The 24 hours that changed the course of the 2024 presidential race

For just over three weeks, President Joe Biden insisted in public and private that he was staying in the 2024 presidential race. But when he finally made the decision to bow out, most of his staff found out just a minute before the rest of America.

The president spoke publicly about his decision for the first time on Monday, calling into the staff at what was once his, and is now Vice President Kamala Harris’, campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. The president called his move to drop out of the 2024 presidential election and endorse Harris the “right decision,” and promised to support her during the remaining months of his presidency — at the White House and beyond.

“The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn’t changed at all,” President Biden said. “And by the way, I’m not going anywhere. I’m gonna be out there in the campaign with her, with Kamala. I’m gonna be working like hell, both as a sitting president getting legislation passed as well as in campaigning.”

President Biden told staff members, who have now pivoted to the Harris campaign to “embrace her.” Though he acknowledged his announcement may be "hard for you to hear,” he argued it was “the right thing to do,” noting he wanted to “people to remember that what we have done has been incredible.”

For weeks, President Biden and his campaign tried to restore confidence in the path forward for his re-election in the face of calls for him to step aside from Democratic lawmakers and donors, following a debate performance against former president Donald Trump that he wrote off as a “bad night.”

President Biden remained steadfast in pushing forward. Less than two weeks ago, when asked by Scripps News if he would reconsider his decision to stay in the race if he was shown data Harris would fare better against Trump, President Biden said “No, unless they came back and said ‘There’s no way you can win.’ No one is saying that. No poll says that.”

But the following week, as Republicans presented a unified front at their convention in the wake of an attempted assassination against Trump, President Biden was unable to stop the stream of congressional members from within his own party casting doubt.

As recently as Friday, campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon insisted publicly President Biden was not wavering in an interview with MSNBC, as President Biden recovered in Delaware from COVID-19. The White House spokesman said the idea he’d switch gears “fan fiction.”

But Saturday, things appeared to change as he remained in Delaware with close senior advisors.

As his team worked through ways to win, President Biden reflected and started to reach a decision that evening, people familiar with the decision said.

The next day, on Sunday, President Biden and Vice President Harris spoke multiple times ahead of his announcement, according to a source. President Biden also spoke with his chief of staff and campaign chair about the decision. But the circle was kept tight. Senior advisors were notified just a minute before he shared his letter announcing his decision on social media. Less than a half hour later, he endorsed Harris in the same fashion.

Chief of Staff Jeff Zients then held calls with senior staff and cabinet members, while campaign leaders on an all-staff call reiterated the campaign was moving forward behind Harris and staffers would keep their job, sources said. Monday, Zients held a call with White House and administration staff where he stressed the need to “finish the job,“ and reminded them of the federal rules about engaging in campaign work while on work time, two officials told Scripps News.

Meanwhile, Harris spent more than ten hours working the phones Sunday from the Vice President’s residence while wearing a Howard University sweatshirt, as family and staff kept her company. She called party leaders, congressional members, governors and advocacy leaders, according to a person familiar with the calls. Harris shared gratitude for President Biden’s endorsement, but also noted her intention to earn the Democratic nomination.

By Monday, Harris had racked up the endorsement from dozens of democratic governors and lawmakers, including former speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi, and secured pledges of state delegations ahead of the DNC, including from FL, LA, MD, NH, TN, NJ, NC and SC, likely winning enough delegates to secure the Democratic nomination.

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“Vice President Harris appears to have sufficient delegate support to become the Democratic presidential nominee,” said Scott Tranter, Director of Data Science at Decision Desk HQ. “Given that DNC rules allow delegates to change their minds in these circumstances, she is not the presumptive nominee, but she certainly is the likely nominee.”

Harris, for her part, made sure to praise President Biden in her first public appearance at the top of the ticket, as the White House celebrated NCAA champions.

“Joe Biden's Legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history,” she said during a previously scheduled ceremony honoring NCAA champion athletes at the White House.

Outside Washington, President Biden’s decision to bow out the race was applauded by some democrats as selfless.

“People have been sending me people have been sending me notes that they sent to him. And the notes that they sent to him are just so touching. People really appreciate what he did, know how hard it was for him, and he showed his colors as a true American leader who wants the best for this country,” said former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, who has known the president for decades.

“He deserved better treatment than he got by so many people going public. But I think he reached the right decision. I think Joe believes that, honestly believed that he could fight back and overtake Trump and win. But there was too much headwinds,” said Rendell, who said if Trump did win, President Biden “would have been the scapegoat.”

But Rendell believes the donor class will get re-energized around Harris.

Once the money goes to Harris, the momentum does too, a prominent democratic donor who previously hosted a Harris fundraiser told Scripps News. The donor pointed to the surprisingly strong grassroots fundraising number the Harris campaign announced -- $81 million raised in the 24 hours following President Biden’s endorsement -- noting that the fundraising totals are likely higher since a large number of major donors are now “writing million-dollar checks.”

Groups who wanted President Biden out got what they wanted, while those who wanted him stay are ready to rally around the Vice President, echoed Dmitri Mehlhorn, a democratic strategist and fundraiser, who explained most donors will understand it’s now time to focus on Trump.

“Donald Trump is aging in a terrifying way. Right now he’s running against someone in their 50’s so careful what you wish for MAGA,” he said.

“I have known Kamala for decades, and she's been a fighter, a leader, and an advocate for the tech ecosystem since the day we met. She is the best choice to defeat Donald Trump and she has my unwavering support,” said Ron Conway, the founder of SV Angel.

RELATED STORY | Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips talks with Scripps News about Democrats' pivot to Kamala Harris

Procedurally, Democrats moved quickly to shore up the nomination for Harris with state delegations meeting to endorse her, and delegates are expected to meet virtually in early August to finalize the nomination, a little before heading to the Democratic convention in Chicago.

“It was unanimous that we support the vice president. I can't speak for everything, but I think we leaned into the President's endorsement of her,” said Brenda Hill Pollard, a DNC delegate from North Carolina who previously served in the state government and remains an advisor to Gov. Roy Cooper.

Hill Pollard noted a push for Cooper for a potential VP pick. Rendell said he publicly recommended current Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and the donor named Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly as his top pick, with speculation picking up over who could be on Harris’s short list.

Harris made no such hints during her trip to Delaware, instead outlining her campaign message, sharing a contrast between a potential Harris administration versus Trump administration. “Our campaign has always been two different versions of what we see as the future of our country,” she said, drawing on her experience as a prosecutor.

And she’ll take her message on the campaign trail in Milwaukee Tuesday, her ninth visit to the Badger State since becoming Vice President, and her fifth this year.

President Biden is expected to return to the White House Tuesday, following his recovery from COVID-19. He promised staff on the call he’d be getting back to work imminently.

“Let me be real clear. We're still fighting in this fight together. I'm not going anywhere. I want you to know I've always, you've always had my back, and I promise you I will always have your back,” President Biden said.