Obama offers statement of support after Biden drops out of 2024 race: ‘Patriot of the highest order’
Former President Barack Obama released a statement Sunday afternoon, praising President Biden after he dropped out of the 2024 race. Obama referred to Biden as a “dear friend and partner” as well as a “patriot of the highest order.” “Sixteen years ago, when I began my search for a vice president, I knew about Joe’s remarkable career in public service. But what I came to admire even more was his character — his deep empathy and hard-earned resilience; his fundamental decency and belief that everyone counts,” Obama said. The former president also cited Biden’s track record in the 3½ years he has served as commander-in-chief, saying “he helped end the pandemic, created millions of jobs, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, passed the first major piece of gun safety legislation in 30 years, made the biggest investment to address climate change in history, and fought to ensure the rights of working people to organize for fair wages and benefits.” READ IT: BIDEN DROPS OUT OF 2024 RACE WITH LETTER Obama also referenced former President Donald Trump in his statement, referring to the 45th president’s administration as “four years of chaos, falsehood, and division.” While Obama referred to President Biden’s track record as “outstanding,” he said “Joe understands better than anyone the stakes in this election.” WHAT COMES NEXT FOR DEMOCRATS AFTER BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN SUSPENSION? Obama stressed that “everything that the Democratic Party stands for, will be at risk if we allow Donald Trump back in the White House and give Republicans control of Congress.” “I also know Joe has never backed down from a fight. For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life. But I know he wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America.” Obama shared, “I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August.” The Democratic National Convention will happen in Chicago beginning August 19 through August 22. The former president finished his statement with a note of thanks to both President Biden and Jill Biden. “For now, Michelle and I just want to express our love and gratitude to Joe and Jill for leading us so ably and courageously during these perilous times — and for their commitment to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Noticeably absent from Obama’s statement was any mention of a candidate to replace Biden. Biden himself endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. Bill and Hillary Clinton also expressed their support for Harris as Biden’s replacement.
RNC delegates in Milwaukee revealed what should happen with Biden out of the race: ‘It doesn’t matter’
Days before President Biden announced his exit from the 2024 presidential race on Sunday, Fox News Digital spoke to delegates and attendees in Milwaukee at the Republican National Convention last week about who they think would take his place. Mike Stieben, a delegate from Kansas, predicted the Democrats would put forward Vice President Harris if Biden dropped out, but he added that “it doesn’t matter at all because I think she’s a very weak candidate.” Stieben added that it would be “really problematic for them” if Democrats decided to push Harris to the side in favor of an alternate candidate. Patti O’Brien, a delegate at the convention, said she didn’t believe Biden would actually drop out because no quality candidate was “waiting in the wings” to take his place. TRUMP SAYS BIDEN ‘IS NOT FIT TO SERVE’: ‘WHO IS GOING TO BE RUNNING THE COUNTRY FOR THE NEXT 5 MONTHS?’ “But probably it should go to Kamala,” she told Fox News Digital. “I think [former President] Trump’s going to mop the floor with anybody they put up,” one attendee said, adding that it seemed Biden was “on the way out the door.” One attendee said it would be “totally fine” if Harris became the nominee or even California Gov. Gavin Newsom or former first lady Michelle Obama: “The people, I think, are waking up to know that that’s just not the party of the people anymore. So, it doesn’t matter.” BIDEN ENDS BID FOR 2ND TERM IN WHITE HOUSE AS HE DROPS OUT OF 2024 REMATCH WITH TRUMP “I think he understands, and his compatriots understand, he needs to drop out. So, I think he will. I have no idea who they’re going to put up, you know, to replace him. I would hope it wouldn’t be Kamala, but I have no idea,” another attendee said. Another attendee told Fox News Digital that she has “mixed thoughts” on who would replace Biden, given that Harris is believed to be the only candidate who can immediately access funds in the Biden war chest: “It’s a really unusual situation.” Biden announced Sunday that he will suspend his 2024 re-election campaign amid mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party for the president to drop out after a disastrous debate performance against Trump last month. The unprecedented announcement also came as an increasing number of Democrat lawmakers publicly called for Biden to step aside and the party’s leadership reportedly engaged in efforts to convince the president, 81, he could not win in November’s general election against former Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee who Biden defeated four years ago to win the White House. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” Biden, who endorsed Harris, wrote in a public letter. “While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.” Biden said he will formally address the nation about his decision this week. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
