Biden drops out LIVE: Barack Obama releases lengthy statement but does not endorse Kamala Harris

Former President Obama released a lengthy statement on his former Vice President Joe Biden exiting the presidential race.

He noticably did not mention Vice President Kamala Harris in is statement:

Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order.

Sixteen years ago, when I began my search for a vice president, I knew about Joe’s remarkable career in public service. But what I came to admire even more was his character — his deep empathy and hard-earned resilience; his fundamental decency and belief that everyone counts.

Since taking office, President Biden has displayed that character again and again. He helped end the pandemic, created millions of jobs, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, passed the first major piece of gun safety legislation in 30 years, made the biggest investment to address climate change in history, and fought to ensure the rights of working people to organize for fair wages and benefits. Internationally, he restored America’s standing in the world, revitalized NATO, and mobilized the world to stand up against Russian aggression in Ukraine.

More than that, President Biden pointed us away from the four years of chaos, falsehood, and division that had characterized Donald Trump’s administration. Through his policies and his example, Joe has reminded us of who we are at our best — a country committed to old-fashioned values like trust and honesty, kindness and hard work; a country that believes in democracy, rule of law, and accountability; a country that insists that everyone, no matter who they are, has a voice and deserves a chance at a better life.

This outstanding track record gave President Biden every right to run for re-election and finish the job he started. Joe understands better than anyone the stakes in this election — how everything he has fought for throughout his life, and everything that the Democratic Party stands for, will be at risk if we allow Donald Trump back in the White House and give Republicans control of Congress.

I also know Joe has never backed down from a fight. For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life. But I know he wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America. It’s a testament to Joe Biden’s love of country — and a historic example of a genuine public servant once again putting the interests of the American people ahead of his own that future generations of leaders will do well to follow.

We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond.

For now, Michelle and I just want to express our love and gratitude to Joe and Jill for leading us so ably and courageously during these perilous times — and for their commitment to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for president. The battleground state governor has been floated as a potential running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket.

‘I’ve known Kamala Harris for nearly tow decades – we’ve both been prosecutors, we’ve both stood up for the rule of law, we’ve both fought for the people and delivered results. Kamala Harris is a patriot worthy of our support and she will continue to work for generations of Americans who came before us to perfect our union, protect our democracy, and advance real freedom,’ he said in a statement.

‘She has served the country honorably as Vice President and she is ready to be President.’

He said the best path forward for the Democratic Party is to ‘quickly unite behind Vice President Harris and refocus on winning the presidency.’

Shapiro vowed he would do everything he an to help elect Harris as the next president.

Former President Donald Trump demanded Sunday that the second presidential debate – which is slated to be broadcast on ABC News on September 10 – be held on the conservative Fox News Channel instead.

The Republican nominee said that ABC ‘the home of George Slopadopolus’ was too liberal.

‘Now that Joe has, not surprisingly, has quit the race, I think the Debate, with whomever the Radical Left Democrats choose, should be held on FoxNews, rather than very biased ABC,’ Trump said.

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, a Clinton White House staffer, conducted the first sit-down interview with President Joe Biden after his disastrous debate performance late last month.

Stephanopoulos asked Biden a number of questions about his debate performance and his overall health – an interview that didn’t improve the Democrat’s tenuous political standing after the Atlanta showdown.

Biden announced Sunday afternoon that he would not seek reelection.

By Sarah Ewall-Wice, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Democrats are seeing a flood of grassroots donations and big donors reaching out after President Biden dropped out of the presidential race Sunday afternoon in a stunning move. He said it was in the best interest of the Democratic party and the nation.

In an hour after Biden released his bombshell announcement, Democrats brought in more than $5 million in donations, according to tracking on ActBlue.

By the end of three hours Sunday afternoon, the avalanche of donations had climbed to nearly $16 million online and more cash was still coming in. In 20 minutes alone, another $1 million was raised on Sunday evening.

Big donors told DailyMail.com on Sunday that there has been a flood of outreach from others wanting to get in and help raise money for the Democratic ticket.

Hunter Biden released a statement on his father. He is currently in Los Angeles with wife Melissa Cohen.

For my entire life, I’ve looked at my dad in awe. How could he suffer so much heartache and yet give so much of whatever remained of his heart to others?

Not only in policies he passed but in the individual lives he’s touched. Over a life time I have witnessed him absorb the pain of countless everyday Americans who he’s given his personal phone number to, because he wanted them o call him when they were hurting.

When their last hopes were slipping through their hands. That unconditional love has been his North Star as president, and as a parent.

He is unique in public life today, in that there is no distance between Joe Biden the man and Joe Biden the public servant of the last 54 years. I’m so lucky every night I get to tell him I love him, and to thank him. I ask all Americans to join me tonight in doing the same.

