President Joe Biden’s address to the nation Wednesday evening will serve not only to explain his shocking decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race but will carry an element of poignancy as he begins the closing chapter of his presidency and half-century in public service.

He’s no longer the presumptive Democratic nominee trying to convince the nation that he still has the stamina and faculties to take on former President Donald Trump in an election in which he warned nothing less than democracy itself is in the balance. Instead, he’s now a lame-duck, having thrown his political weight behind his vice president, Kamala Harris, after being convinced by fellow Democrats that he is politically incapable of seeking a second term in office. His speech at 8 p.m. ET will be his first extensive remarks since his announcement Sunday that he was not running and will serve as the first time many Americans see him since he tested positive for Covid-19 last week.

The president intends to use the prime-time remarks to reveal to the American people how he arrived at the painful decision, sources told CNN, which he said in his letter Sunday he believed was “in the best interest of my party and the country.”

Oval Office addresses have historically been serious moments for presidents to speak to the American people at times of national crisis or to make major policy announcements. It will be only the fourth time Biden has addressed the nation from the setting as president. And it’s the second time in just 10 days, following Biden’s remarks to the country earlier this month following the assassination attempt against Trump. He’s also used the setting to speak about Hamas’ attack on Israel last year and to laud the passage of a bipartisan budget agreement.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/24/politics/biden-oval-office-address-2024/index.html