Joe Biden has attempted to frame his exit from the 2024 presidential race as a noble sacrifice for the greater good.

“Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition,” Biden stated in a televised speech from the Oval Office on Wednesday night. “So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation.”

“You know, there is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life. There’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, younger voices. And that time and place is now.”

The President’s speech wasn’t without its moments of defiance. Biden firmly rejected calls from more than 30 Democratic lawmakers to resign before the end of his term, vowing instead to spend his remaining time in office on presidential duties.

“Over the next six months, I’ll be focused on doing my job as president,” he said. “That means I’ll continue to lower costs for hard-working families and grow our economy. I’ll keep defending our personal freedoms and our civil rights from the right to vote to the right to choose.”

In regards to Israel’s defensive war against Hamas, Biden vowed to “keep working to end the war in Gaza, bring home all the hostages and bring peace and security to the Middle East.”

The 81-year-old also delivered a glowing endorsement for his successor Kamala Harris.

“She’s experienced, she’s tough, she’s capable,” Biden said, glossing over Harris’s own struggles with low approval ratings and questions about her readiness to lead.

According to a recent poll by SRRS, Vice President Harris is trailing with 46% of support among registered voters compared to 49% for Republican Nominee Donald Trump. Despite the Democratic ticket change, Harris fails to dent Trump’s base. Mirroring his numbers against Biden, the former president retains 67% support among white non-college voters, 53% of men, and approximately 90% of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents.