Democratic lawmakers hailed President Joe Biden’s historic decision on Sunday not to seek reelection, praising him as putting his country and his party before himself. Republicans called on him to resign from office, saying that if he could not run for another term, office, then he’s unable to serve as president.

Biden’s announcement came after more than two weeks of Democrats urging him to withdraw from the race. Nearly three dozen lawmakers had publicly called on him to end his reelection bid. Others had voiced concerns privately about what the ramifications would be for down-ballot Democrats if he remained in the race. When the president heeded those concerns, Democrats called it a selfless move.

  • callouscomic@lemm.ee
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    5 months ago

    So Republicans want to make Harris the first woman president asap? How progressive of them.

    • Blackmist@feddit.uk
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      5 months ago

      If she takes over now, and them beats Trump, would that count as her first term or second? Does it have to be a whole term to count?

      • schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de
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        5 months ago

        For what purpose? Basically the same thing happened in the 1960s with Lyndon B. Johnson. For purposes of not being allowed to be elected more than twice, she would be eligible to run once more because of the text of the 22nd amendment (“and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once”). We are considerably less than two years away from the end of Biden’s term.

        • Blackmist@feddit.uk
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          5 months ago

          You know, I completely forget there was an amendment on that. 2 years it is then.

          Him stepping down now has no real advantage for the republicans other than causing a minor amount of chaos and time-wasting.

          • Sconrad122@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            Mike Johnson moves one heartbeat closer to the Whitehouse in this hypothetical. And the remaining heartbeat would be on tour campaigning, which we’ve seen can expose someone to high velocity lead poisoning. Plus, Kamala would have to oversee an unplanned administration turnover, taking time and energy away from her campaigning efforts. It’s all painfully obvious why they want this and none of it has to do with the good of the country