Kamala Harris says she will 'earn and win' the Democratic nomination in first statement after Biden dropped out and endorsed her

Vice President Kamala Harris said she is 'honored' to person Joe Biden's endorsement successful her first nationalist comments aft nan president made nan bonzer determination to driblet retired of nan race.

Harris released a defiant connection conscionable complete 2 hours aft nan 81-year-old announced his move and said she intends to triumph nan information and 'unite' nan Democratic Party.

The 59-year-old called Biden's determination 'selfless' and 'patriotic' and an illustration of what he has done for his 5 decade profession successful politics: 'Putting nan American group and our state supra everything else.' 

'I americium honored to person nan President's endorsement and my volition is to gain and triumph this nomination,' she said.

'Over nan past year, I person traveled crossed nan country, talking pinch Americans astir nan clear prime successful this momentous election. 

'And that is what I will proceed to do successful nan days and weeks ahead. I will do everything successful my powerfulness to merge nan Democratic Party—and merge our nation—to conclusion Donald Trump and his utmost Project 2025 agenda.'

Biden stunningly dropped retired of nan 2024 statesmanlike title connected Sunday successful a governmental earthquake ne'er seen this adjacent to an election.

In ending his campaign, America's oldest ever president admitted it was successful nan 'best interests of nan country' for him not to activity re-election for a 2nd term.

Biden, 81, endorsed his vice president Harris to win him arsenic nan Democratic nominee to return connected Donald Trump in November, which she promptly accepted. 

The President had faced an progressively frenzied clamor from wrong his ain statement to measurement speech aft a disastrous statement capacity against Trump past month, which sparked a bid of fumbles from which he could not recover.

Biden announced his seismic determination successful a one-page missive posted connected societal media, wherever he committed to serving until nan extremity of this word successful January.

However, Republicans called connected him to resign immediately. arguing if he is not 'fit to run' past he is 'not fresh to serve'.

'It has been nan top grant of my life to service arsenic your President,' Biden wrote successful a missive posted to his X relationship connected Sunday. 

'And while it has been my volition to activity reelection,' he went on, 'I judge it is successful nan champion liking of my statement and nan state for maine to guidelines down and to attraction solely connected fulfilling my duties arsenic President for nan remainder of my term.'

Although Biden had been nether contiguous unit nan stunning announcement came pinch nary informing and galore of his ain unit and supporters successful Congress appeared to beryllium blindsided. 

'No 1 had a heads up earlier nan tweet posted,' 1 Biden run worker told DailyMail.com. 'Which, to me, is an insane measurement to dainty nan 1,300 group that activity for you connected nan campaign.'

Earlier connected Sunday a slew of Biden's friends went connected nan airwaves to insist nan President was not stepping down and would proceed his reelection efforts. 

Biden said successful his missive that he would speak successful much item astir his determination successful remarks to nan state later this week. He besides sent a speedy follow-up station pushing for Harris to return complete his campaign. 

Republicans insisted connected Sunday that if Biden is not fresh to tally for president, he must besides resign from nan occupation correct now. 

'If Joe Biden is not fresh to tally for President, he is not fresh to service arsenic President. He must resign nan agency immediately. November 5 cannot get soon enough,' House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote connected X.

Sen. J.D. Vance, who past week became Trump's moving mate, questioned: 'If Joe Biden ends his reelection campaign, really tin he warrant remaining President?' 

Last week, Biden was pulled from nan run way aft he was diagnosed pinch COVID-19 for nan 3rd clip successful nan mediate of a westbound seashore swing. This led to moreover much speculation that he would soon driblet retired of nan race. 

It came aft nan showdown against Trump past period wherever Biden was often seen connected divided surface pinch his rima agape and a million-mile blank stare. During his clip to speak astatine nan podium, nan President would stumble, freeze, suffer his train of thought and mumble his measurement done answers to moderator's questions. 

At 1 constituent conscionable 12 minutes into nan debate, Trump said: 'I really don't cognize what he said astatine nan extremity of that sentence. I don't deliberation he knows what he said either.' 

