Presidential race shaken up as Biden ends 2024 campaign, endorses Harris

UNPRECEDENTED” IS A WORD WE’VE USED A LOT THIS ELECTION CYCLE — AND IT CONTINUES THIS MORNING. 

IT WAS A HISTORIC — BUT NOT SHOCKING — MOMENT WHEN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ANNOUNCED THIS WEEKEND HE WILL **NOT BE SEEKING RE-ELECTION — 

SUSPENDING HIS 2024 CAMPAIGN AND IMMEDIATELY ENDORSING HIS VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS. 

NO MAJOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS EVER DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE THIS CLOSE TO ELECTION DAY — OR AFTER ALL THE PRIMARIES HAD ALREADY ENDED.  

REACTION HAS BEEN SWIFT. 

AND THERE’S BEEN MORE SUPPORT POURing IN THIS MORNING FOR HARRIS TO TAKE THE HELM. 

HERE’S THE ANNOUNCEMENT STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN POSTING ON X “IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PARTY AND THE COUNTRY” FOR HIM TO STAND DOWN AND FOCUS SOLELY ON FINISHING THE REMAINDER OF HIS FIRST — AND ONLY — TERM. 

HARRIS ACCEPTED BIDEN’S ENDORSEMENT IN A POST ON X — SAYING IT IS HER INTENTION TO EARN AND WIN THE NOMINATION. 

THERE’S BEEN INTENSE PRESSURE LEADING UP TO SUNDAY’S DECISION — 

WITH DOZENS OF DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS — AND DONORS — ASKING THE PRESIDENT TO STEP ASIDE — 

OVER CONCERNS HE WOULD LOSE THE ELECTION. 

RIGHT NOW — 

PRESIDENT BIDEN IS RECOVERING FROM COVID — 

BUT IS EXPECTED TO ADDRESS THE NATION PUBLICLY OVER HIS DECISION TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE — LATER THIS WEEK.  

THERE WAS IMMEDIATE REACTION FROM PROMINENT PEOPLE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY — 

INCLUDING FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA. THE CLINTONS. AND MAJOR LABOR ORGANIZATIONS. 

THERE WAS ALSO REACTION FROM THE REPUBLICAN SIDE OF THE AISLE —  

THE HOUSE SPEAKER CALLING FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN TO RESIGN NOW. 

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER AND FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI BOTH SUPPORTED BIDEN’S DECISION — CALLING IT A DIFFICULT ONE TO MAKE — BUT THE RIGHT ONE. 

THEN — A JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE CLINTONS — NOT ONLY SUPPORTING BIDEN’S DECISION TO DROP OUT — BUT ALSO SUPPORTING HIS **ENDORSEMENT TO REPLACE HIM — 

THROWING THEIR SUPPORT BEHIND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS. 

FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA PUBLISHED A LENGTHY STATEMENT TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING BIDEN’S ANNOUNCEMENT — 

TOUTING BIDEN’S SUCCESSES IN HIS LONG POLITICAL CAREER — INCLUDING HIS TIME AS OBAMA’S V-P. 

AND SAYS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS NOW ENTERING “UNCHARTED WATERS.” 

ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE — HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON SAYS “IF BIDEN ISN’T FIT TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT, HE’S NOT FIT TO SERVE AS ONE.” 

AND THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE — FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP — NOW CANCELING A PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER AMID UNCERTAINTY ON WHO WILL BE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE. 

SO WHAT IS NEXT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY? 

IT’LL PROBABLY BE A BUSY WEEK OF FURTHER ENDORSEMENTS — 

AND QUESTIONS SWIRLING AROUND WHO WOULD BE THE VICE PRESIDENT ON THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET IF KAMALA IS THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE? 

THE PARTY AS A WHOLE — AFTER A TUMULTUOUS FEW WEEKS SINCE DEBATE NIGHT — SEEMS RE-ENERGIZED — 

WITH REPORTS SHOWING THE PARTY RAISING NEARLY 50 MILLION DOLLARS SINCE BIDEN’S ANNOUNCEMENT. 

WHILE A LOT OF ATTENTION TURNS TO KAMALA HARRIS IN THE COMING DAYS — 

IT WON’T BE UNTIL THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION NEXT MONTH THAT THE PARTY SECURES ITS NOMINEE TO TAKE ON FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IN NOVEMBER.

MONDAY, LAWMAKERS ARE EXPECTED TO PRESS THE HEAD OF THE SECRET SERVICE AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING AFTER THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP LAST WEEKEND. 

DIRECTOR KIMBERLY CHEATLE WILL BE ASKED HOW THE SECRET SERVICE’S BIGGEST FAILURE IN FOUR DECADES HAPPENED UNDER HER WATCH. 

CHEATLE RELEASED A STATEMENT ON SUNDAY IN SUPPORT OF INDEPENDENT REVIEWS OF THE AGENCY’S STEPS TAKEN THAT DAY. 

THE SECRET SERVICE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES IT DID NOT PROVIDE FULL FEDERAL RESOURCES TO TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN… 

THOUGH IT DID NOT DENY ANY REQUESTS AT THE PENNSYLVANIA RALLY WHERE THE SHOOTING OCCURRED. 

THIS COMES AS CRITICS ARE QUESTIONING THE AGENCY’S PREPARATIONS AND ACTIONS — AND CALLS FOR THE DIRECTOR TO STEP DOWN ARE GROWING AHEAD OF HER TESTIMONY.

THE ISRAELI MILITARY SAYS IT INTERCEPTED A MISSILE FIRED FROM YEMEN EARLY SUNDAY — JUST HOURS AFTER ISRAEL MADE ITS FIRST STRIKE ON YEMEN. 

