Washington, 21 July

Joe Biden on Sunday endorsed Vice President Kamala Karris, who has already broken barriers, and could become the first Black woman to head a major party presidential ticket after the incumbent US President abruptly ended his reelection bid.

Biden, 81, announced on Sunday that was stepping aside amid widespread concerns about the viability of his candidacy and endorsed Harris, who is of both Indian and African origin.

Harris, 59, is the first woman, a Black person, and a person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. She joined the Biden ticket after a rocky and abbreviated run of her own for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Biden said on Sunday that deciding on Harris as vice president was “the best decision I've made”.

He wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that she had his full support and endorsement to run against Donald Trump for the presidency. “Democrats — it's time to come together and beat Trump,” he said. “Let's do this.”

However, her nomination is hardly a sure thing.

“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” Biden said in a post on X.

Biden’s message to the Democrats came soon after he wrote to fellow Americans on his decision not to run for the presidency in the November elections amidst mounting pressure from his senior party leaders after a disastrous presidential debate performance against his Republican rival and former US president Donald Trump last month.

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” Biden said.

The president's decision comes four months before Americans go to the polls on November 5.

Such a decision from Biden comes amid a visible deterioration in his health. The president is currently in self-isolation at his Delaware residence after he tested positive with COVID-19.

“For now let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me,” Biden said.

A former prosecutor and US senator from California, Harris will face doubters as she seeks to reassure the party she can win the presidency in November. Her first test will be at the Democratic convention in Chicago in August.

Even before Biden's endorsement, Harris was widely viewed as the favourite to replace him on the ticket. Actively campaigning in recent weeks, she's had a head start over potential challengers, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Vice presidents are always in line to step into the top job if the president dies or is incapacitated. However, Harris has faced an unusual level of scrutiny because of Biden's age. He was the oldest president in history, taking office at 78 and announcing his reelection bid at 81.