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Biden Exits 2024 Race, Endorses Harris; NAACP Head Weighs in on Biden Stepping Down; World Leaders Respond to Biden's Announcement. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired July 22, 2024 - 00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

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LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, everyone. I'm Laura Coates in Washington, D.C.

A pivotal, unprecedented night in America. Three weeks ago, there was the consequential presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. It's hard to believe it's only three weeks ago, but it was, in fact, three weeks ago.

And now the sitting president dropping out of the race for the White House and, in short order, then turning around and endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris.

Well, tonight, Democrats starting to rally around Harris as she, quote, "intends to earn and win the nomination."

Democrats greeting Biden's exit with an avalanche of cash to the tune of more than 46 million bucks and counting, energized by even the prospect of a Harris top-of-the-ticket campaign.

I want to bring in CNN White House correspondent Priscilla Alvarez. She's in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with the president of the United States.

Priscilla, what have you learned about how this seismic -- and I do mean seismic -- announcement even came to pass after weeks of defiance?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, ultimately, the last 48 hours were pivotal. The president is self-isolating in his Delaware residence here because of his positive COVID diagnosis.

And it was during that time that he was also deliberating and reflecting.

We're now learning that the president, on Saturday evening, huddled with his senior advisers, who were here in Rehoboth Beach, and they assessed the polling. They talked about what Democratic lawmakers had been pleading the president to do, which was to step aside. And it was during that time that the president was starting to come to

the decision that he was going to drop out of the race.

He also, of course, consulted with his family. They have always been pivotal in almost all of his decisions over the course of his political career.

But then today was ultimately the day that the president decided to announce that he was going to drop out of the race. And this was so tightly held that it was only one minute before the president published his letter publicly that he was on the line with the senior White House and senior campaign officials to advise them -- or sorry, to notify them that he was going to withdraw.

And of course, this shook the political world as the president announced that he was not going to seek reelection. And then shortly thereafter said that he was going to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris and urged the Democratic Party to get in line and to support her.

Now, sources also tell me that the vice president didn't know about this decision until today. That's when she was informed by the president that he was going to step aside from the presidential election -- for the presidential race.

And then they spoke multiple times over the course of the day. And Vice President Kamala Harris has since then been making multiple calls to Democratic officials over the course of the day to try to earn their endorsement.

Now we should also note, Laura, that in that letter from the president, he said that he was going to address the nation. We're still trying to get clarity on when exactly that is.

Of course, the president is still recovering from COVID. The White House doctor has provided routine updates to say that he is improving, that his symptoms are improving, but we still don't know when or where the president wants to address the nation.

The White House putting out his guidance this week, which doesn't shed any light in terms of what his schedule is going to look like as he is in recovery. But certainly, that is going to be a speech that all eyes will be on as the president tries to seek some sort of unity in his party, which for weeks now, has been completely divided on whether or not he was the best candidate for them in this divisive election year.

COATES: Priscilla Alvarez, great reporting. Please keep us informed.

Also, joining me now are CNN political analysts and commentators. We've got Ashley Allison, Ron Brownstein, and Scott Jennings.

So much is happening right now. It's almost like news through the firehose again. Let me begin with you here, Ashley, because it was probably an incredibly hard decision. I mean, Biden's biographer, Evan Osnos, told us just in the last hour that some White House staffers felt the news was a, quote, "bitter defeat." For others, it's like a kind of -- a relief.

I wonder how you felt when you heard that news.

ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, look, I mean, Joe Biden has been an excellent president. He still has six more months to serve.

And I put up posts on Instagram. I said, "Run through the tape, Joe. Finish strong." You still have executive power to do executive orders, to continue to forgive student loan debt, which is such an important issue for so many young Americans and people my age suffering with that debt.

Of course, it was a hard decision. Joe Biden believed he could get the job done. But he talked to some of his closest advisers and family and came to the conclusion that it's not about him. It's about our country. It's about our party.

Unlike his former opponent, Donald Trump, who continue -- who had lost in 2020, continues to be the party nominee, continued to put candidates up in the midterms that lose.

So yes, it was a terribly hard decision for Joe Biden, because he cares what happens to this country, but he also did something extremely historical in passing the torch to Kamala Harris, his vice president. And I think history will remember him well.