‘Squad’ Dems line up behind Kamala Harris to replace Biden
Democrats in the House’s far-left “Squad” are lining up behind Vice President Kamala Harris to replace President Biden after he made the bombshell announcement that he is dropping out of the 2024 White House race. The group of young progressives who made a name for themselves by rebelling against traditional Democratic Party leaders are quickly falling in line behind 81-year-old Biden’s chosen successor. “This was the president’s decision to make and I’m grateful for his years of service to our country. Thrilled to support [Harris] as our Democratic nominee and remain committed to working alongside her to defeat Donald Trump in November,” Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., wrote on X. BIDEN ENDS BID FOR SECOND TERM IN WHITE HOUSE AS HE DROPS OUT OF HIS 2024 REMATCH WITH TRUMP Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who recently lost his re-election bid to a more moderate primary challenger, said on X, “Now that President Biden has suspended his campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris is the most qualified and best choice to lead us forward.” Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., facing a similarly tough re-election bid, said in a statement, “When we say trust Black women, we mean it. Black women are the backbone of the Democratic Party and it is past time for us to lead our country forward. Kamala Harris is more than ready to lead at this moment.” Two notable figures who have been silent on the matter as of late afternoon on Sunday are Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. Tlaib is one of the Biden administration’s harshest critics in terms of its handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. BIDEN WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION: LIVE COVERAGE Ocasio-Cortez, who has backed Biden amid mounting pressure from fellow Democrats for him to drop out, hosted a live feed on Instagram just after former President Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) last week. She said on video that high-dollar Democratic donors were to blame for pressuring Biden, and that those same people did not want Harris to run either. “I’m here to tell you that a huge amount of the donor class and a huge amount of these elites and a huge amount of these folks in these rooms that I see that are pushing for President Biden to not be the nominee also are not interested in seeing Vice President being the nominee,” she said. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez to ask if she would be endorsing Harris. TRUMP GETS BOOST IN POLLS AFTER BIDEN’S BOTCHED DEBATE Biden has been under mounting pressure to drop out of the 2024 presidential race in the wake of his disastrous debate performance against Trump last month. His weak showing spurred concerns over whether he had the mental and physical stability to run a campaign and serve another four-year term. Biden bowed to that pressure on Sunday, writing in a public letter, “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.”
Biden’s reelection exit gives unusual power to Texas’ 273 delegates. Here’s what could come next.
Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris could sway some Texas delegates to shift their support to her, but none of them are bound to do so.
What Trump’s narrow edge over Biden could mean for campaign after president ends re-election bid
Former President Trump has a narrow edge over President Biden after the 46th president’s disastrous debate performance last month, a Fox News poll found, but the election cycle was thrown into disarray Sunday when Biden announced he won’t seek re-election. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, 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,” Biden said in his letter posted to X on Sunday afternoon. Biden was ahead by two points last month (50%-48%), and now Trump is ahead by 1 point (49%-48%), which is also exactly where things stood in May, a Fox News national survey published last week found. Democrat strategist Julian Epstein told Fox News Digital that a “ham sandwich” would likely perform better in polls than Biden when asked how Trump would fare against a candidate other than the president. WHAT COMES NEXT FOR DEMOCRATS AFTER BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN SUSPENSION? “At this point, a ham sandwich would probably have a greater likelihood of success in the general election than Biden,” he said. “There are generic polls out there that suggest a young candidate versus Trump does well.” “If the Democrats were smart, they would find a younger, attractive governor [in] their 40s or 50s who was in the political center. But Democrats being smart in the circumstance is giving them a huge benefit of the doubt,” Epstein added. READ IT: BIDEN DROPS OUT OF 2024 RACE WITH LETTER Biden endorsed Harris shortly after his announcement. Other Democrats such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been floated as viable candidates. Harris appears to be the likely replacement for Biden as she gains additional endorsements from heavy-hitting Democrats such as former President Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Harris notably has a lower favorability rating than Trump, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll. Trump recorded his highest favorability rating in the history of the poll at 40%, up from the low to