Biden talks about why he quit race, points to pressure from Democrats: 'Transition president'
During his first interview since leaving the presidential race, President Joe Biden told CBS News that his decision was influenced by the need to prevent former President Donald Trump from being re-elected and to minimize distractions in other Democratic campaigns. Biden also described himself as a “transition president,” acknowledging pressure from Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate, who were concerned about the impact of his candidacy on their races.
Speaking from his family home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Biden acknowledged the tight race indicated by polls but expressed concern about becoming a distraction in the Democratic campaign and was urged to withdraw.
“The polls that we've shown that it was a neck-and-neck race would have been diminished,” Biden told Robert Costa during the interview with “CBS Sunday Morning.” However, he felt his presence in the race could overshadow broader Democratic goals.
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“Some of my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate thought I was going to hurt them in the races. And I was worried if I stayed in the race, that would be the issue,” the president added.
Biden indicated that discussions with party members played a significant role in his decision.
In the weeks following his initial debate with former President Donald Trump, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other Democrats reportedly urged Biden in private meetings to withdraw from the race, according to Fox News, which noted that Pelosi denied that she had spoken to Biden about it.
Speaking to reporters, Pelosi acknowledged that Biden had no “path to victory.”
“Now I really asked for a better campaign. We didn't have a campaign that was on the road to victory. Members knew that in their districts,” The Washington Post cited Pelosi as saying.
Pelosi revealed that before the June debate, she advised Biden against attending, warning that Trump would reduce the event to chaos. Despite this, Biden felt confident and insisted on participating. Pelosi expressed her surprise at Biden's performance during the debate, telling reporters, “I was shocked the night of the debate,” she said, adding that she really didn't expect it.
Biden's choice was also deeply personal, reflecting his long-standing commitment to American democracy and the influence of his family. He shared memories of conversations with his late son, Beau Biden, whose leadership continued to inspire him.
“When I have a really hard decision to make, I literally ask myself, 'What would Beau do?'” Biden recounted.
“It's not a joke – to preserve this democracy. I thought it was important. Because, although it's a great honor to be president, I think I have a duty to the country to do what [is] the most important thing you can do, and that is, we must, we must, we must defeat Trump.”
On July 24, three days after announcing his decision, Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office, where he said that nothing, including “personal ambition,” would prevent him from prioritizing the well-being of the country over his own political career
Source: www.christianpost.com