COATES: I mean, Ron, I -- one word I keep hearing tonight has been "energy." It's a jolt. It's a -- you know, it's an adrenaline rush. All of these things are all being described.

How will the energy, though, translate into the general electorate? Is it going to be a flash in the pan or sustained?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: No, I think for Democrats, there will be much more energy than there would have been sticking with Biden.

I mean, no one in the Democratic Party believes that Kamala Harris is a sure thing. There are lots of questions about whether she can beat Trump any more than Biden could.

But I think Democrats felt a certain amount of, you know, inevitability to the Biden situation. They have -- they have the airwaves to themselves this year, Laura, in the swing states, almost completely, almost unrebutted, spending tens of millions of dollars. And Biden's approval rating in those states was no better now than it is nationally, which suggests that there are an awful lot of voters who are basically -- who are basically done with him and had tuned him out.

At least with Harris, you get a chance to reset the race, creates a new contrast. Suddenly, Donald Trump is the -- is the older guy.

And I think the -- the version I've heard from -- from many Democratic strategists and pollsters and consultants is that, yes, her floor might be lower. We don't know how good she will be. She was not a great candidate in 2020.

But her ceiling is almost certainly higher. And that was a risk that seemed, I think, to most Democrats, worth taking at this point.

COATES: I mean, she's got four more years of experience, as well, and now the incumbency aspect of it is going to factor in. And there is the name recognition as the vice president.

And I do wonder if the notions of electability become moot, compared to the conversations four years ago.

But Scott, let me bring you in here, because the Trump campaign has been preparing for weeks for the possibility of running against someone who is not President Joe Biden, although in Milwaukee, Biden was the focus. How does this moment change the race for the Republicans?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, they're prepared for Harris, because I think the Republicans assumed all along that, if Biden jumped out of the race, that the Democrats would have no choice but to go for Harris, even though she has limitations along the lines of what Ron just described.

They're already out with an ad tonight, basically saying all the Biden stuff that you don't like is the Harris stuff that you don't like. She's been right there by his side during the inflation crisis, during the border crisis.

And on top of that, she has to answer for her own role in the coverup of Joe Biden's condition.

I do have to address -- and actually I love you (ph).

COATES: Well, hold on, Scott. When you say the coverup.

JENNINGS: But the idea --

COATES, I don't want to cut you off. I want you to finish your point. But I do want to understand what you mean by her role in the coverup.

You mean the -- the accusation that somehow, she was aware of some infirmity? Or that going forward, she was aware of something different? What do you mean?

JENNINGS: I mean, I assume you've read all the articles about how this White House spent years trying to hide from the public just how bad Joe Biden had gotten.

And I mean, she's right there. She was on TV every week, saying he's sharp. He's strong. Behind closed doors, he's as sharp as a tack, the best we've ever seen.

I mean, I'm sorry, but she was in on this. And it's obviously not true. Otherwise, Joe Biden would be -- wouldn't be dropping out of this race.

Actually, by the way, asking Joe Biden to --

COATES: But Scott, let me ask you --

JENNINGS: Hold on.

COATES: -- wouldn't you -- wouldn't you also suggest?

Oh, wait. You can -- you can hold on. Hold on one second. We can all hold, but it will be after I speak.

Scott, on this point, what -- what is the difference? And I'm asking how they're going to be able to market this point. What's the difference? Why wouldn't they be accusations against, say Speaker of the House Johnson or anyone who's met with President Biden over the past several months or the year; suggest that they, too, were knowledgeable about what you are intimating?

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How do you, as strategist, and how do you to the electorate make that distinguishing feature so that you're only targeting what she would know, versus any member of Congress?

JENNINGS: Yes. I mean, what -- you know, why should we expect Kamala Harris to know anything, right? She's only the vice president of the United States, who's been sent out time and again for months and years to tell us how sharp and -- as a tack that that Joe Biden is.

Look, this -- the reporting on this is clear. Every major media news outlet in this country is now deeply reporting on all the steps that were taken to try to hide from the public what was going on with Joe Biden.

And you've got a litany of people from this White House, from the Congress, and the top-ranking Democrat who was part of this litany going out into the public and lying to us about how he is was Kamala Harris.

