If a week is a long time in politics, the last eight days of the US presidential election campaign have proved to be drama of an epic scale.
Joe Biden’s shock decision on Sunday to drop out of the 2024 presidential race concluded a head-spinning week that began with the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, and has left Americans reeling.
This week’s events were as follows:
Saturday: Attempt to assassinate Trump
Republican candidate Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania when a 20-year-old man standing on a nearby roof opened fire.
Images of the bloodied candidate shaking his fist as Secret Service agents escorted him off the stage became iconic, sparking cheers from his supporters.
Monday: The Republican National Convention begins
Trump appeared before a boisterous crowd at the Republican National Convention with a white bandage over his ear – which was injured in the assassination attempt. He named Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate.
Wednesday: Pressure mounts on Biden
Biden’s support has been waning since his failure to win the June 27 debate with Trump, as concerns grow within the Democratic Party about the 81-year-old Biden’s age and his ability to defeat Trump in the election – and then serve for another four years.
Top Democratic lawmaker Adam Schiff joined the list of party officials urging the president to step down, praising him but also saying “our country is at a crossroads.”
Biden has also contracted COVID-19, forcing him to step away from the campaign trail and return to his Delaware home to recuperate.
In an interview released the same day, he said he might reconsider his election campaign if a “medical situation” arose.
Thursday: Pelosi, Obama, Trump
There are new signs of waning Democrat support: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who worked to mediate the growing crisis, has told House Democrats that the president could soon be persuaded to drop out of the race.
And former President Barack Obama, who was once Biden’s boss, has reportedly told aides that the president should “seriously consider the viability of his candidacy.”
Trump accepted the nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, promising a cheering crowd that they could expect an “incredible victory” in November.
Friday: ‘The stakes are high’
As the list of lawmakers urging Biden to drop out of the election has grown to 25, he again insisted he will stay in the race, saying, “The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win.”
Saturday: ‘Bullet for Democracy’
At his first rally since the assassination attempt, Trump told a cheering crowd in Michigan, “I took a bullet for democracy.”
He mocked the Democrats’ leadership crisis, saying, “They don’t even know who their candidate is.”
Sunday: Biden’s big decision
Sunday began with pro-Democrat independent Senator Joe Manchin joining the chorus urging Biden to step down.
Two surveys have brought grim news for the president, with one showing a sharp drop in support in battleground Michigan while another showing Trump receiving his highest favorability rating in years.
At 1.46pm Washington time (1746 GMT) Biden posted a surprise statement on social media announcing he was ending his candidacy, saying it was “in the best interest of my party and the country.”
He has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s new nominee, while top Democrats like Bill and Hillary Clinton have also supported her.
Trump declared on social media that Biden was “not fit to run” and “certainly not fit to serve.” Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, insist that Biden should resign from the presidency “immediately.”
The Democratic Party chairman announced that a “transparent and orderly” process would be followed to choose someone to replace Biden.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
