President Joe Biden mumbled his way through an 11-minute farewell address to the nation and claimed he could have served another four years if he wanted to.
Biden, 81, spoke quietly, at times haltingly, and his voice was scratchy as he explained his stunning decision not to seek re-election.
The President said he had chosen to ‘pass the torch’ to Vice President Kamala Harris because it was time for ‘younger voices’ and he believed that would ‘unite’ the country and ‘save’ democracy.
Biden looked intently into the camera during the primetime address for which he was seated behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
He said: ‘I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term.
‘But nothing, nothing, can come in the way of saving our democracy, and that includes personal ambition, so I decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.’
He added: ‘There is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life. There’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices. Yes, younger voices.’
Biden did not address questions over his own age, health and mental acuity, which have plagued his presidency from the start.
Doubts about his ability to do the job intensified following a disastrous debate performance last month, which shocked senior Democrats into calling for him to leave the 2024 presidential race.
President Joe Biden, in an Oval Office address, revealed why he decided to step down as the Democratic nominee
From right: Jill Biden, Ashley Biden and husband Howard Krein, and Hunter Biden and his daughter Finnegan listen to Joe Biden speak
As Biden spoke his wife Jill Biden, and children Hunter and Ashley, sat to his left along a wall watching his valedictory.
Also present were several of his grandchildren including Naomi Biden and Maisy Biden.
The family broke into applause when the president finished speaking. Jill Biden joined him at the Resolute Desk, and Hunter Biden hugged his father.
Biden, who has just recovered from a bout of COVID fumbled briefly in his delivery, mumbling at times.
He used the address to outline what he hopes will be his legacy and said he has more work to do in the six months he has left in office.
Hunter Biden gives his dad a hug
He said: ‘I revere this office but I love my country more.
‘It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president but the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think is more important than a title.’
Biden made it clear he is stepping down voluntarily, drawing a stark contrast with his predecessor.
He did not mention Donald Trump by name but talked about how the country is more important than anyone’s ambition to stay in the Oval Office.
‘America is an idea – an idea stronger than any army, bigger than any ocean, more powerful than any dictator,’ Biden said.
As the president spoke, his staff were gathered one floor up, on the state floor of the White House, to watch his remarks with wine and pizza.
Before the speech began, staffers were spotted walking in from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is across the street of the West Wing, into the White House proper for the event.
Biden’s decision to step down sent shock waves throughout the world and ended his political career that has lasted more than 50 years.
He has already endorsed Harris and turned over his campaign infrastructure to her. The campaign has renamed itself ‘Harris for President.’
Within 30 hours of Biden announcing on Sunday that he was stepping aside Harris had pledges from enough delegates to win the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.
In his speech on Wednesday night, Biden did not explicitly endorse Harris but noted he had ‘made my views known.’
He said: ‘I made my choice. I’ve made my views known. I’d like to thank our great Vice President Kamala Harris. She’s experienced. She’s tough. She’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country.
‘Now the choice is up to you, the American people.’
Hunter Biden, his daughter Finnegan, Howard Krein, Ashley Biden and Jill Biden in the Oval
Jill Biden joined Joe Biden at the Resolute Desk when he finished his speech
President Joe Biden returning to Delaware after being diagnosed with COVID
Democratic delegates will nominate their presidential ticket virtually in early August ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off August 19th in Chicago.
The president returned to the White House on Tuesday after spending six days isolating in his beach house in Delaware, where he was suffering from COVID.
He has canceled a West Coast fundraising swing scheduled for the end of the week.
He will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Thursday.
Biden spent weeks rebuffing pressure from senior figures in his party to step down as its nominee. But, on Sunday, he bowed to the inevitable.
He is the first incumbent president not to seek re-election since 1968 when Lyndon Johnson, under fire for his handling of the Vietnam War, abruptly pulled out of the campaign on March 31.
The president also joins James K. Polk, James Buchanan, Rutherford B. Hayes, Calvin Coolidge and Harry Truman as presidents who all decided not to stand for a second term.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday denied there was a ‘cover-up’ of Biden’s declining health and mental capabilities by staff and Biden family members.
Biden’s top spokesperson was grilled repeatedly about his apparent change of heart when it came to a second term and denied his health had anything to do with the decision.
During her press briefing – the first since Biden’s historic decision to step down as the Democratic nominee – Fox News‘ Peter Doocy asked her: ‘It would seem that people in this White House knew that President Biden was slipping and it was hidden from the American people – so who ordered White House officials to coverup a declining president?’
‘There’s been no coverup,’ she replied.
For weeks Jean-Pierre and other aides had denied Biden was considering leaving the presidential race.
They had denied reports his health was on the decline.
But, in the June 26th presidential debate, Biden repeatedly fumbled for words and froze on camera, leading to questions from his own party about his ability to serve a second term in the White House.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denied there was a ‘coverup’ of President Joe Biden ‘s health and mental capabilities
Jean-Pierre said the president made his decision in ‘very short period of time.’
She pushed back against reports that aides, lawmakers and Democratic officials had noticed for months that Biden was on the decline.
She also said his health was not a factor in his decision to exit the presidential race.
‘It has nothing to do with his health,’ she said. ‘I can say, no, that’s not the reason.’
She also called calls for the president to resign from office ‘ridiculous.’
There have been questions as to why, if Biden can’t serve four more years, he can serve six more months.
Jean-Pierre argued that Biden was capable of serving out a full second term.
‘He didn’t step down from from campaigning or from running because he didn’t believe he can serve in a second term. That is not why,’ she said.
