evidence: U.S. President Joe Biden on July 24 delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country’s democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his 2024 presidential campaign and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. [...] "I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation," Mr. Biden said, saying he wanted to make room for "fresh voices, yes, younger voices." He added, "That is the best way to unite our nation." It was a belated fulfillment of his 2020 pledge to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders — and a bow to the drumbeat of calls from within his party to step aside. [...] "I’ve given my heart and my soul to our nation," he said. "I’ve been blessed a million times in return." Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that any question of Mr. Biden resigning his office before the election — which would allow Harris to run as an incumbent — was "ridiculous." Jean-Pierre said Mr. Biden has "no regrets" about his decision to stay in the race as long as he did, or his decision to quit it over the weekend. She said Mr. Biden’s decision had nothing to do with his health.