Biden Address @ 2000ET; Seeks To Outline Final 6 Months In Office

President Joe Biden is set to deliver an address to the nation at 2000ET (0100BST, 0200CET) from the Oval Office regarding his decision not to run for a second presidential term. NBC News reportsthat accoridng to a source familiar with Biden's remarks, "In addition to providing a detailed explanation for his withdrawal from the race, Biden also wants to talk about the work ahead in the remaining months of his presidential term".

• NYT reports than in a call with the now-Harris for President campaign HQ, Biden said his focus for the remaining six months in office would include "initiatives to curb gun violence, expand child care and elder care, lower the cost of prescription drugs and stem climate change." He has also said that he wants to see an end to the war in Gaza. Notably without the massive distraction of running a presidential campaign, the president can now dedicate more time to such subjects.
• However, he faces the major hindrance of being a 'lame duck', with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and foreign leaders already focusing on what the next administration will bring. NYT quotes Princeton historian Julian Zelizer: "Being a lame duck might free up the departing president, but also emboldens opponents at home and abroad who no longer fear that person. The result is more might-have-beens than breakthrough moments.”