![President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House on July 24, 2024.](https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/joe-biden-july-24-getty.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1)
“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” President Joe Biden said Wednesday night from the Oval Office. “That is the best way to unite our nation,” the 81-year-old incumbent added of his exit from the 2024 race and quick endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination.
Certainly, reaction to Biden’s primetime TV speech has been almost totally united in praise. Blacklist founder Leonard Franklin and Stephen King both perhaps put it best and most bluntly soon after Biden’s just under 15-minutes remarks ended.
One of the big Hollywood donors who called for Biden to withdraw from his reelection efforts after the president’s debate debacle of June 27, Rob Reiner, the director of The American President, left nothing on the table tonight.
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Mitch Landrieu, the former mayor of New Orleans and a top Biden adviser and a top aide (who wasn’t always a big Biden fan) to Barack Obama also went for the less-is-more reaction.
Star Trek: Picard star Jeri Ryan leaned forward out of the speech.
Kamala Harris‘ self-described “rapid response” X/Twitter feed paid respect with the president’s own words, as did The Wire alum Wendell Pierce:
A potential presidential candidate one day and a political adopted son of Joe Biden, the Governor of California Gavin Newson went for brevity too:
Yvette Nicole Brown gave a shout-out to a former POTUS close to his 100th birthday in her response to tonight’s speech.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “Tonight, we saw President Joe Biden – one of America’s most consequential presidents – show that he is not only on the right side of history, but on the right side of the future.
“America has been blessed by the wisdom and magnificent leadership of President Joe Biden as he has protected our democracy and led our nation with progress, hope and unity. President Biden has truly made a tangible difference in the lives of the American people.
“With love and gratitude, I salute President Biden for always believing in the possibilities of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment.”