So, I suspect what they're going to say is not only is she in on all of the policy deficiencies you're mad about, she was also in on the lying. And that's going to call into question her credibility. That's -- that's my point. And I think it'll be an easy point for them to make.

COATES: Well, it'll be a nice turn from the -- was it, "I'm in it for Joe Biden" to then "She was in it." That's, I'm sure, the next T-shirt we're going to be actually seeing at this point in time.

But I am curious how the electorate will view this, Ashley, because you know, there will be ample opportunity to criticize both of these candidates going forward and whoever it is she may pick, should she get the nomination as her running mate, as well.

And the questions are swirling that -- that Scott has mentioned. What does the Harris ticket need to do to address the points that Scott is raising? ALLISON: Well, there's no cover up. Joe Biden has decided to step out

of this race, because his close advisers told him that there is not a path to victory.

And so, rather than making it about himself, he is saying I understand the threat that Donald Trump poses to our democracy. And if I can't beat him, I'm going to give a pathway for someone else to -- to beat him.

I think in terms of the record, look, the narrative around the border -- Maria Cardona, our colleague, just was saying that border crossings, illegal border crossings are lower now under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris than they were under Donald Trump.

So, we can have a conversation about immigration.

Also, what I will say is -- is that when the Biden-Harris administration put forth a bill that a very conservative Lankford from, I believe, Nebraska --

COATES: Oklahoma.

ALLISON: Oklahoma. Thank you. It's late. Put forth and said here's a pathway; it was a conservative supported bill. It was probably going to get through the House and the Senate.

Donald Trump said, No, because I want to play politics.

So, we can go tit-for-tat for who did this and who did that. But when it comes to people, particularly Kamala Harris, saying to middle -- middle-class workers in the -- in the Beltway -- or in the Midwest, in the Sun Belt, I have a plan for you that protects union jobs, that creates a pathway to the middle class, that gives you childcare. We have a plan. Donald Trump does not.

COATES: Let me ask you, Ron, bring you in here, because I am curious. One, how -- how voters, you think, might be seeing these two different arguments that literally are optically on the left and right of you right now on the screen.

But also, you've got somebody who was a bit of a thorn in the side of Democrats throughout the tenure that he has been a senator. I'm talking about Senator Joe Manchin, who was once a Democrat; now is an independent.

And there are sources close to him saying that tonight, he is considering re-registering as a Democrat and maybe throwing his hat into the ring. What do you make of that possibility?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, first, let me -- let me talk about what we've been discussing.

I agree. Harris will have the same vulnerabilities on policy as Biden does, particularly about inflation and the border. The voters who are discontented with Biden's record on that won't be any happier with her on those issues. The big difference is that, unlike Biden, who really has not had the

capacity to drive an offensive message, Harris will have the ability to, I think, more effectively articulate what is the Democrats' best argument against Trump: that he represents a threat to Americans' rights and values and democracy itself.

That's been her job since Dobbs. She has spent two years pushing back against what the Supreme Court has been doing, what red states have been doing.

If you look at her answer at the Essence Fest about the Supreme Court immunity decision and compare it to Biden's response at the White House a couple of days later, it gives you a perfect encapsulation of why Democrats think she can be more effective at prosecuting their best argument against Trump.

Don't forget, Biden was already trailing Trump by ten or 15 points on who voters trusted to handle the economy. That meant Democrats are going to have to convince millions of people who think Trump is better for their bottom line to vote against him anyway.

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And Harris is just much more skilled than Biden is at this point at delivering the argument that represents their best chance to do that.

As for Manchin, you know, I mean, it's fine. It's not -- I don't think it's going to be a hugely relevant factor. I mean, there are -- there is an audience in the Democratic Party. There are Democrats -- consultants, voters, strategists, donors -- who worry about Harris's ability to beat Trump. And someone is going to, you know, speak to that audience.

But it is not, I think, in any -- the candidates who might actually threaten her, someone like Gavin Newsom or Gretchen Whitmer, they're not running against her. I think there's -- going to consolidate around her very fast.

And -- and Manchin will be, as you described him, and as he often was in the last few years, more of a gadfly and a thorn in the side of Democrats than someone really capable of setting the direction for the party. If he wants.

COATES: I know we have to go, but I want to hear from you quickly, Scott, on this point. I know you guys are coming back.

