The end of US President Joe Biden's election chances came quickly and in near-total secrecy, but Vice President Kamala Harris was ready.
Biden steps out, passes torch to Harris
While isolated at his Delaware beach house due to Covid-19, the 81-year-old Biden made his historic announcement that he was dropping out of the White House race in a statement on social media at 1:46 p.m. Sunday.
It was just one minute after he had held a video call with stunned aides and two days after his team had stressed that he was looking forward to returning to the campaign trail.
An image of an angry, almost Shakespearean Biden emerged in the American media, cowering far from Washington and hesitating as his former allies came out one by one to urge him to bow out after his disastrous debate performance less than a month earlier.
