Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate (twitter.com)

Article summary

Joe Biden has announced that he will not accept the Democratic nomination and will instead focus on his duties as President for the remainder of his term. He has endorsed Kamala Harris as the party's nominee. The decision comes after a debate performance that was widely criticized, with many feeling that Biden did not come across as strong or coherent. Biden's announcement has sparked a range of reactions, with some expressing relief and others disappointment.

Main themes

• US Presidential Election
• Democratic Nomination
• Joe Biden
• Kamala Harris
• Debate Performance
• Party Politics

What commenters say

• Joe Biden's decision to step down as the Democratic candidate is seen as a necessary move due to his poor debate performance and perceived lack of energy.
• The timing of Biden's announcement suggests that there may have been internal conflict within the party, and that he may have been pressured into stepping down.
• Some believe that the Democratic party's handling of Biden's candidacy was flawed, and that the party's elites tried to hide his true condition and gaslight voters into thinking his debate performance was a one-off.
• Kamala Harris is not considered a strong candidate by some, and her ability to win the election is uncertain.
• The rules of the Democratic party allow for an open convention, which could potentially lead to a candidate not favored by the party elites becoming the nominee.
• The fact that money donated to Biden's campaign cannot be transferred to other candidates is seen as a problem, and could hinder the party's ability to support a new nominee.
• Some argue that the Democratic party's reliance on candidate-specific donations rather than party-wide donations has limited its ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
• The perception of who 'won' a debate can be influenced by personal biases and expectations, and may not necessarily reflect the actual impact on undecided voters.