Transcript of US President Joe Biden endorses Kamala Harris | BBC News

Just hearing via the Reuters news agency, IONI, that Joe Biden is saying that he supports Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. Not a surprise, I suppose, but the party will want to get on with this quickly. The Republicans, meanwhile, will make hay from all of this.

That's right. I can read you the statement that Joe Biden has put out. think he wants, as he's outlined in the statement, the party to try and resolutely get behind her. The question will be, do they? Are there Democrats who just don't want to endorse Kamala Harris, feel like she has been imposed on them as a candidate? I think that will be the question that follows Democrats around now for the next couple of days.We're also hearing, again, via the Reuters news agency, that Donald Trump has been speaking to one of the American networks, CNN, and he says that he thinks that vice President Harris will be easier to defeat than Joe Biden after Mr. Biden decided to step down. We would expect him to say that, wouldn't we?That's right. Interestingly, though, over the last couple of weeks, obviously, these are only polls. Polls only suggest things. They don't give with certainty what would happen, but there have certainly polls suggesting that Kamala Harris was actually better placed to defeat Donald Trump than Joe Biden was, given the concern around his health, his fitness for office. I think one of the things that's interesting, though, as well, over the weekend, there was a number of reports suggesting that the Trump campaign were gearing up a series of attacks towards Kamala Harris, almost in anticipation of the fact that he might resign and she would be the person that he endorses to replace him. I think we are likely now to see over the next couple of weeks, we'll see the direct attacks made from the Trump campaign on Kamala Harris. Obviously, all their attention now will be on how they show that they are better place to win this election than she is, because a lot of their election attacks so far have centered on Joe, that infamous phrase we've heard a lot of times now from the former President Trump's Sleepy Joe. He's certainly played on the criticisms of Joe Biden and how sharp he has been, for example, in some debates and interviews.Now, I think all that energy is going to be diverted into trying to undermine, attack Kamala Harris and her image, her fitness for office as well from Trump's side. Of course, it is important to remember that although Joe Biden has endorsed Kamala Harris, she isn't yet the candidate. We are still waiting to find out what Democrats will do over the next couple of days and whether or not she will actually end up being formally endorsed and nominated as the candidate.Meanwhile, the US Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, has has said that Biden once again put his country, his party, and our future first. This is where we get the reframing, that PR exercise, isn't it? Where the Democrats, of course, frame this as this Is Joe Biden doing the honorable thing in the interests of the United States? Whereas the Republicans will make capital out of it by saying, This party is in disarray. How can you reelect them?That's right. We were talking about this just moments ago, weren't we? That essentially now what is likely to happen is even some of these senior figures who were only days ago saying that President Biden should step aside are now coming out to defend his record and defend his legacy. I think that is something we will see more of, as I mentioned earlier, because it is certainly likely that after these weeks and weeks of chaos, of disunity, the party will now want to show that they are fit for office, that they are the party of government. I think as a result, you will see lots more people trying to draw on his record, draw on things like the Inflation Reduction Act, like investment in creating new jobs across the country, particularly in some states that were traditionally Republican as well. I think those are things that him and his allies, even his critics, will want to try and show in the next couple of days to make this resignation as I suppose, as chaos-free as possible. I think, though, there is an element to which it has already almost gone too far. It's hard to now avoid, I think, for the party, this image of disunity, of chaos after we've seen this build over the last couple of weeks.But certainly, I think now the Democrats' attention will swiftly turn to trying to really show who that ex-candidate is going to be, make sure there is as much unity as possible, but also, as we've touched on there, reflect on Joe Biden's legacy, what Democrats can do if in power. I think that is the message they will want to try and send over the days to come.Let's just recap. If you're just joining us here on BBC News, this breaking news, this developing story that we're reporting tonight is that Joe Biden has decided to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. As we were just reporting, as of last night, Saturday night, he had planned to stay in the race. The Reuters news agency are saying that a source familiar with this matter has now revealed that on Sunday afternoon, senior staff were told that Joe Biden was in fact, withdrawing. And the quote says, Last night, the message was, proceed with everything full speed ahead, but around a quarter to two this afternoon, the President told his senior team that he had changed his mind. I know it'll be fascinating to learn who he discussed this with that brought about that change of heart overnight.That's right, because there was growing speculation and reports over the weekend that not just close aides of his, not just close allies like the former of President Barack Obama, but also members of his family, his really close inner circle had been discussing this issue with him, also discussing even potentially plans for him to stand down, how they would manage that going forward. I think there's probably been Well, there have inevitably been a series of discussions that have taken place. But I think one of the things that is really interesting is just how quickly this has happened. As you say, in the last 24 hours, there's been this tone shift because it was only, I think about 24 hours ago that he himself was saying he was looking forward to getting back campaigning this week. His campaign was saying that. Now, of course, there is an element to which if somebody is about to resign, of course, until the moment they actually do, they are going to carry on as normal, act like things are normal. But I think the defiance that he was going about those statements did imply to some people that he was digging in for a bit longer.The fact that he has now dropped this in the middle of the afternoon on Sunday when he's not at the White House, he's been isolating in his holiday home in Delaware, certainly come as a surprise to a lot of people here. I think that is, as you say, it will be interesting to find out more about what it was in the last moment that changed his mind. From his statement, he stresses that this was about essentially trying to put the country and the party first and do what is in the best interests of the United States. I think that's the message we'll hear again from him when he does address the public, address his party at some point. He has said that he will speak to the nation later this week, and he will talk in more detail decision. I think we will get more information from him personally about what led him to take that decision in the 11th hour.

think he wants, as he's outlined in the statement, the party to try and resolutely get behind her. The question will be, do they? Are there Democrats who just don't want to endorse Kamala Harris, feel like she has been imposed on them as a candidate? I think that will be the question that follows Democrats around now for the next couple of days.

