# President Biden Dropping Out of Race **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** kamala-harris\ **Created:** [July 21, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540 "2024-07-21T18:05:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/303 "2024-07-22T18:27:37Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > In the past 24h, ActBlue has received close to $100,000,000 in donations. $100.00 of that was from me. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/304 "2024-07-22T18:30:41Z")
> [@GulfTiger](#): > > He needs to do this and soon. There are questions starting to bubble up that we don’t need. Who is “we” here? He said in the original letter that he would speak sometime this week. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/305 "2024-07-22T18:31:54Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > $100.00 of that was from me. And $100.00 in the next tally will be from me, as of about 60 seconds ago. ---
**Author:** ![GulfTiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@GulfTiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GulfTiger)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/306 "2024-07-22T18:32:48Z")
We, as in the people. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/307 "2024-07-22T18:35:02Z")
Naw, this people is fine. Also, apparently the Biden war chest was around $100,000,000, so this means that KH… assuming the above post of mine is true (wait for the FEC reports!) … is sitting on $350,000,000 in available cash and commitments. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/308 "2024-07-22T18:37:41Z")
> [@GulfTiger](#): > > We, as in the people. I am not at all concerned about the disingenuous concern from GOP goons in the article. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/309 "2024-07-22T18:39:43Z")
@GulfTiger: As the trolling is now getting blatant, take a day off and when you return do not post in this thread. This is a **warning** for concern trolling. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/310 "2024-07-22T18:41:17Z")
> [@GulfTiger](#): > > We, as in the people. Do you have any cites that aren’t well-known GOP members or Trump supporters asking for this? And any that aren’t from a trashy tabloid newspaper which isn’t even from the U.S.? ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/311 "2024-07-22T18:47:08Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > @GulfTiger: As the trolling is now getting blatant, take a day off and when you return do not post in this thread. > > This is a **warning** for concern trolling. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/312 "2024-07-22T19:03:01Z")
> [@GulfTiger](#): > > [Leading political figures fear there may be a very sinister reason for Biden’s disappearance since dropping out of 2024 race - (The Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13659637/president-joe-biden-rumor-ill-dead-dropped-race.html) Ah, the _Daily Mail_. Balanced, impartial UK journalism at its finest. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/313 "2024-07-22T19:15:42Z")
It certainly was charitable of them to point out that > There’s no suggestion or evidence that Biden is suffering health issues. …six paragraphs into the article. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/314 "2024-07-22T20:24:25Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’m thinking more that it is shameful what Biden did - by failing to commit to being a 1-termer. This is not warranted. Even if Biden knew he was going to step down, the last thing he should do is let anyone know until he does it. It would immediately turn him into a lame duck president who could to nothing. Political capital requires that people think you’ll stay in power. That’s why presidents become a lame duck once they are voted out. On paper, they still have all the power of the presidency. But everyone knows they’re going to be replaced. I will shut down the nonsense (and Republican talking point) about this _violating democracy_, as polls show that 2/3s of Democrats wanted him to step down. Those would be the same people who voted in the primaries. He is thus doing what his voters want. But someone saying it’s a shame? Yeah. It is. It’s a shame this had to happen. It’s obviously not what this man who has contributed so much to our country deserves. There is no need at all to vilify the man. * * * IMHO, People get to be upset about this. They’re not wrong. This is a very risky move. I hope it pays off. But it’s not inevitable. I’m cautiously optimistic if people can get behind Harris, and that she can be enough like Biden to appeal to those who really liked him,\* while also bringing on new people that Biden so far hasn’t. The people who actually use data (and not emotions) to make decisions seem to have a plan. I still stand by most of what I’ve said before. And I do think it’s fair to wonder how much of this was actually because Biden couldn’t handle things, and how much of it was an emotional overreaction. It was the panic (and media fueling that panic), _not_ the initial debate, that made me start to think Biden may need to step down. There was just too much infighting–more than I’d seen even for Gaza. And a divided party can’t win. \*And they do exist. I’ve run into them. Full on Biden fans who think he is a great president, and were very disheartened when he stepped down, There was actually someone saying they should honor Biden’s legacy by voting for Harris. Biden’s biggest flaw, IMHO, was that he didn’t toot his own horn enough. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/315 "2024-07-22T20:45:02Z")
> **Off-topic question** > > Isn’t he to meet with Netanyahu today? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/316 "2024-07-22T20:46:50Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > > [@Sylvanz](#): > > > > He resigned, in my opinion, because the chaos caused made it pretty much impossible for him to run a campaign. ⁢ > > Any “chaos” was Biden’s fault for not getting out sooner. I mean, after the debate, he should have proactively and autonomously made the move. ⁢ That would have also been stupid. Making it this far, right now is the best time for it to happen—after the RNC and after Trump has already committed to a running mate. Plus rash decisions are never the right choice. And, no, Biden is not responsible for people’s emotional reactions. And you cannot deny that the media then took this emotional reaction and ran with it. For example, it is still ridiculous that they would talk only about Biden and not about Trump. Both in how bad what he said at the debate was, and in the fact that Trump had shown similar symptoms—trailing off and mixing up names. Remember how he kept calling Haley Pelosi? Heck, the fact that this hasn’t seem to harm Trump is probably the strongest evidence that it was the reaction that harmed Biden more than the actual performance. Oh, and while I’m here, I absolutely disagree with you saying that Biden was unfit to campaign from the start. The whole reason the debate was shocking was that it was significantly worse than people had seen before. And it’s not like there’s some fixed timeline. Plus there were very good reasons for him to run. This is a gamble. One I am cautiously optimistic about seeing the reaction from both sides (coalescing around one candidate for the Dems, and the freaking out of the Pubs). But still a gamble. I hope very much it pays off. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/317 "2024-07-22T20:50:34Z")
