President Biden has vowed to continue in public life after leaving the White House, telling a congregation at a South Carolina church on Sunday: “I'm not going anywhere.”
On his last full day in office, Biden traveled to… Charleston, South Carolina, He delivered a speech at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church to celebrate Martin Luther King Day early.
On the subject of pardons, Biden praised himself for issuing more commutations and individual pardons than “any other president in American history,” adding that he also aspires to “end the federal death penalty” by commuting most sentences to life without parole. The president also said he commuted sentences for individuals “serving disproportionately harsh, long, and harsh sentences for nonviolent drug offenses” and showed “compassion” to individuals who served time or served significant time and “demonstrated significant remorse and grief.”
Biden pardons the late black activist Marcus Garvey and four others
President Biden speaks during a service at Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston, South Carolina, Sunday, January 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
“These decisions are difficult. Some of them have never been made before, but from my experience and my conscience, I believe that the combination of justice and mercy requires that we as a nation bear witness, see people's pain, and not look away and do what is asked of them.” Biden said: “We are working to transfer pain to a goal, and to show that we are capable of bringing a person or a nation to the day of salvation.” “We know that the struggle to save the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing.”
“This is the shore between danger and possibility. But faith, faith teaches us that the America we dream of is always closer than we think. This is the faith we must cling to in the coming Saturdays. We must cling to hope. We must stay,” Biden said. Engaged. We must always keep faith in a better day to come,” he said, adding: “I'm not going anywhere. I'm not kidding people. In South CarolinaThank you for keeping the faith. “It has been an honor to serve as your president.”
President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and Representative James Clyburn attend a service at Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston, Sunday, January 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
“As I end this journey with you, I am just as passionate about our work as I was a 29-year-old kid when I was elected,” Biden added. “I'm not tired by any means.”
How to watch Trump's 2025 inauguration on January 20
Biden, who turned 82 in November, must return to Washington, D.C., on Monday for the convention Opening ceremony For President-elect Trump.
After a disastrous debate performance against Trump over the summer, Biden suspended his re-election campaign amid serious concerns within the Democratic Party about his victory. Age and mental fitness.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve as your president,” President Biden told a crowd in North Charleston, Sunday, January 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Vice President Kamala Harris headed the Democratic ticket instead of Biden and suffered a crushing defeat by Trump in November.
Biden was the oldest US president to be sworn in four years ago. Trump (78 years old) will break this record by a few months on Monday.
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Earlier on Sunday, Biden was granted clemency For five other people, including the pardon of political activist and black nationalist Marcus Garvey.
