Warnings about Trump without naming him, a heavy to-do list and a transfer of power

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden delivered a solemn Oval Office Address Wednesday, it laid out in the clearest terms why he abandoned his re-election campaign.

He wanted to send an unequivocal warning about the Republican presidential candidate donald trump while anointing vice president Kamala Harris as his natural successor, without invoking an overtly political tone that would be out of place in the official environment of the White House. He was determined to show that he would not act like a lame-duck president, outlining an ambitious agenda that underlined his determination to continue building his legacy.

Here are the key takeaways from Biden’s speech:

He warned about Trump – without naming him

Biden did not mention Trump, his former Republican opponent, in his 10-minute Oval Office speech — but he didn’t have to. The remarks were imbued with a profound sense of urgency about what the outgoing president saw as the stakes of the election.

The opening part of his speech outlined the choices voters would face in November — a contrast Biden himself had hoped to make during a re-election campaign he ultimately decided could not continue.

“Americans will have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division,” Biden said. “We have to decide: do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy.”

That last item – democracy – and defending it is “more important than any title,” Biden said.

Biden outlined a robust to-do list for his final months

The president says he will continue working during his last six months in office. He is trying to defend his legacy of comprehensive domestic legislation and renewed alliances abroad.

His to-do list was full of important questions. He said he would work to end the war in Gaza, bring the hostages home and try to “bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war.” Biden meets with the Israeli prime minister on Thursday Benjamin Netanyahu.

He will continue to work to reduce costs for families and defend personal freedoms, continue to denounce “hate and extremism” and push to end gun violence.

He also said he would continue to work on his initiative to end cancer as we know it and would push for Supreme Court reforms.

“I’m going to keep working,” he said.

He is voluntarily transferring power to a new generation

Biden finally understood what Democrats were telling him — that it was time to hand power to a younger generation — and embraced it, appealing to “new voices, yes, younger voices” in politics.

“I decided that the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation,” he said, although he believed his presidency deserved a second term.

For months, Biden insisted that only he could face Trump and win. But that changed after his debate with Trump on June 27, when he spoke haltingly, lost his train of thought and failed to fact-check the former president’s falsehoods. The performance raised a series of questions about his age and ability to serve for another four years and led Democrats to increasingly call for him to step aside. O impasse dragged on for 24 days before Biden relented, saying he needed to unify his party.

The tone and setting were solemn

Biden is no stranger to sober speech, delivering remarks on important issues like the fate of democracy and voting rights at historically significant milestones across the country and around the world.

But Biden used the formal trappings of an Oval Office address — a tool used by presidents in times of national crisis or to capture a key moment in history — sparingly, with Wednesday’s speech marking just the fourth time he has he sat behind the Resolute Table. speak directly to the nation.

His tone was solemn, his speech careful and deliberate. He was surrounded by family and close aides as he gave a speech voluntarily giving up power – something no politician wants to do.

“The best of America is here, kings and dictators don’t govern – it’s the people who govern,” Biden said at the end of his speech. “History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of ​​America is in your hands.”

Biden made a subtle effort for his vice president

In the official setting of the Oval Office, Biden avoided open political conversations. But he still praised Vice President Kamala Harris as “tough” and “capable” and gave voters a not-so-subtle nudge.

“She has been an incredible partner for your leadership, for our country,” he said. “Now the choice is up to you, the American people. ”

First lady Jill Biden posted a handwritten note after the president’s speech thanking “those who never wavered, who refused to doubt.” She thanked her supporters for placing trust in the president. “Now is the time to place that trust in Kamala.”

Biden, aides say, knows that if Harris loses, he will be criticized for staying in the race too long and for not giving her or another Democrat time to effectively mount a campaign against Trump. If she wins, she will ensure that his political victories are secured and expanded, and he will be remembered for his decision to step aside for the next generation of leadership.