Next up is a convention fight…
President Joe Biden shocked the nation with his Sunday morning announcement on July 21 that he’s dropping his bid for reelection. TV networks erupted, scrambling for details and reactions, trying to figure out what this means for the Democrats moving forward.
🚨Breaking Now🚨: President Joe Biden makes his first video address following dropping out of the Presidential race. pic.twitter.com/oIE69FHXdf
— Prison Mitch (@MidnightMitch) July 21, 2024
“Major, major breaking news,” exclaimed Alex Marquardt on CNN. “We have major breaking news,” echoed Katy Tur on MSNBC. “Massive breaking news,” added Mike Emanuel on Fox News. The sheer magnitude of Biden’s announcement was undeniable.
This decision, while stunning, wasn’t entirely unforeseen. Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump in June had already set the rumor mill in motion. Reports had surfaced just a week prior, hinting that Biden might bow out. Yet, his actual announcement — a social media post made while he’s recovering from COVID-19 — caught many off guard.
Kevin Corke on Fox News called Biden’s decision an “absolute earthquake for Democrats,” especially with the November election looming. It was a sentiment shared widely, as many had believed Biden was resolutely staying in the race up until that morning.
CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez noted that Biden’s campaign and allies were adamant he was staying in. ABC’s Selena Wang reported that, even the night before, Biden was reportedly furious, feeling betrayed by close allies but still determined to push forward. Mary Bruce of ABC echoed Wang’s sentiments, pointing out that Biden’s supporters were publicly backing him just hours before the announcement.
INSANE‼️ Another @VivekGRamaswamy prediction has come true with Joe Biden now dropping out of the race
Vivek predicted this as early as last spring pic.twitter.com/PwjnZ1oBzg
— James Jinnette (@james_jinnette1) July 21, 2024
This wasn’t the first major story to catch the media off guard recently. Just the previous weekend, an assassination attempt on Trump two days before the Republican National Convention had also caused a media frenzy. However, Biden’s decision, while less surprising, shifted the focus to what comes next for the Democrats.
NBC’s Hallie Jackson raised critical questions about the Democratic National Convention, pondering who would now deliver the prime-time speech to accept the Democratic nomination. All eyes turned to Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden endorsed in a second social media post. Yet, as CBS’s Ed O’Keefe noted, the Democratic Party bylaws don’t clearly outline procedures for this scenario, thrusting the party into uncharted territory.
Meanwhile, Trump and the Republicans wasted no time attacking Harris. CBS’s Robert Costa reported receiving a text from Donald Trump Jr., who bashed Harris as “more liberal and less competent” than Biden. This aggressive stance hinted at the rough and tumultuous campaign ahead.
Republicans quickly pivoted to questioning Biden’s fitness to govern, suggesting that if he isn’t up to running for reelection, he should resign. Fox News and other outlets picked up this narrative, though no one addressed that running for reelection and governing require different skill sets. CNN’s Jeff Zeleny pointed out that this issue will likely dominate the rest of Biden’s presidency, becoming a distraction or a rallying point for Democrats.
🚨BREAKING: Vivek Ramaswamy reacts LIVE to Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential race
“We’ve got to avoid making the mistake of thinking that we’re up against a candidate here. We’re not. We’re up against a machine.. I just had a good conversation with President Trump I… pic.twitter.com/nNs9iZzY5M
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 21, 2024
This month has been nothing short of chaotic, and Biden’s announcement adds another layer of unpredictability to an already tumultuous political landscape.
Update: Kamala Harris thinks she is locked in for the nomination, but the convention may not turn out the way she planned, as the Hillay Clinton camp begins ramping up their attacks in order to get her face off against Trump.
Major Points:
- President Joe Biden announced he’s dropping his bid for reelection, causing a media frenzy and speculation about the future.
- Biden’s disastrous debate performance and recent COVID-19 recovery played roles in his decision.
- Biden’s allies were reportedly convinced he was staying in the race until the morning of the announcement.
- Vice President Kamala Harris is the likely candidate to replace Biden, but the Democratic Party lacks clear guidelines for this scenario.
- Republicans, led by Donald Trump Jr., have already begun attacking Harris and questioning Biden’s fitness to govern.
RM Tomi – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
