President Joe Biden delivered a prime-time speech from the Oval Office on Wednesday, announcing his decision to step down from the presidential race and hand over the campaign reins to Vice President Kamala Harris. Speaking from a teleprompter that appeared slightly too high for his line of sight, Biden reflected on the legacy of the presidency, expressing his love for the office and emphasizing the importance of defending democracy.
“The defense of democracy, which is at stake, is more important than any title,” Biden stated. “I’ve made it clear that America is at an inflection point,” he said, echoing words previously spoken by his press secretary. “One of those rare moments in history where the decisions we make now will determine the fate of our nation and the world for decades to come. America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division.”
He stumbled over his words before addressing the necessity of “character in public life.” Biden emphasized the need to “unite to protect” democracy and explained that he left the race to “unite” his party. “In recent weeks,” he said, “it’s become clear to me that I need to unite my party in this critical endeavor. I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term.”
“Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy, and that includes personal ambition. And I’ve decided that the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That’s the best way to unite our nation. You know, there is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life, and there’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, and yes, younger voices, and that time and place is now.”
Biden tapped on his desk for emphasis, clearly indicating that he believed the best way to unite his party was to offer a candidate who could win. His press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, had previously stated that Biden was not stepping down due to health reasons and encouraged reporters to watch his speech.
In his address, Biden acknowledged his age, saying, “I’ve stepped out of the race for my political party and because I suddenly realized I’m too old to win.” He is 81 years old. He promised to continue doing his job and highlighted that, as part of that job, he is “the first president in this century to be able to report to the American people that the United States is not at war anywhere in the world.” However, the U.S. is currently providing significant financial and military support to Ukraine and is also supporting both sides of the conflict in Israel following a terror attack in October 2023.
Biden spoke about the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Russia, stating, “We’ll keep rallying a coalition of proud nations to stop Putin from taking over Ukraine and doing more damage.” He also pledged to make NATO “more powerful and more united than at any time in history.”
Biden then highlighted his accomplishments, aiming to solidify his legacy from his three and a half years in office. He emphasized his commitment to diversity, noting his appointment of a Supreme Court justice based on race and sex, and praised Vice President Kamala Harris, his first DEI hire, whom he chose as his running mate after promising to select a Black woman for the position.
“Whether we keep our republic is in your hands,” he said, delivering a speech that felt more like a farewell than a mid-term address. “History is in your hands, the power is in your hands, the idea of America lies in your hands. You just have to keep the faith, keep the faith.”
“Remember who we are. We are the United States of America, and there is simply nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. So let’s act together to preserve our democracy.”