This is “more important than any title,” said Biden in the Oval Office of the White House. He has decided that the best way forward is to pass the “torch to a new generation” and thus unite the nation, said the 81-year-old, announcing that he now wants to devote himself entirely to his duties as president.
He draws strength from it and finds joy in working for the American people. But it’s not about him, said the Democrat. “It’s about you. Your families. Your future.” It’s time “for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices,” said Biden. That time has now come. “Nothing can stand in the way of saving our democracy, not even personal ambition,” he stressed. In recent weeks, it has become clear to him that he must unite his party, said the Democrat.
The nation is facing a crucial choice between hope and hate. “In America, there are no kings or dictators. The people rule. History is in your hands. Power is in your hands,” said the US President. Biden reiterated his support for Vice President Kamala Harris, who will run for the next presidency against Donald Trump instead of Biden. She is “experienced, tenacious and capable.”
Video: Fritz (ORF) on Biden’s speech to the nation
“Fulfilling the task as president”
After withdrawing from the current election campaign, Biden wants to devote himself entirely to his office in the White House. “In the next six months, I will focus on fulfilling my task as president,” said the Democrat. He called for a reform of the Supreme Court, without giving details. In terms of foreign policy, he reiterated continued support for Ukraine and his commitment to ending the war in Gaza. He will continue to fight the climate crisis and keep NATO together. He also wants to continue working to lower prices for consumers, stimulate the economy, and defend personal freedoms and civil rights.
Biden struck a thoughtful tone in his speech. “It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years,” he said. Nowhere else in the world could a child with a stuttering problem from humble beginnings rise to the highest office in the state. “Here I am now. This is what makes America so special,” Biden said.
“Nation of dreamers and doers”
“We are a nation of promise and opportunity, of dreamers and doers, of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things.” He has put his heart and soul into the service of the nation, like so many others. In return, he has been blessed with the love and support of the American people. “I hope you have some idea how grateful I am to all of you.”
Prime-time speeches from the Oval Office are reserved for moments of crisis and major turning points in the country. It was the fourth such address in Biden’s term in office since January 2021. He last addressed the nation in this way ten days earlier, following the assassination attempt on his predecessor and long-time political rival Trump. This also illustrates how much the current presidential election campaign stands out with its dramatic twists and turns.
The speech must not have been easy for the thoroughbred politician Biden. “I believe that my record as president, my leadership role in the world and my vision for the future of America deserve a second term,” Biden admitted bluntly. US media reports that Biden’s advisers ultimately confronted him with poll results that showed that the Democrats had lost states in the November election that were actually safe for them. This is said to have finally made Biden change his mind. In a TV interview a few weeks ago, he said that only God could make him withdraw. Now it was apparently just bare numbers.
Most important speech Biden never wanted to give
Numerous employees gathered in the White House to watch Biden’s speech. It was probably the most important speech that Biden never wanted to give, said CNN journalist Dana Bash. According to media reports, tears flowed among the employees, and there was great applause at the end.
Biden’s family was also present at the speech in the Oval Office. His relatives are considered his closest confidants and are said to have long encouraged him to stick with his candidacy. Biden’s wife Jill published a handwritten letter on social media. “Thank you for the trust you have placed in Joe – now it is time to place that trust in Kamala,” she wrote.
The lawyer began his political career in the city council of Wilmington in the state of Delaware. He ultimately represented the state in the US Senate for almost four decades until he entered the White House in 2009 as Barack Obama’s vice president. In 1988 and 2008, Biden himself applied for the Democratic presidential nomination – without success. In 2000, his lifelong dream finally came true – he won the election against Trump and became President of the United States. His life was overshadowed by strokes of fate. He lost his first wife and their daughter in a car accident. His son Beau died of a brain tumor in 2015.
Trump on Harris: “Left-wing radical lunatics”
Trump offered a stark contrast to Biden’s serious speech at a campaign rally in North Carolina. The Republican took aim at his new political opponent Harris and called her a “left-wing madwoman” who would destroy the country. The 78-year-old also had nothing good to say about Biden.
This was also reflected in the Republican’s reaction to Biden’s speech. “Corrupt Joe Biden’s speech in the Oval Office was barely understandable, and sooo bad!” he wrote.
Bild: BRANDON BELL (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA)
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Bild: BRANDON BELL (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA)
Meanwhile, the US Democrats voted on Wednesday to virtually select Harris as their presidential candidate before the party convention in mid-August. If only one person stands for election, electronic voting could begin on August 1 at the earliest, the party said. If there are several candidates, voting will begin a few days later. The background to this is concerns about deadlines in the states by which the parties must have confirmed their candidates.
In the run-up to the speech, the White House dismissed calls for Biden to resign as “ridiculous.” It was “ridiculous” to demand that Biden should now resign from the presidency after dropping out of the race for the White House, spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. “Any suggestion of this kind is ridiculous and does not correspond to our ideas.” Biden’s decision had “nothing to do with his health,” she added.
