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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Amelia Neath

Jimmy Kimmel guest host says Biden didn’t step aside from 2024 race: ‘He wandered off’

Jimmy Kimmel Live

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Jimmy Kimmel Live! guest host Lamorne Morris poked fun at President Joe Biden’s departure from the 2024 race on Monday night’s show, offering an alternative version of what really happened.

“Obviously, that’s the big story yesterday: President Biden decided to drop out of the race,” he said.

“Well…he didn’t, like, drop out so much as he kinda just of like, wandered off, you know what I’m saying?” Morris quipped.

The actor and comedian then mimicked 81-year-old Biden slowly walking off camera, before turning to walk in the other direction while saying “Hey man” repeatedly.

Morris also joked that “I now have accepted more nominations this year than Joe Biden,” in reference to his recent Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role in Fargo.

After weeks of pressure from Democratic Party insiders and with poll numbers depleting, Biden finally announced on Sunday that he would drop out of the 2024 presidential race.

The president endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris who then announced she would be running to top the Democratic ticket.

“Here’s the thing, though,” Morris said. “Trump is very worried because Kamala is a lawyer. I mean, he’s only lost to Joe Biden once, but he loses to lawyers like twice a week.”

The host also pointed to some of Trump’s Truth Social attacks in the wake of the news, including one where the former president baselessly claimed: “Biden never had COVID. He is a threat to democracy.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live guest host Lamorne Morris pokes fun at Joe Biden dropping out of the presidential race (Jimmy Kimmel Live)

“Really? Trump thinks Biden never had Covid?” Morris questioned.

“You don’t pretend to have Covid to get out of running for president; you pretend to have Covid to get out of going to your cousin’s destination wedding.”

Biden had to suddenly abandon his campaign events in Las Vegas last Wednesday following his Covid diagnosis with Covid.

President Joe Biden and other G7 leaders watching a skydiving demo during the G7 world leaders summit at Borgo Egnazia, Italy, Thursday, June 13, 2024. Biden has since dropped out of the presidential race, meaning his term will conclude within the next year (AP)

He isolated at his beach home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, while pressure continued to build on him to bow out of the race – before he relented to the pressure on Sunday.

The calls for Biden to go were largely triggered by his disastrous presidential debate in Atlanta last month against Donald Trump.

In the days and weeks that followed, Biden continued to spark concerns about his competency to serve another four years, with a series of other gaffes including one moment where he referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Harris as “Vice President Trump.”

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