Democrats thrown into chaos as they face tight deadline to replace Biden
President Biden upended the Democratic Party with his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. Democrats now have just weeks to decide on a replacement candidate to formally nominate. Top contenders for the roll are Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and a handful of others.
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Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign has requested vetting materials from potential running mates for her White House run.
The potential Democrat vice presidential candidates include North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who has been rumored as a potential vice presidential candidate, told CNN he has not yet been asked to submit materials.
On Monday, Harris secured the delegates needed for the Democratic Party's nomination for president.
By Monday night, Harris secured the support of at least 2,579 delegates, according to a survey of delegates by The Associated Press , surpassing the 1,976 delegates she needs to win the nomination on a first ballot.
This comes after President Biden announced Sunday afternoon that he is suspending his re-election campaign.
Vice President Harris will not say whether she is confident President Biden is currently capable of serving as commander in chief amid calls by lawmakers to invoke the 25th Amendment.
Biden withdrew from the presidential race on Sunday after his performance at the first presidential debate sparked concerns over his fitness and mental competency. After the sudden announcement, several lawmakers began to question the president's ability to serve the remainder of his term if he is not able to seek re-election.
After the announcement, Harris was quickly positioned as the Democrat replacement for Biden on the 2024 ticket, but some lawmakers – including Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. – don't want to wait until January for Biden to leave office.
Fox News Digital asked Harris whether she believes Biden is able to serve as president but did not receive a response despite several attempts to reach her office.
Biden has not made any public appearances since testing positive for COVID-19 last week and suddenly ending his re-election campaign just days later via a written statement. Fox News Digital also asked if the vice president knew where Biden has been the past several days and if they were in contact but did not receive a response by press time.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., sent a letter to Harris on Monday stating that Biden is unfit to serve and demanding she invoke the 25th Amendment.
Over the weekend, Mace also said she was going to propose a similar resolution.
Fox News' Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
Vice President Kamala Harris will hold a campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, the first rally since launching her bid for the presidency.
Harris announced her presidential campaign Sunday night, shortly after President Biden announced he was suspending his re-election effort. The president subsequently endorsed Harris.
On Monday, Harris secured enough delegates for the Democratic Party's nomination for president, although the Democratic National Convention formally selecting the party's nominee will not be held until next month in Chicago.
The rally in Milwaukee will be Harris' ninth visit to Wisconsin since she was sworn in as vice president in 2021 and her fifth visit to the state so far this year, according to her campaign.
"We're proud to welcome Vice President Harris to Wisconsin, a state she once called home, where she will rally excited supporters after announcing her presidential campaign," the Harris campaign's Wisconsin Communications Director Brianna Johnson said in a press release.
Harris is prepared to "prosecute" the case against former President Trump, Johnson said in an apparent reference to Harris' experience as a prosecutor.
During her visit to Milwaukee, Harris plans to highlight the choice between Trump, the "convicted felon who would drag this country backwards," and Harris' "brighter vision for the future, where our freedoms are protected and every American has a fair shot," Johnson said.
Kamala Harris' policies as San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General could come back to haunt her as the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for president, experts say.
"She’s one of these people who’ve talked out of both sides of her mouth, and she's going to have trouble with both the left and the right with the stances she’s taken over the years," Los Angeles-based criminal defense lawyer Nicole Castronovo told Fox News Digital.
Critics of potential presidential nominee Harris are calling attention to her backing of a controversial 2014 California law that some blame for unleashing rampant crime across the state.
As California's then attorney general, Harris and her office were responsible for writing up a summary of Proposition 47 to inform voters of its contents and intent.
Dubbed the "Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act," the legislation lessened penalties for a variety of crimes – including making the theft of items with a total value of less than $950 a misdemeanor.
That provision, critics assert, handed thieves a de facto carte blanche to plunder beleaguered retail outlets with near impunity.
"They changed sentencing to free criminals who should have been incarcerated and titled it with a misleading name," Castronovo noted. "But it actually made communities less safe."
Other crimes that were once felonies – including forgery, fraud, drug use, and the receiving of stolen goods valued under $950 – were also reclassified as misdemeanors.
Fox News' Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.
National security experts are looking toward the United States’ chief adversaries as Kamala Harris enters the race for the White House after President Biden announced on Sunday that he would not seek re-election.
The sudden change of the Democrat front-runner for the top job has sparked concern that authoritarian leaders from nations like Russia, China and Iran will utilize the "chaos" to their benefit as the Democratic Party scrambles to build a platform against Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Outwardly, nations like Russia and China have revealed little about their reaction to the certain end of a Biden White House and the changes this could bring to U.S. force posture abroad.
"The elections are still four months away, and that is a long period of time in which a lot can change. We need to be patient and carefully monitor what happens. The priority for us is the special military operation," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Sunday in reference to Russia's war in Ukraine.
He also told reporters in a conference call that Moscow was "not very surprised" by Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential ticket.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was even more tight-lipped and said, "The presidential elections are the United States’ own affairs.
Over the past 24 hours, questions have mounted over Harris' qualifications when it comes to U.S. national security as global tensions continue to escalate to levels not seen since the Cold War.
"The Russians are watching very closely whether Kamala Harris will actually end up becoming the Democratic Party’s nominee now that President Biden has dropped out of the race," Rebekah Koffler, former DIA intelligence officer and author of "Putin’s Playbook," told Fox News Digital.
"Putin and the Kremlin have no preference as far as who would become U.S. president because U.S. policy has been consistent for the past 40 years, regardless [of whether] a Republican or Democrat occupied the White House," she said.
Heino Klinck, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia and military attaché to China, similarly pointed to how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will also likely utilize the abrupt change to enhance domestic anti-democratic arguments.
"Harris’ sudden quasi-coronation will only serve CCP talking points about the chaos of American democracy," he said. "Her lack of national security and defense experience will not engender confidence with our partners and allies."
Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Vice President Kamala Harris' extensive 27-year career in criminal prosecution in California may pose challenges in appealing to moderate voters, reminiscent of obstacles she faced during her unsuccessful 2020 presidential bid. Now, both Republicans and Democrats are preparing to scrutinize her political history, which has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle.
As the spotlight has shifted to Harris after President Biden unexpectedly forfeited his Democratic nomination bid for a second presidential term on Sunday, Republican strategists are now gearing up to intensify their offensive against her.
Despite calls from many Republicans for Biden to immediately resign, a House Republican strategist told Fox News Digital that "what is more important over the next week or so is defining Kamala as this far-left San Francisco liberal."
"During the Kenosha riots, she defended the rioters, and that's in the swing state of Wisconsin, where that was very unpopular, we have to make sure voters remember all of these crazy things that she's said, and she's wanted to do," the strategist said.
Likewise, Harris' tenure as the attorney general of California has been the subject of criticism from left-wing critics as well, primarily related to her approach to tough-on-crime prosecution and other criminal justice policies she championed.
During her 2020 presidential campaign, which she launched in January 2019, Harris faced significant criticism over her prosecution record. Opponents of tough-on-crime prosecution argue it disproportionately affects low-income families and minorities, further entrenching them in the prison system.
Fox News' Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
President Biden's decision to stand down from re-election yesterday is unprecedented in its timing.
No presidential candidate has ever announced that they were not seeking another term this close to Election Day.
Vice President Kamala Harris secured enough delegates Monday night for the Democratic Party's nomination.
Tuesday's Fox News Power Rankings explains how Harris' elevation could reshape the race and what comes next in Democrats' nominating process.
This guide provides answers to two more burning questions about the move.
First, how Harris is likely able to use Biden's existing campaign funds; second, why she can appear on all 50 states' general election ballots.
The existing "Team Biden-Harris" campaign had $240 million cash on hand at the end of June, and that money is critical to Harris' election bid. Harris is likely to be able to use it.
The figure above is one number, but it is calculated by taking the Biden-Harris campaign committee's cash as well as that of the Democratic National Committee, the state parties, joint fundraising committees and allied political action committees (PACs).
Only the Biden-Harris campaign committee part of the overall number is even in question, since the DNC, state parties and other groups listed above are their own entities.
No deadlines have passed that would prevent or "lock out" Harris from appearing on a general election ballot in any of the 50 states.
Democrats had not yet formally nominated Biden – the Democratic National Convention is scheduled for next month. Until yesterday, he was merely the "presumptive nominee." (Republicans made former President Trump their formal nominee at the Republican National Convention last week.)
This means there is no need for a "change" or "swap" on general election ballots.
The party just needs to nominate a candidate before any general election ballot access deadlines.
Fox News' Rémy Numa contributed to this report.
Gov. Jared Polis, D-Colo., knocked former President Trump as the candidate "approaching 80," who "can barely get a sentence out," while discussing his support for Vice President Harris during an interview on CNN on Monday.
"The other side has a nominee that can barely get a sentence out. He’s approaching 80. He brings us back to the past. We have somebody who’s about the future of our country, who’s put criminals behind bars, who knows firsthand how to do the job. And, frankly, can identify with most Americans in a way that President Trump just never could," the governor said.
President Biden, 81, endorsed Harris to replace him at the top of the Democratic ticket on Sunday, after announcing he would be dropping out.
Polis also said it would be "flattering" to be on Harris' list of potential vice presidential picks, and added that he liked the idea of her picking a governor.
Harris' campaign has requested vetting materials from several potential running mates, many of whom are governors, but Polis was not among them.
"This is always decided on the top of the ticket, right? So this is going to be Trump, if he stays in and doesn‘t drop out, versus Kamala Harris. And I think we have, really, a lot going for us on our side with a powerful vision for America’s future versus taking us back to the divided days of America’s past. And I’m excited to help out however I can," Polis said.
Asked bluntly if he would accept the nomination if Harris asked him, he said he was happy in his current position as the governor of Colorado.
"I love the job I‘m doing. You know, I love Colorado. It‘s great. Obviously, if somebody asked, I'd take a serious look at it, but my phone hasn't rung yet. Look, if they do the polling, and it turns out that they need a 49-year-old balding, gay Jew from Boulder, Colorado, they got my number," Polis said.
Fox News' Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.
Vice President Kamala Harris said she is "proud" to have secured enough delegates to clinch the Democratic Party's nomination for president Monday night.
"When I announced my campaign for President, I said I intended to go out and earn this nomination," Harris said in a statement. "Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped put our campaign over the top. I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon."
"I am grateful to President Biden and everyone in the Democratic Party who has already put their faith in me, and I look forward to taking our case directly to the American people," she continued.
Biden announced Sunday that he was suspending his re-election campaign. Harris then launched her campaign seeking the Democratic Party's nomination.
"This election will present a clear choice between two different visions," Harris said. "Donald Trump wants to take our country back to a time before many of us had full freedoms and equal rights. I believe in a future that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead."
"Over the next few months, I will be traveling across the country talking to Americans about everything that is on the line," she said. "I fully intend to unite our party, unite our nation, and defeat Donald Trump in November."
The House Rules Committee will hold an emergency session to tee up a vote on a resolution condemning Vice President Kamala Harris over her handling of the crisis at the Southern Border.
H.R. 1371, introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., condemns the Biden Administration and its Harris, who was tapped as the border czar, over the failure to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.
The rules committee will meet on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Vice President Kamala Harris secured the delegates needed for the Democratic Party's nomination for president, according to The Associated Press.
This comes after President Biden announced Sunday afternoon that he is suspending his re-election campaign.
By Monday night, Harris secured the support of at least 2,579 delegates, according to a survey of delegates by The Associated Press, surpassing the 1,976 delegates she needs to win the nomination on a first ballot.
California state Democratic Chairman Rusty Hicks said 75% to 80% of the state's delegation were on a call Tuesday and unanimously supported Harris, whose home state is California.
"I've not heard anyone mentioning or calling for any other candidate," Hicks told The Associated Press. "Tonight's vote was a momentous one."
But Harris is still not the new presumptive nominee because the Democratic National Convention delegates can still vote for the candidate of their choosing at the convention in August or if Democrats go through with a virtual roll call ahead of that event, The Associated Press reported.
A former staffer of Vice President Kamala Harris shared on X that around 300 of Harris' ex-staffers signed a letter endorsing her for president.
Attorney Rachel Palermo attached the letter on Monday night, and also shared the names of the hundreds of signees.
"Thrilled to share that ~300 former staff (and counting!) of Vice President @KamalaHarris — from across her career — are proud to endorse her for President of the United States," Palermo wrote.
The letter "enthusiastically" endorsed Harris and commended her for "fighting for the people."
"We have worked alongside her as she has tackled the toughest challenges and the most intractable issues," the letter read. "And she has delivered results in every office she has ever held."
"To protect our democracy, we must all join together to elect Kamala Harris as President of the United States."
President Biden is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, a U.S. official told Fox News on Monday evening.
The news came as Biden continued to recover from COVID-19. As of Monday, Biden was still isolating in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Earlier on Monday, Israeli officials told journalists that they were unsure if the meeting would take place at all.
Shelley Greenspan, who is the White House Liaison to the American Jewish community, confirmed later that day that Vice President Kamala Harris will also speak with Netanyahu at some point this week.
Fox News' Patrick Ward contributed to this update.
Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore told President Biden to resign from office and allow Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place and assume a stronger political position ahead of November.
