US President Joe Biden has said it’s time to “pass the torch to a new generation” as he explained his decision to end his faltering re-election campaign.
Biden, 81, has told Americans in a televised address that he withdrew his candidacy and endorsed US Vice-President Kamala Harris to unite their fellow Democrats and the country.
In his address on Wednesday night, Biden spoke for 11 minutes from the Oval Office, with his wife, Jill, son, Hunter, and daughter, Ashley, in the room alongside some key White House staff.
“I revere this office. But I love my country more.
“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” added Mr Biden, who has been in public office for over half a century. “That is the best way to unite our nation,” Biden said.
The president vowed to “finish the job for the American people” before the end of his term in January next year and called Ms Harris, 59, an “experienced, tough, capable” partner.
Biden said he believed his record warranted a second term. But “nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.
“The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule. The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands.”
The White House speech marked his first public appearance since he exited the race on 21 July, paving the way for Ms Harris to run for the party’s nomination.
Opinion polls so far indicate a tight race between the former president and Ms Harris in a hypothetical match-up.
Some Republicans have called for Biden to step down now as president, arguing that he cannot run the country if he cannot run for office – a charge the White House has rejected.
On Thursday, Biden is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, as well as with the families of US hostages still being held in Gaza.
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