In a surprising turn of events, President Joe Biden has confirmed that he was effectively forced out of the 2024 presidential race by members of his own party, who expressed grave concerns about their political futures. During an interview with Bob Costa on CBS “Sunday Morning”, Biden revealed the internal pressures that led to his decision to withdraw from the race, despite his initial determination to seek re-election.
Biden candidly explained that polling data showed a tight race ahead, with no clear winner in sight. However, the fear among his Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate was palpable – they worried that his continued candidacy could jeopardize their own chances in the upcoming elections. “Polls we had showed that it was a neck-and-neck race, it would have been down to the wire. But what happened was, a number of my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate thought that I was going to hurt them in the races”, Biden stated.
Faced with the prospect of becoming a distraction rather than a unifying figure, Biden made the difficult decision to step aside. “I was concerned if I stayed in the race, that would be the topic, you’d be interviewing me about why did Nancy Pelosi say – why did – and I thought it’d be a real distraction”, he added. This was a significant shift for Biden, who had initially seen himself as a “transition president”, a role that he believed was crucial for the preservation of democracy. Yet, the fast-paced developments and mounting concerns within his party led him to reconsider his path forward.
The pressure on Biden to exit the race had been building for weeks, with top Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, reportedly urging him to bow out. According to investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, Obama played a key role in orchestrating Biden’s departure. Hersh’s report, based on conversations with a senior White House official, revealed that Obama was “deeply involved” in the effort to remove Biden, even going so far as to threaten him with the 25th Amendment. The former president reportedly made it clear that Vice President Kamala Harris was on board with the plan.
Succumbing to this intense pressure, Biden announced his withdrawal from the race last month and immediately threw his support behind Harris, endorsing her as his preferred successor. Reflecting on the remaining 2024 campaign, Biden spoke warmly of Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. “I talk to [Harris] frequently, and by the way, I’ve known her running mate is a great guy. As we say, if we grew up in the same neighborhood, we’d have been friends. He’s my kind of guy. He’s real, he’s smart. I’ve known him for several decades. I think it’s a hell of a team”, Biden said.
Despite stepping down, Biden has vowed to remain active in the campaign, planning to join Harris and Walz on the trail. He dismissed concerns about his health and stamina, which had been called into question following a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump. “All I can say is, ‘Watch.’ That’s all. Look, I had a really, really bad day in that debate because I was sick. But I have no serious problem”, Biden reassured.
Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi has been distancing herself from the controversy, insisting that her interactions with Biden were focused on improving the campaign rather than pushing him out. “Now I was really asking for a better campaign. We did not have a campaign that was on the path to victory. Members knew that in their districts”, Pelosi told reporters. When asked during a previous appearance on MSNBC if she would support Biden’s re-election bid, Pelosi was noncommittal, saying, “It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We are all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short”.
As the Democratic Party gears up for a new chapter with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz leading the ticket, the internal coup that ousted Biden will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the party and the 2024 election.
