President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race has emerged as a source of personal regret for the 82-year-old incumbent.
According to the New York Post, Biden has privately expressed confidence that he could have defeated President-elect Donald Trump if he had remained in the race, sharing these sentiments with confidantes in recent discussions.
The president's July withdrawal came after mounting pressure from Democratic Party leadership, particularly following his controversial June 27 debate performance, where he struggled with coherent responses. This decision led to Vice President Kamala Harris assuming the Democratic nomination, ultimately resulting in a decisive victory for Trump in the presidential election.
Nancy Pelosi, former House Speaker, played a pivotal role in convincing Biden to step aside. The president acknowledged in an August CBS News Sunday Morning interview that Democratic representatives and senators were concerned about his potential impact on their reelection prospects. Their apprehensions stemmed from Biden's declining poll numbers and public speaking challenges.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut offered insight into the situation, stating:
Biden ran on the promise that he was going to be a transitional president, and in effect, have one term before handing it off to another generation. I think his running again broke that concept — the conceptual underpinning of the theory that he would end the Trump appeal; he would defeat Trumpism and enable a new era.
Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser, provided additional context about the president's governing approach, noting:
The president has been operating on a time horizon measured in decades, while the political cycle is measured in four years.
Biden has recently acknowledged several missteps during his tenure. He admitted to "screwing up" during the crucial debate and labeled his decision not to put his name on the 2021 pandemic relief checks as "stupid," particularly noting Trump's contrasting approach in 2020.
The administration's handling of public morale during the pandemic has also been a point of self-criticism. Biden and his team recognized that they could have done more to boost Americans' spirits during this challenging period.
Recent discussions have also revealed Biden's dissatisfaction with certain administrative appointments. He has expressed regret over selecting Merrick Garland as attorney general, citing concerns about Garland's aggressive prosecution of his son Hunter and the perceived delay in pursuing charges related to the January 6 riots against Trump.
The aftermath of Biden's withdrawal has sparked internal Democratic Party discord. Many party members attribute Harris's eventual defeat to Biden's delayed exit from the race. This timing issue has become a point of contention within Democratic circles, with some suggesting earlier action could have yielded different results.
The tension between Biden's traditional governing approach and modern political demands has become increasingly apparent. His old-school political style, while rooted in decades of experience, has faced challenges adapting to contemporary political dynamics.
Despite these challenges, reports indicate Biden has been careful not to criticize Harris or her campaign publicly, maintaining a unified front even as private expressions of regret surface.
President Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race in July 2024 marked a significant turning point in American political history, influenced by Democratic Party pressure and concerns about his debate performance. This decision led to Vice President Harris's nomination and subsequent loss to Donald Trump in the general election, with Biden later expressing private confidence that he could have secured victory had he remained in the race. The situation highlights the complex interplay of party politics, personal ambition, and strategic decision-making in modern American democracy.