"May I ask you, Mr. President, for one more brave and bold action?" Moore wrote in a Substack article published on Monday.
Biden announced on Sunday that he would withdraw from the race, but he has not indicated that he will step down as president.
"Kamala Harris will be in a much stronger position to win if she can run as the President of the United States," Moore wrote. "As the incumbent President. This will give the country a chance to see her in action — as the most powerful person in the world."
Read the full article about Michael Moore by Jeffrey Clark
Activists in Dearborn, Michigan, who led the resistance against President Biden in response to his support for Israel won't so easily come back to the Democratic Party now that he has dropped out of the race.
"There is not an automatic endorsement by the community of Harris just because Biden stepped down," Samraa Luqman, who has served as co-chair for the Abandon Biden campaign, said of her personal feelings on the state of the race.
"She was part of the Biden administration, so she’s going to be associated with all of his policies and all of his rhetoric. She might come with a $100 million war chest, but she comes with his baggage as well."
Luqman’s comments come after Biden announced on social media Sunday that he was dropping out of the 2024 race, a decision that was made after weeks of increasing pressure from fellow Democrats to pass the torch amid fears over his physical and mental ability to continue the campaign.
Such a decision was cause for celebration in Dearborn, Luqman said, noting that she believes Biden’s unpopularity among members of her community played a role in the president’s decision.
Read the full article about Dearborn activists by Michael Lee
The presidential campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris hasn't reached out to to elections officials about the handling of millions of dollars in donations that were given to then-candidate President Biden.
Federal Elections Commission Chairman Sean Cooksey said candidates would normally give back contributions if they drop out of a race.
“That doesn't seem to be what's happening here,” Cooksey told “The Ingraham Angle” on Monday. “It seems like, instead, what the Democrats are going to do is take the money and run, give it to the Harris campaign, not bother to get any FEC guidance and just deal with the consequences of that after the election."
Candidates can have the FEC conduct an expedited review within 20 days and get a “thumbs up or thumbs down” from the agency about whether keeping certain financial donations are acceptable, Cooksey said.
“It looks like they're about to spend all that money and deal with any enforcement matters or lawsuits later,” he said.
The FEC is an independent agency of the U.S. government that enforces campaign finance laws. It doesn't have the ability to issue restraining orders, Cooksey said.
Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy condemned Democrats, arguing they have "hijacked" the very democracy they claimed to defend.
President Biden announced in an open letter on the X platform this Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 race, declaring he will endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to top the ticket. Biden had faced waves of defections from Democratic lawmakers who implored him to withdraw from the presidential race after his widely criticized performance in the presidential debate.
Portnoy has slammed the Democratic Party and American liberals repeatedly since the announcement, arguing that they were hiding Biden’s age-related issues and merely trying to "hijack" democracy. On Monday afternoon, Portnoy spoke directly about his issue with Democrats backing Kamala Harris as the new candidate.
"I feel like I'm taking crazy pills when the left keep calling Trump a threat to Democracy when the Dems didn't let their own party vote for their candidate," he wrote in a post on X. "It's insane!!!!"
Read the full article about Dave Portnoy by Alexander Hall
New York Mayor Eric Adams endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president Monday, despite previous statements blasting the Biden administration's handling of the southern border.
"I’m looking forward to moving toward a convention, seeing Vice President Harris becoming the nominee," Adams said during an appearance on MSNBC’s "Morning Joe."
"Everyone knows who I am about public safety, and she was very clear on the campaign trail," adding, "I think that she is the voice that the party needs right now."
Adams' remarks contrast what he told CNN the night prior about the Biden administration's border policies, which Republicans have blamed for record numbers of illegal immigrants entering the United States.
Read the full article about Eric Adams by Louis Casiano
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the U.S. on Monday afternoon, and plans to meet with both Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden during his trip.
Netanyahu's arrival was announced by the Embassy of Israel to the USA on X. According to video posted by the embassy, Netanyahu was not greeted by Biden, Harris or Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Shelley Greenspan, who is White House Liaison to the American Jewish community, also posted on X that Harris is slated to speak with Netanyahu this week.
"The @VP will be meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu this week at the White House," Greenspan wrote. "She will reaffirm the our unwavering commitment to the security of the State of Israel."
"*This meeting is separate from President Biden’s planned meeting with PM Netanyahu," she added.
Israeli officials have reportedly been in the dark about whether Netanyahu and Biden will actually meet amid the president's COVID-19 diagnosis. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for clarification, but did not receive any details.
Although Harris and Netanyahu plan to meet, Harris reportedly declined to preside over Netanyahu's address to Congress on Wednesday night, according to the Washington Post. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD) will preside instead.
Democratic Party delegates could begin a virtual roll call soon to determine the party's nominee for president and vice president.
Members of the DNC’s Convention rules committee are slated to take up the proposal as early as Wednesday and discuss how the virtual roll call would work.
The roll call process must be completed by Aug. 7.
“We can and will be both fast and fair as we execute this nomination,” Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said on a conference call with reporters.
Vice President Kamala Harris is favored and poised to be the party's nominee. This, just days after President Biden withdrew from the race. Biden has endorsed Harris, as well as many Democratic lawmakers. .
Democrats first announced in May that they were going to conduct a virtual roll call in an effort to make a deadline in Ohio and, at the time, ensure that Biden’s name appeared on the ballot in that state.
President Biden called into the campaign headquarters of Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday and addressed his sudden decision to drop out of the presidential race.
“I know yesterday's news is surprising and it's hard for you to hear, but it was the right thing to do," he told his former campaign staffers. "I know it's hard because you have poured your heart and soul into me to help us win this thing, help me get this nomination, help me win the nomination, and then go on to win the of the presidency."
Biden said he believes he made the right decision, saying he was “honored” and humbled."
“The name has changed at the top of the ticket but the mission hasn't changed at all,” he said.
He said he was campaigning for Harris and “fully engaged” in an effort to prevent a second Trump presidency.
“We're still fighting in this fight together," he said. "I'm not going anywhere. And I want you to know I've always...You've always had my back. And I promise you, I will always have your back.”
Vice President Kamala Harris compared former President Trump to the criminals she prosecuted as California attorney general.
Harris recalled her time as California's top prosecutor, where she put away criminals of all types, she said.
“I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women, she said. "Fraudsters who ripped off consumers. Cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump's type. And in this campaign, I will proudly, I will proudly put my record against his."
While speaking to campaign staffers on Monday afternoon, Vice President Kamala Harris revealed who she is employing to run her new presidential campaign.
Harris announced that Jen O’Malley Dillon, who served as Biden's campaign chair and managed Biden's 2020 campaign, will help run her campaign.
