In semi-recent American political news, one major topic of discourse has been U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race and announce that he will not be running for a second term. This decision came after a disastrous CNN debate between Biden and former President and 2024 Republican nominee Donald Trump. During the debate, it was evident that Biden appeared mentally unwell and confused. He struggled to answer questions directly and his arguments lacked coherence. In a poll conducted by CNN, 45 percent of respondents believed that Biden would outperform Trump in the debate. However, this figure dropped to a staggering 33 percent after the debate, while Trump’s rating rose from a pre-debate 55 percent to 67 percent post-debate, a 12 percent increase.
Throughout his 2024 re-election campaign, Biden expressed confidence that he was the one who could beat Trump and stated that he would remain in the race unless “Lord Almighty” compelled him to step aside. Whether it was divine intervention or catastrophic public appearances, Biden ultimately decided to withdraw from the election.
What were the key factors behind Biden’s decision? Many believe his cognitive abilities played a major role. In addition to the CNN debate, Biden had experienced several prior verbal missteps. For example, on March 1, 2022, during his State of the Union address, he mistakenly said “Iranian” when he meant “Ukrainian,” confused “America” with “Delaware” and “profits” with “prices.” On Oct. 7, 2022, during an economic speech in Maryland, he began with the phrase, “Let me start with two words: ‘Made in America.’” On June 28, 2023, Biden commented that Putin was “clearly losing the war in Iraq” when referring to the conflict in Ukraine. More recently, on July 11, 2024, he mistakenly referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump,” and later, at the NATO Summit, he called for President Zelenskyy of Ukraine but mistakenly said “President Putin,” the leader of Ukraine’s biggest adversary, Russia.
In addition to cognitive concerns, Biden’s physical abilities have also come into question in recent years. On March 19, 2021, he stumbled three times while boarding Air Force One. On June 18, 2022, he fell off his bike in Delaware and on Sept. 26, 2023, he lost his footing while descending from Air Force One. These incidents have made many Americans worry about the physical and mental state of their president.
These concerns have sparked discussions not only about Biden’s age but also about the ages of both candidates. Donald Trump is currently 78 years old, while Biden is 81, making them the oldest individuals to run for presidential office in U.S. history. This has led to some U.S. citizens questioning whether an age limit should be set for presidential candidates. However, Kamala Harris, the current vice president and Biden’s replacement as the Democratic presidential nominee, is 59 years old, which is significantly younger than both Biden and Trump. Her candidacy has led to a notable shift in public support for the Democratic Party.
President Joe Biden is not the first president to decline re-election. In fact, six presidents before him made the same decision: James Polk, James Buchanan, Rutherford B. Hayes, Calvin Coolidge, Harry S. Truman and most recently, Lyndon B. Johnson. Thus, Biden’s decision is not unprecedented in U.S. politics.
Overall, Biden had several reasons for dropping out of the race. He made the choice he felt was best for himself and the country. In his public statement, posted on Instagram, he thanked the American people for their support throughout his presidency. While Biden’s withdrawal may not have been entirely unexpected, it significantly changes the dynamics of the upcoming election with Kamala Harris now on the ballot as the Democratic candidate.