A reporter’s view: Inside the Oval Office at a ‘pass the torch’ moment

President Joe Biden spoke softly, but his words carried enormous weight as he declared that “the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation” and delved into his decision to drop his reelection bid.

In a televised address Wednesday night, the president framed his choice in almost existential terms. The defense of democracy, Mr. Biden said, “is more important than any title.” 

He did not utter former President Donald Trump’s name, but the implied warning was clear: that, in Mr. Biden’s view, electing his predecessor to another term could imperil American democracy. 

The Oval Office – where this reporter had the privilege of witnessing history as the only print journalist present – was packed. Much of the space was consumed by the equipment and crew broadcasting Mr. Biden’s speech and running the teleprompter. Biden aides squeezed in. Seated along the wall were his wife, children, grandchildren, and spouses. The only non-family member accorded that honor was decadeslong adviser Mike Donilon. The “restricted press pool” included a print reporter, a still photographer, and a network TV crew.

It was like being on a TV set. But the import could not have been more real. The last time an American president opted not to run for a second term was in 1968, when Lyndon Johnson announced his decision from the same room, as the nation was embroiled in war abroad.  

Mr. Biden spoke faintly, haltingly, solemnly. The speech was laced with pride and a sense of what might have been, had he felt able to continue his campaign. He highlighted what he sees as the main accomplishments of his presidency, a reprise of his campaign pitch. 

In a preview of many more “farewell” moments to come, Mr. Biden cited the nation’s postpandemic economic recovery, and bringing manufacturing back to the United States, reducing illegal border crossings (after they surged in his term), battling climate change, and appointing diverse leadership in his administration. Winning the 2020 election was itself a major triumph, in Mr. Biden’s eyes. And preventing his predecessor from retaking the White House remains his overarching goal.

“I ran for president four years ago because I believed, and still do, that the soul of America was at stake,” the president said. “America is an idea, an idea stronger than any army, bigger than any ocean, more powerful than any dictator or tyrant.”

Now Mr. Biden is making the case to elect his vice president, Kamala Harris, who almost certainly will carry the Democratic torch to November, amid a remarkably fast transformation of the Biden campaign into the Harris campaign. 

“I would like to thank our great Vice President Kamala Harris,” the president said toward the end of his remarks. “She’s experienced. She’s tough. She’s capable.”

Mr. Biden didn’t say, “Vote for Vice President Harris,” reflecting his apparent desire to maintain a bit of separation between official duties and politics. On Sunday, when he released the letter announcing his decision to step aside from his reelection campaign, he did not endorse Ms. Harris as his replacement for the Democratic nomination. That came a half hour later in a social media post. 

But Wednesday’s speech was not devoid of politics. Mr. Biden has spent more than 50 years in the highest levels of elective office, and it infuses his being. He clearly relishes the game. And now, as much as he wanted to defeat Mr. Trump again, he decided to put “personal ambition” aside, as he put it. His badly faltering debate performance last month against Mr. Trump eventually left little choice but to leave the race, under pressure from his own party.

Speaking at her regular briefing Wednesday afternoon, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Mr. Biden’s exit “has nothing to do with his health.” 

But, his recent bout with COVID-19 aside, the president’s increasing frailty in recent months has become impossible for even his most loyal allies to avoid. His childhood stutter, which he noted in his address, has been evident more frequently. Mr. Biden faces calls from some Republicans to resign the presidency itself, but his aides scoff at the idea, asserting that he has the acuity and stamina necessary to finish his term.

Mr. Biden finished his remarks with a call for national unity – and a final implied warning of what a second Trump term might bring. 

“Let’s act together, preserve our democracy,” he said. 

The broadcast over, aides and family burst into applause. First lady Jill Biden walked over to the Resolute Desk and stood beside her husband. Moments before, daughter Ashley seemed close to tears as she reached for her mother’s hand. 

Mr. Biden addressed the room. “This has been the honor of a lifetime,” he said, followed by other words of gratitude. 

As this reporter was exiting the Oval Office, per the staff’s instruction, more applause could be heard – both from inside the presidential suite and outside in the Rose Garden. Staff had been attending a watch party there and eating ice cream, the boss’s favorite treat.