by Vee Hua 華婷婷
On the morning of Sunday, July 21, President Joe Biden announced that he was dropping out of his reelection campaign for his second term as president. His decision followed a widely-seen-as-disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump in late June, where Biden struggled to maintain coherency and complete his sentences, leading to pressure from within his own party to select another candidate. After the debate, a number of nationwide polls showed the gap between Trump and Biden narrowing, with some polls showing Trump leading, especially in consequential swing states.
Biden remains quarantined after contracting COVID-19 last week and has said he will make a public address in the near future. In an official written statement he released on July 21, he outlined his accomplishments in health care, infrastructure, climate change, and other areas. He then continued, "It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term."
Biden also endorsed current Vice President Kamala Harris to be the official Democratic nominee for president. In response, Harris released a statement on X, saying, "On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. … I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination."
Harris also received support from leading high-profile Democrats, former President Bill Clinton, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the House's Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the House's Congressional Black Caucus PAC. Other notable leaders such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer issued statements that praised Biden but did not endorse Harris. Former President Barack Obama also released a lengthy message in support of Biden but did not endorse Harris, though it is notable that Obama also stayed neutral during the 2020 Democratic primaries.
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) begins on Aug. 19, when Democratic delegates are expected to select their official nomination. Biden's decision to step away from the nomination does not guarantee his delegates will automatically go to Harris. Alternate Democratic candidates could still run for the nomination, though no other individuals have yet to announce their candidacy. Legal challenges may also be possible. One issue in question is whether Harris can receive Biden's $240 million in existing campaign donations. It has been suggested by some legal analysts that she can, given that she is on the current Biden-Harris ticket, but the situation lacks clarity because of its lack of precedence. If challenged, the decision may fall to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), though the Biden-Harris campaign has already amended its filings with the FEC to be the "Harris for President" campaign.
The Associated Press also reports other issues with the DNC's original nominee selection process. It reported, "The DNC had planned to hold a virtual roll call to choose its nominee ahead of the convention, in order to meet Ohio ballot eligibility rules. That state's original ballot deadline was Aug. 7, and though the Legislature has since approved a law nullifying that, it doesn't take effect until Sept. 1. DNC lawyers say that means the party could face legal challenges in Ohio if it fails to name their party's nominee prior to the state's original deadline."
On the other side of the aisle, Republicans have also been quick to react. Trump and his allies just came off four days of the Republican National Convention, where Trump secured the official nomination for the Republican Party and touted a "wide umbrella" message of unity across the Republican Party. Trump immediately posted on his own social media network, Truth Social, and slammed Biden's record on immigration and falsely claimed that Biden did not win the presidency. He wrote, "Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn't capable of being President, and he wasn't."
Many Republican officials have since tried to paint a vote for Harris as essentially the same as a vote for Biden. Among their criticisms are that the vice president has been in charge of the Southern U.S.-Mexico border, which has seen record numbers of migrants in recent years. Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson even went as far as calling for Biden's departure from his role. "If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough," he said, in reference to Election Day.
Beginning in mid-July, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington State's 9th Congressional District, representing South Seattle, joined a dozen other House Democrats to be among the first, locally and nationally, to call for President Joe Biden to step down. He also expressed early frustration at the number of Democrats who privately agreed with him but would not publicly voice their concerns.
Statements from Smith and other Washington State elected officials have shown their support for Biden's decision. Some have also expressed their support for Vice President Kamala Harris. Their statements are as follows:
"I believe Joe Biden made the right decision. I applaud President Joe Biden for making this difficult choice. I think it is the best path forward for our country. I thank him for the great job he has done as President and for his 50+ years as a dedicated public servant."
"[President Joe Biden's] leadership has been unparalleled, with a record of achievements: the lowest unemployment in over 50 years; the biggest investment in taking on climate change in history; a historic investment in rebuilding our nation's infrastructure with union and green jobs; taking on Big Pharma to reduce the cost of prescription drugs; being the most pro-union president in history and fostering the tremendous energy of workers organizing across the country; the clear focus on investing in communities that have been disproportionately affected by structural racism and economic inequities … and historic appointments to key positions, including the first Black woman Supreme Court Justice and his historic appointment of Kamala Harris as his Vice President."
"I thank President Biden for his legacy and look forward to winning the White House in November with the first Black and Asian woman president."
"Like most Americans my first identity is not whether I am a Democrat or a Republican, I am a spiritual person, an American who believes deeply in the power of people and our democracy. Biden has been an exceptional public servant and a great steady leader as our President. And a great leader knows when to step back and let the next generation take the helm. The work to bend the arc toward justice is never done. It is not the job of one individual, or one generation, it is the task of … us all. We must be ready to work together to win for our children, for reproductive justice and for a cleaner and healthier future in the face of climate change."
"I thank President Biden for all that he has done. The Republicans are getting enormous contributions from people who want to buy the election. Our democracy is not for sale, and VP Harris can move forward immediately with the Biden Harris campaign funds."
