Candidate resigns from campaign after halting campaigning due to COVID-19 confirmation;
Calls for mini-primary arise… Concerns over division nearing presidential election
Vice President Harris: “An honor to receive president’s support.”,
, ‘[Anchor]’,
,
, ‘U.S. President Joe Biden has resigned from the presidential candidacy. With less than four months left until the U.S. presidential election, chaos ensues. Let’s connect to Washington.’,
,
, ‘Kim Pil-gyu, correspondent, in the end, President Biden crumbled under internal pressures.’,
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, ‘[Reporter]’,
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, ‘President Biden, who received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis last week, had suspended his campaign schedule and was staying at the Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. While rumors circulated that he might announce his resignation this weekend, President Biden was still insisting on completing his term, so today’s announcement came somewhat unexpectedly.’,
,
, ‘On Sunday afternoon local time, President Biden posted a statement on social media X, stating that he believed stepping down from the candidacy and focusing on his remaining term and presidential duties would be the best for the party and the nation.’,
,
, ‘Core campaign staff were reportedly notified only a minute before the announcement, indicating that the decision was likely made after consultation with family members, including First Lady Jill Biden.’,
,
, ‘[Anchor]’,
,
, ‘Vice President Kamala Harris has been nominated as the replacement candidate. Does this mean Harris’s candidacy is confirmed?’,
,
, ‘[Reporter]’,
,
, ‘There have been talks of Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, or Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan, taking over the candidacy. However, President Biden ultimately chose Vice President Harris.’,
,
, ‘President Biden stated that appointing Harris as Vice President during the 2020 presidential election was the best decision he made and fully supports her becoming the presidential candidate this time as well.’,
,
, ‘Some have argued for holding mini-primary elections to generate excitement, but the issue is that there is less than four months left until the presidential election. There could be institutional issues raised by the Republican Party, and concerns about party division during the primary process.’,
,
, ‘Therefore, it is analyzed that nominating Vice President Harris was the most reasonable choice from Biden’s perspective. Vice President Harris also posted on social media, stating that it is an honor to receive the president’s support and that she will defeat Trump as the party’s presidential candidate.’,
,
, ‘[Anchor]’,
,
, ‘What was the decisive factor for the candidate’s resignation?’,
,
, ‘[Reporter]’,
,
, ‘President Biden’s announcement of resignation came just 25 days after the first presidential TV debate on September 27. After suffering a loss to Trump and getting embroiled in an cognitive ability controversy, the crisis escalated.’,
,
, ‘As the gap in support rates between Trump and Biden widened, over 30 federal senators and representatives from the Democratic Party publicly urged his resignation. The final blow came from the attempted assassination of former President Trump on December 13. Republican supporters enthusiastically welcomed Trump’s dramatic return to the spotlight, while Biden, on top of that, had to halt his campaigning due to COVID-19. Influential figures within the party, including former President Obama and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, turned their backs, breaking Biden’s determination to complete his term.’,
,
, ‘[Anchor]’,
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, ‘What are the reactions within the Democratic Party?’,
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, ‘[Reporter]’,
,
, ‘Among Democratic lawmakers, there is a welcoming response to President Biden’s decision, with voices saying that they can finally win. Former President Obama also praised President Biden as the “greatest patriot” in a statement.’,
,
, ‘However, as there are lingering voices within the party calling for primaries or expressing support for Vice President Harris or other specific candidates, it seems that there is a need for work to consolidate these views in the future.’,
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, ‘[Video Design Cho Seok-heon]\n’]