'Passing The Torch': U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton Endorses Kamala Harris, Honors Joe Biden

SALEM, MA — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem) — one of the first and most persistent voices in Washington calling on President Joe Biden to abandon his bid for re-election — praised Biden as "a father of our party and a leader for America and the world" the day after Biden said he would not seek the nomination at next month's Democratic National Convention.

Moulton also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination to run against former President Donald Trump, calling her "our historic vice president" and saying she "has the energy, the vision and the courage to unite our party."

Moulton was an outspoken critic of Biden's campaign in the immediate aftermath of last month's debate and said within the past two weeks that Biden was on a "path to failure" in November.

Biden spent weeks saying he was in the race until the end, and that he would defeat Trump, before he relented amid growing pressure from inside the party on Sunday.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president," Biden wrote in a letter posted on social media Sunday afternoon. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term."

Biden, who is undergoing treatment for COVID-19 in Delaware, said he would address the nation later in the week about his decision.

"The American people said that they wanted new nominees on both sides of the aisle but only the Democratic Party has delivered," Moulton said on Monday. "There are four months between now and the election, and that is plenty of time for Americans to see the dramatic contrast between Trump's dark vision for a second term and the bright, optimistic, opportunity-filled future I know Kamala Harris will present."

Moulton said his criticisms of Biden's condition to run for re-election were "painful" to voice given his respect for the man he called a mentor, but that he determined "it's time to be honest about this with my constituents and with the president."

"As a representative, I owe it to the people to share my honest views," Moulton said. "This is bigger than one man.

"It's not about President Biden. This is about winning the race."

Moulton credited Biden for "passing the torch" in a similar fashion to George Washington, who opted not to run for a third term when given the opportunity in 1796.

"Joe Biden also leaves a legacy that is deeply personal for many of us," Moulton said. "He has been one of my greater mentors in politics, as I know he was for many Democrats through the decades, and I feel fortunate to call him a friend.

"For years, he has been a father of our party and a leader for America and the world. ...

I know future generations will aspire to the record of service he has left for our country."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)