US President Joe Biden's decision to end his re-election campaign on Sunday followed a series of strategic missteps by his campaign team and White House aides. Biden's halting performance at the June 27 presidential debate against Republican candidate Donald Trump, pushed even some of his closest allies to question whether he could endure a full campaign.
The last eight days of the US presidential campaign have proved a drama of epic proportions. Within days, Joe Biden became the first sitting President to stand down from a possible reelection since Lyndon B Johnson in 1968.
WHAT LED TO BIDEN DROPPING OUT
In April this year, Joe Biden told radio show host Howard Stern that he'd debate Trump. News agency Reuters reported Biden was tired and dragged after he flew to Europe twice and to the West Coast over a 14-day period before taking just a few days to rest at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. On June 21, Biden and his aides headed to Camp David for focused preparation sessions.
On June 27, during the US presidential debate, Biden stumbled over his words and lost his train of thought. Officials told reporters Biden was sick with a cold at the time of the debate. Trump repeated a series of well-worn, glaring falsehoods during the 90-minute debate, including claims that he actually had won the 2020 election. Biden failed to refute them, leaving sentences and thoughts unfinished.
A day after the presidential debate, Biden said he knew he was not a young man and admitted his poor performance. On July 2, Biden said he nearly fell asleep on stage. Calls for Biden to step down began in the hours after the debate. Calls from Biden aides to worried Democrats facing re-election campaigns who saw their political futures flashing before their eyes wouldn't start until days later.
On July 13, Trump was shot while giving a speech in Pennsylvania. The bullet grazed his ear, bloodied his face, and photos of the former president holding up his fist in defiance were shown widely. Days later, Biden was diagnosed with Covid-19 while campaigning in Nevada. Recuperating at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home, he would be left with time, alone and in isolation, to decide whether and how to end his campaign.
On July 21, Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign after fellow Democrats lost faith in his mental acuity and ability to beat Trump. He announced his decision in a letter posted on social media, and in a subsequent post, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be their party's candidate.
