I'm quitting to defend democracy, Biden says
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The news: US President Joe Biden says he chose not to seek re-election "in defence of democracy" from Republican rival Donald Trump, using his first public address since quitting the race to urge support for Vice President Kamala Harris.
The context: In his first public address since announcing he was dropping out of the race on Sunday (US time), Biden said he would use his remaining months in office to push for Supreme Court reform — which he said was “critical to democracy” — and protecting Americans from gun violence.
Biden faced weeks of pressure to quit from Democratic powerbrokers after his disastrous debate performance, in which he repeatedly delivered non-sensical answers and trailed off while speaking.
The 81 year old, who is currently recovering from COVID-19, reportedly accepted his fate after former speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama made clear they did not think he could defeat Trump.
Biden, who endorsed Harris, is the first US President not to seek re-election since Lyndon Johnson in 1968.
The Democrats quickly rallied around the vice president, ending the prospect of a contested convention (DNC) in just over a fortnight. Harris will be officially nominated at the convention, and is yet to announce her running mate.
The Trump campaign filed a complaint to the Federal Election Commission this week, arguing Biden transferring campaign funds to Harris was illegal.
The numbers: A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted just after Biden’s announcement found Harris leading Trump 44% to 42% nationally.
What they said: Speaking in a prime time address from the Oval Office, Biden said: “America is at an inflection point, one of those rare moments in history where the decisions we make now determine the fate of our nation and the world for decades to come … Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition ... Whether we keep our republic is now in your hands".
