Biden Delivers First Speech After Exiting Presidential Race

President Joe Biden addressed the nation Wednesday from the Oval Office for the first time since the Sunday announcement that he would not run for reelection. 

In what was functionally a stump speech for Vice President Kamala Harris, his preferred successor, Biden appealed to “democracy” and “the American idea.” The president did not explain why he chose to exit the race or reassure the American people that he can lead the country over the next six months.

“America’s going to have to choose between moving forward and moving backward,” he said.

“When you elected me in this office, I promised to always level with you, to tell you the truth,” Biden continued. The president then gave a list of accomplishments, such as appointing the first black woman to the Supreme Court and “securing” the southern border. 

The president also illustrated several goals he hoped to achieve before the end of his term, like curing cancer. “I will keep fighting for my cancer moonshot so we can end cancer as we know it,” he said. “We can do it.”

But the allegedly unique nature of the 2024 election cycle was his recurring theme. “The very nature of who we are is at stake,” he concluded. “The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule; the people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands.”

The president did not provide further clarity on his decision to step down from the Democratic nomination, nor did he address the campaign by party grandees to oust him after his poor June 27 debate performance. 

The president also did not disclose why he did not make any public appearances before Tuesday, a decision which set off wild speculation about his condition.