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Accessibility statementSkip to main content Democracy Dies in Darkness SubscribeSign in Advertisement Democracy Dies in Darkness OpinionsEditorials Columns Guest opinions Cartoons Letters to the editor Submit a guest opinion Today's Opinions newsletter OpinionsEditorials Columns Guest opinions Cartoons Letters to the editor Submit a guest opinion Today's Opinions newsletter OPINION WITH BIDEN STEPPING ASIDE, DEMOCRATS MUST NOW EMBRACE AN OPEN PROCESS Vice President Harris may be the most likely replacement, but a contested convention is good for everyone. 4 min 5969 Sorry, a summary is not available for this article at this time. Please try again later. President Biden boards Air Force One on July 5. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) By the Editorial Board July 21, 2024 at 2:28 p.m. EDT President Biden took one of the most consequential steps imaginable on Sunday: He ended his bid for a second term. After more than half a century of admirable public service, relinquishing power wasn’t easy. It required a push from the Democratic establishment but also a measure of self-awareness that is too often absent from U.S. politics. Sign up for the Prompt 2024 newsletter for opinions on the biggest questions in politics “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down,” Mr. Biden wrote in an open letter. The president offered his “full support and endorsement” for Vice President Harris to replace him as the nominee. He said he will address the nation “later this week in more detail.” Mr. Biden campaigned in 2020 as a “bridge” to the next generation of Democratic leaders. Passing the torch now — four years earlier than he had hoped — increases the odds that his party can hold the White House. But Democrats need to proceed carefully. Advertisement Story continues below advertisement Ms. Harris is the heavy favorite to emerge as the party’s standard-bearer at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. Delegates might not want to deny the nomination to the first female vice president. That’s why many potential top-tier contenders signaled that they will not challenge her. Follow this authorEditorial Board's opinions Follow An open process for picking Mr. Biden’s replacement as Democratic nominee, as well as that person’s running mate, risks becoming messy. It could draw attention to Democratic quarrels over issues that divide Democrats such as Mr. Biden’s policy in the Middle East. The Democratic convention was already shaping up to be contentious before Mr. Biden’s exit, with the possibility of large protests outside the venue. Yet Mr. Biden’s decision creates an opportunity for a reset, not only for his party but also for U.S. politics generally, through a competitive nomination process among future national leaders. Barack Obama was a stronger candidate in 2008, and maybe even a better president, because Hillary Clinton competed so fiercely with him during a marathon primary season. Though this sort of vetting process isn’t replicable, there is time for Democrats to scrutinize the contenders for top of the ticket. Advertisement Story continues below advertisement The logistics of a compressed nominating contest would not necessarily be hard. France just held snap elections without a hitch. All the delegates and superdelegates are already selected and set to convene in Chicago. Democrats would not even have to schedule primaries: Debates among the top contenders would do. Polls show Ms. Harris is the best known among the potential Democratic nominees, but, by the same token, she has a record in the Biden administration — including her validation of Mr. Biden’s fitness for a second term — that people have a right to examine. She did not succeed in addressing the root causes of illegal immigration, an assignment the president gave her, but she excelled as a messenger decrying the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Perhaps more important, she is not the only option. Governors include Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, North Carolina’s Roy Cooper and Kentucky’s Andy Beshear. Two Democratic governors elected in 2022 could have bright futures on the national stage: Maryland’s Wes Moore and Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro. There are talented Cabinet secretaries, especially Commerce’s Gina Raimondo and Transportation’s Pete Buttigieg. Senators made of presidential timber include Arizona’s Mark Kelly and Colorado’s Michael Bennet. Advertisement Story continues below advertisement At each decision point, Democrats should err on the side of transparency. Even if Ms. Harris quickly locks down the nomination, her running mate should still be decided at the convention. State delegations and superdelegates could play a vital role during nationally televised proceedings that would grip the country and shine the spotlight on Democrats. Even though he’s not seeking another term, Mr. Biden can still help his party campaign against GOP nominee Donald Trump this fall. By far his most important assignment now, though, is to work on getting the country in the best possible shape for his successor. Unburdened from the rigors of the campaign trail, Mr. Biden can help bring a long-sought conclusion to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages as well as pilot the U.S. economy to a soft landing from inflation that will be made likelier if the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. The United States just celebrated the Fourth of July for the 248th time. Mr. Biden has been alive for nearly one-third of that history. His prudent, selfless decision to stand down improves his party’s prospects today, and, undoubtedly, retrospective assessments of his presidency tomorrow. What do you think President Biden should do with the rest of his time in office? Share your responses with us, and they may be published in The Post. THE POST’S VIEW | ABOUT THE EDITORIAL BOARD Editorials represent the views of The Post as an institution, as determined through discussion among members of the Editorial Board, based in the Opinions section and separate from the newsroom. Members of the Editorial Board: Opinion Editor David Shipley, Deputy Opinion Editor Charles Lane and Deputy Opinion Editor Stephen Stromberg, as well as writers Mary Duenwald, Shadi Hamid, David E. Hoffman, James Hohmann, Heather Long, Mili Mitra, Eduardo Porter, Keith B. Richburg and Molly Roberts. Share 5969 Comments Popular opinions articles HAND CURATED * Opinion|The case for Kamala Harris — and for a Republican VP July 21, 2024 Opinion|The case for Kamala Harris — and for a Republican VP July 21, 2024 * Opinion|Harris has some good VP choices. The best one is Mark Kelly. July 22, 2024 Opinion|Harris has some good VP choices. The best one is Mark Kelly. July 22, 2024 * Opinion|Biden flips the script — and Republicans forget their lines July 22, 2024 Opinion|Biden flips the script — and Republicans forget their lines July 22, 2024 View 3 more stories Follow the Editorial Board Sign up to get email alerts every time the Editorial Board publishes. Sign up Subscribe to comment and get the full experience. Choose your plan → Advertisement Advertisement TOP STORIES The Olympics The latest news on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and stories on the athletes preparing for the Games. LeBron James will be a flag bearer in Paris Olympics Opening Ceremonies Milan-Cortina Olympics organizers confident sliding track will be on time Have the Olympics lost their luster? 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