Joe Biden was quick to endorse his vice-president, Kamala Harris, for the US Democratic party’s 2024 presidential nomination in the wake of his stunning decision not to seek re-election to the White House.
In a tweet posted minutes after the publication of his letter announcing his decision to withdraw from the race, Biden said choosing Harris to be his second-in-command for the duration of his term of office was “the best decision I’ve made”.
The message also said he was committed to focusing on the rest of his time in the White House while his party made a decision on his successor at the top of the ticket for the November election.
“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” Biden’s post said.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my vice-president. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats – it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
In response, Harris said in a statement: “I am honored to have the president’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”
She added: “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. We have 107 days until election day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”
Bill and Hillary Clinton also announced their backing. “We are honored to join the president in endorsing Vice-President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her,” they said.
Republicans have ramped up their attacks on Harris, a former senator for California, in recent weeks as speculation swirled that she would become first in line to replace Biden as her party’s candidate.
In rallies over the past two weeks in Florida and Pennsylvania, and again on Saturday night in Michigan, Donald Trump, the former president and Republican nominee, repeatedly tied Harris to his attacks on Biden’s policies, and coined the nickname “Laughin’ Kamala” for her.
A poll from the Associated Press/Norc Center for Public Affairs Research published on Friday found that six in 10 Democrats believe Harris would do a good job as president.
The civil rights activist the Rev Al Sharpton also endorsed Harris, the first woman of color to hold the vice-presidential role, in a sharply worded statement on Sunday.
“President Biden has turned to her repeatedly for guidance on the most pressing issues facing our community and her fingerprint is on all of the things that the Biden-Harris administration has delivered for Black America,” he said.
“It will be imperative for all Americans, especially Black men, to stand with her in this historic moment.”
The powerful progressive congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who chairs the Congressional Progressive caucus, also threw her political weight behind Harris.
“Democrats must immediately unite so we can focus on winning in November. I look forward to casting my vote for Kamala Harris for president and doing everything I can to ensure she becomes our next president,” she said in a statement.
As did the powerful Congressional Black caucus. “She will do an excellent job as president of the United States,” it said in a statement.
Read more about Joe Biden dropping out of the 2024 election:
