Getty Images/BI
- Joe Biden has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris to replace him.
- Clearly, both parties were prepared for this scenario.
- Democrats immediately rallied around her, while Donald Trump and the GOP quickly went on the attack.
Within minutes of President Joe Biden dropping out, the wheels were already in motion in both the Democratic and the Republican parties.
All of it centered on one person: Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden's endorsed heir apparent.
Shortly after Biden's stunning announcement on Sunday that he was bowing out of the race, the president endorsed Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket.
Top Democrats were ready to lend her their support.
Just about 20 minutes after Biden announced he was dropping out, and minutes before he endorsed Harris, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado appeared to endorse the vice president in a post on X containing just three emojis: a coconut, a palm tree, and an American flag — a reference to the pro-Harris memes that have flooded the internet in recent weeks.
Soon after, other top Democrats — including Bill and Hillary Clinton, the chairs of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren — voiced their support for Harris.
One of her most notable backers was Rep. Jim Clyburn, the influential South Carolina lawmaker whose endorsement of Biden in 2020 elevated his candidacy at a crucial time.
"I echo the good judgment he demonstrated in selecting Vice President Harris to lead this nation alongside him, and I am proud to follow his lead in support of her candidacy to succeed him as the Democratic Party's 2024 nominee for President," Clyburn wrote on Sunday.
And Harris herself was waiting in the wings, quickly announcing that she was throwing her hat in the ring.
"I am honored to have the president's endorsement, and my intention is to earn and win this nomination," Harris said in a statement issued through Biden's campaign. "Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead."
By 5 p.m. Sunday, Biden's campaign committee had filed notice with the Federal Election Commission: It was changing its name from Biden for President to Harris for President.
Harris will still need to win the nomination at the Democratic National Convention next month, but top rivals are already ducking out of the race, clearing the way for her to take over the ticket, CBS News reported.
That list of heavy hitters includes Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina — all of whom had been considered top options to replace Biden.
Those Democrats have joined at least 45 other top party leaders who have come out in support of Harris since Sunday, including Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, and Mayor Eric Adams of New York City.
Trump, GOP go on the attack
Republicans were also prepared for Harris — and they didn't waste any time launching attacks against her.
The Trump campaign released a statement on Sunday criticizing Biden and Harris as Trump himself focused on mocking Biden.
"Kamala Harris is just as much of joke as Biden is," the Trump campaign's statement said. "Harris will be even WORSE for the people of our Nation than Joe Biden. Harris has been the Enabler in Chief for Crooked Joe this entire time. They own each other's records, and there is no distance between the two. Harris must defend the failed Biden Administration AND her liberal, weak-on-crime record in CA."
Trump's allies were also ready with two attack ads on Harris, one of which went live within an hour of Biden dropping out.
The ads focused on her record as a California prosecutor and tied her to the GOP's attacks on Biden's border policies and criticism of Biden's age, alleging that she was part of a cover-up to hide his struggles.
House Speaker Mike Johnson joined in on the Republican criticisms of Harris, writing on X: "As second in command and a completely inept border czar, Harris has been a gleeful accomplice — not only in the destruction of American sovereignty, security, and prosperity, but also in the largest political coverup in U.S. history."
But just because Republicans were ready for the possibility that Harris could be the nominee doesn't mean they wanted it to happen.
Members of MAGA world are furious that Biden is dropping out, with some saying that the Democrats committed fraud by changing the ticket so last minute.
Biden's flailing campaign had been working well for Trump, who was consistently polling ahead of the president in both national and swing-state polls.
Before Biden's bombshell announcement, people familiar with the Trump campaign told The Guardian that the former president and his team wanted Biden to remain the nominee.
And the Trump team had even started dialing down their attacks on Biden in recent weeks in hopes that he'd stay in the race, The New York Times reported.
Instead, the attacks may have been too strong.
Rather than weaken Biden for a 2024 rematch, Trump's campaign might've dealt a knockout blow, with Democrats pushing the president out of the race.
Recent polling suggests Harris may not be as easy an opponent. Now Republicans will have to hope that their attacks on Harris will be as effective as their assault on Biden.