Does Harris's ascension to the top of the ticket make the Senator J.D. Vance selection a better or worse idea?

JENNINGS: I -- I don't know how to do that algebra yet, actually. I guess maybe some of it will depend on -- on who Harris ends up choosing for vice president.

I did -- I did want to comment on one thing Ron said about her, you know, sort of going out and trying to make the case about democracy. I do think this hurts Democratic arguments on democracy. I mean, Joe Biden got millions of votes in the primary. He's now

effectively been overthrown by a handful of elites and rich people.

Now, Harris is going to end up with a nomination through what they're calling a process, but it's obviously rigged. So, the party of democracy is now disenfranchising millions of Democrats and handing the nomination, through a process set up by elites, to someone who did not earn it.

I do think this is -- this makes, makes it a little more complicated to go out and say you're the party of democracy when you sort of operate in your party in a very undemocratic way.

COATES: I'll be curious --

ALLISON: To be clear, Kamala Harris was on the ballot.

BROWNSTEIN: Are you comparing --

ALLISON: To be clear, these folks, 14 million voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

COATES: Ron, I couldn't hear you. What did you say, quickly?

BROWNSTEIN: I'm saying, you can't really compare what's happening now to what happened -- what Trump did after the 2020 election culminating in January 6.

I mean, that's -- I mean, that's really kind of specious.

COATES: But you know what? We'll leave it as a cliffhanger for now and see if Scott has a response to that specious claim.

Everyone, thank you. Stay with me here right now.

And shortly after Biden announced he's out of the 2024 campaign, the head of the NAACP thanked the president for his service but seemed to stop short of endorsing Kamala Harris in that moment.

NAACP president Derrick Johnson joins me next. I'm Laura Coates in Washington, D.C., and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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COATES: Well, the impact of black voters, especially women black voters, cannot be overstated in their importance on Democratic politics. Ask any strategist you know.

In the past few weeks, many black lawmakers have come to Joe Biden's defense as other Democrats called for him to exit the race.

Well, joining us now is the president and CEO of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson.

I'm so glad that you're here this evening. Welcome. I wonder what you make of this stunning announcement.

DERRICK JOHNSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NAACP: Well, it's good to see the president put country above personal interests. We are in a serious crisis concerning our democracy. And for an individual to have enough character to say, you know, there's a better option here. I'm willing to step back to ensure this democracy survive is something that is to be commended.

COATES: You know, in the NAACP statement that followed the announcement of Biden stepping down from seeking reelection, it stopped short of endorsing specifically Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, quote, "While today's news requires a discussion, we cannot be distracted. Our focus must remain on the policies that presidential candidates stand for, not their political performances or personalities," end quote.

I do wonder what policies do you think the vice president would need to get behind in order for your organization to endorse her?

JOHNSON: Well, first of all, at the NAACP, we don't endorse candidates or political party. We focus -- we focus on policy priorities.

And so, candidates who support the right of workers to collectively bargain; the ability of federal employees to be -- have civil service protections; the need for more individuals to be provided student loan debt cancellations; the -- the rights of citizens to have equal protection under the laws. Those are the things that we care about.

Fortunately, the vice president, who is a member of the NAACP, also support those issues, but we don't zero in on individuals. We -- we focus on public policy. And we're going to advocate for voters to focus on the things that would improve the quality of their life, stabilize this democracy, and grow opportunities for our young people.

COATES: You know, people are looking at weeks away from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The last time it was in Chicago was at an era in our history that was particularly tumultuous following assassinations, turmoil in the streets, Vietnam. You could just name what was going on. Civil rights, a whole number of issues. And the laundry list could ensue right now.

[00:25:09]

But I do look at this moment of history. How do you think black voters should view where we are right now, where a major party may, in fact, end up nominating the first black woman to be president?

JOHNSON: I need African Americans need to focus on what would be in our long-term interests.

I think 1968 is a great example for us to not forget. I think it was Jackie Robinson, who served as a member of the NAACP board at the time, who gave a warning that President Nixon would be devastating to the efforts that was achieved by African Americans at that time.

And he was absolutely correct. You think about it. He was a Republican saying this individual will not stand up for the policy priorities that we had just achieved in terms of voting rights and Fair Housing Act and civil rights. And he was absolutely right.