> [@Sylvanz](#): > > Where did you see that Biden dropped out because of, “mental issues”? Was it in one of the links? 'Cause if it was I missed it. Cite? ⁢ I did not say he dropped out because of mental issues. I said he dropped out “after” having mental issues. I think his decision to drop out was far more nuanced than that. Though I do suspect the rumors about him considering dropping out were true, so he’d been considering it at least that long. It was just in everyone’s best interest to deny until it happened. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/318 "2024-07-22T20:51:06Z")
Ask yourself, how is this relative to the thread? It probably isn’t. So refrain from posting it, especially when you can Google it. **Moderating** ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/319 "2024-07-22T20:57:41Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > That would have also been stupid. Making it this far, right now is the best time for it to happen—after the RNC and after Trump has already committed to a running mate. Plus rash decisions are never the right choice. Yup. If this was carefully orchestrated (and I don’t believe it was, I really do think that Biden was legitimately reluctant to withdraw and was finally convinced to), but if it was, it was planned fairly well. I think it’s early enough that the Democrats can put together a good campaign (the convention is still some time away) but it’s late enough that the Republicans are going to have to play catch-up with opposition research. It’s a lot easier to speak a person’s praises than it is to dig up dirt on them, so the Republicans have a harder job. And there is also this: > [@BigT](#): > > This is a gamble. One I am cautiously optimistic about seeing the reaction from both sides (coalescing around one candidate for the Dems, and the freaking out of the Pubs). The Republicans are going crazy that this happened, to the point of even throwing around the insane idea of trying to sue somebody for something. That seems like a really good sign. If you want to know if you made a good decision, sometimes the best sign is that your opponent is throwing a fit about it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/320 "2024-07-22T21:47:29Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > > [@BigT](#): > > > > That would have also been stupid. Making it this far, right now is the best time for it to happen—after the RNC and after Trump has already committed to a running mate. Plus rash decisions are never the right choice. > > Yup. If this was carefully orchestrated (and I don’t believe it was, I really do think that Biden was legitimately reluctant to withdraw and was finally convinced to), but if it was, it was planned fairly well. I think it’s early enough that the Democrats can put together a good campaign (the convention is still some time away) but it’s late enough that the Republicans are going to have to play catch-up with opposition research. It’s a lot easier to speak a person’s praises than it is to dig up dirt on them, so the Republicans have a harder job. I don’t think it was orchestrated at all. It’s my feeling that this bout of Covid made him realize he doesn’t have the strength to campaign and govern. I’m sure he’s also thinking about the next four years. A cold ruined him for the debate. Covid is lingering and keeping him from maintaining a busy campaign schedule. At his age even with a perfectly healthy man random illnesses are easy to catch and can be debilitating. He knows if he was under the weather during the convention the party and the country are sunk. This video from Jeff Jackson shows that he was on a call with members of Congress not that long ago talking about the campaign with no indication of dropping out. That was before he got sick again. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/x5qhEqpCyvA/maxresdefault.jpg "Suddenly, it’s a whole new race. Here’s what comes next. - Rep. Jeff Jackson") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5qhEqpCyvA) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/321 "2024-07-22T22:05:26Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I don’t think it was orchestrated at all. It’s my feeling that this bout of Covid made him realize he doesn’t have the strength to campaign and govern. I’m sure he’s also thinking about the next four years. A cold ruined him for the debate. I absolutely agree with you 100%. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this decision came about in the wake of his Covid diagnosis and recovery. And no, I don’t think it’s because doctors gave him 3 months to live or anything, but I’ve had Covid and it wiped me out. If anything is going to make Joe more aware of how old he is, something like that would. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540/322 "2024-07-22T22:12:00Z")
I have to admit, my original, “America is fucked,” opinion was based on the fact that I just didn’t think that trashing one campaign and whipping up another inside of three months from the election was viable but this is a different world, I suppose. Fifty years ago, I don’t think it would have worked - not enough mobility, media or otherwise. That said, seeing the the last two days of the Democrats seemingly starting to get their shit together - at least a majority of leadership, anyway - fills me with a little hope. I’m sure the extreme fringe right are going to go bananas with a black woman daring to run for president, but I think the groundswell we’re seeing behind her now will mitigate that. This could work. She’s got a lot of good material to whip out on that old lecherous fool the Republicans are running. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-dropping-out-of-race/1004540.md?page=17)