The Guardian – Biden quits race
The Guardian also splashes on Joe Biden’s decision to step out of the presidential race. The president has endorsed his vice president Kamala Harris to replace him. The front page features a large image of Biden with his head bowed, as it reports that he has ended his campaign for re-election. The paper suggests his decision was abrupt, only informing senior staff on Sunday afternoon that he had changed his mind.
Joe Biden withdraws from presidential race after weeks of pressure to quit
Joe Biden has withdrawn from his presidential re-election race and endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to take his place at the top of their party’s ticket, an extraordinary decision upending American politics that plunges the Democratic nomination into uncertainty just months before the November election against Donald Trump – a candidate Biden has warned is an existential threat to US democracy.
Top Democrats back Kamala Harris as donations surge after Biden steps aside
All 50 state Democratic party chairs have endorsed Harris to be the party’s new presidential nominee to run against Republican nominee and former president, Donald Trump, Reuters reports.
The chairs held a conference call after President Joe Biden announced he was stepping aside as the party’s candidate.
“Following President Biden’s announcement, our members immediately assembled to unite behind the candidate who has a track record of winning tough elections, and who is a proven leader on the issues that matter to Americans: reproductive freedom, gun violence prevention, climate protection, justice reform, and rebuilding the economy,” said Ken Martin, president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, in a statement.
Kamala Harris thrust into 2024 spotlight as Biden bows out
When Joe Biden addressed the NAACP convention in Las Vegas last week, one of his biggest applause lines – a line that set of chants of “Four more years!” – was when we he praised Kamala Harris as “not only a great vice-president” but someone who “could be president of the United States”.
Now she has that chance.
On Sunday, when the president made the extraordinary decision to end his re-election campaign, he made an equally momentous choice: to offer his “full support and endorsement” of Harris to be the Democratic nominee and take on Donald Trump in November.
“It’s time to come together and beat Trump,” the 81-year-old president said. “Let’s do this.”
Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
If you are someone who reads every perspective of a story, here is a news summary of all of today’s front pages from today’s newspapers; summarised in a 2-minute read
Editorial 18 July 2024.
Monday’s front pages are dominated by one story: Joe Biden’s announcement he will not seek re-election in November, and backing his vice president Kamala Harris to be the Democratic candidate. The president had been under growing pressure to step aside following a disastrous TV debate performance that had many Americans questioning his age and mental fitness. Despite attempting to mount several comebacks, a few other high-profile gaffes only added to the pressure – which saw high-profile Democrats and Democratic figures call on the president to step aside. Biden will remain in office until the end of his term. The US will head to the polls in November to elect their new president – a race that now looks likely to be Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump. The new president will assume office in January 2025.
Away from US politics, a handful of tabloids report on the Strictly Come Dancing bullying scandal, whilst the back pages are dominated by golf and cricket.