Just one day after the New York Times called on President Joe Biden to drop out of the race, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC), Georgia’s largest newspaper, has now called on Biden to withdraw “immediately” from the 2024 presidential campaign.

In a sharply worded opinion article published on Saturday AJCs The editorial board called on Biden to step down as Democratic candidate before November.

The newspaper's editorial board stressed the urgency of its appeal, stating: “This will require a massive and unprecedented series of legal and regulatory actions to name a Biden successor and place him on the ballots of every state. This is difficult and necessary work that must begin immediately.”

This call comes in the wake of what many observers described as a lackluster debate performance by the incumbent during his confrontation with former President Donald Trump on Thursday evening in Atlanta, Georgia.

The panel wrote that Biden had “demonstrated a greater ability to tell the truth than his opponent,” but added: “The unfortunate truth is that Biden should withdraw from the race for the good of the nation he has served so admirably for half a century.”

“Throughout Thursday night's excruciating 90-minute forum, the president failed to convey a competent and coherent vision for America's future,” the editorial continued. “He failed to lay out the most basic aspects of his program. He failed to accept credit for the significant accomplishments of his three-and-a-half years in office.”

The context

Biden, 81, has struggled to allay concerns about his age and mental fitness for another four years in office. Throughout the debate, Biden's performance was marked by verbal slip-ups and a noticeably strained voice. The president, who has long stuttered, seemed to struggle with his speech more than usual.

When asked about Biden’s condition during the debate, a member of his staff said: Newsweek that the president was battling a cold.

The editorial addressed this directly: “President Biden's surrogates tried to downplay the debate performance. Aides claimed he had a cold. Vice President Kamala Harris argued the leader of the free world should be judged on his entire presidency, not a single night. Former President Barack Obama took to social media to say, 'Bad debate nights happen.' These reactions are an insult to the American people.”

What we know

The AJC The editorial team praised Biden as much as it criticized him in its commentary. The newspaper acknowledged his achievements but argued that his age had become a significant problem: “It was not a bad evening; it was confirmation of the worst fears of some of Biden's most ardent supporters – that after 36 years in the U.S. Senate, eight more as vice president and one term in the White House, age has finally caught up with him.”

The committee even drew a parallel to George Washington's decision not to seek a third term, quoting from his farewell address: “The increasing burden of years reminds me more and more every day that the shadow of retirement is to me as necessary as it is welcome.”

The commentary also described Trump as a significant threat to democracy, stating: “Trump has already hinted at what his second term might look like. He has spoken of a desire to 'get revenge' on his political opponents, and he told Fox News' Sean Hannity at a town hall last year that he would be a dictator on day one of his presidency (but only day one).”

Newsweek sent an email to Biden and Trump's campaign team on Saturday seeking comment.

Views

The AJCs Given the state's importance as a battleground in recent elections, the editorial likely elicited mixed reactions from Democratic Party officials and Georgia voters.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms fired back at X after she gave reasons why Trump should not run for president: “With all due respect @ajc please limit yourself to reporting the news instead of trying to create it and leave the decision to the voters.”

Congresswoman Nikema Williams, a Democrat who represents Georgia's 5th congressional district, also responded to the report on X about the editorial, writing: “Biden had a bad debate night, but he was a damn good president. Trump lied all night AND was a bad president for four years, committed 34 serious crimes, and is a racist with no moral compass – but the @ajc is OK with him running?”

Trump was found guilty in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records. He is the first former president in U.S. history to be criminally convicted and faces three more charges during his re-election campaign.

What's next

“Democratic voters have nominated Joe Biden. Joe Biden is the nominee,” Michael Tyler, Biden's campaign communications director, told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday.

The Democratic National Committee is scheduled to meet on August 19 to announce its official presidential nomination. President Biden is scheduled to face former President Trump again on September 10 in a debate hosted by ABC News.