Bill And Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, And Political Leaders Across The Spectrum Respond To Biden’s Decision To Step Away From Presidential Race

President Joe Biden’s decision not to run for reelection in November and his swift endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris sparked a flurry of reactions on social media. Bill and Hillary Clinton released a statement soon after Biden’s announcement, commending the president for his choice and joining him in endorsing Harris.

“We’ve lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term,” the Clintons argued, pointing specifically to his comment about being “a dictator on day one” and the Supreme Court making him immune from prosecution.

“Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect her,” the statement reads. “America’s future depends on it.”

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, reportedly advocating for Biden to step down privately, issued a statement applauding his decision.

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The president’s granddaughter, Naomi, was among the earliest to express support for Biden online. She tweeted, “I’m nothing but proud today of my Pop, our President, Joe Biden, who has served our country with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction.”

“Not only has he been — and will continue to be — the most effective president of our lifetime, but he has likely already cemented himself as the most effective and impactful public servant in our nation’s history. He has been at the center of, and had a material impact on, literally every single major issue that our country and world has faced for 50 years. Our world is better today in so many ways thanks to him. To the Americans who have always had his back, keep the faith. He will always have ours.”

“Pod Save America” host and former Obama-Biden White House speechwriter Jon Favreau commended the decision, having been one of the most vocal advocates for Biden to step aside. “A courageous and selfless decision. The President did what he’s done for the last four years — he listened to the American people and put the country’s interests ahead of his own. The exact opposite of Donald Trump,” he wrote.

Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, shared a comprehensive statement on Twitter expressing gratitude to Biden for his service. She captioned it, “Thank you for your incredible work @JoeBiden, it has been an honor to work with you. @KamalaHarris for President. Let’s do this.”

Jayapal wrote in part, “At a time when Donald Trump and his Republican Party have stripped away women’s reproductive freedoms, we will respond by finally electing the first woman to the presidency. And as the first South Asian woman elected to the House of Representatives, I look forward to seeing Kamala Harris become the first South Asian American and first Black woman to serve as the President of the United States of America.”

Rep. Andy Kim tweeted, “I have full faith in Vice President Harris to lead a new generation of leadership for our country. Her candidacy is historic, not just the opportunity to elect the first woman, the first AAPI President, and a Black woman, but to continue on the incredible progress we’ve started. The time to unify is now. The stakes are high. Let’s move forward together.”

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