Karine Jean-Pierre: It is ‘not easy’ making the decision Biden made
Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy questions the press secretary about President Biden’s decision to drop out of the race.
Vice President Harris will not reveal when she first found out President Biden was ending his re-election bid.
Fox News Digital made several attempts to reach Harris’ office to ask when the vice president was first notified that Biden would no longer seek re-election but did not receive a response to the question.
Biden made a sudden withdrawal from the presidential race via a written statement on Sunday, despite his communication team spending the days leading up to the withdrawal being adamant that the president was staying in the race.
Harris was immediately propped up by Democrats as the candidate to replace Biden at the top of the 2024 ticket, but it is unknown exactly when she found out that he would not be running after weeks of concern over his fitness to serve.
Vice President Harris waves before boarding Air Force Two, July 23, 2024, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (Kevin Mohatt)
After Biden dropped out, it was reported that only a handful of White House and campaign officials were notified of the president’s plan to forego his re-election, prompting questions about the administration’s communication over the situation.
Biden endorsed Harris shortly after the withdrawal announcement. The vice president did not waste any time before accepting Biden’s endorsement and stepping into his place on the ticket, visiting the revamped campaign headquarters just 24 hours after the president dropped out.
HARRIS BOYCOTTS NETANYAHU, SNUBS ISRAELI LEADER’S WARTIME ADDRESS TO GIVE SORORITY SPEECH
Fox News Digital also asked Harris if she was involved in any conversations to dissuade Biden from running, but she did not respond.
President Biden boards Air Force One as he departs Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on July 23, 2024. (Saul Loeb)
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More than 30 Democrat lawmakers called on Biden to step down as the nominee ahead of his announcement, and pressure grew for the president to forego his re-election aspirations amid reports that even his close allies were asking him to consider ending his 2024 bid.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.