mid 30% range the former president typically hovered in the poll. Harris received a lower favorability than Trump at 35%. FROM DEBATE CATASTROPHE TO STANDING DOWN: BIDEN’S ROAD TO THE EXIT Fox News Digital asked Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene during the RNC in Milwaukee last week if a candidate other than Biden would diminish Trump’s shot at the White House, which she shot down, arguing that whoever takes the mantle will have to run on Biden’s record in the White House. ‘PROUD OF OUR PRESIDENT’: DEMS HEAP PRAISE ON BIDEN FOR DECISION TO END 2024 CAMPAIGN “No matter who they put at the top of the ticket, that candidate has to run with the job record that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have brought the several past years, because Democrats are fully aligned behind those policies,” Greene said. “I think America really came to one mindset and got resolved behind President Trump and behind the Republican Party after seeing him almost assassinated on Saturday. It’s a moment that everyone will always remember where they were when that happened, similar to 9/11. Everyone remembers where they were when that happened. I also think people are just really fed up with the border invasion that’s happening every day. The fact that people can’t afford food, can’t afford rent and inflation is really crippling a lot of people,” she added. Harris has a long history as a California liberal stalwart, serving as San Francisco’s district attorney in the early 2000s, then serving as the state attorney general under former Democrat Gov. Jerry Brown, and U.S. senator from the Golden State before her 2020 election as vice president. If Harris takes up the party’s 2024 presidential election mantle, it is unlikely Harris’ policies would drastically differ from Biden’s platforms, though she could swing harder to the left on issues such as immigration, abortion and foreign policy. Three Democrat delegates expressed support for Harris in comments to Fox News Digital on Sunday, with one saying the party is “100% supporting Kamala Harris.” “I can tell you that the delegation in Florida that I’m speaking with … people are 100% on board following President Biden’s endorsement of Kamala Harris,” said Samantha Hope Herring, a Democrat delegate and elected member of the DNC from Florida. Echoing Herring, Karl Gentles, a Democrat delegate from Arizona, told Fox he supports Harris and will vote for her at the party’s convention. “While it is disappointing news that Biden has decided to not seek re-election, he has demonstrated that leadership starts with putting country first above all else. He understands what’s at stake for the future of our country and the imperative of winning this election,” he said. “I support VP Harris and will be casting my vote for her at the DNC Convention.” Trump responded to the news of Biden dropping out by slamming him as the “worst president” in U.S. history. “He is the worst president in the history of our country,” Trump told Fox News Digital in a phone interview on Sunday afternoon. “There has never been a president so bad.” “He is not fit to serve,” Trump continued. “And I ask: Who is going to be running the country for the next five months?” Trump added in comments to CNN on Sunday that he believes defeating Harris, if she emerges as the official nominee, would be an easier feat than defeating Biden in November. BIDEN ENDS BID FOR 2ND TERM IN WHITE HOUSE AS HE DROPS OUT OF 2024 REMATCH WITH TRUMP Just two days before the RNC kicked off, Trump survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting injured Trump and two others and killed 50-year-old local father Corey Comperatore. Epstein said that for Democrats, Biden “is only half their problem.” “The other half is that the
Kamala Harris confirms 2024 presidential bid after Biden drops out
Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed that she will run for the Democratic nomination for president after President Biden’s decision to suspend his re-election campaign. “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris said in a statement on Sunday. ‘PROUD OF OUR PRESIDENT’: DEMS HEAP PRAISE ON BIDEN FOR DECISION TO END 2024 CAMPAIGN Shortly after Biden posted a letter on X revealing his intention to end his re-election bid, he sent out a separate post endorsing Harris for the Democratic nomination. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” he said. The vice president called Biden’s decision a “selfless and patriotic act,” adding that he is “doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else.” WHAT COMES NEXT FOR DEMOCRATS AFTER BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN SUSPENSION? Harris has also received endorsements from former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as several Democratic lawmakers. However, many Democrats have issued statements on Biden’s decision without making mention of Harris or endorsing her. FROM DEBATE CATASTROPHE TO STANDING DOWN: BIDEN’S ROAD TO THE EXIT Democratic strategists noted to Fox News Digital that the vice president is in the best position to take on former President Trump with just months to the election. Several Democratic operatives pointed to the fact that Harris was voted for by the same primary voters that chose Biden, and she has already established a campaign and fundraising infrastructure going into the crucial contest. Biden’s decision to step aside comes after several weeks of mounting pressure for him to do so following a poor debate performance last month against former President Trump. Before his announcement, 37 congressional Democrats and those who caucus with them had pressed Biden to drop out. However, Biden had remained adamant that he was going to stay in the campaign up until his post to X. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Dem strategists say Harris ‘only practical choice’ as party leaders begin endorsing her