And so, we need to take a page out of that history and really zero in on what are the public policies that we are concerned about, and make sure Project 2025 don't eradicate all the gains we've made over the last 60 years.

COATES: Does that mean the focus from the NAACP is on the policy priorities, above all else? If there were other candidates who sought to throw their name into the ring and become a potential nominee who had similar policy platforms that the NAACP aligned with, you'd be open to an open convention?

JOHNSON: Well, we are open to whatever the process the political party decides to go through. And when the party process is over, we're looking at November. November's our goal.

We are actively engaged in the formation of public policy that improves the quality of life for African Americans, not the partisan conversation that will bring forth the candidates.

In this two-party systems, one political party has decided their candidate. We are waiting for the other political party to decide their candidate. And then from there, we would evaluate what are the policy priorities that those candidates are evaluating?

We can say that what we are hearing out -- from -- coming from the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025 is damning, at best. And any candidate who support the policies that is coming out of those -- that recommendations, that's what's concerning to us. Because it will redefine the role of government, subvert democracy, and minimize the voices of so many Americans across the country.

COATES: Derrick Johnson, thank you so much for joining me this evening.

JOHNSON: Thank you.

COATES: Well, Kamala Harris, the vice president of the United States, is already fundraising tonight for her campaign, and is going to start vetting some vice-presidential picks pretty soon.

So, who is who, and who should be on a short list? My panel comes back after a short break. Stay with me.

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COATES: Well, we're just learning that the Democratic convention rules committee is going to meet on Wednesday. Why? To agree on rules for picking a new nominee now, of course, that President Biden's announced that he will not run for reelection.

Our panel back with us: Ashley Allison, Ron Brownstein, and Scott Jennings.

Scott, let me begin with you here, because Trump immediately attacked Harris after the announcement today, and he emphasized her ties to Biden. Is that the main vehicle by which the Trump camp is going to focus?

JENNINGS: Absolutely. I mean, Harris is obviously a well-known figure, but obviously, the focus of the entire campaign has been on Biden, his approval rating, whether he's fit for the job.

So now you've got to look at Harris. And the easiest argument for them to make is she's -- she's his right-hand person. You know, she's the one who's been helping formulate the policies that gave you inflation. He appointed her the border czar. It's the -- it's the simplest and easiest way for them to transfer the campaign they were already winning onto this new Democratic nominee.

COATES: I mean, Ron, President Trump, he seemed to think that Harris will be easier to beat than Biden. Of course, the focus 'til now has been on Biden. Is he right about those potential claims?

BROWNSTEIN: Yes, well, I feel along with Scott, I mean, those are the vulnerabilities, right? She has the policy vulnerabilities that Biden does.

What she has, though, is a potential to make more of the administration's assets and Democratic arguments than Biden seemed to be capable of doing at this point.

Look, Harris has (AUDIO GAP) -- to help alleviate Biden's biggest electoral weakness, which is his declining support, relative to 2020, among younger and non-white voters, especially men.

But -- and that -- and that could serve her well. I mean, she could generate more turnout and improve margins among groups that had grown disillusioned with Biden.

The risk is that she could squander, to some extent, what has been Biden's greatest electoral asset, which is that he has held his support among older and blue-collar whites to a surprising extent, amid all of his other troubles. And that's going to be the calculus here.

I mean, the Kamala coalition, as I call it, is going to be different than the Biden coalition. It'll be a little more like the Obama coalition, in that it's going to depend on improvements among younger and non-white voters, college-educated white women, where the Democrats can probably squeeze out a few points, to offset what is likely to be at least some retreat among the blue-collar and older whites that Biden brought back, relative to Hillary in 2016.

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COATES: I mean, this -- Ashley, this is right up your alley in your wheelhouse. And all the way -- by the way, she's also the founder of the Watering Hole Media Company, as well. You should look it up, everyone.

But Kamala Harris will likely be the first black woman to lead a major party ticket. And this is how she responded back in 2019 about the historic nature of her then presidential candidacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: I do want to take a moment to acknowledge the historic nature of your candidacy. There have only been a handful of black women who have ever sought the presidency. And if you win, you would be the first black female president in the history of this nation. What does that mean to you?

