‘The View’: Joe Biden Opens Up About Decision to Exit Presidential Race
It was a presidential affair on Wednesday’s (September 25) episode of The View as President Joe Biden stopped by to talk about the “Hot Topics” of the moment, including his own decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I’m at peace with my decision. Look, when I ran … this last term, I said that I saw myself as a transitional president, transitioning to a new generation of leadership. I know I only look 40, but I’m 180 years old,” the POTUS explained with a bit of humor. “What happened was we were having so many so much success in getting things done that people thought we couldn’t get done. I found myself having used more time than I would have ordinarily to pass that torch, but working with Kamala, she is bright, she is tough, she’s honorable. And the thing I like about her, and one thing we share in common, is that we have an optimistic view of the future here. There’s nothing we can’t do… so finally I decided that it was better, and I meant what I said, it was the greatest honor of the world sitting behind the resolute desk as president of the United States, I loved it — it sounds corny, but I love my country more.”
Biden to The View: “I never fully believed the assertions that somehow there was this overwhelming reluctance of my running again…my polling was about…always within range of beating this guy I didn’t sense that….I was confident. I would beat Trump.” pic.twitter.com/zutdHVOM3M
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) September 25, 2024
When asked whether he holds any ill will towards Nancy Pelosi for insisting that he should step down, he said, “My relationship is fine,” before pausing and chuckling. After a beat, he added, “I never fully believed the assertions that somehow there was this overwhelming reluctance of my running again. I didn’t sense that.”
Then, he answered the question of whether he believed he would’ve beaten Donald Trump in the election with a resolute “Yes. I was confident I would beat Trump, he’s a loser,” he said.
In the interview, Biden praised Harris, saying, “Look, she is smart as hell. Number one, she’s tough. She was a first-rate prosecutor. She is a United States Senator, significant consequence. And as vice president, there wasn’t a single thing that I did that she couldn’t do… She has the energy, she has the intelligence, she has the grit. She has the stamina and she has the guts to do the right thing.”
“Be yourself.”
Pres. Biden shares the advice he’s given Vice Pres. Harris on how to beat former Pres. Trump. “She has the energy, she has the intelligence, she has the grit. She has the stamina and she has the guts to do the right thing.” #TheView pic.twitter.com/VaFoTY1IQO— The View (@TheView) September 25, 2024
The View, weekdays, 11 a.m. ET, ABC