The team knew nothing – Joe Biden’s withdrawal: What happened hours before

The 81-year-old was “determined,” Biden’s team said Sunday. Determined to beat Donald Trump again in November. Anyone who raised questions about his health was aggressively pursued. It was the practiced process now.

Meanwhile, nearly three hours away from the White House, history was literally being made. At his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the US president has long been working on a letter to inform the world that he will not run again as the top candidate.

The decision was made at Biden’s vacation home
Biden is currently recovering from a corona infection there. In the quieter hours of the past few days, there was of course time for reflection. Outside the busy daily life of the election campaign, it was important to become aware of what a small part of the party did not want to admit: his public missteps have cost him the trust of the American people. Irrevocably.

Another victory in the duel against Trump seemed out of reach, and stopping the biological clock was impossible anyway. His political legacy was about to suffer irreparable damage.

So Biden controlled what he could control. The manner of his withdrawal. It was time to pull the cord and speak to the American people in personal terms.

Biden worked late into the night writing
According to consistent media reports, only a handful of people from his inner circle of advisors were initiated. Above all Steve Ricchetti and Mike Donilon. They have been whispering in Biden’s ear for decades and are considered absolutely trustworthy people. Saturday afternoon, Ricchetti got news from his boss. “I need you and Mike in the house,” Biden is said to have said, according to the New York Times.

When Ricchetti and Donilon entered his home, the 81-year-old had reportedly already decided to withdraw from the race. “From that afternoon until late into the night, the three worked on one of the most important and historic letters of Mr. Biden’s presidency,” the American newspaper reports. Also on site: Biden’s wife Jill and her personal adviser.

Biden’s letter to read:

On Sunday, things became more concrete. According to the AP news agency, Biden spoke several times with his vice president Kamala Harris. He briefed White House chief of staff Jeff Zients and his longtime aide and campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon.

Employees were postponed until the end
At that point, the White House’s public slogans of persistence had lost touch with reality. Hours later, the rest of Biden’s staff would discover what was really going on.

By 1:45 p.m. (US time) on Sunday, news of Biden’s withdrawal was spreading like wildfire through the White House. By 1:46 p.m., his letter was published across all channels. Reactions ranged from relief, horror and deep sadness, people familiar with the events said. There was no time to process the news.

Clarity is followed by uncertainty
About half an hour after announcing his withdrawal, Biden recommended Harris as his successor: “Democrats, it is time to come together and defeat Trump,” he wrote.

The 81-year-old also announced that he would provide more detailed information about his decision and the background to it in the course of the week. It is also unclear whether and in what form Harris will be named the top candidate. In addition, a campaign for her or another candidate must be set up from scratch. With so many question marks, only one thing seems clear: time is running out on the Democrats again.