President Joe Biden Reflects on Presidency and Explains Decision to ‘Pass the Torch’

Many speeches have been given from the Oval Office throughout history. But perhaps none were as somber and reflective as the one President Joe Biden delivered on Wednesday night, just days after announcing his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.

Sitting at the Resolute Desk, where many Presidents before him had addressed the nation in times of crisis and decision, Biden attempted to cement his legacy as a leader who prioritized the defense of democracy over personal ambition. “I revere this office but I love my country more,” the President said of his decision to drop out of the race, as his wife Jill Biden and several family members watched from inside the room. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your President. But in defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it’s more important than any title.”

“I believe my record as President, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future all merited a second term,” he continued. “But nothing—nothing—can come in the way of saving our democracy, and that includes personal ambition. The best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation.”

Read More: Why Joe Biden Dropped Out

The primetime speech marked Biden’s first public comments since passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, who is expected to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for President. Biden's withdrawal came on the heels of a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump last month, where he appeared frail and struggled to articulate his positions effectively. The debate, widely seen as a turning point, exposed vulnerabilities and concerns about his age that had been simmering since his initial run against Trump in 2020.

Biden, 81, explained his decision to suddenly abandon his reelection bid after insisting that he would remain in the race, declaring that it is time for a new generation of leadership in America. “There’s a time and a place for long years of experience in public life,” he said. “There’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now.”

He praised Harris and urged voters to pick her over Trump in the November election, describing his 59-year-old Vice President as “experienced,” “tough,” and “capable” and declaring that democracy is at risk in this election.

Read More: How Harris Is Pivoting From Biden’s Campaign Message

“The idea of America lies in your hands,” Biden said as he alluded to the weight of the office and asserted that the character of a President still matters. “In this sacred space, I’m surrounded by portraits of extraordinary American Presidents,” he said in the beginning of his speech. “Thomas Jefferson wrote the immortal words that guide this nation. George Washington showed us Presidents are not kings.”

“I ran for President four years ago because I believed and still do that the soul of America was at stake,” Biden added, never mentioning former President Trump by name. “The very nature of who we are was at stake. That is still the case.”

In response to Biden’s address, Trump took to social media to criticize his delivery, calling the President “barely understandable” and “sooo bad.” Biden stumbled over a few words, but the speech did not feature significant errors.

Biden reflected on his decadeslong public service career and lauded the American system of government that allowed him to rise to the pinnacle of power, starting with his election to the Senate in 1973. Despite challenges and setbacks, including criticisms of his debate performance, Biden used his speech to list his accomplishments as President, including efforts to combat climate change and appointing the first Black woman to the Supreme Court. He also laid out his priorities for the final months of his presidency, focusing mostly on foreign policy. Biden vowed to strengthen NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and said he would “keep working to end the war in Gaza, bring home all hostages, and bring peace and security to the Middle East.”

He also said he hopes to make more progress on the Cancer Moonshot, an initiative he launched in 2016 to cure the disease that killed his son Beau and millions of Americans, and pledged to push for Supreme Court ethics reforms during his final months in office.

“It’s been the privilege of my life to serve this nation over 50 years,” Biden said. “Nowhere else on earth could a kid with a stutter—from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware—one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States. But here I am.”