New Delhi: US President Joe Biden Wednesday said his decision to drop his re-election campaign and endorse running mate Kamala Harris for the top post was in the interest of democracy and for handing “the torch to a new generation”.
In his first address after he abandoned the presidential race Sunday — a decision he announced on social media — Biden defended his record in office, but said his personal ambition for a second term could not come in the way of “saving our democracy”.
“I revere this office. But I love my country more,” the US president said.
Addressing the nation from the Oval Office, Biden went on to say: “We must unite to protect it (Amercian democracy). In recent weeks, it has become clear to me that I need to unite my party in this critical endeavour. I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term. But nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”
“So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation,” he added.
Biden’s address came a week after he was forced to isolate due to Covid. He returned to Washington D.C. Tuesday to see out his last six-odd months in office.
Also read: How concerns over Biden’s age snowballed, left him isolated with flagging campaign & led to his exit
‘Kamala is tough and capable’
Biden also championed his vice-president Kamala Harris, who is now top of the ticket as the Democratic candidate for president, calling her “experienced”, “tough”, and “capable”.
The incumbent once again painted a democracy in danger, stating the need for voters was to “preserve” it. Biden did not mention Republican candidate Donald Trump in his address.
For over three weeks, Biden was under pressure from his colleagues to withdraw from the race, following his disastrous debate performance against Trump on 27 June that exacerbated questions about his ability to defeat the Republican.
Concerns surrounding his age and fitness for office became a tidal wave after his halting and meandering debate performance.
On Wednesday, as he addressed the nation, the president spoke in a raspy voice, slurring some of his words as the speech went on for a little over 11 minutes.
In defence of his record, Biden argued that his government had prevented China from surpassing the US and that he was the first “president of this century to report to the American people” that the US was not at war anywhere in the world.
During his presidency, however, the US military has defended Israel from Iran’s missile bombardment earlier this year, while the country continues to supply weapons and ammunition to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
“Today we have the strongest economy in the world, creating nearly 16 million new jobs — a record. Wages are up, inflation continues to come down, the racial wealth gap is the lowest it’s been in 20 years,” Biden said.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
This is called “Making virtue out of necessity”
Recall the Lord will have to come down and say, Joe leave the race.