'Some Things Are More Important Than Staying in Power'

Biden gives his final address to the UN General Assembly
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 24, 2024 10:55 AM CDT
'Some Things Are More Important Than Staying in Power'
President Biden addresses the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday at UN headquarters in New York.   (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Biden delivered his final address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, and while he addressed international conflicts, he also spoke of his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race. Details from outlets including CNN, the New York Times, the AP, and the Guardian.

  • "Some things are more important than staying in power," Biden told his fellow world leaders. "As much as I love the job, I love my country more. I decided, after 50 years of public service, it's time for a new generation of leadership to take my nation forward."

  • Biden said he has witnessed a "remarkable sweep of history" in his life and warned that "we're in another inflection point in world history—for the choices we make today will determine our future for decades to come." On the same theme, he sounded a note of optimism: "I know many look at the world today and see difficulties and react with despair, but I do not," he said. "We are stronger than we think" when acting in unity.
  • The president said the world "cannot look away" from Russia's invasion of Ukraine or stop supporting the latter. "The good news is Putin's war has failed at his core aim," Biden said. "He set out to destroy Ukraine, but Ukraine is still free. He set out [to] weaken NATO, but NATO is bigger, stronger, more united than ever before."
  • He also lamented the "bloody civil war" in Sudan, saying it had "unleashed one of the world's worst humanitarian [crises]."
(More President Biden stories.)

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