Top Democrats including Nancy Pelosi praise President Biden for stepping out of 2024 race while Republicans criticize the decision and demand he resign immediately.
President Biden was heralded as a selfless hero by top Democrats on Sunday after stepping down from the 2024 race against former President Trump amid concerns about his age and capacity to run the nation.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) — among the most influential politicians who have been nudging Biden to step aside — called the 81-year-old “one of the most consequential presidents in American history” and thanked him for the decision.
“God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness,” Pelosi said in a statement shortly after his announcement.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) also expressed his gratitude for Biden’s decision and praised his presidential record.
“His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first,” Schumer said in a statement Sunday. “Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Biden “will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents” and California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks called him “a statesman who put service before self.”
Meanwhile, Biden’s decision incensed Republicans who have been enjoying his flailing polling numbers, with some calling on him to resign immediately and painting Sunday’s announcement as an invalidation of the voters who put him in office three years ago.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La) said on the social media platform X.