"I salute President Biden for his exemplary and distinguished record of public service to our nation, our democratic principles, and our peoples. I regret that the country will no longer benefit from the vision, leadership, and decades of experience he brought to the White House as our President and Commander in Chief. While I am deeply concerned about the prejudices and process that brings us to this moment, now is the time for Democrats to move past what has divided us. I solidly support Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as the Party nominee and I will be thrilled to cast my vote for her to be our next President of the United States."
"Thank you President Biden for always putting the American people first, from leading our nation out of the pandemic to making us stronger with job growth, climate action, and a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure. I'm grateful for his remarkable decades of service to our country."
"I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Biden for his extraordinary service to our nation. He stepped in during a moment of grave peril and saved lives, saved our economy, and saved our democracy. In those ways and more, he is one of the most consequential presidents of our time. In his fundamental decency and humanity, he has shown us a model of public service that others would do well to emulate. His administration's support of our work here in King County continues to be nothing short of extraordinary. History will record that, in this difficult decision and throughout his tenure, Joe Biden is a true patriot — today, as always, putting his country ahead of himself."
"This has turned into a presidential relay race, and it seems, the new nominee starts at a huge disadvantage. Kamala runs carrying a banner of hope. She has been the White House's voice and symbol for women's rights, reproductive freedom, and racial justice: the exact issues that can carry Democrats to victory in November. My hope is [that] the party will galvanize behind her for the nomination in August, and that she will unlock the potential for the voting black, Asian, and immigrant communities once again come November. She is the GOPs biggest nightmare, and frankly, I love that for us."
"[Joe Biden's] decision today to exit the race is a testament to his patriotism and willingness to put country over self. He is a hero and a true statesman. This also makes me proud to be a Democrat. We have a party that isn't afraid to voice their concerns when it's warranted and we have leaders that are willing to listen to the people. This is a strong contrast to the leader [of] the other side continues to fail to stand up to."
"I think it is significant that the President is agreeing to step down and pass on the opportunity to lead, especially as our Democracy and international reputation hangs in the balance. My hope is that we take this as both a chance to avoid the threat of fascism but also as a call to action to rebuild and repair the trust of and connection to all the people we serve. We won't vote our way out of every problem this election cycle but we all have a chance to participate in a critical turning point in our country's history and regardless of differences, people want changes to our political systems and transparency in how decisions are made that impact them. It is time for elected officials to keep listening as we navigate the challenges we have getting through November and beyond."
"It's admirable that President Biden made this choice for our country, his legacy will live on through the historic policy advancement he's championed especially for the black community. In this moment, I feel excited and reenergized by the possibility of electing Vice President Harris as the first black woman to ever serve in our nation's highest office. This moment will be a critical juncture in our efforts to defeat Donald Trump and preserve our democracy."
Last Wednesday, July 17, interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr — who was appointed after former Police Chief Adrian Diaz recently stepped down following sexual discrimination allegations — fired Officer Daniel Auderer for comments he made after the 2023 death of Indian graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula. Kandula had been killed in a crosswalk after another police officer hit her while he was speeding in his police vehicle.
In response to Kandula's death, Auderer, vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG), was caught on his body-worn camera joking to SPOG President Mike Solan, saying they could "just write a check" because she was a "regular person." He added that the amount she was worth was a mere $26,000, laughing that "she was 26 anyway — she had limited value."
Rahr sent out a departmental email that explained her reasoning behind the firing. She wrote, "The actions of this individual police officer have brought shame on the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession, making the job of every police officer more difficult. It is my duty as the leader of this organization to uphold the high standards necessary to maintain public trust. For me to allow the officer to remain on our force would only bring further dishonor to the entire department. For that reason, I am going to terminate his employment."
Her decision came following guidance from Gino Betts Jr., the civilian director of the Office of Police Accountability. Betts recommended that Auderer be fired for his unprofessional conduct and bias that he showed in his recorded statements.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell supported the decision. In a statement, he wrote, "This incident damaged the public trust we have been working to strengthen since Day One of my administration. Effective policing requires public trust. It cannot be effective if the people being served have doubts about our officers' motivations, conduct, or character."
Editors' Note: This article was updated on 07/23/2024 to include Rep. Mia Gregerson's statement.
Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the editor-in-chief of REDEFINE, a long-time member of the Seattle Arts Commission, and a film educator at the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they previously served as executive director and played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences. After a recent stint as the interim managing editor at South Seattle Emerald, they are moving into production on their feature film, Reckless Spirits, which is a metaphysical, multilingual POC buddy comedy. They have a master's in Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship under the American Indian Studies Department at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
📸 Featured Image: President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Doughlas Emhoff head to the Juneteenth Concert hosted on the White House South Lawn on June 10, 2024. Photo via DT phots1/Shutterstock.com
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