Trump went connected to a post-debate rally successful Chesapeake, Virginia where he said he was skeptical Biden would really driblet retired of nan race, claiming Democrats don't person a amended action against him successful November. 

The erstwhile president's contiguous consequence to Biden's determination came successful a telephone to CNN connected Sunday.   

'He is nan worst president successful nan history of our country,' nan erstwhile president said. 'He goes down arsenic nan azygous worst president by acold successful nan history of our country.'

Trump added that he thinks Harris will beryllium moreover easier to conclusion than Biden. 

At his first rally aft being shot,  Trump already tried retired a caller nickname for her arsenic he saw nan penning connected nan wall for Harris taking complete nan Democrats' campaign. 

'From nan infinitesimal we return backmost nan White House from crooked Joe Biden and Kamala ... I telephone her laughing Kamala. You ever watch her? She's crazy,' Trump said astatine his rally successful Grand Rapids, Michigan connected Saturday. 

He added: 'You tin show a batch by laughter she's crazy. She's nuts. She's not arsenic crazy arsenic Nancy [Pelosi].'

The erstwhile president besides took to his Truth Social relationship connected Sunday day to respond to nan news that he will nary longer look Biden successful November. 

'Crooked Joe Biden was not fresh to tally for President, and is surely not fresh to service - And ne'er was! He only attained nan position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement,' he wrote. 'All those astir him, including his Doctor and nan Media, knew that he wasn't tin of being President, and he wasn't.' 

Trump concluded: 'We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy nan harm he has done very quickly.'

Biden was not yet nan Democratic Party's charismatic nominee and location is still a short clip to switch him earlier nan Democratic National Convention adjacent period and debar an unfastened convention. 

The party's information arena falls August 19-22 successful Chicago, Illinois. It now appears that Harris will beryllium astatine nan apical of nan Democratic summons by nan extremity of that week aft superior voters formed their ballots for Biden to beryllium nan nominee. 

Harris was initially furious complete reports she was not being considered for nan spot – but it soon became clear to Democrats she was nan champion action to switch Biden. 

Now kicks disconnected nan veepstakes for nan existent VP to take her No. 2. Among nan short database could beryllium nan likes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, some antecedently floated arsenic imaginable replacements for Biden if he would driblet out. 

A section NBC connection successful Sacramento, California reported connected Sunday that Newsom has abruptly canceled his quality astatine nan U.S. Ninth Circuit judicial conference  scheduled for Monday without immoderate logic given.

Trump was among those that speculated erstwhile First Lady Michelle Obama would jump successful nan title and lead nan 2024 Democratic ticket. She truthful acold has polled champion retired of immoderate different imaginable Biden replacements. 

But Biden made it clear that he is backing his VP for nan 2024 race.  

'My very first determination arsenic nan statement nominee successful 2020 was to prime Kamala Harris arsenic my Vice President,' nan President wrote connected X. 'And it's been nan champion determination I've made.'

He added: 'Today I want to connection my afloat support and endorsement for Kamala to beryllium nan nominee of our statement this year. Democrats — it's clip to travel together and hit Trump. Let's do this. '

Others flocked to endorse Harris, including Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who wrote connected X: 'Democrats must instantly merge truthful we tin attraction connected winning successful November. I look guardant to casting my ballot for Kamala Harris and doing everything I tin to guarantee she becomes our adjacent president.'

Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said earlier Biden's bombshell announcement that nan statement needs to merge down a candidate. He said an unfastened normal would origin Democrats suffer successful November against Trump. 

'If you spell to nan convention, person an unfastened process successful nan convention, It will travel retired nan aforesaid measurement it came retired successful 1968, 1972 and 1980,' Clyburn told CNN State of nan Union big Jake Tapper connected Sunday morning.

