aleph , 4 hours ago

Less then two weeks before he dropped out, he wrote an open letter to congressional democrats in which he wrote:

I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump.

I have heard the concerns that people have — their good faith fears and worries about what is at stake in this election. I am not blind to them.

I can respond to all this by saying clearly and unequivocally: I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024.

The voters of the Democratic Party have voted. They have chosen me to be the nominee of the party. Do we now just say this process didn’t matter? That the voters don’t have a say?

I decline to do that… I have no doubt that I — and we — can and will beat Donald Trump.

Unless this was all part of an elaborate hoax, it’s clear he had no intention of dropping out at that time.