By EFE
25 Jul 2024, 00:21 AM EDT
Former US President Barack Obama thanked President Joe Biden for his “lifetime of service to the American people” after the current president made his first statements explaining his decision to end his re-election campaign.
“’The sacred cause of this country is bigger than any of us.’ Joe Biden has stayed true to these words time and again throughout a lifetime of service to the American people. Thank you, President,” Obama wrote in X.
For his part, Joe Biden said that “personal ambition” could not come before “saving” American democracy, in what were his first comments since he withdrew from the November presidential election on Sunday.
“Nothing stands in the way of saving our democracy”
“I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, and my vision for America’s future all justify a second term, but nothing can stand in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition,” the president said in a speech to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House.
“The sacred cause of this country is larger than any one of us.”
Joe Biden has stayed true to these words again and again over a lifetime of service to the American people. Thank you, @POTUS.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 25, 2024
In the 11-minute speech, Biden said the United States is at an “inflection point,” a refrain he uses frequently, and that it had become clear to him in recent weeks that he needed to “unite” the Democratic Party.
“Harris experienced candidate”
The president also described Kamala Harris as an “experienced, tough and capable” candidate.
“She has been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now the choice is up to you, the American people,” Biden noted.
Since the vice president was nominated by Biden as his replacement for the presidential race last weekend, Harris has received the support of major Democratic Party heavyweights, such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and all of the country’s Democratic governors, some of whom were mentioned as possible candidates.
However, Obama has yet to endorse Kamala Harris.
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