'When we had a contested process connected nan level of nan normal successful 1980, we mislaid an incumbent president, and successful 1972, we carried 1 state, Massachusetts, and nan District of Columbia,' he explained. 'And each of america cognize what happened successful 1968 erstwhile we ran Lyndon Johnson retired of nan race, pinch a awesome grounds Lyndon Johnson had, sewage free of him complete 1 issue, nan Vietnam War.'

 'Here, we are now utilizing 1 rumor to get free of a president, nan consequence would beryllium nan same.'

House Speaker Johnson warned earlier connected Sunday that Democrats will 'run into immoderate ineligible impediments' if they tried to switch Biden connected nan ticket.

Speaking to ABC This Week big Marth Raddatz, he said: '14 cardinal Democrats voted to make Joe Biden nan nominee.'

'It would beryllium incorrect and I deliberation unlawful successful accordance pinch immoderate of these states' laws for a fistful of group to spell successful nan backroom and move it retired because they don't for illustration a campaigner immoderate longer.' 

'That's not really this is expected to work,' Johnson added. 

Both Newsom and Whitmer person denied before and aft nan statement that they are seeking to switch Biden connected nan ballot and Newsom said he would not tally against friend and state Harris. 

'President Biden is simply a awesome nationalist servant who knows amended than anyone what it takes to conclusion Donald Trump,' Whitmer posted to X connected Sunday aft nan President ended his reelection bid. 

She added: 'My occupation successful this predetermination will stay nan same: doing everything I tin to elite Democrats and extremity Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose schedule of raising families' costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing nan powerfulness of nan White House to settee his ain scores is wholly incorrect for Michigan.' 

Newsom responded by claiming Biden's azygous word was 'extraordinary' and 'history-making.' 

'He will spell down successful history arsenic 1 of nan astir impactful and selfless presidents.'

Biden and his squad and friends spent nan weeks aft nan statement successful harm power mode trying to quell concerns that nan President is nary longer fresh for a 2nd term. 

And contempt galore statement leaders and run officials defending Biden's performance, Democrats were successful an all-out panic aft nan President stumbled and mumbled his measurement done nan debate. 

The run said Biden's raspy and hard-to-hear sound was nan consequence of a acold and tried to waste nan statement that it was conscionable a 'slow start.' 

But lawmakers saw done that – and astir 40 Democratic members of Congress called connected Biden to extremity his reelection run successful nan weeks aft nan debate. Among those lawmakers were immoderate apical Democrats – for illustration Rep. Adam Schiff – and adjacent friends of Biden. 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said pinch Biden this afternoon, a root acquainted pinch nan telephone confirmed to DailyMail.com. 

Some felt First Lady Jill Biden was nan only pushing for her 81-year-old hubby to stay connected nan ballot. 

Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wy.) accused nan first woman of 'elder abuse' and  Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) wrote connected X: 'As a geriatric caregiver practitioner who cared for truthful galore older adults pinch cognitive impairment, this [debate] is heartbreaking to watch…'

Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden's run head Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a call the play aft nan statement wherever they sought to reassure rank and record members of nan statement of his continued viability arsenic a candidate.

According to immoderate connected nan call, nan statement leaders mostly ignored Biden's anemic showing successful Atlanta connected Thursday and downplayed nan avalanche of disapproval that followed. No 1 was capable to inquire questions and nan chat usability was disabled.

The members felt gaslighted by Harrison and Rodriguez and claimed they were being asked to disregard nan ire business of nan party's predicament – either toed nan statement and get down Biden's candidacy aliases scramble to find a replacement successful conscionable 1 month's time.

Harrison offered what they described arsenic a rosy appraisal of Biden's way forward.

'I was hoping for much of a substantive speech alternatively of, 'Hey, let's spell retired location and conscionable beryllium cheerleaders,' without really addressing a very superior rumor that unfolded connected American tv for millions of group to see,' Joe Salazar, an elected DNC personnel from Colorado who was connected nan call, said, according to nan Associated Press .

He added: 'There were a number of things that could person been said successful addressing nan situation. But we didn't get that. We were being gaslit.'