Joe Biden tells campaign staff leaving race was right thing to do

In his first comments since dropping out of the 2024 election, US President Joe Biden called into a campaign staff meeting in Delaware on Monday as his team transitions to supporting Vice-President Kamala Harris for president.

Biden, who is quarantining after contracting Covid-19, thanked the aides and told them to “embrace” Ms Harris because “she’s the best”.

“I know yesterday’s news was surprising and hard for you to hear, but it was the right thing to do,” Mr Biden told them.

Ms Harris and staff had gathered at the campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, one day after Mr Biden pulled out of the race for president and endorsed his vice-president to replace him.

Since then, millions of dollars in donations have poured into her campaign and leading Democrats have lined up to support her bid as the Democratic nominee.

For weeks, Mr Biden faced increasing pressure to step aside over concerns about his ability to win another term, spurred by a poor performance in a debate against Republican Donald Trump.

On the call to campaign staffers on Monday, Mr Biden acknowledged the team had “poured” their “heart and soul” into helping him stay in office for a second term but said, “I’m not going anywhere” and vowed to remain “fully engaged” in the campaign.

“I’m hoping you’ll give every bit of your heart and soul that you gave to me to Kamala,” Mr Biden told them.

“We still need to save this democracy,” he said. “Trump is still a danger to this nation.”

After Mr Biden addressed staff, Ms Harris took the stage at the campaign headquarters and noted Mr Biden’s accomplishments, saying her time serving as his vice-president was “one of the greatest honours of my life”.

Ms Harris noted the “roller coaster” of “mixed emotions” they’ve all been on because “I love Joe Biden, and I know we all do”. She promised she’d work hard to earn the nomination for president and unite both Democrats and the country as a whole.

“We have 106 days until Election Day and in that time, we have some hard work to do,” she told campaign staff.

Ms Harris took the team through her vision of the country and the views that she says separate this campaign from Trump’s, saying she would gladly put her record up against his.

“Our campaign has always been about two different versions of what we see as the future of our country,” she said. “One focuses on the future, the other focuses on the past. Donald Trump wants to take our country backwards… We believe in a brighter future that makes room for all Americans.”

Mr Biden is due to return to the White House on Tuesday afternoon after self-isolating in Delaware.