'Good moment for democracy': UT historian says there is precedent of presidents stepping aside

A University of Texas at Austin historian said there is a “long American tradition of [presidents] stepping aside.”

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A University of Texas at Austin historian said there is a “long American tradition of [presidents] stepping aside.”

Jermy Suri, a professor of History and Public Affairs at UT Austin, told KXAN President Joe Biden’s choice to withdraw from his 2024 reelection campaign is not aberrant. From as early as George Washington’s choice not to run for a third term when there were no term limits to Lyndon B. Johnson stepping aside in 1968, Suri said there are several examples throughout U.S. history. 

“This is what George Washington wanted. He wanted people to leave voluntarily as he did multiple times – resigning his leadership of the Continental Army [and] resigning the presidency,” Suri said. “That is what democracy should be about – not grasping power as long as you can. I praise Joe Biden as a historian for having the courage to do this.”

Suri said U.S. presidents consistently did not run for reelection despite being eligible throughout the second half of the 19th century. For example, he said, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president, could have run for a third term in 1876 but did not. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, made it so that presidents could only serve two elected terms. 

“[Grant] decided not to run because he thought it was in the best interest of the country to have a turnover in leadership,” Suri said. 

Suri said other presidents made similar moves for comparable reasons. 

“They wanted their own party to win, but they wanted it to be someone other than them. So we do have a long tradition of this,” he continued. 

‘A shot in the arm for democracy’

Suri said he thinks Biden’s move is a “return to historical precedent” that will ultimately be a boon for democracy. 

“‘[This] is a shot in the arm for democracy,” Surie said. 

"[Biden] came to the conclusion that many of the voters, who he cares about, would prefer to see someone else,” he said. “They might like his policies, but they're concerned about his age. And he's not forcing his way through. He hasn't hijacked his party -- he's actually turning things over to his party. That's how democracy is supposed to work.”

“I see this as a good moment for democracy,” he added.