The vice president also confirmed that Julie Chavez Rodriguez, who worked as Biden's 2024 campaign manager, will stay on as her campaign manager.
"She's been an extraordinary campaign manager," Harris said of Chavez Rodriguez. "She's going to continue in this role and see us to victory in November."
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Vice President Kamala Harris made a speech at her campaign headquarters on Monday afternoon, shortly after President Biden rang in from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Speaking to staffers in Wilmington, Delaware, Harris acknowledged that the past day had "been a roller coaster" after Biden dropped out of the race.
"We're all filled with so many mixed emotions about this," Harris said. "I just have to say, I love Joe Biden, I love Joe Biden, and I know we all do when we have so many darn good reasons for loving Joe Biden."
"Over the next 106 days, we are going to take our case to the American people and we are going to win," she said.
President Biden called Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign headquarters on Monday afternoon to speak with campaign staffers.
Biden, who is still recovering from COVID-19, phoned in one day after he formally dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. Speaking to the campaign's employees, Biden said that "the name has changed at top of the ticket, but the mission hasn't."
The sitting president also called Republican nominee Donald Trump a "danger to the nation."
"We're still fighting this fight together," Biden said. "I promise you, I will have your back."
The president also stayed on the phone after he was done speaking.
"I'm sticking around, I'm going to listen," he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris is hoping to solidify her name on the top of the November ticket over the next two days, sources told Reuters.
President Biden officially withdrew his candidacy from the 2024 presidential race on Sunday and endorsed Harris for the Democrat nomination, after weeks of calls for him to step down as the nominee.
The Democratic Party immediately threw its support behind Harris, but remains without an official nominee as of Monday.
In order to officially win the Democratic nomination, a candidate must secure a majority, of the Democratic National Convention delegates support, equal to 1,986 delegates.
The DNC is scheduled for Aug. 19, but Harris is reportedly trying to obtain the number of delegates to secure the nomination just two days from now.
The vice president has already secured the backing of more than half the delegates she needs to win the nomination, and according to Reuters, is hoping to make it official in order to prevent any other prominent Democrats from throwing their hats in the ring.
Vice President Kamala Harris is now backed by more than half the delegates she needs to clinch the nomination for president, according to The Associated Press.
According to a Monday report, more than 1,000 delegates have told the outlet or announced publicly that they plan to support Harris at the Democratic National Convention, which is more than half of the delegates needed to win the nomination vote, according to an AP survey.
The AP notes that the survey is an unofficial tally, as Democratic delegates are free to vote for the candidate of their choice at the convention later in August.
Under current Democratic Party rules, a candidate will need the support of 1,976 delegates on the first ballot of that vote to win the nomination, The AP notes.
Read the full article about Kamala Harris by Paul Steinhauser and Brianna Herlihy
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Eric Schmitt is urging all members of the Cabinet, including Vice President Kamala Harris, to invoke the 25th Amendment against President Biden, Fox News Digital has learned.
Schmitt sent letters to every member of Biden’s Cabinet Monday afternoon, just a day after the president suspended his re-election campaign amid pressure from within his own party about his age and fitness to serve another term.
Biden, instead, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as the 2024 Democratic nominee in his place.
While he has dropped out of the race, the White House has maintained that the president will finish his first term, which concludes Jan. 20, 2025.
Read the full article about President Biden by Brooke Singman
MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace called on more leaders in Washington to participate in "acts of sacrifice" for the sake of democracy on Sunday night following the announcement that President Biden would end his bid for re-election.
Wallace proceeded to call on former Trump officials, ex-allies of the former president and anti-Trump Republicans to back Democrats.
"An act of political sacrifice like this must be contagious and people like Jim Mattis, Mark Milley, General Kelly who don't want to sacrifice not being political, it's time to change those calculations," she said. "People like Sue Gordon and Gina Haspel who don't want to sacrifice their legacies with the intelligence agencies, it's time to make a different decision."
"An act of political sacrifice beget more political sacrifice," she added. "Liz Cheney and Chris Christie should be on the phone with the White House if they mean what they say about democracy and the rule of law and ask how they can help the pro-democracy coalition. And, an act of sacrifice like what Joe Biden did today should put in motion many more high-profile acts of sacrifice."
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Kendall Tietz.
"The View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg appeared angry on Monday and called out members of the Democratic Party for publicly pressuring President Biden to bow out of the race.
"The messaging that we have put out to people over a certain age is horrific. We have basically said, ‘Hey, you know what? We kind of think if you’re over a certain age, you don’t really have what it takes to do the job that you’re doing.’ That's the messaging that we put out, I’m bored by hearing that," Goldberg said.
President Biden announced he was withdrawing from the presidential race on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Harris to take his position at the top of the Democratic ticket. His announcement came after weeks of pressure coming from members of his own party.
"I would have preferred my Democrats to do this not publicly and in everybody’s face," Goldberg added. "What it did was it had us sitting, having to talk about this endlessly."
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Hanna Panreck.
Vice President Kamala Harris raked in a staggering $81 million in fundraising in the 24 hours since President Biden announced he was suspending his re-election bid and endorsing Harris as the Democrat’s presidential nominee, the Harris campaign announced on Monday.
The campaign touted in an email release that the money raised was the “largest 24 hour raise in presidential history.” And the campaign showcased that over 888,000 grassroots donors made contributions during the past day, with 60% of them making their first contribution during the 2024 election cycle. The haul includes money raised by the campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and joint-fundraising committees. “The historic outpouring of support for Vice President Harris represents exactly the kind of grassroots energy and enthusiasm that wins elections,” campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said in a statement.
“Already, we are seeing a broad and diverse coalition come together to support our critical work of talking to the voters that will decide this election.”
By comparison, former President Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee announced that they brought in nearly $53 million through their online digital fundraising platform in the first 24 hours after the former president was convicted on all 34 felony counts in his criminal trial in New York City.
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, said lawmakers should consider invoking the 25th Amendment on President Joe Biden if he dropped out of the presidential race - an announcement the president made Sunday afternoon.
Biden's sudden withdraw from the 2024 presidential race prompted Republican lawmakers to call for the president's immediate resignation from office. Vance told Fox News that there is a "constitutional process" that should be considered.
"If Joe Biden can't run for president, he can't serve as president. And if they want to take him down because he's mentally incapable of serving, invoke the 25th Amendment," Vance said in an interview alongside former President Donald Trump.
"You don't get to sort of do this in the most politically beneficial way for Democrats if its an actual problem, they should take care of it the appropriate way," the vice presidential candidate said.
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz warned Republicans against underestimating Vice President Kamala Harris as she emerges as the top contender for the Democratic Party's nomination for president.