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, listen, in every position that I've held -- when I was district attorney, I was elected as the first woman of the city and county. I was the first woman of color in the entire state of California. When I ran for attorney general, and when I was elected, it was as the first woman ever, and as the first person of color ever.

And, you know, frankly, Jake, my mother used to have a saying. And she would say to me, commonly you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you're not the last.

And so, you know, that's how I think about those kinds of things. And it is about, certainly -- breaking barriers is something that is very important.

And in my experience, given what I've shared with you, I will also say to you that I have seen fathers bring their sons up to me and say, she is the first, in a way that is to also speak to those sons about the fact that they should not ever be burdened by what has been. And they should see what can be.

And I think that's really the most important takeaway, which is that, with each barrier that we break, it is saying to all of us don't be burdened by what has been. See what can be, and strive for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Ashley, I wonder if this will be a major part of the campaign, because obviously, her historical significance is there.

Also, the fact that she's been four years a vice president and his listed her qualifications, as well. That will be a part of it, as well. But what will be the driving force, do you think, behind the campaign?

ALLISON: Look, in a moment like this, I think of Shirley Chisholm. I think of Geraldine Ferraro. I think of Hillary Clinton. They didn't ascend to the vice presidency or the presidency, but they were the first in many aspects, and they certainly were not the last.

And so, I appreciate what the vice president's mother shared with her, because there is a sense of hope and possibility of what this country can do when folks are given the opportunity. I want to say that, when vice president or then-senator was selected to be the vice president, she went through a rigorous vetting process. She was the attorney general for the second largest Department of Justice in the country, second to the Department of Justice that the attorney general sits at.

She was on the Judiciary Committee where -- going over important Supreme Court confirmations. She has the credentials.

She also happens to be a black woman. And so, she is not in this position because she is a black woman, but she does have -- happen to be a black woman.

And so, I think that all of those things put together will be really important. Who she picks as her vice president, folks always say V.P.s don't matter. I don't necessarily agree with that.

But I think people will look to see, is she going to do like a Donald Trump and pick a MAGA person like J.D. Vance, who was anti-abortion, and who won't actually say the election results of the 2020 elections are fair and accurate?

Or is she going to look for someone, maybe from a battleground state? Maybe somebody from a different racial background than her and say, I can bring America -- America together. Look at this ticket. This is what America is, and you all are a part of it. And you're a part of this story that we're -- we continue to write in this great country.

COATES: I'm curious to see how the debates are going to go, Scott. I'd like you to weigh in on this. Is -- is Trump going to debate Harris? She -- he's already sort of making a bit of a stink about the outlet he will be on.

JENNINGS: Yes, great question. I don't know. I mean, I think if Biden had stayed in, there was no chance Trump was going to debate Biden again.

And I guess what the campaign will have to decide is whether, you know, there's any benefit to doing this.

I mean, Harris, you know, the high watermark of her short-lived campaign for president that you were previewing a minute ago was when she had a debate and effectively implied that Joe Biden was a racist on the stage. That was the high watermark.

So, I don't know if they consider her to be a good debater or a bad debater. I'm not sure how they view it. But strategically, I'm sure they're mulling that over right now.

They've got a few weeks to decide that, I think.

COATES: Ron, what's your take?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think, you know, for -- you know, obviously, for Harris, part of getting on the stage with Trump would be to just be on the stage with Trump and establish the credibility of doing that. Plus, the sheer physical contrast. Suddenly, Donald Trump is the old

guy in this race. And you know, it's been so overshadowed by the widespread doubts about Biden's capacity that we forget that, consistently, roughly half the country is saying in polls, they don't think Trump has the mental acuity either to be president. Physical? Yes. Mental, a lot more doubts, given some of the, you know, meandering and strange comments at his rallies and confusing, you know, Haley and Pelosi and so forth.

[00:40:26]

So, I think that, you know, for Trump, there is risk in the debate.

As I said, Harris has the same vulnerabilities on policy as Biden. What she does have is a greater capacity -- I think many Democrats believe for good reason -- to kind of make the Democratic arguments that -- that can hurt Trump.

And I thought Scott was going to say, you know, the -- the big highlight of her political career, arguably, in Washington, leaving aside the presidential race, was her questioning of Brett Kavanaugh at those hearings.

