Washington, Jul 24 (EFE). – US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that “personal ambition” could not come before “saving” US democracy, in his first speech after he decided to end his re-election campaign.
“I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, and my vision for America’s future all merited a second term, but nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition,” Biden said in an address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House.
In the 11-minute speech, he pointed out the United States is at an “inflection point,” adding that it had become clear to him in recent weeks that he needed to “unite” the Democratic Party.
Wednesday was Biden’s first appearance since he announced in a letter to the American people on Sunday that he was ending his campaign for re-election in November.
Shortly after, the president sent out a message on X asking for the vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, who has already secured the necessary to be the Democratic nominee and face former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump in the election.
Never before has a presidential candidate dropped out of the race so close to the election.
President Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969) announced in March 1968 that he would not seek re-election but did so when the party primaries had just begun.
Biden’s decision came after the primaries were over and just over three months before the election.
Dozens of of Congress and Democratic Party leaders, such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, had been pressuring Biden for weeks to end his presidential campaign after a disastrous performance in the June 27 debate against Trump. EFE
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