Over the past several decades, the American presidential election has included either a Biden, a Clinton or a Bush on the ballot. But since President Joe Biden dropped out of this year’s race, this is the first time that an election will not include any of the families’ names. Biden, 81, previously ran for president in 1988, then again in 2008.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan selected George H.W. Bush as his running mate, and they won. Eight years later, Bush became president. In 1992, Bill Clinton defeated Bush. By 2000, George W. Bush ran for president and won, serving two terms until 2008. That year, Bill’s wife, Hillary Clinton, ran for president for the first time against Barack Obama, then again in 2016 against Donald Trump.
On Sunday, July 21, Biden made the historic decision to drop out of the presidential race and avoid seeking reelection. His choice came amid public pleas from Democrats and celebrities, who asked Biden to forgo the Democratic nomination. Many cited his age as a main concern.
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. 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… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote in his public letter to the nation. “I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”
The Clintons and the Obamas publicly endorsed Harris and thanked Biden for serving the country.
Biden also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s nominee. While the party has not confirmed her nomination, Harris vowed she would “earn and win” it.
It’s the first full day of our campaign, so I’m heading up to Wilmington, DE later to say “hello” to our staff in HQ.
One day down. 105 to go. Together, we’re going to win this.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 22, 2024
One day after Biden announced his decision, Harris shared via X that she was heading to Delaware to speak with her staff on their first day on the campaign trail.
“One day down. 105 to go,” she tweeted. “Together, we’re going to win this.”