Vice President Kamala Harris is rapidly emerging as the logical successor to President Biden, Democratic strategists said soon after the 81-year-old leader announced he would drop out of the 2024 election. Meanwhile, leaders in the Democratic Party, including Biden himself, are already coalescing around Harris, strengthening her position as the president’s heir apparent. “I think that the only practical, logical and ethical thing we do is to coalesce around Kamala Harris in this moment,” former Obama administration Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs to the House Joel Rubin told Fox News Digital. Rubin said Harris was “vetted and experienced,” having gone through much of the Democratic primary process already, and pointed out that she stands to inherit the Biden campaign’s vast infrastructure and $240 million war chest. BIDEN ENDS BID FOR SECOND TERM IN WHITE HOUSE AS HE DROPS OUT OF HIS 2024 REMATCH WITH TRUMP “Nothing gets upended that way,” Rubin said. That point was echoed by strategist Antjuan Seawright, who urged Democrats to unify swiftly around the vice president, so the party could remain “focused on the message” for the remainder of the election. “She is the only person that can inherit the operation that’s been built, as well as the… finances that have been built,” Seawright said. “So I think that’s important, and quite frankly, because 14 million voters have spoken, decisively about the two of them. And in any situation, if it becomes two minus one, she becomes the one.” Harris’ case is also bolstered by endorsements from former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and the Congressional Black Caucus. “We join millions of Americans in thanking President Biden for all he has accomplished, standing up for America time and time again, with his North Star always being what’s best for the country,” the Clintons said in a joint statement. “We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her.” BIDEN WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION: LIVE COVERAGE Biden was under mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to drop out of the 2024 race after his disastrous performance in the CNN Presidential Debate last month. His weak showing spurred concerns among his allies about whether Biden is mentally and physically fit to run a campaign and serve another four years. Jim Kessler, a former senior aide to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Harris clinching Biden’s blessing is “significant” in cementing her place as his successor. “I think no matter which Democrats decide to get in the race, Harris is in the pole position,” Kessler told Fox News Digital. “Just remember, like, these are —these are Biden-Harris delegates going to the convention. And there’s a ton of loyalty among convention delegates towards Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.” “I can’t predict whether other Democrats will get in the race, but she has by far the strongest position going into the convention… It’s the Biden-Harris administration, and they were voting for the Biden-Harris ticket, and she’s been out… there campaigning.” TRUMP GETS BOOST IN POLLS AFTER BIDEN’S BOTCHED DEBATE Other Democrats – Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Pete Welch, D-Vt., as well as Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., to name a few – have also voiced support for a “mini-primary” process to select a new nominee. Harris herself has signaled she would take up Biden’s mantle and thanked him for his endorsement. “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation —to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Harris said in a campaign statement. “We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”
Democratic delegates shift spotlight to Kamala Harris following Biden’s 2024 dropout decision
President Biden sent a shock wave through the American political system on Sunday when he announced he was withdrawing from the 2024 race for the White House, leaving delegates he earned during the primary election scrambling for an alternative. Biden, who faced mounting pressure to step aside in the election and “pass the torch” to another candidate, made the announcement in a post to X. Shortly after, he offered his “full support and endorsement” for Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as the party’s presidential nominee. It is unclear at this point, however, whether delegates will be moved in unison to support Harris to lead the ticket at next month’s Democratic National Convention. Two delegates who spoke to Fox News Digital said they are supportive of Harris, with a third expressing eagerness to learn more about her “plans.” BIDEN ENDS BID FOR SECOND TERM IN WHITE HOUSE AS HE DROPS OUT OF HIS 2024 REMATCH WITH TRUMP At the convention, a candidate must win support from the majority of the party’s nearly 4,000 delegates, the party officials who formally select the nominee. Delegates are distributed to candidates based on the results of primary elections in each state. For the Democratic Party, there are “pledged” and “unpledged” delegates. Pledged delegates have to vote for the