'Best way forward is to pass the torch': Joe Biden on quitting US presidential race

Telling his fellow countrymen that America is at an inflection point, US President Joe Biden on July 24 said he has decided that the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.

“I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That's the best way to unite our nation. There is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life, but there's also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices, and that time and place is now,” Biden, 81, said in his address to the nation from the Oval Office.

The much anticipated speech came three days after he announced that he was withdrawing from the presidential race and endorsing his deputy Kamala Harris as the nominee for the Democratic Party.

Harris, who is of Indian and African origin, has now emerged as the presumptive presidential nominee.

“I've made it clear that I believe America is at an inflection point, one of those rare moments in history when the decisions we make now will determine our fate of our nation and the world for decades to come,” he said.

He was surrounded by the First Lady, Dr Jill Biden, son Hunter Biden and several members of his family. Toward the end of remarks, Ashley Biden reached for the hand of her mother, Jill Biden, who was seated next to her.

After the president concluded his remarks, Jill Biden walked to the Resolute Desk and stood next to her husband. "This has been the honor of a lifetime," Biden said, followed by other words of gratitude.

Vice President Kamala Harris watched Biden’s address to the nation from Houston, where she is spending the night after visiting the city’s Emergency Operations Center to receive a briefing on the ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Beryl.

Biden in his remarks said that America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division.

“We have to decide, do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy. In this moment, we can see those we disagree with not as enemies, but as fellow Americans,” he said.

Over the next six months, Biden said, he will be focused on doing his job as the president.

“That means I'll continue to lower costs for hard working families, grow our economy, and I'll keep defending our personal freedoms and our civil rights from the right to vote to the right to choose. I'll keep calling out hate and extremism, make it clear there is no place, no place in America for political violence or any violence ever, period. I'm going to keep speaking out to protect our kids from gun violence, our planet from climate crisis, (that) is the existential threat,” he said.

Biden said he is the first president in this century to report to the American people that the United States is not at war anywhere in the world.

“We'll keep rallying a coalition of proud nations to stop Putin from taking over Ukraine and doing more damage. We'll keep NATO stronger, and I'll make it more powerful and more united than at any time in all of our history,” he said.

“I'll keep doing the same for allies in the Pacific. You know, when I came to office, the conventional wisdom was that China would inevitably surpass the United States. That's not the case anymore. I'm going to keep working to end the war in Gaza, bring home all the hostages and bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war,” said the president.

Biden said that in just a few months, the American people will choose the course of America's future.

“I made my choice. I made my views known. I would 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,” he said.

(PTI)