US Election: Biden Drops Out, Endorses Harris

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The Facts

  • Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he's ending his presidential re-election campaign. In a one-page letter posted on social media, he said he believed the decision was in the "best interest of [his] party" and the US.

  • This comes after his June 27 presidential debate against Donald Trump and a string of missteps cast doubt within the party over his chances of winning in November, with several top Democrats calling for him to step out of the race. It also comes in the wake of Trump's attempted assassination.


The Spin

Democratic narrative

It's fair to say that Biden had no other choice but to quit the presidential race and even that his decision took longer than it should have. However, that doesn't change the greatness of his act. Unlike many rulers who cling tighter to power when threatened, Biden has ceded the stage for a younger fellow Democrat to renew optimism ahead of the election.

Republican narrative

If Joe Biden isn't fit to even run for president, how can he fulfill his duties in the White House for the remainder of his term? It's only logical he should resign and retire once and for all — and yet he declines to do so because this would only expose the fact that Kamala Harris isn't fit to be president of the US either.


Metaculus Prediction


Public figures in this story