Biden informed the leadership a minute before public declaration
Who didn't know when Joe Biden decided not to run for a second term? According to a media report, even his leadership team found out about it directly before the public announcement.
US-President Joe Biden informed his staff at 1:45 PM (local time) that he had changed his mind and would not be running for re-election. His staff only learned of this right before the public announcement from the president. The "New York Times" reported this based on a source familiar with the matter. "It was still full steam ahead last night," the anonymous source said. Several Biden campaign staffers had appeared on TV earlier and had stated that he would remain in the race.
Approximately 30 minutes before Biden's announcement, his campaign staff reportedly called delegates and urged them to declare their support for him. A delegate, Nick Koenig, a student from Idaho, said that a campaign worker called him at 1:12 PM and asked, "Can Biden count on you?" Koenig added, "It's absolutely crazy."
Biden announced his withdrawal on X. In a letter, he stated that he would focus on fulfilling his duties in his remaining term, which lasts until January 2025. He plans to address the nation later in the week to explain his decision.
"It was the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden wrote. "Although I intended to run for re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to retire and focus solely on the fulfillment of my duties as President in my remaining term."
After announcing that he would no longer run for a second term, Biden suggested his deputy Kamala Harris as his replacement candidate for the November election. He made this known on X, Facebook, and Instagram. The 81-year-old stated that it was his best decision in the 2020 election to choose Harris as his vice presidential candidate. He therefore gives her his full support as the Democratic candidate to run in the upcoming election.
Despite initially planning to run for a second term, Joe Biden shocked his team and the public by announcing his withdrawal from the United States Presidency Election 2024 at a later date. Even his closest advisors learned of this decision just before the public announcement.
If Joe Biden decides not to seek re-election in 2024, his vice president Kamala Harris is poised to become the Democratic candidate in the United States Presidency Election, as suggested by Biden himself.
