United States President Joe Biden focused his speech on his resigns as election candidate in an act of service to North American democracy. “Defending democracy is more important than any other position,” he said from the Oval Office on Wednesday night. The flip side of that lesson is a warning to the country about the threats posed by future leaders who fail to respect democratic values and cling to power. Biden didn’t have to name Donald Trump to make it clear who he was targeting.
“This sacred work is not about me, it’s about you. We, the people,” Biden has defended, which he has assured. While he understands that the achievements of his presidency “deserve” a second term, he believes the best decision for the country is to let the new generations pass. “Nothing can stop us from saving our democracy, so I thought the best way to keep moving forward is to pass the baton to the new generation. “It’s the time and the place for new, fresh, young voices,” the president said in reference to his successor. Kamala Harris.
After 50 years in politics, Biden wanted to make sure he was remembered for his achievements in improving America, not for his stubbornness in clinging to power. The image of a humble man thinking only of the welfare of his country stands in stark contrast to the statement he made during the first interview after the CNN debate: only “the Lord Almighty” could take him out of the race.
Three weeks later Trump debate fiascoDespite this, the president had maintained his determination to continue in the presidential race The polls predicted defeat and a large part of his party asked him to withdraw.. It was necessary for heavyweights like Nancy Pelosi, the former president -speaker- of the House of Representatives, or former President Barack Obama, expressed their doubts about Biden's abilities, so that he finally conceded last Sunday.
Despite the pressure, Biden wanted to show that he alone made the decision. In the interest of the country and in the interest of the party. “I must unite my party at this crucial juncture,” he declared.
“I think America is at a turning point. The United States has to choose whether to move forward or retreat,” the president said, referring to the November 5 election. The final part of the speech, which lasted just over 10 minutes, focused on the decision Americans have to make in just 100 days. “The American people have to decide the future of the United States. I have made my decision. I want to thank my Vice President, Kamala Harris. She is strong, she is capable, and she has been an incredible teammate to me, and a leader for our country. Now the decision is up to you, the American people,” Biden said. “Preserving our republic is in everyone’s hands.”
The president highlighted the achievements made during his three and a half years in office. “Our economy is stronger than ever,” he assured, while recapitulating how he managed to increase the country’s labor force participation rate, as well as salaries.
In addition, the US president has assured that the rest of his term will remain focused on his work to improve the lives of Americans. “That means I will continue to lower prices for working families and grow our economy. “I will continue to defend our personal freedoms and our civil rights, from the right to vote to the right to decide,” he said.
It is the first time Biden has made an official appearance since announcing his resignation last Sunday. At the time, the president only published a short statement explaining that he was retiring of the race for the White House and named Harris as his successor. When he did so, he was confined to his home in Delaware due to Covid.
On Monday, he made a surprise appearance and called out Harris during her meeting with the campaign team in Delaware. However, he focused more on talking about the qualities of his successor than on the reasons that had led him to resign. “I know the news yesterday was surprising and difficult to hear, but that was what had to happen,” explained Biden, who also asked his team to help his successor win: “I want to say to the team: hug her, she is all the better.”