During an interview with NewsNation on Sunday, Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) stated that he thinks President Joe Biden decided to leave the 2024 race in part because he was concerned about his own health and Biden’s COVID diagnosis was “a wake-up call that there are other health issues that are ahead of him.” And that Biden decided that it’s best that he “use his energy, his experience, and knowledge” “to finish up the next six months of his presidency in a very strong way.”
Garamendi said that the tipping point for Biden’s decision was “basically two things: First of all, his health, he understands his health, and certainly, his wife, Jill, understands the situation. And I think he made a very careful evaluation of his own personal health, his situation, the work that is ahead in a campaign and the work that is ahead to finish the four-year term that he’s in. I think that’s one piece of it. The other piece of it is that he built a terrific team. His backup quarterback, Kamala Harris, is an extraordinary woman and he knew that she would be able to carry on his legacy of legislation and international leadership.”
Later, he added, “I think he also did a very careful analysis with Jill, and perhaps the rest of his family, about his physical situation. COVID knocks everybody right on their butt. And I’m sure that happened with President Biden. That took a big toll, and I think it was also a wake-up call that there are other health issues that are ahead of him. So, I think he took all of that into account, he and Jill, and came to the decision that it’s best, it’s best for him, it’s best for the Democratic Party, and best for the nation, that he use his energy, his experience, and knowledge — both nationally and internationally — to finish up the next six months of his presidency in a very strong way.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
