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Jimmy Fallon has likened President Joe Biden’s address to the nation explaining his exit from the 2024 race to an awkward meet-up after a break-up.
OnThe Tonight Show, Fallon discussed Biden’s announcement on Sunday – where he said he was dropping his reelection bid and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris – followed by his first public comments about his decision in a speech on Wednesday night.
“Earlier tonight, President Biden gave a prime-time address from the Oval Office about his decision to drop out of the race,” Fallon said.
“Basically, on Sunday, he broke up with the country over text, and tonight, he met us for coffee to explain,” he joked.
Fallon went on: “Yep, Biden delivered the address. Although it was hard for people to focus with Kamala’s interior designer in the background.”
In the address to the nation, Biden said that while “my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term,” he believes that “nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy.”
“That includes personal ambition,” he said.
Biden said that “the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation” as he thanked Harris for her time as his vice president.
“It’s the best way to unite our nation. I know there was a time and a place for long years of experience in public life. There’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now,” the president added, before describing Harris as “tough” and “capable.”
In the days since Biden left the race, Harris has raked in support from Democratic party lawmakers, donors and public figures and begun making a series of campaign stops.
Harris’ first rally was held in Milwaukee on Tuesday, where she linked Trump to Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation-backed plan that the former president is furiously trying to distance himself from.
“He and his extreme Project 2025 agenda will weaken the middle class. We know we got to take that seriously,” Harris said. ”Can you believe they put that thing in writing? Read it. It’s 900 pages.”
Before coming out on stage, Wisconsin Democratic leaders voiced their support of her.
Fallon said that there was “no one was more excited than Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers,” before rolling a clip of the governor saying: “On the Tony Evers Excitement Scale that goes from ‘holy mackerel’ and maxes out at ‘heck yes’ I am jazzed as hell.”
“My goodness, that guy makes Mike Pence look like Andrew Dice Clay,” Fallon quipped.