We're also hearing, again, via the Reuters news agency, that Donald Trump has been speaking to one of the American networks, CNN, and he says that he thinks that vice President Harris will be easier to defeat than Joe Biden after Mr. Biden decided to step down. We would expect him to say that, wouldn't we?

That's right. Interestingly, though, over the last couple of weeks, obviously, these are only polls. Polls only suggest things. They don't give with certainty what would happen, but there have certainly polls suggesting that Kamala Harris was actually better placed to defeat Donald Trump than Joe Biden was, given the concern around his health, his fitness for office. I think one of the things that's interesting, though, as well, over the weekend, there was a number of reports suggesting that the Trump campaign were gearing up a series of attacks towards Kamala Harris, almost in anticipation of the fact that he might resign and she would be the person that he endorses to replace him. I think we are likely now to see over the next couple of weeks, we'll see the direct attacks made from the Trump campaign on Kamala Harris. Obviously, all their attention now will be on how they show that they are better place to win this election than she is, because a lot of their election attacks so far have centered on Joe, that infamous phrase we've heard a lot of times now from the former President Trump's Sleepy Joe. He's certainly played on the criticisms of Joe Biden and how sharp he has been, for example, in some debates and interviews.

Now, I think all that energy is going to be diverted into trying to undermine, attack Kamala Harris and her image, her fitness for office as well from Trump's side. Of course, it is important to remember that although Joe Biden has endorsed Kamala Harris, she isn't yet the candidate. We are still waiting to find out what Democrats will do over the next couple of days and whether or not she will actually end up being formally endorsed and nominated as the candidate.

Meanwhile, the US Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, has has said that Biden once again put his country, his party, and our future first. This is where we get the reframing, that PR exercise, isn't it? Where the Democrats, of course, frame this as this Is Joe Biden doing the honorable thing in the interests of the United States? Whereas the Republicans will make capital out of it by saying, This party is in disarray. How can you reelect them?

That's right. We were talking about this just moments ago, weren't we? That essentially now what is likely to happen is even some of these senior figures who were only days ago saying that President Biden should step aside are now coming out to defend his record and defend his legacy. I think that is something we will see more of, as I mentioned earlier, because it is certainly likely that after these weeks and weeks of chaos, of disunity, the party will now want to show that they are fit for office, that they are the party of government. I think as a result, you will see lots more people trying to draw on his record, draw on things like the Inflation Reduction Act, like investment in creating new jobs across the country, particularly in some states that were traditionally Republican as well. I think those are things that him and his allies, even his critics, will want to try and show in the next couple of days to make this resignation as I suppose, as chaos-free as possible. I think, though, there is an element to which it has already almost gone too far. It's hard to now avoid, I think, for the party, this image of disunity, of chaos after we've seen this build over the last couple of weeks.

But certainly, I think now the Democrats' attention will swiftly turn to trying to really show who that ex-candidate is going to be, make sure there is as much unity as possible, but also, as we've touched on there, reflect on Joe Biden's legacy, what Democrats can do if in power. I think that is the message they will want to try and send over the days to come.

Let's just recap. If you're just joining us here on BBC News, this breaking news, this developing story that we're reporting tonight is that Joe Biden has decided to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. As we were just reporting, as of last night, Saturday night, he had planned to stay in the race. The Reuters news agency are saying that a source familiar with this matter has now revealed that on Sunday afternoon, senior staff were told that Joe Biden was in fact, withdrawing. And the quote says, Last night, the message was, proceed with everything full speed ahead, but around a quarter to two this afternoon, the President told his senior team that he had changed his mind. I know it'll be fascinating to learn who he discussed this with that brought about that change of heart overnight.

That's right, because there was growing speculation and reports over the weekend that not just close aides of his, not just close allies like the former of President Barack Obama, but also members of his family, his really close inner circle had been discussing this issue with him, also discussing even potentially plans for him to stand down, how they would manage that going forward. I think there's probably been Well, there have inevitably been a series of discussions that have taken place. But I think one of the things that is really interesting is just how quickly this has happened. As you say, in the last 24 hours, there's been this tone shift because it was only, I think about 24 hours ago that he himself was saying he was looking forward to getting back campaigning this week. His campaign was saying that. Now, of course, there is an element to which if somebody is about to resign, of course, until the moment they actually do, they are going to carry on as normal, act like things are normal. But I think the defiance that he was going about those statements did imply to some people that he was digging in for a bit longer.

The fact that he has now dropped this in the middle of the afternoon on Sunday when he's not at the White House, he's been isolating in his holiday home in Delaware, certainly come as a surprise to a lot of people here. I think that is, as you say, it will be interesting to find out more about what it was in the last moment that changed his mind. From his statement, he stresses that this was about essentially trying to put the country and the party first and do what is in the best interests of the United States. I think that's the message we'll hear again from him when he does address the public, address his party at some point. He has said that he will speak to the nation later this week, and he will talk in more detail decision. I think we will get more information from him personally about what led him to take that decision in the 11th hour.