"Republicans, I worry, vastly underestimate Kamala Harris. They don't think very highly of her. They don't think she's terribly bright. When you or I bring up Kamala Harris' name in Republican circles, people laugh. It's immediately a punchline," Cruz said Monday on his podcast "Verdict with Ted Cruz."
Cruz warned against Republicans preemptively celebrating a Trump-Vance win months out from the election, arguing Democrats and the media will promote Harris as an "historic" candidate.
"I think people are underestimating what billions of dollars of free media, of the entire corrupt corporate media complex, pitching her as a combination of Mother Teresa, Oprah and Gandhi," Cruz said.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Emma Colton.
MSNBC host Katy Tur suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could run together as an all-female ticket to push back against GOP "machismo" on Sunday.
"I'm curious what you think of a full female ticket, a Harris-Whitmer ticket," Tur said in a on-air conversation with MSNBC host Joe Scarborough.
Harris is working to consolidate Democratic Party support and has yet to announce a running mate after President Biden announced Sunday that he would withdraw from the race and endorsed her as the party's nominee.
"Just go big on the Democratic side and push back specifically on all that machismo energy that we got out of the RNC," Tur said. "Hulk Hogan on the stage. Donald Trump yelling ‘fight, fight, fight.' It's a very masculine ticket over there."
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Jeffrey Clark.
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley "saluted" President Biden for endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris after dropping out of the 2024 election.
Biden made the announcement in a statement on Sunday that he would not be seeking re-election. Separately, he endorsed Harris in a post on X.
Staley, whose team was congratulated by Harris after winning the national championship in 2024, praised Biden on X."Thank you, @POTUS @JoeBiden! Job well done! Your historical endorsement of @VP @KamalaHarris is saluted!" Staley wrote.
Staley’s support of Biden appeared to be waning since the disastrous June 27 debate with former President Trump.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Ryan Gaydos.
White House physician Kevin O'Connor released an update Monday on President Joe Biden's health as he recovers from COVID-19 - one day after Biden dropped out of the presidential race.
"President Biden completed his tenth dose of PAXLOVID this morning. His symptoms have almost resolved completely," O'Connor said Monday in a letter to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre.
"His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal. His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear."
O'Connor noted that "the President continues to perform all of his presidential duties" and that "continue to keep your office updated with any changes in his condition or treatment plan."
Twenty-four hours after President Biden's blockbuster announcement that he was dropping his re-election bid, speculation is soaring over whom Vice President Kamala Harris will choose as her running mate.
The president endorsed Harris immediately after suspending his own campaign, which ignited a surge of endorsements by Democratic governors, senators, House members and other party leaders in backing the vice president to succeed Biden as the party's 2024 standard-bearer.
As Harris moves toward securing the presidential nomination, the running mate race is igniting. And populating the list of possible contenders are plenty of politicians who were thought to have national ambitions in 2028.
Here are 10 top Democrats – in alphabetical order – whose names have been floated in the past 24 hours as potential Harris running mates.
Read the full story from Paul Steinhauser.
JD Vance, the Republican senator from Ohio newly tapped as former President Trump's running mate, is hitting the campaign trail on Monday, as Vice President Harris' team scrambles to consolidate support from Democrats a day after President Biden bowed out of the race.
Vance, who Trump a week ago named as his vice presidential pick on the heels of surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, is scheduled to hold a campaign rally in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, on Monday afternoon. Later Monday evening, Vance is to hold another rally in Radford, Virginia.
For the first time since Biden announced he would no longer seek re-election, Harris spoke at the White House Monday morning during an event honoring NCAA college athletes.
"Our president, Joe Biden wanted to be here today. He is feeling much better and recovering fast, and he looks forward to getting back on the road," Harris said at the start of her remarks. "And I wanted to say a few words about our president. Joe Biden's legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history."
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Danielle Wallace.
Days ahead of officially dropping out of the 2024 race, President Biden declared in a media interview that a medical diagnosis from a doctor would likely sway him to reconsider running for a second term.
"If I had some medical condition that emerged," Biden said, when asked in a BET interview this month if there was a reason that would make him reconsider running in 2024. "If doctors came to me and said, ‘You got this problem, that problem.’"
Following weeks of adamant declarations from Biden and his campaign that he was staying in the race, the president dropped out on Sunday afternoon, and shortly after endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
"My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden posted on X Sunday afternoon announcing his support for Harris.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Emma Colton.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. on Monday endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
"Today, it is with immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future that I endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States. My enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris for President is official, personal and political," Pelosi said in a statement.
“America has been truly blessed by the wisdom and leadership of President Joe Biden. With love and gratitude, I salute President Biden for always believing in the possibilities of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment. As one of our country's most consequential presidents, President Biden has been not only on the right side of history, but on the right side of the future," she said.
"Officially, I have seen Kamala Harris’s strength and courage as a champion for working families, notably fighting for a woman’s right to choose. Personally, I have known Kamala Harris for decades as rooted in strong values, faith and a commitment to public service. Politically, make no mistake: Kamala Harris as a woman in politics is brilliantly astute – and I have full confidence that she will lead us to victory in November," she added.
"In the Democratic Party, our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power. Now, we must unify and charge forward to resoundingly defeat Donald Trump and enthusiastically elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States. Onward to victory!” she concluded.
President Biden’s exit from the 2024 race means former President Trump will be the oldest nominee in U.S. history, a fact not lost on Democrats looking to turn the age question around on Republicans.
"This will probably boil down to Donald Trump, who is the oldest nominee in history, against Kamala Harris," Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said in reaction to the news that Biden was dropping out of the race, according to a report in The Associated Press.
Maxwell’s comments come as the race for the White House was thrown into chaos Sunday by Biden’s announcement that he was stepping aside, arguing in a statement posted to social media that he made the decision "in the best interest of my party and the country."
Concerns over what was in the best interest of the party and the country mostly focused around Biden’s age and mental acuity, an issue that became even more prominent after the president’s disastrous debate performance at the beginning of the month. Calls for Biden, who would be 82 by inauguration day, to drop out of the race continued to intensify in the weeks after the debate, finally leading to his decision to step aside Sunday.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Michael Lee.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., on Monday, posted on X, "I demand proof of life from Joe Biden today by 5:00pm."
"He needs to get in front of some camera and discuss if he’s aware that he dropped out," she said.
"Hiding is completely unacceptable."
Vice President Kamala Harris, who recently became the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president after President Biden stepped down on Sunday, is facing renewed criticism for dismissing concerns about Biden’s health in recent months.
"We have a very bold and vibrant president in Joe Biden," Harris told "Good Morning America" in February amid concerns about Biden’s health.
Also in February, Harris insisted, "Our president is in good shape, in good health, and is ready to lead in our second term."