Thank you, Mr. President. I love you, Dad.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry, President Joe Biden’s climate envoy, said that the 81-year old ‘achieved a domestic agenda unseen since the New Deal’ as he applauded the decision Sunday to bow out of the 2024 race.

‘I know how difficult today’s selfless decision must have been for someone who spent his entire life in service to country,’ Kerry said on a post on X.

Kerry was the Democratic nominee in 2004 and lost the election to Republican President George W. Bush. He served as former President Barack Obama’s secretary of State after Hillary Clinton left the job.

He was an early Biden supporter during the 2020 cycle and campaigned for him in early primary states.

House Republicans will be back in the Capitol tomorrow and plan to take action against the new Democrat frontrunner.

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., says she will introduce a resolution ‘condemning Kamala Harris’ role as Joe Biden’s ‘border czar.”

It’s the first public action planned by Republicans who are going all-in on fighting the Democrat’s top contender for the nomination.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent

President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection has upended the race at a stroke, forcing the Trump campaign to scramble as it gets to grips with a new opponent and to find ways to present a candidate that is now the oldest presidential nominee in history.

Perhaps most importantly, the Democratic candidate will now not be an incumbent. They will be from a younger generation,

The election will not be fought by two old white men. And the same two old white men from four years ago at that.

And, if the anti-incumbent wave that swept through Europe is repeated here, it could give the Democrats a helping hand.

Trump, at the age of 78, will no longer be the change candidate. And every verbal stumble or gaffe will be under greater scrutiny now that he isn’t up against an older opponent.

The Democrats may be in chaos, but Biden has handed them a lifeline.

Vice President Kamala Harris made it official that she’s running for president.

She filed Sunday with the Federal Election Commission that she was no longer running for vice president but is seeking the presidency.

The only Democrat who beat President Joe Biden in a primary race applauded his decision to step down Sunday afternoon.

At the time he urged the 81-year-old to pass the torch to the next generation.

On Sunday he called it the ‘ultimate expression’ of patriotism.

The world has reacted to President Joe Biden’s decision to pull out of the 2024 presidential election, with Israel’s PM leading the praise.

The 81-year-old stepped aside after facing weeks of questions over his fitness to serve following his disastrous presidential debate performance that sparked a series of fumbles he could not recover from.

His historic move comes 24 days after the debate and following a 50-year career in politics that culminated in his ascension to the White House.

Biden, a long-time supporter of Israel, was congratulated by the nation’s prime minister.

Isaac Herzog said of Biden in a post to X: ‘I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Joe Biden for his friendship and steadfast support for the Israeli people over his decades-long career.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent

The Trump attack dogs are out in force. David Urban is close to the former president and his line about Kamala Harris being an ‘enabler’ of Biden and his decline is similar to other attacks by Trump allies.

The strategy is clear. Biden is standing aside but they want Harris to take plenty of collateral damage in the meantime.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis – a failed 2024 GOP candidate – blasted Vice President Kamala Harris claiming she was ‘complicit’ in covering up President Joe Biden’s inability to do his job.

Biden dramatically dropped out of the presidential race, passing the baton to his vice president.

Republicans are already in attack mode, with DeSantis blaming Harris for the country’s border woes.

‘Democrats are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,’ DeSantis said.

The Trump campaign Sunday slammed Joe Biden as a ‘security risk’ and demanded that he leave the White House immediately.

It issued a blistering statement running down his three and a half years in office after the 81-year-old announced he would not be seeking reelection in November.

‘Joe Biden cannot take himself out of a campaign for president because he is too mentally incompetent and still remain in the White House,’ said top Trump campaign officials Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles.

‘Biden is a national security threat in great cognitive decline and a clear and present danger to every man, woman, and child in our country.

‘The question then to Kamala Harris is simple: knowing that Joe Biden withdrew from the campaign because of his rapidly deteriorating condition, does Harris believe the people of America are safe and secure with Joe Biden in the White House for six more months?’

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-Chairman Lara Trump released a statement on President Biden not seeking reelection and going after Vice President Kamala Harris.

‘President Trump will win this election because he is the only person who will rebuild our southern border, restore our economy and secure our standing in the world,’ they wrote.

‘Every single failure we’ve seen from Joe Biden – the Afghanistan withdrawal, a border crisis, crushing inflation, and America weakened abroad – has been delivered hand-in-hand with Kamala Harris. Not only would Harris be a disaster in the White House, but she also helped Biden cover up his declining health while in office, which destroys her credibility,’ they continued.

‘As Democrats fall apart, President Trump is uniting the American people behind his winning agenda,’ the statement finished.

Democrats are being flooeded with cash following President Biden’s announcement that he would not be seeking reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.

