I decided that the best way to move forward is to pass the baton to the next generation, because this is the best way to unite the country, US President Joe Biden said in a speech from the Oval Office, BTA reported.
"There is a time and a place for a long experience in public life. There is a place and a time for new voices, fresh voices, younger voices. And that time is now," said Biden, who dropped out of the presidential race in favor of his vice president, Kamala Harris.
Biden said he will focus on the remaining six months of his presidency, working to lower costs for working people, grow the economy, defend civil rights, voting rights and fight against political extremism and violence. "We will continue to assemble a coalition of proud countries to prevent Putin from taking over Ukraine and doing more damage. We will keep NATO stronger and more united than at any time in our history," the president promised. He said he would work to end the war in Gaza and return the Israeli hostages kidnapped by the Palestinian group "Hamas" in the Gaza Strip.
Biden urged American voters to vote for Kamala Harris, who he said is "experienced, strong and capable" and will be a good leader of the USA.
Earlier yesterday, at a rally in North Carolina, GOP candidate Donald Trump accused Harris of allowing "20 million illegal aliens to invade" in USA. But according to Biden, the number of illegal border crossings with Mexico is lower now than it was under Trump.
Biden dropped out of running for a second term in the presidency after pressure from his own party, stemming from his poor performance in the June 27 debate with Trump and polls that showed he had a strong chance of losing the elections. Biden said it has been his privilege to serve the country for 50 years. He motivated his withdrawal by saying that the defense of democracy is more important than any title and the need to unite the Democratic Party.
He is the first president to decline to seek a second term since Lyndon Johnson, who, criticized for his failure to handle the Vietnam War, abruptly withdrew from the campaign on March 31, 1968.
"The great quality of America is that kings and dictators do not rule here. People do it. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands," Biden also said.