candidate who wins the primary or caucus in their respective state, while unpledged delegates may choose to vote for any candidate. In the Democratic Party, unpledged delegates are known as “superdelegates,” current elected officials and party leaders who can support any candidate. A total of 1,976 delegates are needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for president. Biden won roughly 3,900 this year in primary elections throughout the U.S. in recent months. Those delegates, prior to Biden’s decision to withdraw, had “pledged” to support Biden’s candidacy, according to DNC rules. “We have said from day one when these rumors started that unless and until President Biden gave us guidance in any direction, any other direction, we were with President Biden. He, this morning, gave us that guidance,” said Samantha Hope Herring, a Democratic delegate and elected member of the DNC from Florida. “Trusting his judgment and understanding that we want to see the most amazing work continue with the most qualified person that could possibly take the job right now, we are 100% supporting Kamala Harris,” Herring added. “I can tell you that the delegation in Florida that I’m speaking with… people are 100% on board following President Biden’s endorsement of Kamala Harris.” BIDEN ENDORSES KAMALA HARRIS AFTER BOWING OUT OF 2024 RACE The support for Harris, Herring said, is leading delegates to feel “very strong” and supportive of seeing the Biden administration’s agenda continue. Karl Gentles, a Democratic delegate from Arizona, told Fox he is supportive of Harris and will be voting for her at the party’s convention. “While it is disappointing news that Biden has decided to not seek re-election, he has demonstrated that leadership starts with putting country first above all else. He understands what’s at stake for the future of our country and the imperative of winning this election,” Gentles said. “I support VP Harris and will be casting my vote for her at the DNC convention.” He added, “The Democratic Party has a renewed opportunity to attract the young vote and independents that were still undecided. We have the opportunity to get behind a vibrant, experienced leader in VP Harris. Few are more qualified, a decorated and successful CA AG, US Senator, and Vice President.” Expressing openness to Harris receiving the presidential nomination, Irene Bonham, a Democratic delegate from Colorado, thanked the president for his service and insisted she has been impressed by Harris’ “intelligence and integrity.” “I want to thank President Biden for his decades of dedicated service to our country. As a pledged delegate, I respect his decision to not run for re-election and I believe this shows his commitment to putting the country and democracy first,” Bonham said. “I am eager to hear more from Vice President Harris about her plans. I have always been impressed by her intelligence and integrity,” she added. Maribel Balbin, a Democratic delegate from Miami, Florida, said she will consider Biden’s endorsement of Harris. “I understand that this was not an easy decision, but I know that the president studies data, and the latest polls and the messages from leadership were enough to finally make the decision,” she said. “He has put the future of the country and party before his own. I respect his decision and will consider his endorsement. Looking forward to how the process evolves to make that decision.” Democrats will officially choose their nominee at the convention, though they had reportedly planned to nominate Biden and Harris ahead of the convention prior to Biden’s announcement. The Democratic National Convention will take place in Chicago from Aug. 19 to 22.
“Uncharted territory”: Texas’ Democratic delegates face historic moment after Biden withdraws, backs Harris
More than 200 Texas Democrats will vote to select a new nominee for president at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Clintons endorse Kamala Harris hours after Biden drops out
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Sunday that they are endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination for president, after President Biden said he would not seek re-election. Biden announced Sunday that he suspended his 2024 re-election campaign amid mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party, and then announced his “full support and endorsement” for Harris to take over as the party’s presidential nominee. In a statement, the Clintons said Biden “has capped his extraordinary career of service with a Presidency that has lifted America out of an unprecedented pandemic, created millions of new jobs, rebuilt a battered economy, strengthened our democracy, and restored our standing in the world. By any measure, he has advanced our founders’ charge to build a more perfect union and his own stated goal of restoring the soul of our nation.” “We join millions of Americans in thanking President Biden for all he has accomplished, standing up for America time and again, with his North Star always being what’s best for the country,” they said in their joint statement. “We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her.” “We’ve lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term. He has promised to be a dictator on day one, and the recent ruling by his servile Supreme Court will only embolden him to further shred the Constitution. Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect her. America’s future depends on it.” This is a breaking news story, check back for updates.