Biden steps aside | Ian Bremmer | Quick Take

Biden dropping out of the presidential race is yet another extraordinary moment in the most extraordinary week in US politics Ian Bremmer has ever seen. What does this mean for the Dems, Trump, and the election? Ian Bremmer breaks it down in his Quick Take.

Ian Bremmer's Quick Take:

Hi, everybody. Ian Bremmer here and a Quick Take on the back of a staggering announcement that President Biden is no longer standing for reelection. No one thought that President Biden should have stood for reelection after he won the first time. Certainly, nobody believed that he was going to be able to serve a full four years of a second term.

That was becoming increasingly obvious to Biden himself, because he saw what rank and file members of the Democratic Party were saying, how they were pulling. The internal polls that the White House has been getting over the last 48 hours were devastating for Biden, not just a loss, but a landslide that would have led to the Democrats getting wiped out in the House and Senate as well, would probably lead to the Republicans ending the filibuster. Biden ultimately a lot later than a lot of people wanted, but nonetheless ultimately standing down, standing aside, strongly endorsing Kamala Harris, his vice president, for the presidential nomination, and to defeat Trump come November. It is certainly a very long way to go. People were saying it's late. We have 107 days to go left in this election.

That's an eternity in US politics. It is longer than most elections in democracy actually occur for the entire campaign. And so, I mean, if you look at that, look at just how much might happen in a race where Trump and Biden have been historically both very unpopular, both seem to be far too old and unfit to serve as president for another term. Biden, the last numbers we saw in that were 74% of American voters saying that he was unfit to serve for another four years because of his age and increasing frailty. 49% of Americans said that about Trump. Now it's worse for Biden. But if Biden wasn't in the race, for Trump, that would be the worst that we'd ever seen.

And of course, now Biden isn't in the race and Trump is, which means that his age, his frailty, his incoherence when he makes statements, that is suddenly a big issue. It is immediately his largest vulnerability, even after the extraordinary ability of Trump to stand up and put his fist in the air and say, “fight, fight, fight” after an assassination attempt, a huge thing, but suddenly yet another piece of unprecedented history in the US.

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[bridgetgear]

Ian, Biden is not selfless. He shouldn’t have run for a second term, and it should have been open primaries

[donsullivan]

I like the fact that Kamala is twenty years younger than Trump.

[cag]

Sometimes, doing what's best for the country is the best for yourself, too. Biden is an honorable man.

[alisonburgess]

Good, it looks like President Biden will continue the presidential duties, thus freeing VP Harris to get out there and make her case to the nation.

[George-]

Trump talks about loyalty, so consider this: Trump was willing to sacrifice his VP to be hung by his supporters, Biden has stepped down in favor of his VP when his own cognitive decline indicated he might sink to Trump's level.

[anachronistofer]

A major corner has been turned. Strap in, folks.

[davidkoh]

Biden's selflessness is just another stark reminder of the myriad pathologies afflicting the GOP presidential nominee. Trump's fitness for high office needs to be brought to the fore in this campaign.

[codedlogic]

The election season is so long in the USA for the same reason the Christmas season has become so strung out - for profits. The National Democratic and Republican parties have become massive corporations with high paying jobs. "Qualified candidate" used to mean how well your views align with the party. But now a qualified candidate means someone that can raise obscene amounts of money.

[nait]

Thanks Biden for your decision for the unity of the country and democracy!

[AbaddonianG]

The bus goes here and the bus goes there because that's what buses do.
- Kamala Harris.

[macro]

Time for Trump to drop out and bring the country together.

[DJC-itsw]

Biden and Trump were the two most disliked candidates imaginable. Harris will obviously not win any Trump voters but if she can keep her base inline and get them out to vote, she just needs to be boring, moderate and 'not that bad' to get that small group of true independents. Can she pull it off?

[jtrealfunny]

Excellent piece. I like what this host brings to these takes.

[ardaraith]

I’m enthusiastic and energised! I hope the party goes BOLD!

[jacksabbath]

Well, who is too old to be President now ?

[mkearns]

Biden had to do this, Nancy was about to drop the hammer. Trust me Nancy doesn't mess around and he knew the gig was up.

[paularivero]

I agree!!! Good day for American democracy and the whole free world

[cheersmodreams]

President Biden has once again proven to us that he is not just any patriot but that he is a patriot of the highest order and there is lots of time for Harris to helps us move on. I look forward to her introducing her Presidential qualifications. Given the qualifications of the other ticket, that won't be very difficult.

[Wanderingsomewhere]

God Bless President Biden. And God Bless our democracy. ❤️🙏🏻

[TheTruthSeeker]

Way to go Joe! You're a PATRIOT that put the country ahead of themselves!