THE STRIKE CAME AFTER HOUTHI REBELS LAUNCHED A DRONE ATTACK IN TEL AVIV FRIDAY THAT KILLED ONE PERSON.  

SINCE THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR BEGAN IN OCTOBER… THE IRAN-BACKED GROUP HAS BEEN LAUNCHING STRIKES ON ISRAEL FROM YEMEN. 

THE STRIKE ON SATURDAY IS THE FIRST TIME ISRAEL IS KNOWN TO HAVE RESPONDED TO A HOUTHI ATTACK — HITTING A CRITICAL PORT THAT ISRAEL SAYS IS HOW THE HOUTHIS RECEIVE THEIR WEAPONS FROM IRAN.

DELTA AIR LINES IS STRUGGLING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL AFTER LAST WEEK’S GLOBAL CYBER SOFTWARE OUTAGE. 

THE COMPANY CANCELED MORE THAN A THOUSAND FLIGHTS SUNDAY ALONE — AFTER HAVING ALREADY CANCELED 35-HUNDRED SINCE FRIDAY’S CROWDSTRIKE OUTAGE. 

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY PETE BUTTIGIEG HAS ISSUED A WARNING — REMINDING DELTA IT HAS TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE AND REFUNDS. 

IN A STATEMENT  — DELTA’S C-E-O APOLOGIZED TO IMPACTED CUSTOMERS… AND SAID CANCELING FLIGHTS IS ALWAYS THEIR “LAST RESORT.”

WE ARE JUST DAYS AWAY FROM THE START OF THE SUMMER OLYMPICS IN PARIS — WHERE WE’LL BE CHEERING ON TEAM USA. BUT WITH NEARLY 600 ATHLETES FROM THE US COMPETING — IT’S A TALL ORDER TO KNOW EVERY SINGLE ONE. SO THIS WEEK — WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT  A FEW OF THEM — GET TO KNOW THEM AND THEIR SPORT A LITTLE BETTER. TODAY — WE HAVE THE STORY OF TWIN SISTERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO MAKE A “RACKET” ON THE BADMINTON COURT.  HERE NOW IS SENIOR PRODUCER BROCK KOLLER WITH TODAY’S EDITION OF RUNNING TOWARD PARIS 

WHEN TWINS ANNIE AND KERRY XU WERE AROUND 8 YEARS OLD THEIR PARENTS GAVE THEM A CHOICE. 

CONTINUE PRACTICING ICE SKATING – WHIfCH THEY WERE EXCELLING AT — OR SELECT ANOTHER SPORT — ONE THEY THINK THEY WOULD LIKE EVEN MORE.  

THEIR PICK? 

BADMINTON. 

KERRY XU | OLYMPIAN 

“I can’t remember where exactly it was because we were 8 but I just remember the ambiance was pretty nice and as I an 8-year-old I was like this place was so cool I feel I would like this sport just because of the place we were in.” 

AND ONCE THEY PICKED UP THAT RACQUET  

“We really liked it so there was no looking back.” 

NOW IT’S TIME TO LOOK AHEAD – AS THE TWIN SISTERS FROM SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA EMBARK ON THEIR FIRST OLYMPIC GAMES.  

AS TEENS — THEY COMPETED IN JUNIOR AND NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS – WHERE THEY WOULD HEAR FROM THEIR COACHES THEY HAD WHAT IT TOOK TO ONE DAY MAKE THE OLYMPICS. 

BUT THE SISTERS TOOK THEIR TIME – MAKING SURE THEY WERE FULLY PREPARED FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD — GETTING JOBS TO FUND THEIR GOAL – AND GETTING AN EDUCATION – GRADUATING FROM UC BERKELEY WHILE PUTTING ATHLETICS SOMEWHAT ON HOLD – UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO FOCUS ON THEIR OLYMPIC DREAMS.  

ANNIE XU | OLYMPIAN 

“IN 20-22, AFTER WE HAD WORKED FOR A YEAR AND SAVED UP A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AND WITH OUR PARENTS SUPPORT WE DECIDED TO TAKE THAT LEAP OF FAITH AND JUST GO FOR IT BECAUSE WE DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE ANY REGRETS LATER IN THE LIFE.”   

THE 24-YEAR-OLD TWINS QUALIFYING FOR THEIR FIRST OLYMPIC GAMES – FEELING A MIX OF IMMENSE JOY AND RELIEF.   

GOING IN WITH AN UNDERDOG MENTALITY -LEAVING UNNECESSARY PRESSURE AT THE DOOR — READY TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.   

THEIR TOP PRIORITY GOING INTO THE GAMES? TO HAVE FUN. AND THEY WILL DO SO WITH THE SUPPORT OF THEIR FAMILY.   

“The people standing behind us our parents are our number one supporter…all going to Paris will be watching in the stands…people watching in your journey – that will inspire to be fearless on court and really go for it.” 

ANNIE AND KERRY SAY THEY USED TO WATCH BADMINTON PLAYERS ON THEIR TV GROWING UP – IDOLS THAT INSPIRED THEM – TO GO FOR THEIR DREAMS. 

AND NOW THESE TALENTED SISTERS WILL BE THE ONES WHO’LL BE INSPIRING THAT NEXT GENERATION OF BADMINTON PLAYERS.  

“I think it would mean a lot to us, just because when we were growing up, yes we had idols but most of them were from a different country where Badminton was more supported so for young girls in the states and other countries to look at two Badminton players form the states who really made it and isnprie them to take a journey would mean the world to us. 

“It would be real cool if there were young girls who look at us and then make that Olympic dream theirs and have that to strive for growing it. It would be heartwarming for us.”