In just over an hour fundraising shot up more than $5 million according to tracking by ActBlue.

An hour after that it was up more than $8 million in total and climbing.

It’s not clear based on tracking where the donations are headed and it could be a challenge for candidates other than Harris to access the funds should they go to the Biden campaign and she’s not the nominee.

On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office.

It is a profound honor to serve as his Vice President, and I am deeply grateful to the President, Dr. Biden, and the entire Biden family. I first came to know President Biden through his son Beau. We were friends from our days working together as Attorneys General of our home states. As we worked together, Beau would tell me stories about his Dad. The kind of father—and the kind of man—he was. And the qualities Beau revered in his father are the same qualities, the same values, I have seen every single day in Joe’s leadership as President: His honesty and integrity. His big heart and commitment to his faith and his family. And his love of our country and the American people.

With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else.

I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.

We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.

President Joe Biden may have endorsed his VP to replace him in November, but the nation’s highest-ranking elected Democrats have not come out behind her yet.

‘America is a better place today because President Joe Biden has led us with intellect, grace and dignity. We are forever grateful,’ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement that made no mention of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement: ‘Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he’s a truly amazing human being. His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first.’

Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee where a candidate will be formally nominated, did not mention Harris in his own statement.

He promised to give more information soon on what the nominating process would look like. The Democratic National Convention is less than a month away and will begin on August 19.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent

Kamala Harris will have to round out her ticket with a pick to do the job of vice president. You could make a case for any of about half a dozen governors, senators or cabinet secretaries.

But one Trump confidant told me that the smart choice could be Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania.

The whole election could come down to the Key Stone state, which was won narrowly by Trump in 2016 before flipping to Biden in 2020. Choosing the governor would immediately strengthen Harris’s hand in one of the ‘blue wall’ states where Biden was trailing by four points in poll averages.

And he comes with another advantage: He is Jewish. My source said that could be important.

The Dems have a big problem with the Middle East right now. Shapiro could help reassure Jewish voters.

President Biden dropping out of the presidential race with less than four months before Election Day and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him sets of a series of frantic steps Democrats must take to have their ticket ready to take on Donald Trump.

While Harris is the likely nominee with the president’s backing, it is not guaranteed until the delegates vote at the convention next month to formally nominate a candidate.

Questions also swirl over who would be Harris’ running mate as number two on the ticket if she officially becomes the nominee.

Questions also swirl over who would be Harris’ running mate as number two on the ticket if she officially becomes the nominee.

Here’s whose names have been floated and what they’re saying:

Republicans insisted on Sunday that if President Biden is not fit to run for president in 2024, he must also resign from the job right now – and immediately went on the attack of Vice President Kamala Harris.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Joe Biden announced he would not be running at the top of the Democratic ticket in November. He endorsed Harris to take his spot.

‘If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough,’ Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., wrote on X.

‘If Joe Biden ends his reelection campaign, how can he justify remaining President?’ questioned newly-nominated VP candidate Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent

MAGA Inc, the super PAC backing Trump, has dropped a new ad on X. An insider told DailyMail.com that it will rapidly drop its Biden attack ads to switch in the new spot, and they will begin to air in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania tomorrow.

It shows how the campaign and the outside groups backing Trump will now pivot. While publicly officials have insisted they don’t care which opponent they get in November, there will be practical matters they have to address, particularly once the full ticket is known.

Will new states come into play? Will different issues become more relevant? What are the new ticket’s strengths and weaknesses?

For now, as the MAGA Inc ad shows, tying Harris to Biden and painting her as a more leftwing enabler of his policies is the first priority for Trump world.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Joe Biden informed his senior campaign staff and senior White House staff of his decision to exit the race at 1:45 pm, a White House official confirmed.

That was only one minute before he posted his letter announcing his decision on social media.

And many of his staff – the junior staffers who run day-to-day operations for the campaign and the administration – found out from that post.

Biden is isolating in Rehoboth Beach with wife Jill as he recovers from a bout of COVID.

According to a study by Fox News, Joe Biden takes the cake for being the closest to Election Day to step down.

• Biden: 107 days
• LBJ: 219 days
• Harry Truman: 220 days
• Calvin Coolidge: 462 days

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent in Grand Rapids

At his first rally after being shot, Donald Trump spoke for an hour and 47 minutes, hitting all his favorite targets.

He railed repeatedly against ‘crooked Joe Biden,’ polled his crowd on the opponent they’d like to see him up against in the election, and accused the Democratic Party of leading a coup against its nominee.

He also tested his attack lines on Kamala Harris.

From the moment we take back the White House from crooked joe biden and Kamala … I call her laughing Kamala. You ever watch her? She’s crazy. You can tell a lot by laughter she’s crazy. She’s nuts. She’s not as crazy as Nancy from us.

