Joe Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race after debate disaster

President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the 2024 race, a shocking decision fueled by a relentless campaign by Democrats demanding that Biden withdraw, citing his cognitive decline and poor odds against Donald Trump.

The 81-year-old stepped down on Sunday after weeks of questions about his fitness to serve following his disastrous performance during the presidential debate.

His historic move follows a 50-year career in politics that culminated in the White House.

Now Democrats must rush to bolster their campaign and focus on a new candidate with just four months to go until Election Day.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” Biden wrote in a letter posted to his X account on Sunday.

“And while it was my intention to be re-elected,” he continued, “I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country that I step down and focus solely on fulfilling the duties of my president for the remainder of my term.”

In last month’s confrontation with Trump, the president often had his mouth open and a million-mile blank stare in split screen. During his speaking time, Biden stumbled, froze, lost his train of thought and mumbled answers to questions from the moderator.

At one point, just 12 minutes into the debate, Trump said, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.”

Trump said at a post-debate rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, that he was skeptical that Biden would actually drop out of the race, saying Democrats have no better option against him in November.

Fortunately, Biden is not yet the official nominee of the Democratic Party and there is little time left to replace him.

The nominating convention will take place from August 19 to 22 in Chicago, Illinois.

Among the leading contenders for Biden’s spot are California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly furious that she is not being considered — and others, including Trump, have speculated that former First Lady Michelle Obama is on the list of replacements for the 2024 Democratic ticket.

Both Newsom and Whitmer denied before and after the debate that they want to replace Biden at the ballot box.

Biden and his team and allies spent the weekend after the debate largely focused on damage control, trying to assuage concerns that the president is no longer fit for a second term.

And while many party leaders and campaign officials defended Biden’s performance, Democrats panicked after the president stumbled and mumbled during the debate.

Campaign officials blamed Biden’s hoarse, hard-to-hear voice on a cold, and tried to claim it was just a “slow start.”

What now? Many believe the best replacement for Biden would be California Governor Gavin Newsom (left) or Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (right).

Some felt that First Lady Jill Biden was the only one pushing to keep her 81-year-old husband on the ballot.

Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wy.) accused the first lady of “elder abuse,” and Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) wrote on X: “As a geriatric nurse who has cared for so many elderly people with cognitive disabilities, this is [debate] is heartbreaking to see…’

Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a phone call Saturday afternoon trying to convince party members that he is still a viable candidate.

Some in the conversation said party leaders largely ignored Biden’s lackluster performance in Atlanta on Thursday and downplayed the onslaught of criticism that followed. No one could ask questions and the chat function was disabled.

Members felt manipulated by Harrison and Rodriguez, claiming they were being asked to ignore the angry situation the party found itself in. They were told to play by the rules and support Biden’s candidacy or find a replacement within a month.

Harrison gave what they described as a rosy picture of Biden’s path forward.

“I was hoping for a more substantive conversation instead of, ‘Hey, let’s go out there and just be cheerleaders,’ without actually addressing a very serious issue that was playing out on American television and was visible to millions of people,” said Joe Salazar, a DNC member-elect from Colorado who attended the meeting, according to the Associated Press.

He added: ‘There were a number of things that could have been said to address the situation. But we didn’t get them. We were manipulated.’

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden held a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina the day after the debate, where the president appeared more energetic and defended his viability as a candidate while acknowledging that his debate performance could have been better.