President Biden has announced he is withdrawing from the Presidential race. In a statement posted to Twitter / X at 1:46 p.m. EST Biden said,
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term."
Questions about his mental acuity at age 81 have raged since his disastrous performance in the Presidential debate on June 27. A number of Congressmen, Senators and major donors and celebrities have called for him to step aside so that another candidate can be chosen. The Democratic National Convention is August 19 - 22 in Chicago. From Reuters:
"By dropping his reelection bid, he clears the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to run at the top of the ticket, the first Black woman to do so in the country's history.
Biden, 81, did not mention her when he announced his move.
It was unclear whether other senior Democrats would challenge Harris for the party's nomination, who was widely seen as the pick for many party officials - or whether the party itself would choose to open the field for nominations."
A chapter in American political history is closing and another is opening. Despite recent events, Biden's accomplishments as President will make him one of the most consequential Presidents in generations.
