United States President Joe Biden has announced his withdrawal from the presidential race.
Mr. Biden’s decision came four months before the country’s 2024 presidential election.
Joe Biden’s campaign has been thrust into pressure, as panic and worry about his election chances pour in from the highest levels of the Democratic party.
Below are some incidents and people who called for his withdrawal:
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had expressed concerns in private to Mr Biden about his candidacy.
His former running mate, former President Barack Obama, had reportedly said Mr Biden’s chances of winning the election have greatly diminished.
On why he should quit, US senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat said it was time for Biden to “to pass the torch to a new generation”. Leaving the race, Manchin said, would allow Biden to focus on issues the president cared about, including helping Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion and ending Israel’s war on Gaza.
“He will go down with a legacy unlike many people, as one of the finest and truly a [patriotic] American,” Manchin said. “So, with that, I come with a heavy heart to think the time has come for him to pass the torch to a new generation,” he said during an interview.
Similarly, a 6 July letter from high-ranking congressman Jamie Raskin, a Maryland representative, compared the president to a baseball pitcher whose arm has “tired out”.
Mr Biden, 81, has repeatedly and defiantly declared he is “not going anywhere”, urging his party to refocus on the task of defeating Donald Trump.
But the calls to exit are nearing a crescendo as Democratic politician, donors and voters speak out against the president’s candidacy.
Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol came out in growing numbers against the idea of Mr Biden staying in the race.
It began five days after the June 27 debate with Lloyd Doggett, a 15-term Texas congressman, who said that it was time for Mr Biden to “make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw”.
Mr Doggett, 77, who sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, said he respected “all that President Biden has achieved” but that the Democrat had failed to “effectively defend his many accomplishments” on the debate stage.
Only three members of the Senate publicly called for Mr Biden to drop out. They are Peter Welch of Vermont, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Montana’s Jon Tester, who is fighting for re-election.
They have been joined by House colleagues including the likes of Adam Schiff, California’s likely next senator, and several members in tight re-election races of their own. The others are:
Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Mike Quigley of Illinois, Angie Craig of Minnesota, Adam Smith of Washington, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Pat Ryan of New York, Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Hillary Scholten of Michigan, Brad Schneider of Illinois, Ed Case of Hawaii, Greg Stanton of Arizona, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Scott Peters of California, Eric Sorensen of Illinois, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state, Mike Levin of California, Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, Jim Costa of California, Sean Casten of Illinois, Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Chuy Garcia of Illinois, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California.
President Joe Biden bowed to pressure yesterday and withdrew from the United States Presidential race.
He made the announcement on his X platform (former Twitter).
In his statement, President Biden thanked his Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she was an “extraordinary partner”.
“And let me express my heartfelt appreciation for the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me,” his statement added.
“I believe today and always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together.
