Biden Claims, 'I Would Have Beaten Trump'

Outgoing US President Joe Biden confidently said on Friday that he would have defeated Donald Trump in the presidential elections had he remained in the race. He emphasized that his decision to withdraw midway was in the interest of maintaining unity within the Democratic Party.

When asked whether he regretted his decision not to run for re-election and whether his decision to quit the presidential race, replacing Kamala Harris as the party's nominee, made it easy for Donald Trump to win the polls, Biden said, "I don't think so. I think I would have beaten Trump, could have beaten Trump and I think that Kamala (Harris) could have beaten Trump, would have beaten Trump".

In July 2024, months before the election, Biden announced that he would drop out of the presidential race, supporting Vice President Harris as his replacement. He had come under heavy criticism from the party following a poor showing in a presidential debate with Trump and had raised questions about his health.

Biden, 82, said he believed it was important to keep the party united ahead of the election, while also acknowledging the party's concerns about his winnability.

"It wasn't about--I thought it was important to unify the party and when the party was worried about whether or not I was going to be able to move even though I thought I could win again, I thought it was better to unify the party," he said.

It was the greatest honor of my life to be president of the United States, but I didn't want to be the one who made a party that wasn't united lose an election. And that's why I stepped aside. But I was confident she could win," Biden said.

He further stated that Harris is absolutely good to stand for the presidency again when four years elapse, and in his opinion, that is totally up to her.

"I think that's a decision she might think she's competent to run again in four years. That'll be a decision for her to make," Biden told reporters at a news conference.

On his plans after leaving the Oval Office, handing over the keys to Donald Trump on January 20, Biden ruled out withdrawing from public life. “I’m not going to be out of sight, out of mind,” Biden said.

Responding to a question about whether he had plans to pardon himself or any other member of his family, referring to the recent presidential paradon for son Hunter Biden, the outgoing president stressed that he has no plans to pardon himself, saying that he has done nothing wrong.

Biden: Kamala Harris Is Competent to Run Again in Four Years

Outgoing US President Joe Biden Friday said Vice President Kamala Harris is competent to run for presidency again in four years, as he noted the decision on this would finally be on her.
"I think that's a decision she may think she is competent to run again in four years. That will be a decision for her to make," Biden told reporters here at a news conference.

He made history in 2020 by nominating Harris to be the country's first Indian American, African American and the first woman as Vice President of the United States.

After a disastrous presidential debate with Donald Trump in Atlanta in the summer of 2024, Biden withdrew from the race and went ahead to endorse Harris for presidency. Harris was soon to become the nominee of the Democratic Party.

Though she lost the race to Trump during the presidential elections on November 5th. Harris hasn't announced anything further about her intentions.