"It is important we not be seduced into one of the only arguments that that side of the aisle has right now on [Biden's cognitive decline] in a way that is intended to distract!" Harris said in November 2023. That same month, Harris said, "Age is more than a chronological fact ... Not only is he absolutely authoritative in rooms around the globe, but in the Oval Office."
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Andrew Mark Miller.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told a local news outlet Monday that she would not accept an offer to join the 2024 Democratic ticket if it were offered.
A local news reporter with WLNS asked Whitmer if she were prepared to take the job of vice presidency alongside Vice President Kamala Harris who is now running for president.
"No. I'm not planning to go anywhere," Whitmer replied.
"I am not leaving Michigan. I am proud to be the governor of Michigan. I've been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious...I'm not going anywhere," said Whitmer.
When pressed why it took "so long" for Whitmer to endorse Harris, who announced she would run for president after president Joe Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday, Whitmer said she "wanted a minute" to "let the dust settle."
"I think everyone was surprised by the news yesterday, even though there was a lot of conversations about it, and that means co-chairs included. So I wanted a minute to check in with all my colleages, and let the dust settle. And proud to be supporting the vice president for president," Whitmer said.
Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit the headquarters of the Democrat's revamped campaign on Monday, after rising up as the top candidate for the 2024 Democratic nomination.
President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race Sunday, after leading the Biden-Harris ticket for several months. Following his announcement, Biden endorsed Harris for the nomination and his once re-election bid was quickly reworked as the "Harris for President" campaign.
"It's the first full day of our campaign, so I'm heading up to Wilmington, DE later to say "hello" to our staff in HQ," Harris said in a post on X.
"One day down. 105 to go. Together, we're going to win this," the vice president said less than 24 hours after Biden dropped out of the race.
Harris has already been endorsed by a majority of congressional Democrats to represent the party as the 2024 nominee, but an official vote still needs to be held by the Democratic National Convention to solidify her place on the ticket.
Vice President Kamala Harris praised President Biden on Monday for his accomplishments in the first few years of his term, claiming he has done more than other presidents and with less time than they had.
"In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office," she said in opening remarks at the White House's event for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams.
Biden announced on Sunday his decision to step aside and suspend his 2024 presidential campaign, endorsing Harris as his successor.
Her remarks on Monday were the first after she accepted Biden's endorsement, making her intention to be the 2024 Democratic nominee known.
She complimented Biden, specifically for "his honesty, his integrity, his commitment to his faith and his family, his big heart and his love, deep love of our country."
"I am firsthand witness that every day our president, Joe Biden, fights for the American people. And we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation," she added.
Former Vice President Mike Pence posted on X Monday saying that President Joe Biden "made the right decision" to drop out of the presidential race on Sunday
"President Joe Biden made the right decision for our country and I thank him for putting the interests of our Nation ahead of his own. After the assassination attempt on President Trump and President Biden’s decision to end his campaign, now is a time for leaders in both parties to project calm and send a message of strength and resolve to America’s friends and enemies alike that, whatever the state of our politics, the American people are strong and our American military stands ready to defend our freedom and our vital national interests anywhere in the world," Pence said.
When former President Obama released a lengthy statement on his former vice president, now-President Biden, dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, he noticeably omitted mention of Vice President Kamala Harris or any other potential candidates for Democratic nominee.
"Just like he did in 2020 once Joe Biden earned the nomination, President Obama believes he will be uniquely positioned to help unite the party once we have a nominee, lift-up that candidate, and do everything he can to get that Democrat elected in November," a source familiar with Obama's thinking explained to Fox News Digital.
"We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges," Obama said in his Monday statement.
His discussion of the party's process came after several paragraphs of praise for Biden.
"I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August," Obama said. "And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond."
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, says Vice President Kamala Harris potentially becoming the Democrat nominee does not change the course of the election, as he focuses on helping Republicans win in November.
President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 on Sunday, prompting many Republican lawmakers to suggest Biden should immediately resign from the presidency if he cannot seek another term.
"What I'm focused on is lets make sure we beat Kamala Harris or whoever the Democrats put up. And frankly I don't think it matters that much, because you can't change the facts," Jordan told Fox News when asked about Biden dropping out of the presidential race.
"In three and a half years we've literally went from a secure border to no border, safe streets to record crime, $2 gas to $4 gas, and we went from stable prices to record inflation," the congressman said. "Those facts aren't going to change no matter who the Democrats try to run. So I'm focused on making sure President Trump and JD Vance are our next president and vice president. We win the Senate and keep the House. That's what we gotta do so we can deliver for the American people."
Before President Biden announced he would discontinue his re-election campaign and endorsed Vice President Harris, recent polls that had been conducted after his disastrous debate performance showed little difference between how he matched up against former President Trump compared to how Harris would.
The New York Times assessed that Harris falls about two percentage points behind Trump in recent polls. The 46% to 48% difference is slightly better for Harris compared to how Biden polled on average – three percentage points behind the Republican presidential nominee, 47% to 44%.
A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted in the battleground state of Pennsylvania from July 9-11, before Biden dropped out and before the assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, showed Harris was only behind by one percentage point in a hypothetical matchup against Trump.
In Virginia, Harris had a five percentage point lead, compared to Biden only polling ahead of Trump in the same state by a razor-thin margin, according to the Times. Harris polled slightly better than Biden in both states among Black voters, younger voters and women.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace.
Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday she is "fired up" to support Vice President Kamala Harris to replace Joe Biden at the top of the ticket in November.
"In Vice President Harris, Michigan voters have a presidential candidate they can count on to focus on lowering their costs, restoring their freedoms, bringing jobs and supply chains back home from oversees, and building an economy that works for working people," Whitmer wrote.
"That's in stark contrast to Donald Trump, a convicted felon who stokes violence, overturned Roe, attacked our auto industry which hardworking families depend on, left office after losing 100,000 manufacturing jobs, and drove our economy into the ground last time he was in the White House," she added."Vice President Harris has my full support," she said.
Whitmer's name was reportedly tossed around as possible candidates to replace Biden before he dropped out of the race on Sunday.
Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., joined a growing list of prominent Democrats endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 Democratic nomination.
“When I spoke to Vice President Harris, I told her that President Biden’s selfless decision came as a genuine surprise," Pritzker wrote in a statement after President Biden dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday.
Pritzker was among the candidates rumored to potentially replace Biden as the nominee in the case he withdrew his candidacy.
“Vice President Harris has proven, at every point in her career, that she possesses the skills, strength, and character to lead this country and the vision to better the lives of all Americans," Pritzker said. "She represents our Party’s best chance to defeat Donald Trump in November, and I will work my heart out to help her do that."
