Mike Pence Praises Biden’s Decision to Step Down

Former Vice President Mike Pence Mike Pence speaks at a luncheon hosted by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission during a Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Monday lauded President Joe Biden’s announcement not to seek reelection and said that both parties should tamp down the political rhetoric.

“President Joe Biden made the right decision for our country and I thank him for putting the interests of our Nation ahead of his own,” Mr. Pence, a Republican, wrote on social media platform X.

“After the assassination attempt on President Trump and President Biden’s decision to end his campaign, now is a time for leaders in both parties to project calm and send a message of strength and resolve to America’s friends and enemies alike that, whatever the state of our politics, the American people are strong and our American military stands ready to defend our freedom and our vital national interests anywhere in the world,” he said.

Although Mr. Pence was former President Donald Trump’s vice president, he fell out of favor with the Republican Party’s base after he did not reject the Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2021. He did not make an appearance at the Republican National Convention (RNC), held in Milwaukee this past week.

He mounted a short run for the White House last year but dropped out in October 2023. He previously said he won’t endorse former President Trump but won’t back President Biden either.

Former President Trump’s campaign named Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate on July 15. Responding to President Biden’s announcement, Mr. Vance, a Marine veteran before becoming a venture capitalist and author, wrote on X that the president should immediately resign from office.

That message was echoed by former President Trump, who on Truth Social questioned President Biden’s ability to govern the country.

In a separate Truth Social post on Sunday, former President Trump called for Fox News to host the September debate that was planned for him and President Biden. The debate, he wrote, “should be held on FoxNews, rather than very biased ABC.”

Aside from Mr. Pence, several Democratic former presidents and a vice president praised President Biden’s decision to step aside, including former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton as well as former Vice President Al Gore.

“As President, Joe Biden has been—and is—an exceptional leader,” Mr. Gore said in a statement to The Tennessean on Monday.

“He is responsible for developing and signing the most significant investment in climate solutions into law. He helped our nation navigate a global pandemic, ushered in an economic recovery that has created good-paying jobs for Americans across the country, and restored America’s standing abroad.”

Former President Clinton issued a similar statement but went a step further and endorsed Ms. Harris to become the Democratic Party’s nominee in a joint statement with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Former President Obama made no mention of Ms. Harris and called for a nominating process to find the party’s best nominee.

Former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney, both Republicans, so far have not released any public statements about the president’s announcement. Neither has former President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, nor former Vice President Dan Quayle, a Republican.

On Monday, a number of top Democrats coalesced around Ms. Harris to be the party’s nominee as she picked up endorsements from several governors, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

“Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history. In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office,” Ms. Harris said during an NCAA event at the White House on Monday in her first remarks since President Biden’s announcement.