And so that could be an effective forum for her. And we'll see whether Trump is willing to give her that chance.

COATES: We will see. Everyone, thank you so much. I appreciate your time this evening and your insight.

The big question is, so what are we to make of this time in American politics? Up next, two of the country's brightest political and presidential historians join me to talk about it, in a moment.

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[00:45:59]

COATES: There are now only four weeks to go until the Democratic convention and just over 100 days to the election day. But tonight, the Democratic ticket is undecided.

On a day that will be remembered in history as when President Biden said that he put the nation first in his decision not to seek reelection.

Joining us now is CNN political analyst Juliann Zelizer, and CNN presidential historian Tim Naftali. Glad to have both of you here.

Let me begin with my alma mater, Professor Juliann from Princeton. Let me ask you this question. At 78 years old, Donald Trump now becomes the oldest nominee in U.S. history. How significant is this shift, considering all that we have talked about for months now about that -- that contest?

JULIANN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Very significant. I mean, it changes the terms of the debate, where now former President Trump is the old candidate. And those questions will surround him.

And at the same time, it's also a generational difference. Whoever the nominee is -- and it's looking like Vice President Harris -- it will reflect one party that is pushing forward with new ideas and new issues and new faces, compared to the top of the ticket with the GOP, which is still the politics, in some ways, of yesteryear.

So, it gives Democrats an opportunity to be the bridge to tomorrow, as Bill Clinton used to argue in 1996.

COATES: I mean, Tim, now you've got the name and -- it's Truman, it's LBJ, and now it's Biden. Put this into perspective for how significant this is that a person is not seeking reelection when he could have.

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, as you just said, we've had instances where presidents -- incumbent presidents who could have run for reelection decided not to.

But in the cases of both Truman and LBJ, they did it on their own terms. They decided on their own that they wouldn't run again. And they decided when to tell the world that they weren't running again.

Yes, there were, in both cases, Democrats who were seeking to challenge the president, but the leadership of the Democratic Party wasn't pushing those presidents out. Nor was there a whispering campaign that made clear there was a coalescing of most Democrats around the idea that the incumbent president shouldn't run again. That's what makes what happened today so extraordinary.

The other thing that's important to keep in mind is the decisions made by Truman and LBJ happened in March of the election year, not just a few weeks before the nominating convention, where the incumbent president already had more than enough votes to be renominated.

And that's what puts President Trump [SIC] -- President Biden's decision in real context. President Biden didn't want to make the decision he made today. President Biden realized he had to make it.

And what a contrast to former President Trump, who held onto power even when it would come at a cost to dividing the country. Today, President Biden decided not to inflict that cost on the country but to inflict the cost on himself, because this must have been personally a very difficult decision.

COATES: I mean, Juliann, to that point, you know, it's almost a tale of two perspectives on democracy. We know that both candidates, with Biden and Trump, they both thought they were each an existential threat to democracy.

There are those who are now talking about either a coronation or a confirmation of the person that Biden has now endorsed, Vice President Kamala Harris. Is this a sign of a healthy democracy?

ZELIZER: Yes, I think it is. I think that point that Tim made about how President Biden has acted reflects something good about the democracy. To see a leader who can be selfless at some level and to sacrifice

themselves politically for the good of party and, in his mind, for the good of the country, that's what we're looking for. It's the kind of virtue you want.

[00:50:04]

And parties have the ability -- they have the right, and they have the rules to make a shift like this.

You know, back in the era of the party conventions, the point was the primaries and caucuses weren't the mechanism that we used. There are rules in place. If the candidate resigns or if the delegates haven't voted yet, which they have not, to switch who's at top.

So, I don't think this is a coronation. It's within the rights of the party.

And again, primary and caucus voters voted for a Biden-Harris ticket. Biden has voluntarily, even if not happily, stepped down. So, I think this can be totally legitimate.

And there is no comparison with January 6. That was about attacking the election system. This is about a party changing their choice.

COATES: Tim, you want to weigh in on that point, as well. What do you say?

NAFTALI: What I say is that we have witnessed yet another unprecedented moment.

My -- this -- this whole season has been a test of our democracy and our republic. We have seen yet another unprecedented moment with a very human element to it.

In the end, President Biden had the power and the authority to stay atop the ticket. There was no system by which he could be removed. This was not a story of impeachment or removal. He hadn't done anything wrong. He'd just gotten old.

