President Biden still regrets dropping out of the 2024 presidential race last summer after facing pressure from Democrats to step aside. According to reports, Biden believes he could have beaten Trump in the November election despite his poor debate performance in June and low approval numbers that led to his decision to leave the race. Following the June debate, more Democrats began calling for him to drop out every day, leading to a lack of funding as donors doubted his chances of defeating Trump. Biden eventually left the race on July 21 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who was unsuccessful in defeating Trump in the election.
Even after dropping out, Biden continued to believe that he could have beaten Trump in the election, as reported in the New York Times in September. However, Democratic Congressman James Clyburn disagrees, stating that Biden’s style did not align well with the current political environment. Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, acknowledged that governing to set the U.S. up for long-term success may differ from governing to address short-term electoral challenges. Biden has also expressed regret for picking Merrick Garland as attorney general, feeling that Garland moved too slowly on prosecuting Trump and overly aggressively prosecuting his son Hunter.
Despite not blaming Harris for his loss, Biden remains convinced that he had a chance to win the election. Reflecting on his mistakes, including his debate performance, Biden acknowledges that he regrets his decision to drop out of the race. He has privately expressed disappointment with Garland’s performance as attorney general, feeling that he was too slow to prosecute Trump and too harsh on his son Hunter. The White House has not yet commented on these reports, but Biden’s regrets over his presidential campaign reveal a mix of disappointment and self-assessment.
The pressure from fellow Democrats and lack of funding ultimately led to Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. Despite believing that he could have defeated Trump, Biden faced significant challenges in continuing his campaign. While Clyburn and others may have questioned his style and ability to win, Biden remains convinced that he had a chance. Reflecting on his mistakes and regrets, Biden acknowledges the challenges he faced during his campaign and the decisions he made along the way.
Biden’s regret over dropping out of the 2024 presidential race highlights his strong belief in his ability to defeat Trump in the election. Despite facing pressure from Democrats to step aside, Biden still feels that he could have been successful. While acknowledging his mistakes and expressing regret over certain decisions, Biden remains steadfast in his belief that he had a chance to win. The ongoing discussion surrounding Biden’s regrets and reflections on his campaign shed light on the challenges and complexities of running for office at the highest level of government.