"I am endorsing Kamala Harris for President and will work hard to get her elected because I believe that she is the most qualified and capable person to be President," the governor added. "I also think it’s past time we shatter that highest and hardest of glass ceilings and finally elect a woman as President of the United States.”
CNN commentator and former Obama administration official Van Jones grew visibly emotional while reacting to the news that President Biden would withdraw from the race.
Biden stepped aside on Sunday and has endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to become the new nominee for the Democratic Party.
"When your arm gets tired you let somebody else finish pitching the game," Jones said Sunday on CNN. "That’s what Joe Biden has done. And he’s done that for all of us."
Jones said that Democrats would not have accomplished as much as they have "without" Biden's help.
"The Democrat Party's [Biden']s family at the end of the day, this is a family matter," Jones said. "You know, Joe Biden’s body may not be as strong as it used to be. His language skills may not be as sharp as they used to be. His heart is as big as ever."
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Jeffrey Clark.
President Biden's decision to stand down from re-election offers Democrats an unprecedented opportunity to reset this election.
At this hour, Vice President Kamala Harris is the most likely nominee.Many party leaders have endorsed her candidacy, and no other candidate with an appreciable chance of winning the nomination is running.
Harris is known for asking voters to "see what is possible, unburdened by what has been."
Her probable elevation to the top of the ticket allows her party to do that. But it is too early to tell whether she would perform better against former President Trump in the general election than Biden or any other candidate.
This is an excerpt from an article by Rémy Numa.
Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., announced his support for Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, noting she has "the experience, record, vision, and wisdom to unify the country."
The Democratic governor was a strong backer of President Biden, pushing back on calls for him to drop out of the race in the last few weeks.
With Biden announcing the suspension of his campaign for re-election, Moore has shifted his support to Harris.
The popular Maryland governor has been speculated as a potential candidate for the Democratic nomination to replace Biden, but with his Monday endorsement Moore ended any rumors.
He could be speculated as a potential running mate for Harris on the 2024 ticket, joining a class of popular Democrat governors that are also being speculated about.
As the surge of endorsements of Democrats backing Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed President Biden as the party’s 2024 presidential nominee continues on Monday, the big question is when will the Democratic National Committee formally nominate Harris.
That answer could come Wednesday afternoon, when the DNC’s Rules Committee meets to hammer out the timetable for the presidential nomination roll call. In a statement early Monday, the committee noted that with Biden ending his re-election bid, it’s now its “responsibility to implement a framework to select a new nominee, which will be open, transparent, fair, and orderly.”
The committee announced that the meeting would take place at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, and that the proceedings would be available to watch on the DNC’s Youtube page. The push to move forward with the virtual nomination of Biden ahead of Democrats' in-person convention, which kicks off on Aug. 19 in Chicago, comes because of a ballot-access conflict in Ohio that was eventually corrected.
The DNC has previously said that the roll call would not take place before Aug. 1, and a source with knowledge of the Rules Committee’s thinking tells Fox News that that parameter still stands.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shared a throwback photo with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, urging those on X to donate to her.
She pointed out Harris' past as a prosecutor in California, contrasting her with Republican presidential nominee former President Trump, who was convicted of falsifying business records in New York.
After President Biden announced his intention to suspend his campaign for re-election and endorsed Harris as his successor, Hillary and former President Bill Clinton were among the first to follow suit and back the vice president. "We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her," the Clintons said in a joint statement on Sunday.
Hillary Clinton's Monday morning post included a link directing viewers to an ActBlue page for Harris. Since Biden's decision to drop out, Harris has seen a massive fundraising haul, with her campaign reporting that it raised nearly $50 million.
Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., said he would not run as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate in 2024, amid reports he is considering launching his own bid for the presidency.
Manchin applauded President Joe Biden's "legacy" during an appearance on CNN Monday, just one day after the president withdrew his candidacy for the 2024 election.
The senator then shut down the idea of running on a Democratic ticket with Harris, who is already being backed by a majority of Democrats to run on the top of the ticket in place of Biden.
“No," Manchin said when asked if he would run alongside Harris in 2024. “It’s a new generation, you don’t want a 76-year-old vice president right now."
Asked if he believes voters would want a "76-year-old president," amid reports that Manchin is considering launching a bid for the Democratic nomination, the Senator said "well, if he feels like he's 50 maybe."
Manchin is reportedly considering re-registering with the Democratic Party and running for president in 2024 "even just to have the discussion of bringing the party back to center," Fox News confirmed Sunday.
Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee for president on Monday, and did not turn down the idea of being her running mate.
"I'm excited to fully endorse Vice President Harris as the next president of the United States," he said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "The vice president is smart and strong, which will make her a good president. But she's also kind and has empathy, which can make her a great president."
The Kentucky governor had been speculated as a potential Democrat in the running to replace President Biden on the ticket after he announced the suspension of his re-election campaign on Sunday.
However, Beshear put the discussion to rest by throwing his support behind Harris' bid.
Asked if he would be open to being Harris' running mate, he said, "The the only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believed I could further help my people and to help this country."
When the governor was asked more specifically if he would consider the role, he said, "I think if somebody calls you on that, what you do is at least listen."
The second-highest ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party's 2024 presidential nominee on Monday.
"I proudly and enthusiastically endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States," Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass, said in a statement.
"Harris is a champion for working families and reproductive freedom. She stood up to corporate greed and lowered prescription drug costs for seniors. She expanded the Child Tax Credit and cut child poverty in half," Clark said.
Clark then went on to contrast Harris with former President Trump, saying the Republican nominee is a threat to "our core principles of democracy and justice for all."
The top Democrat in the House, Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, has yet to endorse Harris. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former President Barack Obama have also remained silent.
Vice President Kamala Harris had multiple phone conversations with President Biden prior to his announcement that he would not be seeking re-election on Sunday.
Biden dropped out and endorsed his running mate in an unprecedented move this weekend.
"Surrounded by family and staff at the Vice President’s Residence, she spent more than 10 hours Sunday placing calls to over 100 party leaders, Members of Congress, governors, labor leaders, and leaders of advocacy and civil rights organizations. On each of those calls, the Vice President made clear that she was extremely grateful for the President's endorsement, but plans to work hard to earn the Democratic nomination in her own right," a person familiar with Harris' actions told Fox News Digital.
One of the calls was with former President Obama, the source confirmed. Obama has not endorsed Harris.
"Throughout the day, the Vice President wore a hooded Howard University sweatshirt, workout sweats and sneakers. Amid the many calls, she took time to arrange both lunch and dinner for the assembled aides. The menu was salad and sandwiches for lunch, and pizza and salad for dinner. The Vice President's pizza came with anchovies, her go-to topping," the person continued.
Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report
President Biden hesitated to drop out of the race because he was concerned that Vice President Kamala Harris could not defeat former President Donald Trump, Axios reported Monday.
While Biden endorsed Harris immediately upon announcing his withdrawal, many top Democrats have shown they remain skeptical of her chances. Biden, the Clintons and a wave of Democratic lawmakers fell in line behind Harris, but former President Barack Obama, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have all remained silent on who Biden's successor should be.
Top candidates--aside from Harris--are California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and a handful of others.
The Democratic Party faces an August 7 deadline for selecting a new nominee.
Harris has faced high levels of scrutiny and criticism during her time as vice president, with a reports of a hostile work environment contributing to high staff turnover.
President Biden was outraged at the leaks and betrayals by his own party but ultimately "surrendered to reality," a close friend of his told Axios on Monday.
"It was fury for a while. Then he surrendered to reality. He's a professional," the friend said.
"No one was able to produce data points that showed him winning," another Democratic insider told the outlet. "They tried everything. There was no path."
Biden made the decision to drop out while he was isolating with COVID-19 at his Rehoboth, Delaware beach home. With him were top political strategist Mike Donilon, counselor Steve Ricchetti, White House deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, senior adviser to the first lady, according to Axios.
While Biden initially rejected calls to resign, unrest within the Democratic Party mounted over the course of weeks. Extensive leaks from within the party also undermined Biden's leadership with rumors of unease and panic.
Trump 2024 national press secretary Karoline Leavitt joined 'Fox & Friends First' on Monday to discuss why Biden's decision has prompted U.S. politics to enter 'unchartered territory' and why many critics are calling on him to step down immediately.
Leavitt argued that campaign members "feel better about our chances" facing Vice President Kamala Harris rather than President Biden.
Harris' ascension to the Democratic Party's nomination is not set in stone, however. While Biden, the Clintons and other top Democrats have endorsed her, notably top names have also chosen not to.
President Obama, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Speaker Hakeem Jeffries have all remained silent on who should succeed Biden in the 2024 race.
Trump himself argued Monday morning that Democrats had "stolen" the nomination from Biden after an extensive primary process.
Ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod cautioned supporters of Kamala Harris against casting her as the default replacement to President Biden on the 2024 ticket, warning that she will need to prove to voters that she is capable of earning the nomination.
"I think the focus of many leaders in the party is going to be singular and it‘s going to be how and who can defeat Donald Trump and that may well be Kamala Harris," Axelrod said Sunday. "I think some of her supporters have done her a disservice because they say, well, she‘s there, she‘s historic, you can‘t bypass her and so on…
"The real case they should be making is why she‘d be the strongest candidate. And there are some really strong arguments to suggest she would be, but she might be stronger if she comes through a process that is open, and I noticed in her own statement, she said she wanted to compete and earn the nomination, and it would be good for her if that was the conclusion that people drew," he added.
Axelrod made the comment on "CNN Newsroom" after he was asked why former President Obama notably failed to endorse Harris for the Democratic nomination in his statement reacting to news of Biden's suspended campaign.
Biden endorsed Harris moments after he announced his decision to drop out of the race. She confirmed that she would run for the Democratic nomination in a statement, writing that "I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination."
Harris has received endorsements from former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as several Democratic lawmakers. However, many Democrats have issued statements on Biden's decision without making mention of Harris or endorsing her.
"We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges," Obama wrote in his statement.
Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign has raised nearly $50 million in grassroots donations since President Biden suspended his re-election bid and endorsed her, Fox News Digital has learned.
"Since the President endorsed Vice President Harris yesterday afternoon, everyday Americans have given $49.6 million in grassroots donations to her campaign," the Harris campaign told Fox News Digital.
The campaign told Fox News Digital that the figure represents grassroots donations raised across "all entities, including ActBlue."
Harris announced her presidential campaign Sunday afternoon just after Biden announced he would drop out of the 2024 race, amid pressure from within the Democratic Party.
The unprecedented announcement came as an increasing number of Democrat lawmakers had begun to publicly call for Biden to step aside and the party's leadership reportedly was engaged in efforts to convince Biden, 81, he could not win in November's general election against former President Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee who Biden defeated four years ago to win the White House.
Biden quickly offered his "full support and endorsement" for Harris to take over as the party's presidential nominee.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president," Biden wrote in a public letter. "While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term."
Biden said he will formally address the nation later this week about his decision.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Brooke Singman
Former President Trump argued that the Democratic Party "stole the race" from President Biden after the current president decided to drop out of the race Monday.
"The Democrats pick a candidate, Crooked Joe Biden, he loses the Debate badly, then panics, and makes mistake after mistake, is told he can’t win, and decide they will pick another candidate, probably Harris. They stole the race from Biden after he won it in the primaries — A First! These people are the real THREAT TO DEMOCRACY!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Biden officially bowed out of the race on Sunday following weeks of sustained pressure by Democrats who argued he was too old to serve effectively as president. Biden quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, and she has since enjoyed a wave of endorsements and fundraising from top Democrats and Hollywood celebrities.
The Democratic Party has until August 7 to formally nominate a replacement for Biden.
The person most responsible for Biden stepping aside is Nancy Pelosi, who warned the president in private, then had allies such as Adam Schiff go public, then used leaks to the press to make Biden’s position untenable.
The former speaker has not endorsed Harris. Neither has Barack Obama, who let it be known he thought his former VP would lose and said yesterday there should be a process for deciding the nomination.
Fox News' Howard Kurtz contributed to this report
Former ESPN broadcaster Sage Steele tore into President Biden’s decision to withdraw from his re-election campaign more than three weeks after a disastrous debate with former President Trump.
Steele expressed her concerns about the United States and took a shot at the president’s family for allowing him to stay in the race.
Biden announced earlier Sunday he was ending his re-election campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the potential Democratic nominee. Statements from first lady Jill Biden and the president’s children followed after the announcement was made.
However, Steele was unhappy it had gotten this far.
"I think what we should be is disappointed and angry because it should never have gotten to this point in the first place," Steele said in a video posted to X. "And I don’t even mean since that debacle of a debate on June 27th when the mainstream media just magically decided to admit, ‘Wait, maybe he has some cognitive issues. Maybe he’s not fit to run for reelection. They were lying from top to bottom for years and covering up for him sadly.
"We should be so disappointed in his family, in his wife. How, as a spouse, could you allow your husband or wife to go ahead and proceed with something so big (and) so important when you know that as a human being, they are not OK? That, to me, is disgusting. That’s what I’ve been saying since I interviewed Joe Biden just a month or two after he took office. That was 3 1/2 years ago and I noticed in my interview before the conversation began that he was struggling.
This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News' Ryan Gyados
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