgling campaign and already has more than enough delegates to secure the party's nomination.
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In a letter announcing his withdrawal from the race, Biden said that while he always intended to run for a second term, “I believe it is in the best interest of our party and our country to step down and focus solely on fulfilling the duties of my office for the remainder of my term.”
Pressure for Biden to withdraw began to grow after last month's debate with Trump raised questions about his physical and mental acuity and whether he could serve another four years in office, but the White House insisted on Monday, hours before Biden's speech, that concerns about his health had nothing to do with his decision to drop out of the race.
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During his speech, Biden made it clear that he intends to serve out the remainder of his term.
Biden said that over the next six months he plans to carry out his duties as president by working to ease the burden on families, grow the economy and protect individual freedoms and civil rights, from the right to vote to the right to choose.
He said he would continue to rally a coalition of allies to stop Russian President Putin's occupation of Ukraine and would continue working to end the war in Gaza and bring peace to the Middle East.
Biden said he would also continue to push ahead with his “moonshot” plan to reform the Supreme Court and eradicate cancer.
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America remains “a land of hope and possibility, of dreamers and doers,” he said.
While Biden spoke, his wife Jill Biden, his son Hunter Biden and other family members sat in chairs along the curved walls of the Oval Office and watched the speech.
Alluding to the upcoming election, Biden praised Harris for being a great partner and leader for the country.
““She's experienced,” he said. “She's tough. She's capable.”
Now, he said, the future direction of the country rests on the American people.
“The great thing about America is that we don't have kings or dictators in charge here,” he said. “The people are in charge. History is in your hands. Power is in your hands. The ideals of America are in your hands.”
Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him at X @mcollinsNEWS..
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