And he came to the conclusion that our country would be best served by his standing aside.

What is incredibly interesting and important -- and I know Julian knows about this, too -- is that in 1968, when Lyndon Johnson stepped aside, he didn't endorse his vice president until after the convention.

Indeed, Lyndon Johnson held out a sliver of hope that he might be re- nominated at that convention by draft.

In this case, what we're seeing is a coalition -- a coalescing of support for Vice President Harris very quickly, not simply because the president endorsed her, but because leading Democrats see her as the correct standard bearer at this moment.

So, we're not in a 1968 situation. We're in a unique 2024 situation.

COATES: Well, either way, gentlemen, something tells me we're not in Kansas anymore. Julian Zelizer, Tim Naftali, thank you to you both.

NAFTALI: Thank you.

ZELIZER: Thank you, Laura.

COATES: Well, the decision by President Biden to exit the presidential race is making headlines all around the world. We'll show you the very latest when CNN NEWSROOM continues after this very short break.

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[00:56:37]

COATES: International leaders are also speaking out about Joe Biden's decision to leave the 2024 presidential race. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins me now.

Kristie, what are you hearing?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: Laura, well, across the world and here in Asia, people have been hanging onto every single detail about the election. And world leaders are responding, especially allies, who say that they respect President Biden's decision to drop out of the race.

In fact, this is what we heard from the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who took to X to say this. Let's bring it up for you. He said, quote, "My friend Joe Biden has achieved a lot for his country, for Europe, for the world. Thanks to him, transatlantic cooperation is close, NATO is strong, and the USA is a good and reliable partner for us. His decision not to run again deserves respect," unquote.

And from the U.K., we heard this from the relatively new British prime minister, who said, quote, "I respect President Biden's decision. I look forward to us working together during the remainder of his presidency."

We also heard from Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who issued a lengthy post on the social platform X, saying that "Ukraine is grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine's fight for freedom. Many strong decisions have been made in recent years, and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by Biden in response to challenging times. And we respect today's tough, but strong decision."

Look, under President Biden, the U.S. has bolstered ties with allies around the world, also here in Asia to counter a rising China. And as such, allies here in the region have also weighed in, including the Australian prime minister, who calls Biden a, quote, "incredibly decent, honorable man of integrity."

On social media, we heard this from Anthony Albanese. He said, "Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your ongoing service." He also adds that "The Australia-U.S. alliance has never been stronger with our shared commitment to democratic values, international security, economic prosperity, and climate action for this and future generations."

Albanese also called Kamala Harris a good friend.

Now, South Korea and Japan, they said that they don't wish to comment on domestic politics in the U.S. But they also emphasized the need to work with the U.S.

And we also in the last half-hour, heard from the president of the Philippines, who called Biden's decision a demonstration of genuine statesmanship.

Now the U.S. says it stands with the Philippines, especially now as tensions grow with China over the South China Sea. And Laura, we are still waiting for a response from China later in the day.

Back to you.

COATES: How is Kamala Harris perceived internationally and in Asia? I know they're not coming on domestic politics, but is there a perception of the vice president there?

STOUT: You know, Laura, it's interesting. I mean, obviously, she's not as well-known as President Biden. But also, she has not had a massive international portfolio.

But she is of South Asian descent. She has made multiple trips to Asia as vice president. And her job has been to reaffirm, or rather reinforce Biden's message and to reiterate America's commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, especially in light of a rising China.

Back to you, Laura.

COATES: Kristie Lu Stout, Thank you so much.

And before we go so, a quick mention of some new endorsements for Kamala Harris tonight. These include North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper; New York Governor Kathy Hochul; California Governor Gavin Newsom; Maine Governor Janet Mills; New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy; Pennsylvania's governor, Josh Shapiro, who may be on Harris's V.P. list; and senators Tammy Baldwin, Laphonza Butler, Bob Casey, and many more. This list keeps growing.

[01:00:12]

Thank you for joining me this evening. I'm Laura Coates. And make sure to join me again tomorrow night, 11 p.m. Eastern, for "LAURA COATES LIVE."

CNN's special coverage of history, President Biden's monumental decision to leave the 2024 race, continues right now.