US President Joe Biden’s Final Oval Office Speech: Explaining His Decision to Drop Out
In a surprise move, US President Joe Biden will deliver what could be his final Oval Office speech on Wednesday to explain why he decided to drop out of November’s election and dispel rumors of spending six months as a lame duck.
With the world’s attention focused on the impending clash between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, Biden will stress that he still has work to do, despite his historic decision to step aside. The 81-year-old Democrat has promised to provide more details on his stunning decision, which was made while he was isolating with Covid at his Delaware beach home.
The speech, set to take place at 8:00 pm (0000 GMT Thursday), will be Biden’s first since stepping aside from the race on Sunday, following weeks of pressure after a disastrous debate performance against Trump. The address is expected to last eight to ten minutes, a rare moment of public reflection from a president known for his communication style.
Biden’s decision has injected a huge dose of enthusiasm into the Democratic Party, which had been plagued by internal strife and controversy over his age. His replacement, Harris, has effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination and is set to face off against Trump in November’s election.
As the clock ticks on his presidency, Biden is facing an uphill battle to demonstrate his relevance and show Americans that he is not yesterday’s man. His party is urging him to focus on his strengths, particularly in the economy and his efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
In the lead-up to his speech, Biden has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is seeking to capitalize on the momentum by brokering a Middle East peace deal. This would not be the first time a US president has pursued a legacy-defining peace deal in the region, following in the footsteps of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and even Donald Trump before him.
The speech comes at a pivotal moment in the election season, as both Harris and Trump ramp up their campaigns. Harris has been buoyed by a recent national poll that shows her slightly ahead of Trump, and Trump is expected to launch a fierce counterattack against her.
In the aftermath of Biden’s decision, voter registration group Vote.org reported a significant surge in new voters, with nearly 40,000 individuals registering in the 48 hours following his announcement. This represents a daily increase of almost 700 per cent, a sign that Biden’s move may have reignited enthusiasm among some Americans.
