President Joe Biden’s historic decision to end his reelection campaign was the latest dramatic and difficult moment in what has been a lifetime of them.
In multiple documentaries, FRONTLINE has chronicled Biden’s life and career over five decades in U.S. politics — the challenges, tragedies, triumphs and controversies; the tough choices made; and the approach to leadership that took shape along the way.
From Biden’s childhood battle with stuttering and then the death of his wife and young child, through his decades as a U.S. senator, his eight years as vice president in the Obama administration, and taking office as president himself in a time of cascading national crises, Biden was always one to pick himself back up after challenging moments, those who know him told FRONTLINE.
This time, facing things meant stepping back. Unable to quell Democratic Party leaders’ and donors’ concerns about his health, acuity and viability as a candidate following his faltering June 27 debate performance, Biden said in a letter posted to the platform X that he had made the decision to end his reelection campaign and would focus instead on serving out the rest of his term. In another post on X, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor and said, “It’s time to come together and beat Trump.”
The decision throws an already unprecedented campaign season into further turmoil. Following a historic felony conviction and then a string of legal victories, former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on July 13 and was confirmed as the GOP nominee for president days later at the Republican National Convention.
As Democrats appear to coalesce around Vice President Harris as their new candidate, the documentary examines the life and legacy of President Biden through the lens of FRONTLINE’s reporting over the years.
Guest:
Michael Kirk is an award-winning documentary film director.
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*This interview will be recorded on Tuesday, August 6, 2024.