Approximately 58 percent of Democrats think Harris would make a good president – while 22 percent think she would not and 20 percent ‘do not know enough to say’.

This is compared to the 30 percent of the general public that think Harris would make a good President and a staggering 87 percent of Republicans who said she would NOT make a good president.

‘Democrats must immediately unite so we can focus on winning in November,’ Jayapal, D-Wash., wrote on X. ‘I look forward to casting my vote for Kamala Harris and doing everything I can to ensure she becomes our next president.

Jayapal and the rest of the progressive ‘Squad’ had been some of Biden’s last defenders in Congress before he dropped out.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer who serves as a Biden reelection campaign co-chair called Biden a great public servant who ‘knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump.

‘My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan,’ she wrote on X.

Whitmer has also been touted as a potential replacement for Biden, but she has insisted she is not running.

Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg: ‘I am so proud to serve under his leadership’ and ‘thankful for his unwavering focus.’

Per a source familiar, Leader Schumer and President Biden spoke this afternoon before his announcement.

Former President Donald Trump tells CNN in a phone call minutes after Biden announced he is dropping out of the 2024 race and endorsing Kamala Harris.

He is the worst president in the history of our country. He goes down as the single worst president by far in the history of our country.

Trump went on to say he thinks Kamala will be easier to beat this November than Biden – or any other Democrat.

The former president took to Truth Social to further slam ‘crooked Joe Biden’ – adding that he’s currently ‘not fit to serve.’

Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t – And now, look what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people coming across our Border, totally unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., quickly took to X to call on Biden to ‘resign the office immediately.’

Regardless of the chaos in the current White House, our adversaries around the globe should be reminded that the U.S. Congress, the U.S. military, and the American people are fully prepared and committed to defend our interests both at home and abroad.

If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough.

President Joe Biden has endorsed and given his full support to his Vice President to Kamala Harris after he dropped out of the presidential race.

In his letter announcing his historic move, he stopped short of saying he should be her replacement.

One of President Biden’s close supporters and a person whose name had been floated as a possible replacement California Governor Gavin Newsom reacted to the president’s bombshell announcement on X.

‘President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans,’ Newsom wrote.

‘He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents. Thank you,@JoeBiden.’

He did not make any indication of what he believes needs to happen next.

President Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on Sunday setting off an unprecedented chain of events that sets Democrats scrambling to to have a nominee for the top of the ticket in place with less than four months to go before Election Day.

The Democratic National Convention is set to kick off August 19 through 22 in Chicago where Biden had been set to formally accept the nomination having received 3,896 delegates during the primaries.

More than 4,600 delegates and thousand of other party officials will now head to the city without Biden as the presumptive nominee for the Democratic ticket.

The president made the announcement in a letter to his fellow Americans where he wrote it has been the greatest honor of his life to serve as president.

‘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,’ he wrote.

He did not make an endorsement of another Democrat, instead writing he would speak to the country later this week with more details about his decision.

President Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on Sunday setting off an unprecedented chain of events that sets Democrats scrambling to to have a nominee for the top of the ticket in place with less than four months to go before Election Day.

The Democratic National Convention is set to kick off August 19 through 22 in Chicago where Biden had been set to formally accept the nomination having received 3,896 delegates during the primaries.

More than 4,600 delegates and thousand of other party officials will now head to the city without Biden as the presumptive nominee for the Democratic ticket.

Here’s what happens next:

President Joe Biden has dropped out of the 2024 race in a seismic decision sparked by a relentless campaign from Democrats demanding he drop out because of his cognitive decline and his dire chances against Donald Trump.

The 81-year-old stepped aside Sunday after facing weeks of questions over his fitness to serve following his disastrous presidential debate performance that sparked a series of fumbles he could not recover from.

His extraordinary move comes after a 50-year career in politics that culminated in the White House.

Biden announced his historic decision in a one-page letter where he committed to completing his term, but not fully endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the replacement.

Now Democrats must race to shore up their campaign behind a new nominee with less than four months until voting 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 has been my intention to seek reelection,’ he went on, ‘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.’

I’m nothing but proud today of my Pop, our President, Joe Biden, who has served our country with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction. Not only has he been—and will continue to be—the most effective president of our lifetime, but he has likely already cemented himself as the most effective and impactful public servant in our nation’s history.

He has been at the center of, and had a material impact on, literally every single major issue that our country and world has faced for 50 years. Our world is better today in so many ways thanks to him. To the Americans who have always had his back, keep the faith. He will always have ours.

Joe Biden has backed out of the presidential race.

DailyMail.com’s team of political experts and reporters will keep you up to date with the latest out of the White House.