July 25, 2024: Joe Biden’s long goodbye

POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

Last night, President Joe Biden gave a rare Oval Office speech to mark an even more rare occurrence: A president who is eligible for another term choosing not to run for reelection. While at times forward-looking — as when he reiterated his support for VP Kamala Harris — the address was, on its face, an attempt at legacy building. Biden checked off a list of his accomplishments, and framed his overall decision as being taken in the defense of democracy — which, he said, was “more important than any title.” But his remarks also provided a reminder of the same performance concerns that led to calls for him to step aside. What comes next? White House correspondent Eli Stokols joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to unpack it all.