
In a bold move, the New York Times editorial board has called on President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race following his disappointing debate performance against former President Donald Trump. The board’s editorial, titled “To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race,” suggests that Biden step aside to ensure a stronger Democratic candidate can face Trump.
The editorial critiqued Biden’s debate performance, noting, “The president appeared on Thursday night as the shadow of a great public servant. He struggled to explain what he would accomplish in a second term. He struggled to respond to Mr. Trump’s provocations. He struggled to hold Mr. Trump accountable for his lies, his failures and his chilling plans. More than once, he struggled to make it to the end of a sentence.”
Despite their call for Biden to withdraw, the board stated they would still support him over Trump if the two end up as the final candidates. “If the race comes down to a choice between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, the sitting president would be this board’s unequivocal pick. That is how much of a danger Mr. Trump poses,” they stated.
The board emphasized the urgency of having a more capable candidate to oppose Trump. “To make a call for a new Democratic nominee this late in a campaign is a decision not taken lightly, but it reflects the scale and seriousness of Mr. Trump’s challenge to the values and institutions of this country and the inadequacy of Mr. Biden to confront him,” the editorial read.
The piece concluded with a call for honesty and a strategic shift. “The clearest path for Democrats to defeat a candidate defined by his lies is to deal truthfully with the American public: acknowledge that Mr. Biden can’t continue his race, and create a process to select someone more capable to stand in his place to defeat Mr. Trump in November,” the board wrote. They argued that this approach is vital for protecting the nation’s core values and the democratic process.
The editorial underscores the challenges facing the Democratic Party as they prepare for the upcoming election, highlighting the need for strong leadership to confront the significant threats posed by Trump’s potential return to power.