On October 28, 2024, President Joe Biden made headlines in an unexpected way: patiently waiting in line in Wilmington, Delaware, for 40 minutes to cast his early vote for the upcoming presidential election. Social media users quickly drew attention to the sitting president waiting in line with other Delaware voters.
Environmentalist and author Bill McKibben shared Biden’s picture waiting in line, saying,
"That’s a useful message to send."
Soon, social media users chimed in with humorous reactions to Biden’s 40-minute wait, joking,
“It wasn’t like he had a place to go.”
Another user said, “He probably was told if he waited in line long enough he would get ice cream when he got in the building and a chance to smell women’s hair.”
Another user added, “Well, he didn’t have anything else to do.”
An individual humorously stated, “But he thought he was in line for ice cream, tell the truth.”
“Doesn’t really have a lot on his plate these days,” user mentioned.
“He was probably confused and forgot where he was,” read a comment.
A user noted, “This is the most time they've given him to campaign for Harris since he stepped down”
“They took him off the ballot but at least they let him still vote, so there’s that. And he also didn’t get lost so there is that as well,” yet another comment read.
A 40-minute wait
Biden waited in line — for around 40 minutes — before he finally got to vote at a polling location in Wilmington, Delaware. However, not just its duration was notable in the wait, but the context as well. Biden had suspended his reelection campaign in July 2024 over health issues and doubts about his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump. When asked if it was bittersweet, Biden told the New York Times:
"No, this is just sweet."
Ynetnews.com reports that Biden chatted with other voters waiting in line and helped a senior citizen in a wheelchair who was ahead of him.
Casting his vote
When it was Biden's turn at the voting booth, he handed over his identification to an election worker, and the worker announced loudly as he cast his vote, "Joseph Biden now voting."
Behind a black drape, the president cast his ballot, and some first-time voters cheered for him.
Joe Biden’s withdrawal
On July 21, 2024, in what was shaping up to be a bruising race for the ultimate prize of turning a divided nation blue, President Joe Biden startled the American electorate, announcing his withdrawal.
The announcement followed a June 27 debate with Trump, during which Biden struggled to make his case and stumbled when challenged by the Republican candidate’s [Trump] claims. Such a performance raised questions about his fitness for office and his ability to campaign.
In the weeks leading up to his announcement, there was considerable pressure from within the Democratic Party for Biden to back away. A large number of congressional Democrats went public with calls for him to drop out, worried that his continued candidacy could damage their chances of winning the election. According to reports, at least 36 lawmakers said they feared their campaigns could suffer if he were elected.
Biden said in his statement that stepping down was in the best interest of the Democratic Party and the country. He wanted to avoid internal conflicts that could distract from defeating Trump in the general election.
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“We must, we must, we must defeat Trump,” he told CBS News.
Biden also backed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic nominee.
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