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When America witnessed a pale, hoarse and feeble Joe Biden take the debate stage on June 27, the trajectory of the campaign changed almost instantly.
The image Biden’s campaign had projected until that moment — of an aged but still capable president ready to again defeat Donald Trump — crumbled as his party panicked over their presumptive nominee’s ability to lead them to victory in November.
Biden spent weeks defending himself. Democrats held their breath at each appearance, hoping for reassurance that never came. The scrutiny intensified with every gaffe.
While the chorus of Democrats calling on him to step aside grew louder and more public, an assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally shocked the world. The images immediately went viral: Trump rising from the ground to pump his fist in the air and yell “Fight!” as blood streamed down his face. Republicans began talking about his survival as divine intervention.
Meanwhile, the pressure on Biden kept building. Some of the most powerful members of his party urged the president behind closed doors to abandon his bid. Then a Covid diagnosis left the president isolating in Rehoboth Beach.
The dam finally burst on Sunday afternoon: Biden dropped out of the race only 107 days out from Election Day in a statement posted on social media and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
Decades younger than Biden or Trump, Harris promised a fresh start for a Democratic Party in despair.
Here’s a look into the 28 days that transformed the 2024 election.
JUNE 27, 2024
CNN presidential debate
Trump and Biden took the debate stage at CNN’s studios in Atlanta, where the president delivered a faltering performance and stumbled through his responses. “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence, and I don’t think he did, either,” Trump said after Biden completed a rambling answer during the debate. Democrats reeled.
JUNE 28, 2024
Biden rallies in Raleigh
As Democrats began to panic over his debate performance, Biden tried to repair the damage, telling supporters at a North Carolina rally: “I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth.” He acknowledged, “I know I’m not a young man.”
JUNE 29, 2024
Biden assuages donors
Biden spent the weekend after the debate at New York fundraisers attempting to reassure nervous high-powered donors that he was still capable of running for reelection. Outside of one fundraiser in East Hampton, a handful of demonstrators held signs.
JULY 2, 2024
The first elected Democrat urges withdrawal
Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first House Democrat to publicly call on Biden to bow out of the race. Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva and Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton follow in the coming days, beginning a cascade of party members calling for Biden’s exit.
JULY 4, 2024
Biden radio interviews
Two radio stations based in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, WURD and WAUK, aired pre-recorded interviews with Biden as the president fought to calm his party’s concerns about his age. Subsequent reporting revealed that both hosts used questions provided in advance by the Biden campaign, and that WAUK edited out two segments at his team’s request. WURD fired the host of its interview while WAUK released the unedited audio.
JULY 5, 2024
ABC News interview
Biden sat down with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos for his first televised interview since the debate, acknowledging he had a “bad night” while arguing he’s “still in good shape” and only the “Lord Almighty” could make him drop out of the race. Democrats told POLITICO shortly after the interview that it did little to stop the bleeding.
JULY 10, 2024
Senate Democrat urges withdrawal
Peter Welch of Vermont became the first Democratic senator to publicly call on Biden to step down from the race, bringing the tally to 10 congressional Democrats urging the president to withdraw.
JULY 11, 2024
Washington NATO Summit
Biden introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO Summit, but he also delivered one of his most embarrassing mistakes: “Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.”
NATO press conference
At a “big boy” press conference later that day, Biden swatted away multiple questions about his candidacy but made another slip-up: mistakenly referring to Harris as “Vice President Trump.” He said he would drop out if his team told him “‘there’s no way you can win.’ No one’s saying that.”
JULY 13, 2024
Trump assassination attempt
Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that killed one rallygoer and injured two others. Trump stood as he was led off the stage, raising his fist in the air and yelling “Fight!”
JULY 15, 2024
Trump announces running mate
Trump announced Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate as delegates gathered at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
NBC News interview
In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, Biden argued the race was still a “toss-up” and that his mental acuity was “pretty damn good.” The president became increasingly combative throughout the interview, pushing back on questions and taking swipes at the media.
JULY 16, 2024
BET News interview
While in Las Vegas for the NAACP National Convention, Biden told BET News’ Ed Gordon that he would reconsider his run for reelection if he had “some medical condition that emerged.”
JULY 17, 2024
Biden gets Covid
Biden tested positive for Covid-19, and, according to his doctor, experienced mild symptoms. He headed to his shore home in Delaware to isolate.
Top Democrats push Biden to withdraw
News outlets, including POLITICO, reported that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had all privately met with Biden before his diagnosis to express serious concerns about Democratic losses in November if he remained in the race.
JULY 18, 2024
Trump accepts nomination
Trump embraced his party’s nomination at the RNC by breaking his own record for the longest acceptance speech delivered by a presidential nominee. He gave a detailed description of the attempt on his life before hitting his usual campaign talking points.
JULY 20, 2024
Trump, Vance rally in Michigan
Trump held his first campaign rally since the assassination attempt alongside his newly minted running mate. The duo taunted Democrats for the growing uncertainty around Biden, with Trump polling the crowd about whether they would prefer he run against the president or Harris.
JULY 21, 2024
Biden withdraws and endorses Kamala Harris
Biden made the extraordinary move of announcing his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race in a statement posted on social media, marking the latest exit of a presidential incumbent in modern history. He swiftly endorsed Harris to be the Democratic nominee.
Harris launches presidential bid
Harris made it official. With a little over 100 days to make her case, the vice president launched her bid for the presidency and committed to uniting the Democratic Party.
JULY 22, 2024
Harris delivers remarks
On the South Lawn of the White House for an event designed to honor NCAA champions, Harris delivered her first remarks since Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her. She praised his “unmatched” legacy and “deep love” of the country.
JULY 24, 2024
Biden addresses the nation
Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office’s Resolute Desk in his first remarks since ending his reelection bid, saying that “saving our democracy” was “more important than any title.”
